Yeager

I was at Albrook Field in the Canal Zone 1952-55, when our
fledgling Air Force decided to host a Central and South
American ' good will ' tour centered around the AF's Thunderbird
Team of F-86s -- and one Chuck Yeager -- who was the AF's renowned
test pilot. The Caribbean Air Command was to be on-site escort
for the tour. All of our staff that could be spared were assigned
duties as well as escorting each of the tour's dignitaries.

Since I had flown the P-51 and the P-80, I was assigned to Chuck
Yeager. We got along just fine--except that you didn't carry Chuck
Yeager's bag or anything else. You just accompanied him and enjoyed
his company. He was one neat guy that you could never get ahead of.
He was always up, out and gone before your feet hit the floor.
The more I tried to help him, the less I could do. And if you were
in a group of people with him, he had the nack of making each and
everyone feel .. only they were getting his attention. Chuck flew
the single [F-86 ] .. at each show in every capitol. What a fantastic
flyer !

I did not see him again for nearly ten years. I was on a cross-country
in a T-Bird out of Vandenberg AFB .. late at night, and stopped
at Albuquerque to refuel and to see that old Base Commander from
Albrook who was the Sandia Base Commander.

We were sitting on the tail-gate of his old pickup visiting when
the Airdrome Officer came running out with ," Colonel, we've got
a flameout in a T-33 forty miles east. But the pilot said he wanted
no emergency support ..that he would call on final .. but said that
he was turning everything off to save his battery."

The AO quickly asked him if he could have his plane number and
name. He gave the aircraft number. And as he signed off, he said ,
" Pilot and soul occupant is Chuck Yeager."

The AO asked Colonel Martin if he shouldn't get a firetruck and
Air police out there The Colonel said, " No "-- have them stand
by. Several minutes later..landing lights flashed briefly about
1/2 mile out on final approach ..then went out. That AO was anxious
but Colonel Martin told him : " Relax".

It wasn't long until we heard the tires squeek as they touched
the runway in the dark.. A moment later that T-Bird turned off
at the center taxi-way .. rolled up to 20 feet of our pickup
tailgate where we were sitting .. tapped the brakes slightly
to bow the nose ..and raised the canopy. Now, mind you, he
had just dead-sticked that Lockheed TBird some 40 odd miles,
then coasted it right up to our pickup.

This is not all.

I'm certain most everyone has heard of his keen wit, his cleverness,
his power to reason and a memory we all wish we had. Now, after
having successfully pulled off a dead stick landing ..over mountains
at midnight in a pitch-black situation, the first thing he said
was, " Martin and Oliver. What a welcoming party ! Don't think I've
seen either of you since South America on that Good Will Tour ! "

Now we all know of the thousands of people he met on that good will
tour -- and so many more people in the ten years since, and yet he
remembered not only our last names but our first names as well. What
a fantastic person..What a priviledge to have known this fine and
wonderful man -- and to have been able to do something for him,
when he has done so much for so many.

[From the "Fighter Pilot" list]

"Mike Marron" wrote in message
om...
I was at Albrook Field in the Canal Zone 1952-55, when our
fledgling Air Force decided to host a Central and South
American ' good will ' tour centered around the AF's Thunderbird
Team of F-86s -- and one Chuck Yeager -- who was the AF's renowned
test pilot. The Caribbean Air Command was to be on-site escort
for the tour. All of our staff that could be spared were assigned
duties as well as escorting each of the tour's dignitaries.


[From the "Fighter Pilot" list]



Thanks Mike, that made it worthwhile to log on this morning.



Cheers

Dave Kearton

Mike Marron wrote in message
om...
I was at Albrook Field in the Canal Zone 1952-55, when our
fledgling Air Force decided to host a Central and South
American ' good will ' tour centered around the AF's Thunderbird
Team of F-86s -- and one Chuck Yeager -- who was the AF's renowned
test pilot. The Caribbean Air Command was to be on-site escort
for the tour. All of our staff that could be spared were assigned
duties as well as escorting each of the tour's dignitaries.
snip

That's a fine story, thanks for telling it. I got to meet Gen. Yeager
while I was working at the Daytona Beach airport while attending
Embry-Riddle. Yeager was giving the commencement address (late 1980s)
and some far western state Air National Guard unit had sent an F-4 to
pick him up. The General arrived after the address and changed from his
civilian clothes to a flight suit in the FBO I worked for. He was nice
enough to sign many autographs, especially for those of us college kids
working at the FBO. I held his helmet bag while he climbed up the
boarding ladder. That was a big deal for me, since he was the reason I
started flying.

It was funny to watch all the bystanders, in their graduation duds, get
sandblasted when the F-4 turned out. I guess they didn't believe us
ramp rats when we told them they were soon to be deaf and pelted unless
they moved away from the fence.

--

Scott
--------
"the Arabs should remember that they invaded and occupied important
parts of Europe hundreds of years before the Crusades wars. "
Zuheir Abdallah-columnist for the London-based Arabic daily Al-Hayat
http://www.memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD55103

I am glad to hear a good story about ol' Chuck because at Edwards in
recent years he has gotten a real bad rap...quite honestly I have had
several experiences with him, all bad.

AFJ



On 19 Sep 2003 20:34:42 -0700, (Mike Marron)
wrote:

I was at Albrook Field in the Canal Zone 1952-55, when our
fledgling Air Force decided to host a Central and South
American ' good will ' tour centered around the AF's Thunderbird
Team of F-86s -- and one Chuck Yeager -- who was the AF's renowned
test pilot. The Caribbean Air Command was to be on-site escort
for the tour. All of our staff that could be spared were assigned
duties as well as escorting each of the tour's dignitaries.


SNIP

[From the "Fighter Pilot" list]

I am glad to hear a good story about ol' Chuck because at Edwards in
recent years he has gotten a real bad rap...quite honestly I have had
several experiences with him, all bad.

As one of the multitudes that inhabit the various aviation forums and book
signings that General Yeager frequents, I have had many dealings with him. In
many instances, he ignores the feelings of others - as we all do at times - and
in other cases, I have seen him be remarkably kind. After years of trading
"Yeager stories" at these events with similar-minded guys, we have heard most
of them before and concede that Yeager will never shed his "gruffer than thou"
attitude. Nor should he be expected to - he isn't famous for his numerous
books on self help and personal growth, he is famous for blowing the other guys
out of the sky. General Yeager doesn't worry about bragging rights; he's done
more than anyone that is going to read this, our own modern day Gilgamesh.

That stated, a group of us were sitting around a table at the annual Fighter
Aces Association reunion, telling our favorite "Yeager Stories" (essentially,
flame attacks that he has visited upon us "groupies" at some point), and up
walked General Yeager, friendly as all get out. He stood next to our table
shooting the **** with us for a few minutes, until a pair of lovelies wandered
by in the distance. Keen eyes glinting, he was on the hunt again, and quickly
disappeared. That left our table silent, wondering how the hell we were ever
going to incorporate THAT story in with all of the previous encounters!

Jim got him the best that day - he was taking photos of some of the Bettys at
the hotel and Yeager knows him, so he walked up to say hello - Jim is pointing
his camera past him, aimed at the young ladies, and bellowed, "DAMmit, General,
you ruined my shot!" Turning to see the skirts he had walked in front of, a
mildly embarrassed Chuck Yeager apologized humbly and scooted aside, laughing
at himself.

He is no ogre, just an older, professional warrior who has nothing in life to
apologize for. If I want validation, I go to someone else, if I want to know
how an F-86 handles in comparison to an early MiG - he's the guy. )

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

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

I saw him many years ago at the Reno air races (before the city ruined it),
and people were gathering around him after one young boy ran up to get
an autograph (I've never understood why people want autographs, unless
they have a book made for such collections). I was pretty far away and
still heard him plainly: "look people, I just want to watch the races, and be
with my friends." They all started going away, each with their own personal
insult probably, and then a half-hour later, it started again. I was glad that
no one recognized us as anything other than just race fans, and felt sorry
for him, that he would never be able to enjoy the simple things in life. He
found a good way to chase the *******s off, with little extra kindness.

telling our favorite "Yeager Stories" (essentially,
flame attacks that he has visited upon us "groupies" at some point)

Sounds like Shatner yelling "have you ever kissed a girl?" at the
trekkies.

mmm, quite. In our case, this was typical:

Yeager sits at a desk in a large hall, with the entire outer wall of the hall
surrounded by other fighter aces, sitting at similar desks. Of course, twenty
minutes before the official start of the event, General Yeager's table has a
line of the 'faithful' quietly waiting, each with a couple faded photos or a
rolled up poster or two for the General's signature. Seeing the line, Yeager
sits down, still early, and proceeds to deal with his fans.

"@#%$#%^%, this **** is all going to be on Ebay before the ink is dry."

"Err, no sir - I would like to give this photo to my son, and this one to my
brother in law, serving in Bosnia."

[Yeager signs two items, grumbling, then the next 'fan' approaches the table.]

"You don't fool me - you probably don't give a @#$% damn about this and are
just in it for a buck."

Star-struck young man, wearing obviously fresh military haircut says, "Uhhh, no
sir - I have been a fan of yours since I was eight, it got me interested in
flying!"

"....grumble, grumble...NEXT." Repeat process five times, until Yeager spots
an old buddy on the far side of the hall and stands up to leave -

"All for now - I'll be back." - walks away, telling the friend how all of us
just want his autograph to sell it.

I'll never sell an autograph. Not his, not anyone's. My flight helmet was a
brand new form-fit that I never got to wear inflight; it was issued with only a
week left in my service. With that white dome to play with, I have taken it
around to approximately 300 fighter aces for their signature. Chuck's is easy
to see - he signed in bright blue pen, where the other few hundred men all used
black sharpie.
My collection of his signed items is enough for a small three ring binder -
original photos from the past 60 years from various events in his career,
signed reports that Edwards (did you know he 'flew' one of the "UFO"
Aerocars?), etc. When my kid needs to do a book report on a famous person, he
knows exactly which binder to go to!

v/r
Gordon

"Gordon" wrote in message
...

telling our favorite "Yeager Stories" (essentially,
flame attacks that he has visited upon us "groupies" at some point)

Sounds like Shatner yelling "have you ever kissed a girl?" at the
trekkies.

mmm, quite. In our case, this was typical:

Yeager came all the way to Dryden simulation to dress me down for having
hair down to my ass and then ran away. His two big luks had gotten to far
away to be of any use. He was expecting a smelly hippy, like Beck, not a
jack booted thug.

Came all the way down just for you? You're an idiot...



"Tarver Engineering" wrote in message ...

Yeager came all the way to Dryden simulation to dress me down for having
hair down to my ass and then ran away.

"Gene Storey" wrote in message
...
Came all the way down just for you?

That and to fly my HARV simulator. The event had been built up for weeks at
Dryden, as Yeager has a penchant for cursing long hairs. You see, my
simulator had backed out the GE flight control computer in 6 months,
something the Navy had spent many $millions and years of effort, to no
success. Later HARV was tabbed to Pax River, using parts from Hornet #3.
Martha Evans wound up before Congress and the event pretty well made Myer's
career.

You're an idiot...

Yeager went and talked bad about my simulator and the pilots determined that
they were not impressed by my shoebox. The direct funding generated by my
efforts continue to bring direct Navy funding to Dryden.

"Tarver Engineering" wrote in message
...

Yeager came all the way to Dryden simulation to dress me down for having
hair down to my ass and then ran away.