Good Looking Old Man

[Crusader]

I should have posted this in the Sea King thread :costumes:. Yep , this is me in Feb 1994 , the year I retired from the Air Force Reserves . My unit (906th TFG-disbanded now) at Wright Patterson flew our F-16's to Roosevelt Roads NAS . I was a E-8 medic at the time so I had plenty of time on my hands . :costumes: One day while hanging out at the hanger and watching the Orions, E-3,s(?) , and yes at that time the Navy even had a few A-4's sitting on the flightline , I believe he was a LCdr came up to me and asked me if I wanted to hitch a ride on a SH-3(I hope this is the right designation) Sea King he was giving to a newly assigned pilot for a "familiarization flight" of Roosevelt Roads NAS and some of the surrounding Islands . We were gone most of the day . the Crew Chief anchored me in and let me sit out the side of the bird with my legs dangling as we buzzed a few Cruise ships . We did a touch and go at a hospital helo spot on one of the islands . The picture attached I believe was taken at the island the Navy used for gunnery and bomb runs(?--I could be wrong). It was one of the most memorable days I ever spent in the military(other than my four years in the Marine Corps) . Why am my sharing this now , I'am not sure , I ran across the picture and it really brought back some great memories .

Happy New Year :ernae:(you have to look real close , you will see the SH-3 in the background--and yes , I don't know how to submit pictures correctly--still learning----If you click the little four way arrow symbol in the lower right hand corner it brings up a closer view I found out--LOL)

Rich

[Toastmaker]

Sounds like a fun day. Some special days never seem to leave your memory - let's us re-live them from time to time !

[jmig]

Sharing memories with people who can appreciate them is the next best thing to the original event.

Thanks for sharing. It does sound like a great day. The nice thing is you were old enough to appreciate it fully.

[TARPSBird]

Crusader,
My last flight "in the line of duty" was in a SH-3 to shoot still photos and video of my destroyer. Coincidentally that was also in the Puerto Rico operating area. Normally I can't climb more than 2-3 steps up a ladder but I didn't mind standing in the open doorway wearing a gunner's belt, snapping pics. I'd like to do that day over again, the weather was beautiful. :)

[GT182]

As I've heard a few pilots say, "a good day of flying is even better than your best day at work". :wiggle:

It's great remembering those days even getting a ride aloft. It's those rememberances that keep us youg Rich. Good photo and thanks for sharing. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/GT182/Thumbup.gif

[Crusader]

Your right guys . Memories are something to be cherished for ever . Whether it be losted love ones or events like I mentioned above . I was totally impressed by the pilots skills that day . He was very young but I would venture to say he had one hell of a good instructor in flight school and he took full advantage of it . He could set the SH-3 on a dime if he had to . We touched down at least 11 or 12 times and one particular time we had to buze a damn cow in a field to get it to move . The senior pilot told us not to mention that when we got back . I think the LCdr who originally ask me to go along got wind that I was retiring in couple of months from our tour in PR so was just showing his appreciation . Great guy and I'm positive the co-pilot impressed him on his "familiarization flight". What a great group of people at Roosevelt Roads .

Rich

(Feb 94: weather low to mid 80's and beautiful-- especially when you skim across the water 20 to 30 feet . One particular time the crew chief was standing behind me and pointed out a small school of sharks . He started laughing when he noticed I was scooting ass back into the doorway alittle farther .:costumes:

[Daveroo]

very cool.thanks for sharing that.....

one time back in the 80s..while on a wildfire..the helo kept dipping out of the local sewer ponds....not the filtered stuff the balck water holding...we were workin the line..he was to support us...but he kept hitting us with direct drops.....after the fire was over and we got reliesed..we paid the helo and crew a visit at the local CDF station..one of our crew placed a pile of dog poo on the seat..that wasnt nice but he got the point...we had dinner at the station that night and after dinner he felt bad ( the pilot) so he gathered our crew (5 of us) and took us on a 20 minute flight...called it a post fire check..or some thing like that....we didnt go near the fire..we flew from the station..which is on top of a ridge overlooking a 1000+ foot deep canyon..we went down in to the canyon..under the foresthill bridge (which is a no no) and then turned left and went up the midle fork of the american canyon....man that was a blast