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Good things ALSO happen at airshows
Thought you folks might enjoy reading this. I touched on it in another
thread. It's in the introduction of the official history book of the Thunderbirds "We Rode The Thunder", written by my good friend Bob Gore of the Thunderbirds and is a first person account of an event witnessed by a spectator named Earl Watkins. I've pasted it in below for you. It represents an alternate window from which to view airshows and the people who make up the airshow community. From We Rode the Thunder ; A personal letter to Bob Gore from Earl Watkins; "Look, Mom! There Are Four of Them!" I have been a Thunderbird fan for over 40 years. I heard that you are working on a 50th Anniversary memory book. It’s a great idea. Years ago, when the Thunderbirds were here, I heard your commander say that the mission of the Thunderbirds was not to fly air shows. That surprised me, but he went on to explain that the purpose of the air show was to attract people so you could tell the Air Force story; so you could show the positive effect the Air Force has on their lives. I lived one of those stories. I had a Thunderbird model display in a hanger at the Rickenbacker Air Force Base open house. About two hours before the Thunderbirds flew, I saw a woman struggle to push her teenage son into the hangar in his wheel chair. The boy was bent over, drool on his shirt. I think he had cerebral palsy. The woman’s face was gaunt with creases that only a hopeless struggle leaves behind. She pointed around the hangar in an unrewarded attempt to spark a response from him. “Here! Look here! Look over there. A real airplane.” The boy didn’t move from his slump. After a while, she pushed him outside, her hip against the wheelchair to get it over the hangar door tracks. Several times I’d leave my display and look out to see the sun beat down on the concrete and the people mill around the static displays. I would see her in the distance, wheeling her son around the airplanes while she pointed. Sometime later she pushed him back into the hangar to escape the heat, her face beaded with perspiration and her son lifeless. She closed her eyes and smiled in the cool air. Her life was one of simple pleasures. Other folks filled the hangar to escape the heat, and I grew anxious as I heard the jets start. As much as I loved this hangar and everything in it, I was here to watch the Thunderbirds. I was torn by my growing apprehension at missing your show and not wanting to leave the woman alone with her son. I heard the jets move down the taxiway, then go to full afterburner for takeoff. I helped her roll the wheelchair over the hangar door tracks after the solos had taken off. We were about 25 feet in front of the hangar when the Diamond flew right over our heads for the opening pass. The boy looked up. He pointed with his wrist, “Look, Mom. There are four of them.” The woman stood, eyes wide and jaw dropped. Tears streamed down her cheeks. “He hasn’t spoken in years.” Their eyes met, the first time in a long while I think. She dropped to her knees and hugged him. I patted her back as she sobbed. I had just seen a miracle. I held my hand on her back and watched the beautiful red, white, and blue airplanes describe graceful trails through the sky. I knew that each pilot worked at his craft, not knowing that down here, among the hundreds of thousands of people, they had caused a young man’s world to glow for just a moment. They could not know that the person who loved him more than any other now knelt by his side in emotional exhaustion. I had come to see an air show, but you showed me a matter of the heart. You had just told me a story…your story. What the commander said was right. After the team landed, I went to get autographs for the woman and her son, but when I returned to the hangar, they were gone. I have not seen them again. Somewhere out here, somewhere in this vast great land, there is a woman who cleans, feeds, and clothes her helpless son. Maybe, just maybe, he still sees the four red, white, and blue jets streak through his memory, gives her an uneven smile and says “Look, Mom. There are four of them.” As you write your book, remember, your story is not only about you, but also about how important you are to us.–Earl Watkins I sincerely hope, in light of all the crash video discussion going on these days, that reading this story has given some of you at least, an alternate window from which to view the airshow community and it's people. Thank you Dudley Henriques International Fighter Pilots Fellowship Flight Instructor/Aerobatics/Retired |
#2
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On Thu, 30 Sep 2004 15:19:55 GMT, "Dudley Henriques"
wrote: --excerpt from Thunderbird book snipped-- I sincerely hope, in light of all the crash video discussion going on these days, that reading this story has given some of you at least, an alternate window from which to view the airshow community and it's people. Thank you Dudley Henriques It's beyond simply airshows and the demonstration community, it's aviation in its entirety. It gives man a reason to look up, to challenge the impossible, to break the chains that tie us to our mundane lives. "wheeled and soared, and did a thousand things you have not dreamed of..." Ed Rasimus Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret) "When Thunder Rolled" www.thunderchief.org |
#3
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Nice story Dudley. As Ed said, it applies to more than just airshows, and
it shows that not all heroes are soldiers. Cheers, Tony |
#4
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On Thu, 30 Sep 2004 15:19:55 GMT, "Dudley Henriques"
wrote: Thought you folks might enjoy reading this. I touched on it in another thread. It's in the introduction of the official history book of the Thunderbirds "We Rode The Thunder", written by my good friend Bob Gore of the Thunderbirds and is a first person account of an event witnessed by a spectator named Earl Watkins. I've pasted it in below for you. It represents an alternate window from which to view airshows and the people who make up the airshow community. From We Rode the Thunder ; A personal letter to Bob Gore from Earl Watkins; "Look, Mom! There Are Four of Them!" snipped..... Dudley, I look forward to, and read, all of your posts and have learned much from them. I appreciate all of the time that you've taken to expound in detail on many difficult subjects. You obviously have a great love for flying and for teaching people about flying. I don't, however, appreciate you putting me in a position where I have to explain why I'm wiping tears from my eyes at work Rich Russell |
#5
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In article , Ed Rasimus
wrote: On Thu, 30 Sep 2004 15:19:55 GMT, "Dudley Henriques" wrote: --excerpt from Thunderbird book snipped-- I sincerely hope, in light of all the crash video discussion going on these days, that reading this story has given some of you at least, an alternate window from which to view the airshow community and it's people. Thank you Dudley Henriques It's beyond simply airshows and the demonstration community, it's aviation in its entirety. It gives man a reason to look up, to challenge the impossible, to break the chains that tie us to our mundane lives. "wheeled and soared, and did a thousand things you have not dreamed of..." Ed Rasimus Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret) "When Thunder Rolled" www.thunderchief.org Don't exagerate,Ed. John claimed only "a hundred things". Howard Austin -- -- Howard Austin none |
#6
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"Richard Russell" wrote in message ... On Thu, 30 Sep 2004 15:19:55 GMT, "Dudley Henriques" wrote: Dudley, I look forward to, and read, all of your posts and have learned much from them. I appreciate all of the time that you've taken to expound in detail on many difficult subjects. You obviously have a great love for flying and for teaching people about flying. I don't, however, appreciate you putting me in a position where I have to explain why I'm wiping tears from my eyes at work Rich Russell Remind me someday, and perhaps I'll post a few words about Jim and Katie Ford.........they never flew an airplane..........just regular wonderful old folks..........came to every airshow in their camper to see the team no matter where the show was.......loved the Thunderbirds.........loved BY the Thunderbirds..........Jim, suffering from a cruel illness, made an honorary crew chief of the team in 69......Katie, an honorary crew chief in 71......Jim passed away in 94.......Katie diagnosed with Alzheimer's, died a few years ago.........BOTH are carried on the Thunderbird roll of honor and always will be a part of the team. There are REAL people out there. Dudley |
#7
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"Richard Russell" wrote in message I don't, however, appreciate you putting me in a position where I have to explain why I'm wiping tears from my eyes at work Rich Russell It's a good position for us all to be in occasionally. |
#8
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Great story Dudley...got a Kleenex? For some strange reason, my eyes
are watering... go figure :-) -- Jack Allison PP-ASEL, IA Student "When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return" - Leonardo Da Vinci (Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail) |
#9
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Thanks Dudley for another quality post. You have raised the level of
quality on this group by several notches. Jack G. |
#10
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Been there Dudley... I know what you mean...
BT "Dudley Henriques" wrote in message nk.net... Thought you folks might enjoy reading this. I touched on it in another thread. It's in the introduction of the official history book of the Thunderbirds "We Rode The Thunder", written by my good friend Bob Gore of the Thunderbirds and is a first person account of an event witnessed by a spectator named Earl Watkins. I've pasted it in below for you. It represents an alternate window from which to view airshows and the people who make up the airshow community. From We Rode the Thunder ; A personal letter to Bob Gore from Earl Watkins; "Look, Mom! There Are Four of Them!" I have been a Thunderbird fan for over 40 years. I heard that you are working on a 50th Anniversary memory book. It's a great idea. Years ago, when the Thunderbirds were here, I heard your commander say that the mission of the Thunderbirds was not to fly air shows. That surprised me, but he went on to explain that the purpose of the air show was to attract people so you could tell the Air Force story; so you could show the positive effect the Air Force has on their lives. I lived one of those stories. I had a Thunderbird model display in a hanger at the Rickenbacker Air Force Base open house. About two hours before the Thunderbirds flew, I saw a woman struggle to push her teenage son into the hangar in his wheel chair. The boy was bent over, drool on his shirt. I think he had cerebral palsy. The woman's face was gaunt with creases that only a hopeless struggle leaves behind. She pointed around the hangar in an unrewarded attempt to spark a response from him. "Here! Look here! Look over there. A real airplane." The boy didn't move from his slump. After a while, she pushed him outside, her hip against the wheelchair to get it over the hangar door tracks. Several times I'd leave my display and look out to see the sun beat down on the concrete and the people mill around the static displays. I would see her in the distance, wheeling her son around the airplanes while she pointed. Sometime later she pushed him back into the hangar to escape the heat, her face beaded with perspiration and her son lifeless. She closed her eyes and smiled in the cool air. Her life was one of simple pleasures. Other folks filled the hangar to escape the heat, and I grew anxious as I heard the jets start. As much as I loved this hangar and everything in it, I was here to watch the Thunderbirds. I was torn by my growing apprehension at missing your show and not wanting to leave the woman alone with her son. I heard the jets move down the taxiway, then go to full afterburner for takeoff. I helped her roll the wheelchair over the hangar door tracks after the solos had taken off. We were about 25 feet in front of the hangar when the Diamond flew right over our heads for the opening pass. The boy looked up. He pointed with his wrist, "Look, Mom. There are four of them." The woman stood, eyes wide and jaw dropped. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "He hasn't spoken in years." Their eyes met, the first time in a long while I think. She dropped to her knees and hugged him. I patted her back as she sobbed. I had just seen a miracle. I held my hand on her back and watched the beautiful red, white, and blue airplanes describe graceful trails through the sky. I knew that each pilot worked at his craft, not knowing that down here, among the hundreds of thousands of people, they had caused a young man's world to glow for just a moment. They could not know that the person who loved him more than any other now knelt by his side in emotional exhaustion. I had come to see an air show, but you showed me a matter of the heart. You had just told me a story.your story. What the commander said was right. After the team landed, I went to get autographs for the woman and her son, but when I returned to the hangar, they were gone. I have not seen them again. Somewhere out here, somewhere in this vast great land, there is a woman who cleans, feeds, and clothes her helpless son. Maybe, just maybe, he still sees the four red, white, and blue jets streak through his memory, gives her an uneven smile and says "Look, Mom. There are four of them." As you write your book, remember, your story is not only about you, but also about how important you are to us.-Earl Watkins I sincerely hope, in light of all the crash video discussion going on these days, that reading this story has given some of you at least, an alternate window from which to view the airshow community and it's people. Thank you Dudley Henriques International Fighter Pilots Fellowship Flight Instructor/Aerobatics/Retired |
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