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Posted: 12/31/1969 Name: Earl Singletary Message: Ross I remember the incident but not the date. My guess is mid seventies. both Cobras were trying to refuel and got to close to each other. It knocked the rotor blades off one of the Cobras the pilot bailed and left the engine running. The other pilot shut his down before he bailed. The engine on the Cobra with no rotor was turning max rpm+ and was setting next to the tanker with several thousand gallons of fuel. People started to evacuate the camp, me included. Luckliy it did not blow. If it had I'm sure it would have taken out a good portion of the camp. I think one of the pilots had some minor injuries, other than that everything was ok after the Cobra ran out of fuel. |
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Posted: 12/31/1969 Name: Joe Mattison Message: Dan, thanks for the information. Again, new news, and new information. Apparently the problem is much larger then trying to figure out how to have an event without "strap hangers". The complaints that I was getting by e-mail or reading on this message board were complaints about "strap hangers"....and in fact, the subject of wives was never mentioned in either communication forum. I'm seeing this as a four-way problem being...1. Does the Association have the CCO on the same day as the Open House, or not (due to uninvited strap hangers). 2. Does the Association have a CCO with "qualified members" only. 3. Does the Association consider wives of "qualified members" as "strap hangers". 4. Are there certain people who by their overwhelming support of the Association receive a "qualified members" entitlement to attend the CCO? These are key points that I think need to be addressed by the Association and establish clearly defined attendance requirements. The Association Leadership may want to take this one step further and that is to obtain "votes" from the General Membership on these key topics, and get an Association wide decision, which is really, the right way to go, rather then decisisons made by only a few, who are living close to the "flagpole". There are many different ways to set up a full Association Vote, and the first way that comes to mind is by "Computer"....and perhaps Bill with his unique skills can set up such a thing. At any rate...saluting the "flagpole" is something that all of us are very capable of doing in the end, but is this really how we want to run this Association, by small group "vote"? For many of us, this is an expensive trip to make to Camp Merrill vicinity, for the annual CCO, and due to the cost of such a trip, I for one, would like to be able to "cast a vote"....without just having to "salute a flag pole". For most of us who make this trip, it adds up to "airfare", "ground transportation costs", a few days of "missed work"(no pay or leave pay used), and the inconvenience of the travel in order to share 24-48 hours of comradeship. Yeah Dan, I can salute a "flagpole"...I did enough of it on active duty to prove that, but is this really how we want to run our own Association? I don't think that it is. |
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Posted: 12/31/1969 Name: ted Message: hey mac, going sailing with mike in the british virgin islands next week. i told mike the first time we get out of sight of land he was going to walk the f---- plank. am going up to ashville this morning to take dau #2 to supper at the biltmore for her 20th b-day and to meet up with an old papa co ranger from there named larry smith. he was the lone survivor from one of our teams in rvn. quest... what's up? you coming to the re-union at benning in aug. a lot of the old guys are showing a lot of interest for this years shindig. mac, you need to get back to work pt'ing them old fat woman at you gym to make the money to get here for the cco. ........rltw ted tilson |
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Posted: 12/31/1969 Name: Ross Hall Message: Doug, don't forget my hat at the meeting tonight. |
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Posted: 12/31/1969 Name: Robert K. Suchke Message: Just to add to Joe's message. Bob Howard was one of my Ranger students in Class 7-73. I later worked with him in SF. Message folllows: I very much regret to inform you that recent Foundation board member and immediate past president of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Bob Howard, has been diagnosed with non-operable pancreatic cancer that has spread to his liver. His life expectancy is limited. He is presently in St. Luke's Baptist Hospital in San Antonio and has begun a very hard chemo therapy regimen. We are unsure of how long he will remain in the hospital. He is very weak has been reluctant to accept phone calls at the present time. We will provide more information as we are able to get it.As an aside, in typical Bob Howard fashion, despite feeling terrible, he joined his fellow recipients in Seattle recently for the University of Washington Medal of Honor Memorial dedication on Veterans Day. He moved slowly and was very weak and unable to eat much...it was obvious that he was "gutting it out." He even took the time, on top of other scheduled events, to speak to several classes at the University of Washington and to a local Rotary luncheon. He just wouldn't say no, regardless of how badly he felt. Please keep Bob in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Buddy Gilbert 601 Elm PlaceEdmonds Wa. 98020 cell 206 851 2559 |
