Forum: Air Force Life

Was at a retirement ceremony yesterday and met an interesting fellow. (Retired USAF)

Birddog FAC in Nam and Laos,
Went back for the "Steve Canyon" program wearing civilian cloths doing special flying in the same area as a "Raven" FAC. Also T-28 IP for the Laotion AF.
Did some other stateside tour and went back to do IP work in... Cambodia (then AKA Khmer AF)

Then came back stateside finally and did F-4s and ended with F-16s. Kind of a "Gums" like character. Did a lot of stuff but survived. Very interesting person. 2 DFC's, 18 Air Medals, a little over 6,000 hrs (1,089 combat !!)

I would rather meet people like this than any movie star or traditional celeb.

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OK I'll start with the Viper-related fellows:

Harry Hillaker
Phil Oestricher
Neil Anderson
Dave Palmer
Keith Rozenkranz

others....

Dr John Paul Stapp
Joe Kittinger (Project Man-High)
Chuck Yeager (.....)
Scott Crossfield (X-15)
Jim Eastham (YF-12 1st flight)
Bob Gilliland (SR-71 1st flight)
Hal Farley (YF-117 1st flight)
Rich Couch (B-2A 1st flight)
Tom Morganfeld (YF-22, X-35)
Carmine Vito (U-2 pilot, Moscow overflight)
Jeana Yeager (Voyager)
Dick Abrams (Skunk Works, Kelly Johnson's successor)

enough for now...

Jimmy Doolittle (just before he passed away)
Charlie Duke (Apollo 11 White Team CapCom and Apollo 16 LM pilot) in the early 90's when his son Tom was in F-16 training at Tucson.
Iceal Hambleton ("Bat 21")
Astronaut Jack Lousma (Skylab II or III) at a hotel bar in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands. I spent 4 months in Houston prior to going to Europe and didn't see one single astronaut. A continent and 4000 miles later and one walks in to this little bar and parks it right next to me. Go fig.
Chuck Yeager in '89 at a fly-in at Klamath Falls, OR.
Greg Wooldridge: Commanded the first Blue Angel team to visit Moscow after the fall the the USSR. Was featured in a Blues video hosted by Dennis Quaid. He now flies DC-10s for FedEx and shows up here at the sim for regular requals. To my knowledge he had NOT attempted the Diamond Dirty Loop in the DC-10 yet.
Irving Burrows: McDonnell-Douglas company pilot. Flew the first F-15A on it's maiden flight in 1972.

I got to meet Pappy Boyington and Saburo Sakai at the same airshow years ago down at Brown Field near San Diego. I was very young, but I knew who they were. I didn't realize it was Saburo Sakai at first Embarassed

, but I got to chat with both of them for awhile. Very nice guys! Smile

I also got to meet Chuck Hall (noted Reno Air Race Mustang Pilot) and Bill Anders (Apollo 8 Astronaut, etc.) up at Chuck's FBO at the Ramona airport. I drove out there to go use up some film, hoping Chuck would have his P-51 "Six Shooter" out of the hanger so I could get some pix of it. As I was driving up the road to Chuck's hangers, I heard a Merlin engine and there was Six Shooter turning on final! I was really surprised to hear a second Mustang turning on final and I couldn't believe my luck! I was standing outside Chuck's little snack shop (no disrespect, just the best description I can think of for his shop) when the two Mustangs taxied up and cut the engines. I had met Chuck before, but just to say Hi. I didn't know who the other guy was who was getting out of Val Halla, but I just had to shake his hand and compliment him on his plane. He asked me if I'd ever seen a Mustang's cockpit, and proceeded to guide me up onto the wing! I found out who he was only after I thanked him and said goodbye, but I can't say enough about how much of a class act all of these pilots are! Very Happy

PS - Many of you may have seen Chuck Hall and Bill Anders at airshows participating in the Heritage Flight program with their Mustangs.

If I was in your shoes and known it was Bill Anders, I'd have asked him about Frank Borman up-chuckin' on Apollo 8 and who REALLY took that famous photo called "Earthrise", Anders or Jim Lovell! Razz

A good "you'll never guess who I met today" story!

I have been around aviation for a long time, so have met many interesting folks.

Mr. Richard Perkins, member of my home church, a B-17 pilot that got to visit Germany for three years, under extreme circumstances after the second Shweinfurt raid. Recently passed away.
Mr. Wilson Williams, also a member of my church. Flew Dust-off Hueys in Viet Nam.
Mr. Phil Royer, a McDonnell Douglas Tech rep for over 30 years. Worked on all their fighters and was a gold mine of information on the F-15. He taught me more about the F-15 than anyone else.
My father worked in Dallas FSS, several of the men he worked with were members of the Eagle Squadron in Britain. Wish I had spent more time talking with them.
One of my pilots, Major Greg Johnson is in the astronaut corps now.
Met General Yeager at airshows, and at Edwards. Same with Bob Hoover. Got to help Mr. Hoover load his bags in one of Evergreens Lears when I worked at Love Field.
General Anders, marshalled his Mustang at the airshow in Minter Field. Similar story with Col Joe Engel, except it was a P-40 in Terrel Texas.
Met Chuck Devellbue, when I was at Edwards, he was assigned to the wing there also.
Met Colonel Bernie Fisher a couple of times here at Mountain Home.
Dick Rutan at an airshow in California City.

God knows how many test pilots, engineers and test conductors that are all some small part of aviation history. And I know there has been times that someone "famous" has walked right past me as I worked on their plane at an airshow.

I suppose that is enough of my "Bragging" JMC

In my short time on this Earth.

CRD Rob Niewoehner (USN) - Chief Navy Test Pilot for the Super Hornet
Sean Tucker - Oracle Pilot and good friend of my FBO owner
Paul Griffith - My soon to be Grandfather-in-law B-17 pilot over Germany Shot down in 44' and inturned at Stalagluft III
Chuck Yeager - at the 100th anniversary of the wright brothers flight
Buzz Aldren - At Wright-Patt AFM

Just came across this thread. Didn't know it was here, but it looks like it was popular back when my computer was on the fritz. Anyway, I have a laundry list of people I've met, some more interesting than others. Some I was really impressed with before I met them, and then...well...

This is an abbreviated list. It's after Monday Night Football, and I've had enough Silver Bullets to kill a pack of warewolves, so I'll try my best to remember everybody. Here goes...

Gen. Charles Horner - last assignment was CINCSPACECOM. He also commanded Allied Air Ops in ODS, and was at one time the Wing King at Tyndall. This is where I knew him.

Gen. Richard Myers - my dad's former boss. Also a former Tyndall Wing King. You now know him as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Gen. John P. "Laredo" Jumper - Met him when he was CINCUSAFE. He's now the USAF COS.

Gen. Lloyd "Fig" Newton - Former Commander of AETC. Met him while he was serving in this position. He was also a former Slot pilot for the Thunderbirds, and this was the hotpoint of our conversation. He recalled a very amusing story to me when he hit a goose during a show in South Carolina. This happened when his parents had come to see him fly!

BGen Richard "Steve" Ritchie - Only AF pilot ace in Vietnam. One helluva pilot, and probably one of the most famous Phantom Phlyers to ever live. Got to see him fly. 2 Cool for words...

Capt. Dale "Snort" Snodgrass - Former F-14 pilot, and I believe a fmr. Top Gun instructor. He flies an F-86 at airshows, and this is how we met. Great pilot, and I promise he doesn't land the Sabre like a swabbie!

Col. Frank Borman - Apollo astronaut and current hot ticket on the Air Force Heritage Flight circuit. He also flies an F-86.

Col. George "Bud" Day (CMH, Vietnam POW) - The most decorated person in USAF history. Lives near Eglin AFB, and he was wearing his CMH when we met.

Patty Wagstaff and Sean Tucker - I will put them together because they are both on the civilian airshow circuit. In fact, they are pretty much the most well known civilian airshow pilots

Having previously lived in Pensacola, FL, I've met several Blue Angels. All were great to meet.

That's pretty much all I can think of at present. A few other MiG killers here and there, and that would make up the list. All that and 99 cents will get me a burger at McDonald's. Wink

Beers and MiGs were made to be pounded!

I had met General John Rosa (commander for the airfoce acadamy) when he was flying my jet. Very nice guy, told me to take off my shirt (we wear our shirt for VIP's and my supervision came up during the launch and told me I was being disrespectfull I said I was following an order and went on with the launch. Anyway, nice guy. I don't fequent air shows that much so I haven't met some of the people you guys have.

OK... ( not bragging Smile

)

Robert L. Scott from the God is my Co-Pilot / Flying Tigers day.

Yeah he is still kickin in his late '90's.

Get to see him every few months at museum functions and such. Very interesting fellow and an interesting view back in time to early military aviation history. Last jet he was officially checked out on before he retired was the F-100.

Got to meet Paul Tibbets a few years ago too. Fascinating fellow. Was going to become ( and was training to be ) a doctor but the aviation bug bit. Just as interesting about him besides the 509th BG and Enola Gay, is his tour in B-17s in Europe ( wow ). I honestly think from reading about him that his biggest fan and mentor was Gen Curt Lemay.

In the vitual world I'll put the pilots and maintainers on this forum right up toward the top of the list too.

I was at Miramar last month with Mom and Dad when Dad noticed someone he wanted to say hi to. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, USN Vietnam ace and current San Diego congressman, was wandering down the flightline. We said hi and I got to thank him for all he has done in the service of his country and shake his hand. Really nice guy!

Bill Reesman was at the airshow flying his MiG-17 and the announcer related a little conversation he had had with Duke. He asked Duke if he liked seeing the MiG at the airshow. Duke said it was OK, but he liked seeing them catching fire in his gunsight better!

TC wrote:

Capt. Dale "Snort" Snodgrass - Former F-14 pilot, and I believe a fmr. Top Gun instructor. He flies an F-86 at airshows, and this is how we met. Great pilot, and I promise he doesn't land the Sabre like a swabbie!
Beers and MiGs were made to be pounded!

Snort is the guy flying this famous picture titled "fly-by2.jpg"

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopic-t-648-postdays-0-postorder-asc-start-30.html

(6th one down on my machine...)

Salute!

Well, ELP-breath started this.

So Forrest-Gums shall add his stuff

- First, meeting Gums would be a treat for many folks, heh heh

- Steve Ritchie, USAF pilot Ace in 'nam. Classmate and we went thru pilot indoctrination training in 1963. Also posted a pic here of he and I together from a few years ago.

- Yeager? Oh yeah, A few meetings, but never flew with him. We were 'expert' witnesses for a lawsuit back in 1985

- Chuck Horner? Student of mine in the Viper, as he was one of first Wing Kings to check out quick and dirty. Got his autograph on Clancy's book(Every Man a Tiger). Plus, he lives about 4 or 5 miles from me.

- How about Mike Mosely? He was air ops CINC for Iraq last year. Sheesh, I was two for two. Moseley was a stud of mine, like Horner. Got his signature on a neat pic that his class gave to me.

- Fred Gregory. Deputy toad for NASA. Classmate, saw him a month ago at our 40th reunion (plus 8 POW's from the "Return With Honor" video)

- Dick Covey. Stud of mine in A-37. Rescued the Hubble in 1993 or so

- John Blaha? Commanded two shuttles and flew on MIR for 4 or 5 months. We roomed together at Bien Hoa in 1968

- How about a real blast from the past? Maybe a few?

-- Curt LeMay handed me my diploma in 1964. My future wife and I shook hands with him and his wife at grad ball reception line night before he handed me my diploma

-- Oh yeah, Ed White, astronaut who died in Apollo 1 fire. His brother was a classmate in my squad. Sadly, he died a few months before Ed. Two sons within a year from a neat family - so sad....... He was the guy that got me really motivated to try to be somebody

-- Tony LeVier, Lockheed hero. F-104, U-2 and other neat stuff.

-- Eric Hartmann, most kills of any Luftwaffe. Our squad got to escort him about USAFA when we were doolies.

- Karl Richter. Go look this guy up. A real hero and a selfless citizen doing his best for a noble cause. Shot down after 198 missions in the Thud and died from blood loss after hitting some mean karst. I really loved that guy, and we went thru pilot training together.

- Some other guys from a galaxy far, far away that you should all look up and try to appreciate what they sacrificed: Ed Mechenbier, Ron Bliss, Kevin McManus, LeRoy Stutz, Tom McNish, Guy Gruters, Don Spoon, Marty Neuens, and one or two I can't recall. Imagine sitting in a telephone booth for two or three years.........I am damned proud of them and to be one of their classmates.

Oh well, gotta go...........................

Guy Gruters. I remember his name. He was one of the men who put Lance Sijan in for his CMH (sadly, posthumously). It's been years since I read Malcolm McConnell's book "Into the Mouth of the Cat" about Sijan, his childhood friend, but everytime I think about that book to this day, I still get choked up. Sad story. Bob Craner, I believe was the name of the other man in the cell with Gruters, and Sijan. Gums, you must have run into Gen. Horner just shortly after he left Tyndall (early to mid 80's). I'll have to ask my pops for a specific date, since he used to work for Gen. Horner here. Shortly thereafter, Gen. Richard Myers became his boss. Just to tell you how long it's been, I still remember addressing him as Colonel (full bird at the time). I've always been hesitant to ask you of this name Gums, but since we're on the subject and his name has come up a few times in my law studies, I'll go ahead and ask you if you knew Capt. Theodore "Ted" Harduvell. His name has become rather infamous due to the very public court case and later a movie. I think he was one of the original Viper pilots and/or instructors. Buenos Noches.

Forum: Air Force Life

Interesting mil. aviation people you have met