snip latest

I
just unplugged from the ICS and waited in back until the dust settled
and snuck down below, real quick.

Valor and descretion and all that - sure - I understand.

One of the shortest flights
I'd had in the hummer, including a few airborne aborts, as we went
straight into Oceana -- where we had a birdstrike on landing and blew
a tire on rollout, in the middle of the active runway, of course ....

"Four fingers of tequila in a dirty glass. Stat."

and then my fiance left me cooling my heels as she thought I was
coming in w/the ship up in Norfolk :/ Man do I appreciate cell phones
today...

Could do like my pal Mikoyan and I and just use PRC-90s to discuss our next
inport plans as our ships passed...? No, wait.. as I recall, that didn't turn
out too well....

Of course I didn't learn my lesson and continued as Stunt Mole for
the reminder of a colorful career (umm, try an E-2C DACM vs. an F-16
at Key West and night traps in a Whale, in back)


No sir, I will not. As Winnie used to say, "NEVAH!" I have one bad long
memory that starred a Whale and you couldn't even get me in one for a tour.

I have to admit, it sounds as if you were every bit as much the flight hog as I
was in the Seasnakes. 660 SH-2F hours and 28 H-3 flight hours in one year - I
couldn't believe the Navy paid me to ride in the doorway of heloes, sorta like
a drunk being hired as a professional liquor taster. In fact, in same cases,
it was EXACTLY like that. I only miss it on days that end in the letter "Y".

v/r
Gordon
====(A+C====
USN SAR Aircrew

"Got anything on your radar, SENSO?"
"Nothing but my forehead, sir."