All right you'se guys. Told the whole story last year but a short
version.

Ferrying three T-33's out of over haul to Iceland and going to bring
the war weary birds back.

Launched, CAVU and forecast and to remain, from Goose Bay along with 9
F-5's going to Jordan. En route, Wx at Sonderstrom went to 1K and
three miles in snow. F-5's were faster and passed us and started
landing (GCA) before us. We arrived at Sonderstrom and listened to the
problems the F-5's were having while circuling for an hour.

Finally given clearance to make an approach to GCA for landing. Gave
us a 360 to burn off altitude and ran us behind a mountain and we lost
radio contact. I climbed a little and went to Guard and got contact
and we were on base leg and they forgot I was on Guard and let us over
shoot final talking on descrete freq not Guard. Sent us around with 12
gallons on totalizer. Pulled up and punched.

Civilian chopper picked three of us up and 4th landed outside their
local TV station and walked in on camera :O)

Lots of errata but that is basic story.

Monday morning quarter back. If I had declared emergency fuel 10-15
minutes earlier they might have lost one or two F-5's but my three
birds would have landed ok. Isn't hindsight wonderful.

Big John

Msc

The F-5's had a price tag of over a million dollars ea.

The T-33's were on the books at $65K ea.



On Mon, 08 Dec 2003 11:37:28 -0600, Big John
wrote:

33 years ago at about 13:00 Greenland Standard Time , with good
training, excellent equipment and the Grace of God, I ejected over
Sonderstrom Greenland, in the middle of a snow storm and survived,

This day after Pearl Harbor Day, I celebrate, with my troops, this
episode in time.

Big John