Hahn Air Base "Sabre the Leopard!"
- Senior member
- Posts: 437
- Joined: 05 Nov 2007, 00:35
- Location: San Antonio, Tx
https://www.stripes.com/news/leopard-on ... ZIXotKGPcs
While doing some research, I came across this story in Stars and Stripes from 1953. It's about the 81st TFS mascot "Sabre" that pilots bought and took to Hahn. Thought I would share it. Also anyone have any idea what happened to Sabre?
FROM THE STARS AND STRIPES ARCHIVES
Leopard on prowl at Hahn base
By ROBERT J. DUNPHY | STARS AND STRIPES
Published: November 3, 1953
HAHN — The 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing's jet jockeys are not seeing spots before their eyes — there's a leopard loose on the air base here.
Sabre, the 9-month-old mascot of the wing's 81st Sq, is placid enough most of the time, except when she remembers that she's a leopard and decides to assert herself.
She's allowed to roam free all day long and seldom raises a howl. The clue to her contentment might be that she thinks she's living with a pack of other leopards. The pilots of the 81st wear crash helmets covered with leopard skin and carry out the with leopard skin insignia.
Purchased by the unit when the 81st was at Clovis AFB, N.M., Sabre was flown to Germany with the 50th Wing when it moved here in August. Airmen and officers pitched in $250 to buy the animal from the Pittsburgh Zoo when it was six weeks old.
First Lt Donald L. Mikell has been appointed unofficial keeper of the beast, and he's got scars to prove it. His system is simple — when the leopard bites him he bites back.
The men of the 81st have chipped in $75 to have a special house constructed to keep her from prowling about the base at night.
While doing some research, I came across this story in Stars and Stripes from 1953. It's about the 81st TFS mascot "Sabre" that pilots bought and took to Hahn. Thought I would share it. Also anyone have any idea what happened to Sabre?
FROM THE STARS AND STRIPES ARCHIVES
Leopard on prowl at Hahn base
By ROBERT J. DUNPHY | STARS AND STRIPES
Published: November 3, 1953
HAHN — The 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing's jet jockeys are not seeing spots before their eyes — there's a leopard loose on the air base here.
Sabre, the 9-month-old mascot of the wing's 81st Sq, is placid enough most of the time, except when she remembers that she's a leopard and decides to assert herself.
She's allowed to roam free all day long and seldom raises a howl. The clue to her contentment might be that she thinks she's living with a pack of other leopards. The pilots of the 81st wear crash helmets covered with leopard skin and carry out the with leopard skin insignia.
Purchased by the unit when the 81st was at Clovis AFB, N.M., Sabre was flown to Germany with the 50th Wing when it moved here in August. Airmen and officers pitched in $250 to buy the animal from the Pittsburgh Zoo when it was six weeks old.
First Lt Donald L. Mikell has been appointed unofficial keeper of the beast, and he's got scars to prove it. His system is simple — when the leopard bites him he bites back.
The men of the 81st have chipped in $75 to have a special house constructed to keep her from prowling about the base at night.
- Attachments
-
-
2 posts
|Page 1 of 1
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest