TARPA TO SEA IN 93! GRAPEVINE by John Happy AMTRAK by Dick Beck
THE ACTIVE RETIRED PILOTS ASSOCIATION OF TWA FEBRUARY 1993
DC-4 such as those flown by ICD
DEDICATION The Active Retired Pilots Association (TARPA) of TWA dedicates this issue to United States Senator Jack Danforth of Missouri for his fathering a Congressional Bill and successfully securing passage of same which can probably be singly accredited as saving our once great Trans World Airline from annihilation thus preserving the jobs, pensions and passes of thousands of loyal retired and active employees. This Bill guaranteed Icahn could not run out from under his obligation of pension funding and hastened his exit thereby paving the way for conscientious and dedicated people to work toward making TWA once more a going concern. Our friend, the Honorable Senator, is an ordained minister, an attorney and a graduate of Yale School of Divinity and Yale School of Law. We are confident many of you will want to contact Senator Danforth expressing your appreciation. Early on, he grasped the gross harm brought about by airline de-regulation which resulted from the KennedyCannon Airline Deregulation Bill brought into being in 1978.
TARPA TOPICS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY '111E ACTIVE RETIRED PILOTS ASSOCIATION OF TWA EDITOR A.T. Humbles Rt. 2 Box 2900 Belhaven, NC 27810 919 964 4655
GRAPEVINE EDITOR John T. Happy Nine East Lake Drive Haines City, FL 33844-9320 813 439 2223 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR & HISTORIAN Edward G. Betts 960 Las Lomas Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 213 454 1068
TARPA is incorporated as a non-profit Corporation under the non-profit corporation laws of the State of Nevada. As stated in Article II of the By-Laws, its purpose is social, recreational and non-profit, with a primary goal of helping its members to maintain the friendships and associations formed before retirement, to make retirement a more productive and rewarding experience and to assist those active pilots approaching retirement with the problems that are inherent in the transition from active to retired status.
President's Message January 1993
I'll always be amazed at the number of fine men that I've known on TWA over the years. Thousands of guys whose presence and just lost one of friendship meant a great deal to me. Well, we those special people. Our friend Joe McCombs died at home last month. I was honored by his friendship and I learned how to do my job better because of him and his generous help in the airplane. We had some great times on layovers around Denver at those neat cowboy restaurants and that place in Golden that ran tours for the Chicago pilots. What an open and wonderful guy. The last time I saw him we had a glass together. I'm grateful for that final visit. It is almost five months since the San Diego Convention and the TARPA officers and directors will soon be having the mid-year meeting in St. Louis. If anyone has any business for us, get it in the mail before the middle of February. Officers names and addresses are in your TARPA directory. Now that there are changes happening in the B plan there will " offering to probably be a deluge of so called "Money Managers guide our investment choices. Be careful everybody! There's a surplus of scoundrels out there. Our Secretary/Treasurer Dick Guillan has found it necessary to resign because of other personal responsibilities. He will be succeeded by Rick Davis the co-chairman of our '92 convention. We should all be very grateful for the effort and enormous amount of time given us by Dick Guillan. There was a small surplus from the convention and, at the suggestion of the co-chairmen Rick Davis and Carl Schmidt, it has been forwarded to the Pilots Retirement Foundation to help continue their good work. Sign up now for the '93 cruise convention so you can get a better stateroom than you deserve. Space is filling up. Best regards.
Jack Donlan
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SECRETARY/TREASURER REPORT I didn't know quite how to start this report so I referred back to the August 1991 edition of the TOPICS to see how the late Jose McCombs handled the announcement that he was surrendering the job of S/T to me. He started out like this: "
By the time you read this report, TARPA should have a new S/T ." Simple, what? Only this time the Dick referred to is Dick Davis who showed his expertise by co-chairing the San Diego Convention of 1992. Dick Davis volunteered to take over this job and will do so as soon as he is officially voted in by the Board and he has the opportunity to become familiar with the procedures. The transition should not be a difficult one so effective immediately, all matters relating to the S/T job should be directed to: Capt. Richard A- Davis 449 Santa Fe Drive * 200 Encinitas, CA 92024 619-436-9060 As I wind up with my final report, I wish to thank all of you who have responded so well and paid early. Since the November TOPICS hit the mailboxes, I have processed over 1100 checks; over 80 of these were from Eagles and Honorary Members, for which we thank them for their contributions. That leaves around 300 Regulars who have until the 31st of March to pay up or be declared delinquent. If you are among those, please make the job easier for the new S/T by not requiring him to send you a reminder. If in the interim period you should send the payment to my address, I'll see that Davis receives it. In our "Address change" section you will note many major changes. Be advised that several areas of the country have experienced changes in the telephone area codes, notably Southern California and Georgia. I found it a monumental task to list all the area changes so only listed those with a complete number change. I have found the 'phone company will advise you if dialing an area where it has been changed. Again, a reminder to keep the S/T advised of address changes before the TOPICS comes out. It is very expensive to have them returned. Also, please check the number following your name on the address label.( ie 92 or 93 etc.) It will show if you are current or perhaps paid in advance. Several are a couple of years ahead. These dates show all dues received thru January 2,1993. Gentlemen, thank you again for your cooperation and for the many notes of encouragement that accompanied your dues payment. I am sure that you will give Dick Davis the same cooperation and support. Kindest regards to you all.
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MISC. NOTES ON (what was) THE B-PLAN R.
C. Sherman
Many of you have received literature from one or more organizations wanting to manage your lump sum. Their premise is, ' Naturally you will take the lump sum and have it transferred to an IRA, i.e to their suggested IRA'. You can certainly do that, or to someone else's IRA. Many may find more attractive options outlined in the official information packet. In any case, remember that the account balance may be allocated among ANY or ALL of the available choices; either or both of the annuities, various Directed Account investments, trustee transfer to one or more IRA's, or a check mailed to your house. Put it all in one basket or divide it up as you please. Above all else, READ AND UNDERSTAND THE OFFICIAL INFO PACKET BEFORE MAKING ANY DECISIONS. * A complaint was made to the Dept. of Labor in 1989 by a retiree alleging mismanagement of B-Plan investments. Additional allegations were submitted by other retiree's over the next year, to include lump sum computations, discrimination, and other items. In late October 1992, the Pension & Welfare Benefits Administration of the D.O.L. advised TWA of five items they viewed as violations of ERISA, and suggestions for compliance; they were in essence: TWA had not drafted final language for several 1989 amendments to the Plan, nor submitted them to the IRS, nor distributed them to the participants, although the Plan has operated in accordance with them. It was suggested that this be done. TWA's two regular representatives to the Investment Committee had not been to the quarterly meetings nor carried out other duties for some time. Their alternates attended instead. On one occasion an alternate voted by proxy; no provision for that. The suggestion was either the regulars attend or appoint the alternates, or others that would attend as regulars. The Retirement Board did not maintain as complete or detailed records, particularly of their deliberations in grievances and arbitration proceedings, as the P.W.& B. wanted to see. Suggested that new procedures be adopted. Some of the responsibilities of the Investment Committee's Administrator had expanded beyond the job description in the Plan. Although the suggestion was to either bring the assigned responsibilities into line with the Plan document, or amend it, the new DAP amendment redefines the role of administrator. Also, the company intends to reprint the complete Plan with the DAP amendments, and send it to both the IRS and the participants. No other problems, or financial discrepancies were mentioned. * See article by Joe Montanaro for mailing dates and other information on the change to the new DAP. Decision time is near. Take your time to consider carefully, but watch the due date(s).
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MEMO FROM THE DAP TRANSITION CHAIRMAN Captain J.A. Montanaro to:
As of October 1, 1992 the name of the 38 year old B-Plan was changed "THE TWA PILOTS DIRECTED ACCOUNT PLAN"; DAP for short.
Our intention is to have initial retiree information in the mail on or shortly after January 31st. It will contain a number of items, including the names of the mutual funds for the DAP, their historical performance, and information on all of the options that will be available. If you have not received this mailing from ALPA by February 15th., please advise the DAP office in Washington DC. 1-800-758-7342. This number is also for any questions you may have concerning the information in this initial ALPA mailing, or the follow up mailing that will arrive shortly thereafter. The second mailing will contain your approximate account balance and estimated payments for each of your options. Your official selection form will be provided in the second mailing (mid-February) and will need to be returned by mid-March. REMEMBER, the 800 number is not for investment advice or option selection. It is provided to answer your questions about an option or a procedure that you do not understand. Account balance questions should be referred to the TWA Benefits Dept. Time Table of Events January - Initial retiree mailing called, "HEADS UP" February - Follow up information with approximate account balance, estimated annuity payments, all options, and an option selection form. You will have at least a thirty day deadline to return the forms. Mid-March - Target deadline to receive all retiree options. Prompt return will insure no interruption of monthly payments. April 1 - Distributions will commence as soon as practical. (No retiree under the old Plan has received any distribution to date, other than annuity payments). WARNING: ALPA, TWA, and the Investment Committee HAVE NOT authorized nor endorsed any financial service, investment product, or advisor to assist you with your options. The DAP investments offered are very competitive with any commercial product. There are no hidden investment fees, commissions, or loads on any of the DAP investments. The Investment Committee, with the help of ALPA, TWA and financial consultants, have put together what they believe to be an outstanding package of options that should appeal to all active and retired pilots. One or more of these options should prove ideal for those who want safe income or to those who want the most aggressive investment and to all in the middle. We wish you good health and a long life.
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TWA's GAMMA CHECKS IN AT NEWARK TERMINAL The story of the stair-climbing Northrop 2D Gamma (Ref. Newsletter 92/93, Page 14) was provided by Milton 'Milt' Getker of 727 Placita Nueva, Green Valley, AZ 85614. Milt was a TWA mechanic at Newark Airport (August 1936 - June 1941) in New Jersey. While not an actual witness, the inquiry inspired Milt to contact his friend of many years, Fred Entrekin, whom he had not seen since 1941; Fred, however was there!
TWA not only covered its own letters prior to photography, the words "Overweather Laboratory" just forward of the 2D's window above its wing center section were also blanked out. That was SOP [standard operating procedure] for hiding airline identity from cameras in those days. This particular 2D featured some newly developed experimental equipment, such as the Bendix fuel injection system and a G.E. turbo supercharger installed on its Wright R-1820G Cyclone engine rated at 1000 hp plus. It also mounted a new three-bladed (hollow steel blades) Curtiss electric propeller. In the forward fuselage, the mail/cargo compartment had been converted into a small cabin for an engineer and the wide array of instrumentation for monitoring engine and aircraft performance and weather data. Pilot for the high altitude tests was TWA's chief test pilot, D.W. "Tommy" Tomlinson. Tommy had been conducting tests for several months, operating out of Kansas City and Newark with considerable success. "Over weather flying would soon be a reality.
In Mitt's own words. 'The Northrop 2D Gamma climbing the the entrance steps to the then new Newark airport passenger terminal and administration building belonged to TWA, though the airline markings had been obliterated before the photo was taken. The incident occurred in late 1938 during an engine run-up. I was a mechanic with TWA at the ti me. I did not actually see it happen, but Fred Entrekin, an old friend and colleague, has confirmed the facts. A lifetime employee of TWA, he was then an aircraft inspector and remembers the mishap well.
However, on this day at Newark, engineer Jim Hiestan was said to have been in the cockpit, ground checking the Curtiss prop with the cowling off. During flight tests, Hiestan rode in the cramped engineer's space, wearing a bulky parachute. I doubt if he could have bailed out successfully had there ever been an emergency. One rumor had it that Fred Brychta, a Curtiss propeller field service rep, was at the controls. We may never know, as both Jim Hiestan and Fred Brychta have long since gone west.
Fred was driving a tractor towing a DC-2 from a hangar to the TWA passenger station (not the terminal pictured) across the ramp, but in proximity to the Gamma with its engine running. He could have towed the Douglas in front or behind the Northrop, as he had ample room in either case. Fortunately, Entrekin made the right decision. He pulled his DC-2 around the rear just as the Gamma, under a full power check, jumped the chocks and headed for the "ad" building. Had he chosen to go in front of the Gamma, we would have spent the rest of the day sweeping up pieces of Douglas, Northrop and Entrekin.
In any event, we do know that full power had been applied and the airplane jumped its chocks (brakes were not too effective in those days). It lunged 200 feet from the run-up area to the ad building, where it came to rest on the steps after the engine was shut down. It almost plowed through the terminal door.
The aircraft involved was one of TWA's last mail planes. It had been highly modified for the airline's widely advertised "over the weather' flight above 20,000 feet. This high altitude service would be introduced in 1939-40 by TWA's new Boeing307 Stratoliner aircraft, the first pressurized commercial transport.
Miraculously, no one was injured. And perhaps the luckiest man alive today is Fred Entrekin, now 82 and a resident of Kansas City. For as he towed his DC-2 around the Gamma's tail, the mail plane shot forward with its throttle wide open."
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TARPA GOES TO SEA IN "93" THE 1993 TARPA CONVENTION WILL BE HELD ON BOARD ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISE LINES "SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS "
TAR PA CRUISE/TOUR/TRAIN Join Chuck and Pat Hasler for an " "insiders look at the history and glaciers of ALASKA
MEXICO CRUISE TRAINER CARL SCHMIDT CLEANUP PERSON RICK DAVIS With TARPA's two horses, Pilot
and Co-pilot just
before the big race.
Chuck did not identify these ladies in picture.
ADDRESS & PHONE CHANGES & CORRECTIONS 01-05-1993 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(H)
STEWART, NAOMI RUTH MRS . 1480 WOODLAWN DR. HAYDEN , ID 83835 208-712-4320
(R)
TEASDALE, KENNETH R. F/E (JOAN) 111 SQUIRES ROAD MADISON, CT 06443 203-421-5156
(R) TUTTLE, CHARLES A. CAPT. 700 YORKTOWN CT. LONGVIEW TX 15601 903-236-9400 (A)
WALKER, ERIC F. CAPT. 31956 45TH PL SW FEDERAL WAY WA 98023-2191
(A)
WHITAKER, LEWIS LEW CAP! 5 RIVER ROAD, SUITE 330 WILTON CT 06897 609-461-9673
(CYRUS)
(JOAN)
(E)
STRAW, EUGENE W. CAPT. 580 SHELDON AVE. GRIDLEY, CA 95948 916-846-0322
(LUCILLE)
(A) THORNHILL, JOSEPH R. "BOB " CAPT. ONE LAS OLAS CIRCLE, $1009 FT. LAUDERDALE, FL 33316 305-522-3343 (R)
VAN ANDEL, JOHN H. CAPT. (LINDA) 3131 SW MARTIN DOWNS BLVD 1356 PALM CITY FL 34990-2642 401-283-1106
(R)
WELLS, CLINTON D. CAPT LOUISE 49582 MOOVALYA DR PARKER AZ 5344-7006 602-667-4078
Now that the holiday season has come and gone we had hoped everyone would have a safe and happy time but we know better. Our was dampened by learning of the demise of Joe McCombs. He will be sorely missed. Joe did a lot of good work through the years for his fellow pilots through his ALPA and TARPA work. I know Jean McCombs has the heart-felt condolences of us all. The worst part of my work as your editor is doing the Flown West section. Although it is something we all are facing sooner or later, it is grievous to learn of the death of long-time friends and associates. As hard as we try to put out a perfect news magazine, we no more than pick it up from the printer when we see a typographical or spelling error glaring at us. One reads of the poor education so many kids are receiving now days and it, too, is reflected in correspondence we receive. Recently the first paragraph in a letter from a lawyer had two spelling errors! A letter from a judge soliciting in the Nov. election had their in it when it should have been there. Some of my fun is reading our newspaper with pen in hand circling all the errors. Columnist James Kilpatrick constantly reports on horrible errors by the news media on misspelling, incorrect use of grammar and muddled meanings. Doesn't anyone ever proofread anymore? We enjoyed a day in October attending my 1936 high school class reunion. Some of those girls don't look quite as good as in 1936. I hope you all managed to be with most of your families over the holiday season. We got to see all four of our sons although now that two are married they don't all assemble at our abode for Christmas. They did all manage to come for Thanksgiving so I barbecued an eighty two pound pig so we pigged out and they were able to take several pounds home with them for they love it and say mine is the best Maybe they are just saying that so I will continue to function as cook. We also had turkey and ham and oysters. I want to thank all who contributed to this issue especially John T. Happy and Ed Betts. Please continue to correspond with us and send your short accounts on what is happening with you to Happy, that will make him happy. live kno wn J.T. for years and he has always been happy. I'm fortunate in that I get to read his stuff before you all do. Printing costs are high and, as you can see, I do all I can to conserve space and would appreciate your doing the same on anything you contribute. I set my typewriter on a left margin of 10 and aright margin of 95 which is what this page is. Don't know how it would work on your computer or typewriter. Incidentally, matrix dot printing just doesn't come out well in the printing. Also, although I am listed as directory committee, please send your address and telephone corrections to our Secretary/Treasurer Dick Davis as all the directory information is in our computer. Most of my work is making up the cover, taking it to be printed, applying address labels and mailing. *
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From Ruth Stewart (Cy), Thank you for the insurance information. I need to keep my TARPA insurance. My new address is 1480 Woodlawn Drive, Hayden, Idaho 83835. She also suggested we put Betty Carrington on our mailing list and even offered to pay for it. Under our policy, Mrs. Carrington is eligible so we have put her on our mailing list and she is an Honorary Member. Her husband was Warren Carrington who was based at Newark. Ruth goes on to say Betty Carrington has no contact with any of the TWA retirement organizations and that she is still working as a house mother at the University of Oklahoma. Her address is 8029 N.W. 104th, Oklahoma City, OK 73132. Possibly some of you who knew Warren or her will feel like dropping a line. I am sure she would appreciate it.
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From Fred Austin; Dear A.T. - Thank you and staff for a very nice spread in TARPA TOPICS. Also for Fred III. He has just received a DC-10 bid in LAX. Chris, our youngest, is a Captain with Marq Air in Anchorage. to Carter Burgess today and he asked to advise you his phone number is Talked 703 343 3742 address the same. He asked to be remembered. Hope you and your family have a nice Christmas. I remember you as always being a true professional airline pilot Regards, Fred. [Thanks, Fred, for the complement. And I am sure that if Rich Flournoy were with us he would agree with me that in our ALPA dealings with management Fred Austin was always fair-minded, honest, courteous and above board.] *
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From Dick Beck in San Clemente; Dear A.T. - Many thanks for your letter of 9 November. I especially like the B-17 at the top. I spent 1120 hours in them and I loved that old bird like I loved my mother! Again, a big bunch of kudos to you for your marvelous work with TARPA TOPICS. Stay off the highways on the holidays and on Fridays. Eat lotza fruit. Best to both you and Betty Dick. [Captain Beck also sent us the following which he attributes to the venerable Mark Twain. Think we first heard it in grade school and hope it isn't too offensive to our highly moral readers. Said he penned it after a trip to Egypt.] Now the sexual desires of the camel, Are more than anyone thinks. One day in a fit of passion, He decided to ravish the Sphinx. But the Sphinx's posterior quarters, Were blocked by the sands of the Nile, Which explains the hump on the camel, And the Sphinx's incompatible smile. * * * * * * From Goldy Goldthorpe; Dear A.T.- When writing the enclosed "Red Lobster" skit I came upon some words that seems to be unique to Newfoundlanders. An outport is any town other than St. Johns. A CFA is someone, like an ICDer, who has "come-from-away. And screech is hard stuff like rum, grog or Jack Daniels. Although "The Red Lobster" is primarily about the Stephenville Airport, it is also intended as a tribute to one of TWA's most colorful and widely known pilots, the one and only Don Terry. I knew, liked and respected him from my first week on the job breaking in as Radio Operator in MKC until years later when we shook hands in Hangar 12 JFK after his last flight. Capt. Joe Carr said it best in his fine article in the July 1986 issue of TARPA TOPICS. It seems that during early ICD days Joe learned that his wife was suddenly hospitalized at home while he was on a Presque Isle layover. Don volunteered to take over Joe's flight even though he (Don) had already completed his trans-Atlantic double shuttle. Joe says, "The terrible Turk may have been a thorn in the side of management but he had a huge heart underneath that bluff exterior. Best regards, Goldy..,.Happy New Year too! So true! [Speaking of Don Terry, your editor never had the pleasure of flying with him but I do remember once when our Flight Operations newsletter came out it had the regulations for us on wearing apparel and it said you could use a grey scarf and then as you turned the pages there was a picture of Don Terry in uniform with a flowing and big white scarf. Guess he hadn't read the latest poop from on high.] *
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From Bob Smith down at Fayetteville, GA; The enclosed article appeared in our local paper. I thought it might be of some use for TARPA TOPICS. Don't see his name in our TARPA directory but looks like a real right guy. Atlanta - As a 747 completed its Atlantic crossing, Peachtree City's Captain Don Barron addressed the 450 on board. Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain. After 28 and ½ years of airline flying I will be making my final approach and landing at JFK airport. I want to express my appreciation to TWA for allowing me to have such a brilliant career. I appreciate you, our passengers, for your part in this important day of my life. I thank our number one cabin team for making this such a memorable flight. I appreciate the able assistance of the flight deck crew and most of all I thank God for giving me such a full and abundant life throughout my career. On behalf of TWA's 28,000 employees who face an uncertain future in these troubled times, I want to assure you that my prayers are with you for your continued success. The 11 hour flight from Tel Aviv to New York ended one of Barron's careers 5 years early to resume another full time position. The "flying parson" is the founding pastor of Calvary Temple Assembly of God, a newly formed family church in Peachtee City. Coming from a family of 7 airline pilots on his father's side and 40 ministers in his mother's family, Barron combined both worlds. Calvary Temple is the 4th church pioneered by the Barrons, 3 of which were birthed during his tenure with TWA. By closely bidding the monthly flight schedule and a lot of prayer, Sundays were usually open for his ministry. Sermons were often inspired and researched on layovers in various European cities. As each church grew to a point that demanded a fulltime pastor, the captain would surrender the helm to another shepherd, bid a different domicile and resume the task of planting another church. "Calvary Temple is different from other churches I have pastored, since it is our plan to grow with this exciting congregation. As the church matures and 100 percent of my time now available, I will be able to be the fulltime leader that the position requires," Barron states. [This gentleman sounds like a worthy individual and a credit to TWA and our nation. If anyone reading this knows him, please invite him to join his fellow retirees in TARPA. Membership application found in back of this book.] * * * * * * From Herb Traylor in Los Gatos, CA; Just got back from MCI for Mother's 95th birthday and Thanksgiving. I sure hate the STL hub and stand-by. Started out from SJC at 6 a.m. and did not make MCI until late afternoon if I get out of STL, otherwise it's after dark. I cannot get a good pair of glasses so do not see so good and do not go out much after dark. Ear balance is not so good and have hearing aids in both ears but my hair and teeth are mine and the rest is on hold. My house just got manor damage in the earthquake so glad to have a warm place to come back to at night etc. My right knee hurt at MKC so when I got back had X-rays and I have arthritis in the joint and am on pain pills. Doesn't hurt now but doctor already started to talk about a new joint, no way. I keep busy with Shrine Clubs etc. Got a shock as my KC lodge just folded and I was put into another lodge. I was raised in the old lodge in 35 and uncle as master at one time. All lodges are having trouble with young new members as football and basketball take up their time. The Shrine Hospital in SFO is moving to Sacramento into a multiple type hospital to treat all things. Got a good rain the other day but we are still water rationed. * * * * * *
Above, left to right; WALT GUNN, THAD MAY, JANET MAY AND JOE BURKE FROM YOKOHOMA, JAPAN. To your left; MILLIE AND PAUL KELLY. Janet May says taken in San Diego, hope you can use them I thought the convention was handled beautifully. Great to see everyone. We also received a brochure but have misplaced it. Anyway, the Mays have what sounds like a sumptuous bed and breakfast place on their plantation in Alabama. Hey, I found it. It says a country setting on 320 acres, nature trail, private fish pond, bird sanctuary, elegant accommodations , formal garden, afternoon tea served. Near all kinds of historic sites. It is called Blue Shadows and the address is Rt. 2 Box 432, Greensboro, Alabame. Phone 205 624 3637. Wonder if J.T. and Janet offer a discount to senior citizens such as we TARPA members? And Janet also wished us a merry Christmas. [By the way, doesn't that Joe Burke look a lot like our happy J.T. Happy?]
From Earl Korf in Lincroft, NJ; Another great November TARPA TOPICS. Each one seems to be better than last one. Ed Betts did a wonderful job on the second ICD story. So many things happened during those years. I never knew about and I was not far away from any of the events. So the secrecy of war time goes. 1992 was a good year in so many ways. The highlight of 92 was the ICD reunion with old friends of many years. Didn't realized we had so many still around. Downside was the loss of so many of our TWA people. Hope in 93 we will have fewer to report in Gone West. Especially said to read in the last Skyliner the death of Bob Cummings. He was not at Orlando so perhaps had been ailing at that time. I spent a number of years working with Bob in Cairo. He was Chief Pilot for a couple of years and was the best, as far as I was concerned, both his flying ability and his personal charm and character. On Pearl Harbor Day, Dec.7th, I received a gift in the mail. I was very happy and proud to receive. Took years to get it but I made it. The gift was the official Air Force discharge and military record for our ICD operation. Hope others who have applied have received theirs. Upon my request, I received the three medals we are entitle to. These received within 2 weeks after applying. The three medals, all nicely done in bronze are; American Campaign Medal, WW2 Victory Medal and European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal along with the pin-on ribbons. I was too young for the first world war, 15 and at 39 I thought I was too old for this war but I made it, by gosh. For information of others desiring the medals, write to the following; Discharge Headquarters AFMPC/DPMASA 550 C Street West Suite 12 Randolph Field, TX 78150 Send them a photo copy of your discharge and copy of the DD form 214 which is, Certificate of release or discharge from active duty. And good luck. I have already received a Veterans discount on my property taxes ($50). We attended a funeral for Marge Thorne, wife of Navigator Charlie Thorne, who died in 1979. We shared the country club living in Cairo 7 years with the Thornes. Sadly, Marge died of Altzheimers. For last 6 years could not recognize even her own family. I would like to share my medical experience with you. It's on a seperate sheet. Good luck for 1993. Things looking up for TWA...Very best to all, Earl. * * * * * * From Parky out in KC; Passing on a note from Peg Tomlinson - Just a note to let you know that Tommy is in a nursing home. A third stroke on Thanksgiving Day necessitated his placement. Almost 3 years ago he had his first stroke. This kept us pretty much at home. But, with the aid of a walker, he did quite well. A fall a year later took its toll I visit about every day. He still knows me. We have had almost 12 years of a wonderful marriage. The best to you, Parky....Peg. Their address; 1456 Pine St., Silverton, OR 97381...."73", Parky. * * * * * * Re the dedication located on the back of the front cover; Walt Gunn had called Jack Donlan and then me about recognizing the invaluable help toward TWA's survival Senator Danforth rendered. At this late date, we 'felt doing it that way was the most feasible method. * * * * * *
From Bob Adickes in Thousand Oaks; Dear A.T. - Just a note to wish you a Merry Christmas and to let you know how much all the old pilots appreciate your contribution to TARPA. Please give my best wishes to Betty and I will always remember her skill as a water skiier....she was up on the first try! A real athlete. Just read about Roy Page passing on, see enclosed clipping...Cordially, Bob [Nice to hear from the President of AVTEK Corporation. Let us know how your plane is progressing. His reference to Betty I must explain. He was so patient pulling her behind his boat on Lake Lotawana as it took hours for her to master it. In later years, though, Bob, I'll have you know she could ski on one! This reminds me of something back then. When Dick Colburn was over in Saudi teaching the Shah to fly the B-17 Dick brought back home a framed picture the Shah gave Dick of the Shah with a big endorsement like "Love to you, Dick, from R.S. So in Bob Adickes' home on the lake in his bathroom was a large picture of Christ inscribed "Love to you, Bob, from J.C. The airline did have some characters. Hello to Helen and hope you all had a nice holiday season.] * * * * * * From Dean Phillips; Enclosed is a little memorial note for Rex Painter. Hope all is well with you and Betty and that you have a holiday season filled with many blessing....Dean. * * * * * * From G.P. Underwood in Sparta, NJ; Dear A.T. - I don't know whether or not you had info on the death of former Captain J.W. (Jake) Simmons so in case you have no info I'll pass on what little I have should you care to include it in the TARPA TOPICS. I don't know the exact date, however, it was mid December 92. He was in a nursing home in Austin, Texas and for many years had been a diabetic which, evidently, was the primary cause of death. I know little or nothing of his surviving family except there are 3 kids presumably all living. He was buried in Austin, TX. Now, after that bit of morbid info, I hope all's well with you and I wish you and yours a Happy 93. I see Bill Murphy often, he's now an Eagle....Regards. [G. P., Nice to hear from you and sorry about Jake's demise. Bill Murphy and you should come to our reunions, I thoroughly enjoy them. Cape Girardeau, Missouri, now has another claim to fame other than the birthplace of G.P. Underwood. Rush Limbaugh, America's most listened to radio talk show host, is also from there. We listen to him most every day on the AM radio and he also has a television show. Sure get the other side of the news from the rest of the media.] From Betty Carrington; Dear A.T. - It was so nice hearing from someone we used to know on TWA. Since Warren's death I've been cut off completely, not even a Skyliner. So I've lost track of so many nice people that was a part of life. I'm enjoying my 2 issues of TARPA magazine that you sent. Thanks so much. As to what I've been doing ever since Warren passed away 22 years ago, I am a Fraternity House Mother for Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE) at the University of Oklahoma. I've loved working with hundreds of young men, even helped groom 2 to become airline pilots. Unfortunately, they signed on with Braniff. They are both with charter companies now. Warren and I had 2 daughters, one is here in OKC and works for AT&T as a purchasing agent for the factory there. The other daughter is married to a lawyer in St. Louis but is an architect in her own rights. I have one grandchild (a boy) who is a college student in California. continued next page
I've laughed about your mention of Warren's snoring. He indeed was tops in that and his reputation lives on. A.T., Ruth Stewart said she was able to get group health insurance through TARPA. Would I be eligible? The insurance I have is so expensive. I am due to have my 70th birthday on February 7, 1993 and if it's possible to make a change I need to do it before my birthday. Best wishes, Betty Carrington. I'll look forward to hearing from you [Betty, appreciated your letter. You may remember Claude Bettinger, a pilot at Newark. I know he thought a lot of Warren. Well, Claude retired about three or four years ago and about a year later dropped dead of a heart attack boarding a plane while on vacation. As for your inquiry about insurance, I believe TARPA only sponsors Medicare supplement but I will pass your letter on to our Insurance Committee Chairman, Hal Miller, and ask him to respond to you.] Horoscopes; Your editor's birthday is 14 September and I read the Virgo piece each day and, while I wouldn't use its forecast to run a country, it is surprisingly close most times to events in my curriculum. Yesterday, 6 January, I worked most all day on this news mag but my horoscope kept me humble. It read, "Do not presume that you are the spokesperson for your peer group today. Unless you're elected by the majority, your reign could be short-lived". *
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* Our former boss and long time friend, Bill Dixon, sent this with the caption; Our esteemed editor and chief assistant, A.T. and Betty Humbles. Note the horrendous scar on A.T.'s forehead. As we were leaving for the airport to fly to California I walked into the overhead garage door which was not all the way up. I sported this unsightly thing throughout our sojourn in Irvine for the 384th Bomb Group reunion and our TARAP shindig.
A recession is when your neighbor loses his job . A depression is when you lose your job. And a panic is when your wife loses her job. Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country by JFK. Ask not what you can do for yourself but what your country can do for you. Slick Willie. Anonymous
From Jack Robertson of Scottsdale, AZ; [Excerpts] Dear A.T. - Thanks for your letter and enclosures. Yes, Phyllis and I thought Davis and Schmidt did an outstanding job of handling the convention. On matters of health, I read about Chic Dyer's experience with prostate cancer with interest. I suppose if we live as long as we'd like to live prostate problems are likely to be encountered....I read with particular interest U.S. News and World Report article "Should you get tested?" For one, I am not interested in unnecessary biopsies. I well recall taking a TWA physical when I was in my early twenties and had my teeth x-rayed. I was told that I had four embedded and impounded wisdom teeth lying 90 degrees to the others and the dentist said they had to come out or would cause much trouble later on. For the first and only time in my life I was put to sleep and had one tooth removed and I didn't enjoy the procedure one bit. I made a decision that the next wisdom tooth would come out after it caused me a problem. More than forty five years later I am still waiting for the first wisdom tooth problem. Looking forward to the next TARPA TOPICS. It may be in the mail today. In some future issue perhaps other TARPA members might like to read the "Should you get tested?" article.... Best regards, Jack. [Jack, we found the article interesting and it appears further on in our Medical Forum section. Incidentally, my father died at 75 with a cerebral hemorrhage after a bout with the flu and I don't remember his ever going to a doctor nor calling one except for his mules or Mama.] LATE GRAPEVINE NEWS We are infringing on Grapevine Editor, John Happy, here but usually some members drop notes to Dick Guillan when they send in their dues and, as it was nearing the deadline for receiving material, he forwarded it on to me. My apologies, J.T., and hope it won't happen again. * * * * * * From Ed Beuerlien; Have a great Christmas! Took my second retirement from IDS financial services. Doing what every respectul retired pilot is doing, sitting around collecting S.S. * * * * * * From the desk of the Spas; Dear Dick - You're scheduled for a recurrent training simulator period on 12/25/92 at 0500. No cancellations or excuses will be accepted. Boy, Dick, doesn't time have a way of accelerating as the age numbers get higher. When I was in cadets, in a one hour lunch period I could eat, get a haircut, go to the PX and buy the necessaries and get my laundry done. It now takes me a day to decide which one of those things to do first. Usually eating gets first priority. Best wishes to you and your family...Lou Spasiano. [Lou, my autospell kicked your last name back at me but I won the argument, A.T.] * * * * * * From Larry Haake in Illinois; We still live in the same house but the number has been changed due to 911 coverage. After a 6 month chemotherapy program that consisted of 96 hours of continuous chemo every 4 weeks, my wife, Terri, went on Interferon in July. This seems to be doing well. The doctor said her blood is now perfect and she's down to a visit to the doctor every 8 weeks. Unfortunately, Terri is in the 2% whose blood does not indicate the presence of cancer. Last January the blood looked great but her left leg had been hurting and the doctor took an X-ray and found the bone marrow cancer active there. Originally it had been active in the back and right leg. She maintains a positive outlook for which I am most grateful. The Christmas tree operation is going well. This is the third year of harvest. We have well over 30,000 trees (probably near 35,000) and next year the main harvest will move to another farm where the trees are located. We'll have about 6 or 7 Continued next page
LATE GRAPEVINE NEWS CONTINUED different varieties - firs, spruce and pine. As you well know, I can stay busy all year round. We've even butt-pruned in the snow. Best wishes for the holidays to you and yours. We'll have four of the children home for the holidays with the six grandchildren. We're looking forward to all the commotion, food and drink .... Sincerely, Larry. From Del Richardson; Dear Dick - Didn't seem just right to send the check without saying hello and also to wish you and yours a Happy Holiday Season. Talked to a neighbor who just yesterday returned from your part of the country and allowed as to how it was a mite on the chilly side during their visit. I tend to think those of us who live in California expect bright sun and temperature in the 80's all the time. Not necessarily so. Please accept my gratitude for all you do for TARPA. It must be very time consuming and no doubt a bit frustrating now and then. We are slowly descending from cloud nine after several days with son Randy (DC-9 MD80 captain) at his he in the Denver area. Arrived the day after the big snow storm. Had a wonderful few days, including Thanksgiving dinner, but what we were not prepared for was the celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary (December 6, 1942). Back in CA on the actual date we entertained golfing friends and neighbors at an Open House in our home. Where have all those years gone? We are grateful for our continued excellent health and look forward to many more years together. Very deeply concerned about our airline. There does seem, however to be a glimmer of hope at this time .... Sincerely, Del. From Charlie Strickler; A quick note to say Happy Holidays and I hope they have been festive for you. A further note to thank you, Dick, and all the others for all that has been done for us. Alice and I will not be on the cruise in '93, the first meeting we've missed since the inception of TARPA. Once again, thanks. Best regards ..... Charlie.
From Hank Gastrich of King Schools; Happy holidays, Dick. I did indeed intend to get this to you long before the "flood of last minute payments" inundated you, but intent to and did do not walk hand in hand. Sorry! Thanks again for the time keeping our records and accounts take from your retirement; I know, we all are supposed to do something to keep from withering away in retirement, but looking after 1500 plus semi-prima donnas should not head the list. I guess what TWA news we hear is good [sic]...sort of like hearing a "seriously ill friend did not die" after the operation ..... Thanks again, Hank. * * * * * * From Max Vickers, Secretary, American Grey Eagles; Capt. Guillan - It looks as if I will retire again. There will be a turn over of the Secretary's duties to Capt. Jack Webb. I have enjoyed receiving your excellent publication the last five years. It doesn't pay to worry. If you went through last year's file marked "important" chances are the only things you would keep are the paper clips.
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FEBRUARY ,l993 Here's your Grapevine Editor, trying to find a way to Intro. the "Vine" for February. Because we had some great times in 1992 it should be easy, but we also had some very, very sad times too....1992 was not all that bad to start with, there was a lot going on with the company. the weather wasn't too had either, unless you lived in Homestead, Florida c ity or Hawaii were the hurricanes may have had something to say about that. We had a St TER et together in San Diego, and it now appears the Company is going to make it out of bankruptcy and we lowly retiree's will hake a chance to rake lump sum on the B plan...if you want to. Some will, as I understand it and settle will continue the way it is now...with variations. We also had some very,very trying and unhappy events with the loss of loved ones and especially our tireless former Secretary/ Treasurer, Joe McCombs and Rich Flournoy, both of whose total careers were devoted to ALPA, TWA and TARPA. we lament the loss of all of our brothers, who have passed the final check ride. We are aware at birth, that this is the final ride we all must take and are very fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend so much of our life in the sky and with so many great and good friends and families, doing what we really loved. History tells us that life goes on and so we must. We have such rich memories, so that when we remember our departed loved ones and friends. we can laugh a little and be thankful for all those unforgettable times.
GEORGE DUVALL .. Sends a note and a poem that is appropriate for this page. The note follows, with the poem on the next page. " As we grow older we are losing more and more of our fine friends and relatives each year. This has been a very difficult one for me after losing my wonderful wife. Joyce, plus several relatives and many friends. This poem helps to ease through these tough periods and carry on. I am also very busy learning to he a house keeper and doing the many things a fine wife takes care of. Right Cordially, George
GRAPEVINE, FEBRUARY, 1993 BILL TARBOX (JOAN) THRU GEORGE DUVALL, Immortality Do not stand at my grave and weep...I am not there....I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the diamond glints on fallen snow I am contrails in an azure blue sky, turning pink as evening draws nigh. I am the sunshine on on ripened grain, I am the gentle autumn rain. I am the ripple on a country pond. As your favorite bass fly touches on. I am the wag of a loyal dog's tail, Standing by you when all else fails When you awake in the mornings hush, I am the swift upflying rush Of quiet birds in circling flight. I am the soft starshine at night. I am the hearthfire burning bright. That uplifts the spirit and shortens the night I am the memory of old true friends. Of spouse and children and joys without end. Do not stand at my grave and cry I am not there, I did not die.
JAMES ROLLISON, (BETTY), Vacaville, CA. There was a Flight Information Manual on the crew door at the 260 station, to which this poem was added by each RE. Plane 517 The air was calm, the flight routine, The peaks below, a lovely scene. When suddenly there was a roar. The F/E cried, "We're losing four!" The Captain turned, his eves were red, he scowled as, "Feather four," he said. The flight crew gasped and blinked their eyes, as they watched the cabin rise. The passengers? they didn't care, they were all out from lack of air. The crew used oxygen the rest of the way, to save the ship for TWA. But when the flight was almost done, One more gave up, t'was # one. Ears were popping, faces sad, the passengers were raving mad. " Did the pilots, being playful boys, stop those outer fans to kill the noise?" "How come the plane is headed down, we're fifty miles from the nearest town." And then alas and alack, # two started popping back. The Captain, by this time quite calm, Said "Feather two when you have time."
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GRAPEVINE, FEBRUARY, 1993 "Full rich on three " The F/E cried, "We're havin' ourselves a snazzy ride!" But then # three, oh, yes you guessed, decided to take a well earned rest. Oh somewhere the sun is shining, And somewhere children play, And somewhere that dear old Connie, Is winding its weary way. " How come she didn't crash?" you say, " She should have clobbered for fair." But the son-of -a-gun has kept aloft, By a shipload of pure hot air. "DUB" DAVIS Got a couple of cards from "Dub" from Odessa , on the Black Sea, in the Ukraine. (Russia) Seems he has an old friend that escaped from the USSR twenty or so years ago, and he decided to go visit family now that travel there is much easier, and took "Dub" with him. The text of the cards follows: 16 Nov. 1992. Still here visiting around with my friend who is home for a visit with his folks after escaping 20 years ago. What 75 years of communism did to this once beautiful . country- the American imagination can not picture.!!! ! It will take generations to recover. It's not like Germany rebuilding after the war, but a different and greater magnitude. Anyway , you don't get what I'm getting on a package tour. It's a Great experience. Have been here since 09 Oct. and will probably stay another month. Hello to Heather, too Dub. Second card: 28 Nov. '92 : There is so much to write about, I'm making notes so as to do it up right sometime later. I doubt if any Americans have ever roamed around this part of the former Soviet Union like my friend and I have been doing. Many places we have been have never seen an American , People come to see the "Amerikanski" ! ! At a country wedding the musicians wanted to "hug the American" ! But man, the living conditions are miserable, and this area around Odessa, is the crown jewel. of the Soviet Empire. People here say " if you think this is bad, you Dub should see Russia." See You, GOLDIE GOLDTHORPE, (JULIA), Levittown, NY. Happy New Year Everyone,,, Did you hear about the retiree who dropped in at the drug store to pick up his prescription pills? His friendly pharmacist appeared unhappy. " Well, Captain, I have good news and bad news for you." " Okay, Give me the bad news first." " These little pills are going to cost you sixty bucks!" " WOW! Then whats the good news???" " NO REFILLS!!!!" Goldie Very Best Regards, Ed. Note: Stick to the railroad jokes, Goldie ! ! ! ! 21
GRAPEVINE, FEBRUARY, 1993 FORD BLANEY, (JANE), Indiana, Pa. Last July, Jane and I took a trip on airplanes, trains and ships (or is that a boat, Ed:). The enclosed photo was taken on the Orient Express. Our itinerary to London was via PIT, STL and GAT. In London we saw Grand Hotel, Miss Saigon and the Phantom of the Opera. The Orient Express went from London to Folkstone, then a ship(boat) to Boulogne and through Paris, Zurich , Innsbruck and Venice. The Ciprini Hotel where we stayed in Venice had their own ferry boat (ship) to take us from the train directly to the Hotel. The eleven day cruise out of Venice was or the Sea Goddess ll . We stopped at Manfredonia, Italy, Corfu, Greece, Taormina, Sicily and Sorrento. Our next stop was Porto Cerva and Alghero on Sardinia Island before sailing on to the Balearic Island of Ibiza. The tour terminated in Barcelonia in time for the Olympic Games. We flew back to Rome then for a few days at the Hilton Hotel. before returning to Indiana. Pa. that is. Truly Yours, Jane and Ford " I come from a long line of writers," one man boasted. " My father writes songs no one can sing. My sister writes poems no one can understand. And I write checks no one can cash." JOHN HALE, (BEVERLY), Halesite, NY. (Ed Note: is that where all the Hail Falls, ) You were promised a RP story (Name withheld to protect the innocent) . I'm supposed to be writing a report of our last QB meeting, but since we met the day past the editors deadline , I have almost a month to complete the task. Some would call this procrastination, I prefer Barbara Kerbel's term: "Specific Task Delay." I was RP's Copilot on a 707 going into Montreal on the old polar run from Europe to the West Coast. At the time , a scheduled stop. RP was flying(he usually did) and during the descent he began talking to himself (he sometimes did ). "Lets see, I haven't done a flight director in a while" and he set up the appropriate limits. Situation: Snow showers and a back course approach. A minute to the outer marker, he was still cranking in headings and "following" the flight director. I glanced back at the F/E-he looked nervous and unhappy. Shortly after, RP glared at me and said "you SOB, you were going to let me do it, weren't you?" Up to that minute I didn't know he had a sense of humor. See you at SUN 'N FUN in Lakeland next year .
Yeah, John Hale
The Halesite Volunteer Firemen had some excitement last week. They opened up a long-disused closet at the station and found a dead girl inside. Turns out she was the Worlds Hide-and-seek Champion of 1985.
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GRAPEVINE, FEBRUARY, 1993 WALTER A. STOCK , Westbrook, CT. Walt stock sent me this letter he found while cleaning out some old files. It's a letter he wrote home after coming to New York in 1957 to fly International. In his SECOND year yet. Dear Mom , Dad, Elaine and LaVonne, To bring you up to date on everything, I went out to Floyd Bennett a week ago Saturday for a week end drill. Got one hop in the Cougar. They have reorganized everything out there. Now have four Squadrons instead of Nine. The Squadron is supposed to go on a cruise to Oceana the last week of May for two weeks. Couldn't stay the whole last week end as I had to leave on a familiarization trip to Europe on Sunday at 1630. Our 1st. stop was a refuel stop in the Azores. From there to Paris. Stayed at a nice hotel just off the Champs- Elyse'es. Went with one of the old timers and hit a few of the more economical spots Left the next afternoon for Athens with a stop in Rome. Three of us familiarizers were on that leg together and the next day to Rome together. In Athens we stayed at a beautiful new resort on the water about a couple of miles from the airport. The next day at 1330 we left for Rome. Two of the Familiarizers stayed together for the rest of the trip. Stayed at a very nice hotel in Rome, the Mediteraneo. Had two nights and a day there. In the day we rented a motor scooter and went all over Rome. It's really pretty hairy in the Rome traffic on an unfamiliar machine. We went to the Coliseum, the Forum , St. Peters and Three Coins in the Fountain. None of the locals gave us any trouble, just that you will "bust your butt" on those scooters. We did get back accident free. In fact towards the last we were out digging most on the Italians at the-lights. The next day we went to Madrid with stops in Tunis and Algiers. The Manager of Operations (Intl) was the Captain on this flight and he got off at Madrid. We stayed at the new Hilton (Castellana) . Might as well go first class. Got about an hours sleep, then went out with the Captain and the Station Manager. He speaks seven languages. We went to a real crowded part of Madrid for sea food. The Captain really like this scene. We ate baby eels, octopus and all kinds of stuff. Ended up having dinner at a real nice place. Walked around town the next day. Got a shoe shine and a haircut and left for the airport. Caught our flight at Madrid and came all the way to New York with stops in Lisbon, and Gander. NF. The weather was really stinko in Gander, and we didn't see the runway the first time . Had all kinds of horsepower on the way back. There were two Captains, one Relief Pilot, two Engineers and three CoPilots so no one had to work too long. Took sixteen hours however. Started L1649 Ground School Monday for four days. The L1649 is the most modern addition to TWA's fleet. We will start flying them in July on schedules. It has a high-speed wing and fuel to go forever. Can fly NY to Paris nonstop. in fact Paris to San Francisco . Supposedly the longest range plane in the world. I'm on reserve Saturday and Sunday so I will probably be out on another flight then. These International Captains have been flying since the Airline started. 15-20 years... how about that. Even at that they are mostly under 50-55. They really made out Huh! $20-30,000 per year. I think I have found a place to stay oh Long Island. Will let you know within a week, Love Walt.
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GRAPEVINE, FEBRUARY, 1993 ANITA WALKER, Broomfield Co. Anita sent some great photos of the convention in San Diego and the Mexican cruise after. Sorry Anita I had already sent the Grapevine section of the TOPICS to A.T. for the November issue. Here they are for February. Couldn't get them all in however. Some would not have printed very well either . Anyway, thanks for them. It's folks like you that make the rag . We really need the goings on of all our members. Most of us can only keep in contact through the TOPICS.
Walt Waldo and Bill Kirschner Barkeeps in the TENT for Katie
TOP left Bob Dedman right Walt Waldo LEFT left-right, Katie Buchanan and Jack & Jane Miller
"What did the golf pro suggest to give you more confidence on the water hole?" Dub ask Bob. " He said I should keep my head down, swing through the ball and leave the scuba gear at home" Boss: "Why is this computer down?" Computer technician: Somebody dropped a rubber band into it and it was making snap decisions ..
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GRAPEVINE, FEBRUARY, 1993 MARY ANN MATNEY....AND BOB, Prairie Village. Kansas Bob and I really enjoyed the TARPA Convention and the great cruise afterwards. Since we drove from Kansas City and took the long way to and from.. I am just getting around to sending these few pictures we took. I also broke my arm a week ago (second week in Oct.) .... just before a round of golf ...so I have slowed down a bit. (Ed. Note: ) What a gal won't do to get a better handicap. Anyway, I do love to take pictures and though you might be interested in some of these for the TARPA magazine. (Boy, do we love you Mary Ann , and they don't just have to be from Conventions either . ) The TARPA TENT was great.... lots of room for visiting . We are looking forward to the cruise next year (TARPA goes to Sea in '93) and are already signed up.
Above: The Fix Up Crew Right: One Of Two Horses Upper Right : Mary Ann & Bob Matney Okay all you folks out there , Who are these clowns have'n all that fun ?????
Bill: "Well I just invested $15,000.00 in precious metals." Will: " Gold or Silver ?" Bill: "Neither, I just bought a new car." If airline fares keep dropping, some passengers may be able to visit some of the places where their luggage goes!!!!! 25
GRAPEVINE, FEBRUARY, 1993 A page of pictures from Mary Ann Matney. The upper left photo is of Glen and Jeanette Hanson at the registration desk at the TARPA Convention in San Diego. You folks guess who the rest of the smiling faces are ( except John P. ). The answers are at the end of the Grapevine in clockwise order ( We can't tell where 12 o'clock and six o'clock etc. is any more, what with these digital watches !!).
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GRAPEVINE, FEBRUARY,1993 GENE GIFFORD, (CONNIE), Upper Saddle River, NJ Palm City, FL Thought TARPA members would enjoy this article from Air & Space. Wild ! Hope to see all the folks at the SE Seniors meeting in '93 in Fla.
Slightly Irregulus In the 1950s the annual airshow at the Naval Air Missile Test Center at Point Mugu on the Southern California coast drew thousands of civilians to gape at various high-performance aircraft and missiles. As a technical advisor on cruise missile and aircraft engines and the man assigned to cover the introduction of the McDonnell F3H-2 Demon fighterinterceptor at Point Mugu, I knew that such shows could tend to get out of control. The test center was a real hotbed of sometimes unpredictable activity, and with all the ordnance on hand, cool heads had to prevail to prevent an accident. Among the performances scheduled for one show in the late 1950s was the launch of an unmanned Grumman F6F Hellcat drone, the launch and recovery of a Regulus I cruise missile, and the shootdown of another Regulus by a Sparrow III air-to-air missile fired from a Demon. One Regulus was to fly southeast, parallel to the beach, about a half-mile off shore. A sharp and seasoned Navy commander was slated to come booming in from the east in the F3H at 500 feet, afterburner blazing, and fire his Sparrow III at it. He was cautioned, however, not to fly—or fire over the crowd. The commander took off and disappeared, loitering to the east while other aircraft performed. The sacrificial Regulus was launched and sent out to sea in a holding pattern, waiting for the cue to send it south along the coast. But after a few minutes the Demon pilot called in acute distress. He was having trouble with his cockpit heat valve, which seemed to be stuck in the full hot position. Meanwhile, the F6F drone was launched. It got up to about 50 feet before nosing over and crashing on the runway. A second F6F was expeditiously positioned on another runway while the first burned fiercely. The crowd didn't know what to make of all this but, after realizing that there was no one aboard the crashed airplane, seemed pleased with the excitement of it all. The second F6F started down the
Flights
runway but veered off into the dirt. It bumped along in the rough terrain, took out a couple of runway lights, bounced back onto the concrete, got airborne, veered right, barely cleared the airport perimeter fence, and crashed into a bean field. It too burst into flames. Two huge pillars of black smoke now rose into the afternoon sky. The crowd seemed to enjoy it i mmensely. I'm sure many of the observers thought this comedy of errors was planned for their amusement. To add insult to injury, a county fire engine that raced out to the bean field to extinguish the second F6F had to sidestep a frolicking dog, which caused the truck to swerve smartly and roll over on its side. Fortunately no one, including the dog, was hurt. The commander in the Demon called back, by now quite irate. He was nearly dying from the heat in the cockpit, he said, and explained that certain avionics were being damaged by the high temperature. (What he actually said was "The knobs on my !*&*#*! radio are beginning to melt! " ) He urged the
Fancy schedulers to get on with the Regulus shootdown so he could land and get out of the damn cockpit before he was pan-fried in his own juices. However, in the interest of maintaining the schedule, he was ignored. The Regulus that was supposed to land returned, lined up with the long runway. While the jaded crowd watched, the drag chute accidentally deployed before the missile touched down. The Regulus slowed, stalled, and crashed just short of the runway. Now there were three columns of smoke several thousand feet high. Point Mugu was beginning to look like a war zone. About this time the overheated commander came screaming in unannounced and let loose a Sparrow III at the loitering Regulus, which was now flying parallel to the coast and just offshore. Children screamed in terror and adults, clapping their hands over their ears, were scared witless by the racket of the F3H engine in afterburner and the deafening launch of the Sparrow III, which roared directly over the crowd at about 300 feet. Things were not going as planned. The commander, in his orange fiightsuit, was done to a turn in the cockpit. (We later found that the radio knobs, made of heatresistant plastic, had indeed melted.) The low pass of the F3H and its air-to-air missile had so devastated the audience that hardly anyone saw the Regulus take a direct hit from the Sparrow and plunge into the Pacific. Too bad—it was the only thing that had gone right all day. It had been some show. The crowd lingered expectantly, though the scheduled events were over, the debris had finally settled, and the fires were nearly out. The situation was astutely summed up by a Navy officer standing along the runway as we surveyed the damage. "Jeez," he muttered, "what are we gonna do for an encore?" Not to worry. At Point Mugu, there was always something, scheduled or unscheduled, that would top it. —O. H. Billmann
GRAPEVINE, FEBRUARY, 1993 W.M. FLANAGAN, (ELEANOR), Port St. Lucie, Fl. Bill sent me his info form for the grapevine and it said Bill 's first flight with TWA (Or was it Trans Continental and Western /) was on 02 April, 1940 from LG (LGA ) to KC (MKC) and as he recalls was uneventful. The Captain was Captain Ambrose. (Ed. Note: I was a sophmore in Withrow High School in Cincinnati Ohio at the time). Bill promises to send along a list of the old timers he flew with in those days. Would love to read that bit of TWA history. Lets have it Bill ! ! He is also interested in photography, golf (of course ), and would you believe oil and pastel painting. There is more talent in the TWA Pilots ranks than you would believe. Bill is a member of the Knights of Columbus, Holy Family mens Club, Sandpiper Bay Homeowners Association, the Sandpiper Bay Mens Golf Association and the Club Med. JOHN EMMERTON, (DONNA),Winter Haven Fl. Looks like Donna is giving Roy Geisert a little "what for" wouldn't you say ? While husband John looks on with quite a bit of humor to say the least. Wonder what this was all about? Tennis or Golf ? or who was going to get the net Orange juice . ( I'm from Florida too you know ).
DOUG STEEL, (MARILYN ), Newtown Pa. This has been a wild year for Marilyn and me.. We began it with six weeks volunteer missions work in Kenya, East Africa, where she taught in the seminaries, and concluded with five and one half months of home care for her Dad who has a serious brain problem. At least the weather has been great with summer on the equator in Africa and almost half the year in sunny Los Matos, California. We Pennsylvanians won't know how to behave when we get home. Our Best to All, Marilyn and Doug
LAST NIGHT ON TELEVISION, THEY INTERRUPTED A SPECIAL NEWS BULLITIN FOR SOME REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING.
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GRAPEVINE, FEBRUARY, 1993
BOB SMITH, (DELORES "DIZ" ), Tucson AZ. I get to go to Penna. December 5th on US Air , since TWA cut us off at both ends , TUC & SYR. Will get in eight days of deer hunting while Diz baby sits the three dogs and 17 citrus trees. Then back the 16th to tend the trees and dogs while she goes " home" for Christmas. I take deer hunting more serious than skeet or trap shooting because I can eat the venison but the clay birds don't taste good, I don't care how you cook them ! ! Sincerely.
Bob Smith
KARL TROVINGER, ( ANNE ), Rolling Hills, Ca. I had hoped to be at the convention in San Diego, but due to poor planning, we didn't make it. It seemed we had promised our youngest son (age 32 ) he could utilize our home to hold his marriage ceremony. There were many details to attend to and this included having a ton of vegetation removed so our lovely view would be returned. With the cooperation of our neighbor we got that project accomplished. Then we needed some refinishing work done inside the house and with the wedding date drawing near we were in somewhat of a panic. So naturally the day the convention started, we were admitting into the house the crew to re-do our front door, kitchen cabinets and bathroom cabinets. So there we were with the crew doing all this work and the convention starting down south. We at least accomplished the re-doing so the wedding could take place on 26 September as planned. With all three boys now married, I have put the shotgun up for sale as I should not need it further. So the TARPA convention had to be put on hold. I did have the benefit of one Captain Poley and his wife, Jean, who attended and also went on the Mexican cruise. So I got a blow by blow description of the event. I sure miss all the wonderful people I flew with all those years. Our oldest son is still flying as Captain with Alaska Airline, visiting such romantic ports as Seattle and Puerto Valarta in Mexico etc. Anne and I took advantage a slight discount and took Alaska Airlines to Russia last July. We flew from Anchorage to Magadan in Russia, then down to Khabarovsk and rode the Trans Siberian Railroad from there to Lake Baikal, three days and two nights on the train. What a trip. We then flew back to Kabarovsk and then back to Anchorage and home. That was the last trip and Anne and I are slowing down a bit. I am suffering from what I term as " Advanced Alzheimer's". I can't remember anything important, but did you know the lady singer 's name with the Orin Tucker's band was "Wee Bonnie Baker" and her real name was " Evelyn Nelson"? Now I ask you who needs that information, but ask me something important and it is a strain on my mind ... Har Har Regards to all, Karl T.
Two tourists visiting Washington, D.C. sat in the Senate gallery at the Capitol and listened to the "world's greatest deliberative body" in action. They heard long, discursive speeches that made no sense; ornate terms of politeness (" the esteemed gentleman from the great State of New York" ) that no one believed; and podium-pounding orations that no one on the floor listened to. Said one tourist to the other " This must be what they mean by ' political asylum.'
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GRAPEVINE, FEBRUARY, 1993 STAN BUDRIS, ( HELEN ), Fort Lauderdale, Fl. Here in Lauderdale we survived a close brush with Hurricane Andrew in good shape. Had several banana plants blown over and a 15 foot mahogany tree snapped in half, but some propping up and careful pruning all should pull through in good shape. Never having been ones to kick up our heels in seeking the so-called finer things in life, Helen and I have settled into a quiet, serene sort of existence more or less confining our activities to local affairs. We take great pleasure in our two lovable pooches, fruit trees, garden, orchids, sail boat (ship) and good friends. Can't help but reminisce of the pleasant days we enjoyed flying out of Newark in the times when TWA was a major airline, one to be respected. I'll forever remember that one particular day when our 727 crew prepared to depart for a routine flight on an unusually pleasant sunny day. Everyone happened to be in a jovial mood. Standing at the entry door of our plane, ready to greet our flight crew and passengers was Terry T. who happened to be rather outstandingly endowed. My somewhat brash First Officer, named ' Dick ' bounced up the loading steps and seeing Ten-y there greeted her with " Hi Big Terry" , to which she immediately replied " Hi Big ---???? GASP ! ! ! ! ! So help me 'tis true. Let it be put to rest that it was NOT our own Dick Guinan. As Ever, Stan Budris OUR SECRETARY"TREASURER gets many notes and comments with the dues in November and December and he really appreciates the accolades etc. about our Officers and Committees. Because Dick has plenty to do and I pretty much goof off most of the time here are some of the folks, not all by any means, that would be over 1600., that wrote notes etc. with their dues: Not in Alphbetical order. Johnny Kidd: LouBarr: Don Palmer * ; Bill Proctor; Peter Sidway; Bob & Fay Widholm, who volunteered to accept all the "onion letters " for forwarding to his Chicago contacts for " further handling"; Helen Mc Garry (See ly to many LAX GMFs ) , and who says she saw Ted H. and Dick Cruickshank at the Nov. luncheon of the TWA Seniors; Dave Spain; Orson T. Smith; Ted Misselwitz* ; New grandparent again Bill Burgner who is signed up for " Sea in '93 "; Russ Younce, planning to build in Sedonna ( Oak Creek Country Club) Az.; Chuck Anderson; Joe " MOJO" Brown who's wife Eliese had a second complete knee replacement and is doing very well; Dick Ruble, sitting around at the "Fruits and Nuts " local airport washing airplanes for a ride . Been flying three days a week and still can't get it right. Probably why they had so much fun at EWR; Larry Murchan, writing on Tel Aviv Hilton note paper that has to be 30 years old and says he has to use it up as it's getting like the Dead Sea Scrolls and it may crumble before he can.; Gordon Lambert , Hadley Ray, says Henry Michaels was over for dinner recently and they recalled a very pleasant evening in KC when they cooked steaks outside Dick Guillan 's motor home, also Hanks wife Theresa had quadruple bypass surgery Fri. 13th Nov. and doing nicely; Russ Bowen, says he and his bride of 50 years celebrated the event with 16 family members on a ten day sailing cruise to Mexico. Had a great special time; Ed Mellon; "Wild Bill" Merrigan; Con't.
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GRAPEVINE, FEBRUARY, 1993 Al Lusk, still waiting for his bonus check from Carl I.; Ed Rowe ; Dean Phillips ; AI Kirby, Remembering the brown bag days flying the EWR-PIT shuttle and hoping to make a convention one day. How about at SEA in '93, Al? ; Harry Mokler, spending some time at the SAHARA Hotel in Las Vegas for the the annual 1947 get-together; Thad May ; Dick Loomis, thinks the unknown person at the bottom of the Nov. '92 TOPICS next of Idus Inglis is Ole Olson , Lloyd W. Olson. ; Paul Kelly from Paradise Valley, Az. ; Earl Lima, says he is finally settled and has no address change this time ; Marv Horstman, still flying something a bit smaller than the 74. like a Cessna 172 and a Warrior. Does a little Consulting and Real Estate work. "How about some customers?" ;Reg. Plumridge still hanging out in Boulder City NV. NOT Boulder. CO. ; Klete Rood, who asks " What do you call a bomerang that doesn't come back? Ans. a stick. Come on Klete !!! ; Darrel Merrill, Chesterfield, Mo. ; G.P. Underwood, ( what does G.P. stand for G.P. General Purpose ?) ; and then there is Chris Clark . last but not the least, for now. ALSO HERE ARE JUST SOME OF THE HONORARY MEMBERS WHO DROPPED A NOTE TO DICK GUILLAN. Mrs. Harrison Finch ; Clara Fleet, from Boynton Beach, Fl. ; Mrs. Wilma Jean Kachner. Highlands Ranch, CO ; Delores Selby; Mrs. Ruby D. Lynch ; Mary D. Blakemore ; Josephine Strachan ; Jean Shurtleff ; Irene Shively ; Marilynn Norris ; Frances Petry ; Katy Schulte ; Mrs. Doris Brodecky ; Mrs. Francis Sargent ; Bobbe Hoskins ; Muriel Schroeder ; Mildred M. Bowen ; Alta M. Nelson ; Lillian Irwin, and in addition to all the fine ladies above Mrs. Claire Wells a real sweetheart. TO CONT. WITH SOME OF THE NOTES TO DICK GUILL AN THAT CAME IN LATE. Bob Croskell says he is still holding down Farmers Lane , Platte City, Mo. and that there is an Attorney living in Dick Hempel's place. Also. that Jake Fisher had passed away. No more into. Dave Wadsworth ; Bill Dixon ; Clyde Nixon from Maui, ; and Larry DeCelles who has a new wife - Janet. Congrats. Larry.... and Janet. ; The proverbial Jesse Fiser ; Jim Anderson, procrastinating about restoring his '31 Ford ; Ray Lutz ; then there's June and Don Minske; John Hale, wants to know if the smoke from the stills around Dick's part of NC. still obscure the valleys? ; From Rome, Italy Werner Romanello ( How are you doing Werner,- J.T.) ; Joe Schneider ; Hal Clarke ; Paul Husak ( Fit. Dispatch) will send a picture of the LAX terminal from the '30s era, when he can find it. ; Lyle Bobzin ; and Lee Wildman; Cliff Bruce ; Ray Terry. ******************************************* LOST $ FOUND..." Can you boys tell me where the town hall is ?" asked a visiting preacher. " I' m speaking there tonight." After getting directions, he invited the boys to attend, saying , "I'll tell you how to get to Heaven." " Are you kidding ?" one boy said. " You can't even find the town hall !" ************** COMMON CENTS...Money will buy a bed but not sleep; books but not knowledge; food but not appetite; finery but not beauty; a house but not a home; medicine but not health; luxuries but not culture; amusements but not happiness; religion but not salvation; or a passport to everywhere except Heaven.... by way of STL. Italics mine.
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GRAPEVINE, FEBRUARY. 1993 BOB KIL LIAN, ( HELEN ), Bend, Or. The November issue of the TOPICS was really great. I think Helen and I read every word of it. I mentioned in my letter last year, that that publication could easily be grounds for divorce (if either of us could afford it ). because both of us make a dive for it as soon as it arrives. The ICD section certainly brought good memories and I have been reminiscing ever since we got it. We had every intention of going to ORL in May, but we had a Delta FF ticket to UK and we could not combine that trip with a side trip to ORL. From reports, it must have been great. My nostalgia has taken me back to the OLD days more than I can remember in the past and it's good to see so many of the people Helen and I knew, in the last edition. The only trouble is that most of the Jocks look much younger than I do and a few look almost as I had remembered them. A few of the people stand out for one reason or another such as Ross Weaver, who headed a crew that l was on regularly for about six months. Put Ross, Frank Corwin and Rupe Clark as F/O) and you have a good crew. I remember Tommy Carroll flying his Boeing 706.5 back from Hartford to JFK after Eastern sliced off 16' of wing. He made it sound like routine procedure . Also. Larry De Celles is well remembered for the work he did on the ALPA SAFETY Committee yo clear Ivan Spong's name in the Sandis Mountain crash in the M404. Then there was Granger. who did so much R & D on our new aircraft, especially the B747 instrumentation and his insistence that TWA not follow PAA 's INS program. The one he held out for was many times better that PAA's. I could go on and on about what I remember, but it would put you to sleep. In fact, if you suffer from insomnia. save this letter to read so you can doze off immediately. ( Send some more sleeping pills Bob. Ed. Note) Well I must get along. After I read about the contributions to the Retired Pilots Foundation , I thought it proper to kick in a few bucks just because I have such good vibes after 50 years. Sincerely Bob K. ED BETTS, ( DONNA ), Pacific Palisades, Ca. As of nov. 9th '92 I have been sporting a 4.5" scar on the palm-inside of my right wrist following an operation -old arthritic pains plus " car-pool tunnel syndrome ". The latter is associated with people who do a lot of typing or computer work-a hazard of the trade. I was on the table for an hour and a half. All of the original symptoms are still there and it may be six months to a year before back to normal. I hope this improves my golf. we expect a busy Holiday season, as , for the first time we will have all tree kids, their spouses and seven grandkids together. The eldest has been stationed in Germany the past six years and already hates Southern California. He is based at Norton, renting in the area of the San Andreas fault, high crime and drive by shooting. Happy Holidays to all, Ed.
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GRAPEVINE, FEBRUARY, 1993 DON BARNES, ( EVE ), Liberty, Mo. Inclosed is a picture of Mr. Lou Proctor leaving our small repair shop on his tractor . Louie is well past 80 and stops in every two weeks or so to fly around our old wood stove. Joe Imeson coined the phrase "flying around the stove " one time when he used to stop by to remi isce. Getting back to Louie, we used to fly together a lot, One month we flew to Tampa FL and on two consecutive flights we had to shut down an engine. Getting ready for our third flight, Louie said, " well we've had our failures for the month and I replied " Yup it's impossible to have three consectutive failures." Near Nashville Louie tapped me on the shoulder and said " I don't like the looks of # four." I suggested reducing power and watching it, which he did. About one minute later he said " It doesn't look good" and I replied " Shut it down " which he did. Engine failures were comon in those days. I really enjoy the TOPICS especially the talented Ed Betts. R. Louis Proctor Sincerely, Don Barnes ELDRED L. OLSON, (ROSALIE ),Palm Desert, Ca. Sure guys, that is me standing next to Idus Inglis on page 30 of the November. '92 TOPICS. You may not remember this old puss, but just keep the retirement checks coming . For 36 more years ! ! ! Sincerely, E.L. Olson EDWIN K. WEISS, (SANDRA), Beachwood, N.J. I'm on the new Employee's Committee in charge of Travel Industry Promo. Nelson Kroger (another TARPA member ) heads up the committee. Maybe we can get TWA on top... Post Icahn. For coordination of efforts I can be contacted at my home address or by ASPEN (6159) Access 3.1 or 4.0 Ed Weiss Fraternally, CARL INGLESBY, (" BUTCH ") Just had morning coffee with RAY BARTLES who convinced me to stop procrastinating and join TARPA. Now I hope to catch up on the whereabouts of my sorely missed former colleagues . Best regards, Butch Ed. Note: Welcome Home Butch, "Hap"
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GRAPEVINE, FEBRUARY, 1993 RUSSELL E. OLSON, (GLORIA LEE ),Palos Verdes Pen. Ca. I have had the TARPA Medicare Supplemental Insurance since B-4 my wife passed away 2 years ago 8 Oct. '90 and it looks as though I'm going to be using it on 27 Oct. '92.. Am going into the hospital to have a section of my Colon removed. Have had a pain in my left side for some time and the Drs. have finally found the cause. " Diverticulitus ". Will be glade when it's over, so I can get back to hunting. My dues and a check for the Retired Pilots Foundation are on the way. Sincerely Russ Olson GORDON HARGIS, (MARIE ), Fort Worth Tx. Hard to believe I retired seven years ago. thanks to Mr. I-CAN (but didn't). Still " torn-up " over the B-Plan "tear-down" . Just waiting to see how badly my monthly check will be downsized. Hope we get the 600 retirees to continue the same type plan we have now. Sneaked bye another FAA AME recently, so have two more years of flying. Of course the Connie is in hibernation for the winter. Also. the P-51 is down with a cracked head and the AT-6 needs crankshaft seals. Looks like I'm grounded for a few months. Sure enjoyed flying the Connie at Oshkosh last August. A real thrill to have Vern Rayburn's L749A flying formation during display fly-bys. Check out the business card . we hand out at airshows. WE are always looking for sponsors that will help pay the 500 GPH fuel bill. Auto-Rich only per FAA 100LL 'cause 115 145 is no more. Sure did enjoy seeing all the folks at San Diego !!! All the best to all for '93 Gordon ********************************************* Got some additional notes from Anita Walker (Jake) and Ginny Kuester (Kent) and they both say what all the Honorary Members say. That they really enjoy getting the TOPICS as it is sometimes the only way they have of keeping in touch with former friends and reading about what the other folks are doing. Also the info. on the Conventions and other happenings, articles about flying and the history of all the people that were associated with TWA and their lives for so many years. Plight Schedule : Airlines are adapting to the economy. One Airline has two fares: Business Class and Out-of Business Class ....
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GRAPEVINE, FEBRUARY, 1993 The Grapevine would like to welcome the following as Honorary Members in TARPA and hope that they will be able to continue to be active and come to as many Convention get-togethers as possible. They have all written letters of thanks to TARPA for the TARPA contribution to the TWA Pilots Retirement Foundation in Memory of their Husbands . Naomi Ruth Stewart (Cy) Hayden, Idaho ; Virginia Everhart (Tom), Hollywood Fl. ; Barbara St. Lawrence ( Mitch ), Deer Isle Me. ; Edna Harlin ( Johnny ), San Clemente, Ca.; Edith Bollinger ( Ralph ), Hattiesburg, Ms. *************** **************************** *************** LONG INTERMISSION Joe: " I went to the theater last night but had to leave after Act I." Moe: " Why did you have to do that ? " Joe:
" The program said
Act II - one year later, and I couldn't wait."
"
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ANSWERS TO " A PAGE OF PICTURES WITH GLEN AND JEANETTE AT TOP : Bill and Barbara Blesch; Mary Ann and Bob Matney; Chuck and Pat Hasler; John Peek and Bob Matney, "ole Marine buddys "; Bette and " Lum " Edwards: and Betty Lattimore .
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RICHARD H. BECK 255 LA PALOMA SAN CLEMENTE, CA 92672-5126
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A "KID" NAMED BUCHANAN The Suez crisis in the early fifties found an array of strange bedfellows among the British and Egyptians in the Cairo area -- a truly cosmopolitan conglomerate of ethnic and In fact, at the height of strained multinational residents. relations (including military encounter), many British citizens remained in Cairo throughout. If you recall the conflict at all, Egypt only gave the appearance of aggressiveness to rid the country of the overbearing British influences. Certainly, no match for the superior military forces of Her Majesty. During this period, I was flying flights to Cairo with two to three day layovers at the Heliopolis Palace Hotel. The "palace" was an elite hostelry with sporting club facilities (Tennis, croquet etc) and a lounge bar, which served as the "suburban social center and oasis" for clientele of all nationalities. In such times of overt conflict between nations, those civilians left in a quasi-hostile area had best maintain a low profile not to incite the anger or aggression of local Britishers, in Cairo at the time, remained adversaries. quite discrete with no major incidents as intruders. A certain tension was detected with the presence of European guests in the hotel, particularly when they were obviously British, or allied with their cause in the Suez dispute. Employees shirked service more than customary) for many of the Europeans during this extended time. Tension eased in the lounge with a more convivial atmosphere, no doubt a result of the "vasodilative drinks" which had a mellowing affect. gyptian The bartender, a robust mustachioed E , was known for his jovial manner with his clientele, although he became less affable when Englishers were to be served. The scene was one Damon Runyon would have endeared when a "raucous Brit" entered the lounge with a month-old nanny goat cradled in his arms. His entry was signalled by the piercing bleating of the cuddly, black and white "kid!" The soft conversational ambience was startled by the "I call her gruff intrusion, as the interloper announced, Buchanan! You want to know why? Because she is black and white -- and Buchanan's (Ltd.) distribute my favorite scotch, Black and White!!" Not too funny. A muffled chuckle or two, was all of the acknowledgment given by the more sedate imbibers. The "Brit" proceeded to the bar placing the nanny at his feet as he ordered his scotch and seltzer. A German couple, seated at a table nearby, had their Dachsund tethered on a leash at their side. The dog immediately braced "on point" viewing the furry His curiosity led to sniffing in the customary newcomer. manner of exploration. With no fanfare, the German untethered his pet, and slowly, the dog approached the taller, but enticing stranger -- attempting to "mount" her. He was met
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with frustration as the nanny bleatingly resisted his amorous attack. The Britisher laughed explosively, grasping Buchanan and placed her in safe range -- on the bar! Seated next to him was Hasnin, a familiar local imbiber, showing great disdain for the intruders. What ensued at this point has been indelibly imprinted on my memory and recall processes -- as one of the most humorous experiences of my thirty plus years international flying career: In her frightened state, Buchanan postured her stand to relieve bladder pressure. Hasnin noting this, deftly lifted the Britishers glass and passed it under Buchanan's tale (unnoticed by the Britisher) as her master grasped her out of the bar. On returning, still loudly commenting on the humorous attempt by the dachsund, the Britisher sipped of his drink. He paused. Pursed his lips. Frowned. Then, a brusque remark complaining to the bartender that his scotch was tainted! "The wrong seltzer!" he remarked, handing over his glass. Only I had witnessed Hasnin's sleight of hand, and as the bartender moved the glass to his lips , I felt an urge to intervene -- but didn't. He then positioned the tainted glass to his nose, shrugged his shoulders, and poured another scotch -- Black and White of course, this time with a fresh bottle of seltzer! Hasnin felt some gratification in his retaliation against the overbearing British bore, since he deemed his country had been dealt with unfairly in the Suez affair. Retribution, even in small measures, feels good!
Submitted by
Walt Gunn . PH. D. Captain TWA, Retired
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DONNA EMMERTON JOHN EMMERTON
AGNES JONES GENE JONES
LOIS BARRON ROBERT BARRON
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Upper left; Handsome CHUCK HASLER Upper right; MARIE RUNE SKIP RUHE
Left; ROSEMARY SLATEN KEN SLATEN
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BUD LOWRY, HERB WHEELER, RON TREPAS, JAY SCHMIDT, ROGER LAHN, DOUG BONEY & DICK FAULDS.
GLEN BLEVINS, JEANNE BLEVINS, NOREEN RONHOLM & RON RONHOLM
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WALT STOCK, BARBARA JONES & DOC JONES
LUM EDWARDS AND FORD BLANEY That Lum is going to edge Joe Brown out as the fashion plate of the golfing world! Photos courtesy of Bill Cox
PAM AND BOB MUELLER
STU NELSON, RUSS DERICKSON, CHUCK TISEO & DICK GUILLAN
CLEM MOREHEAD, RUSS DERICKSON & DICK GUILLAN
BUCK PARKER, DORIS PARKER, VIRGINIA CONVERSE & TOMMY ANDERSON
Jim Harkins of Inverness, FL, says; Hi A.T. - Here are a few shots I took at the convention. Sorry I didn't get to talk to you. I saw you once across the room but we were both talking to someone and by the time I got over there you were gone. Hope to see you next year if not before. (Thanks, Jim, but no picture of you?
DICK BECK, RAY KIDD, LOU BECK & ELLY HARKINS
EARL HEINRICH, BOB & DOROTHY LACHENMEIR
From Joe Carr from Ft. Meyers Beach, FL; Would you please send me a copy of the latest TARPA TOPICS? I will gladly pay the postage if you will let me know the amount. I must have left for Florida just before you mailed the last issue but it was not forwarded here...New Jersey postoffice messed up my mail for several weeks. Last week I received a letter from Ed Betts with a sad tale about his medical problems. Seems as if he has had more than his fair share these last few years. Then, two days ago, spent a long time on the phone with Bill Townsend (the younger) when he called to talk about his persistent anemia problem which is bad enough to seriously curtail his golf. These stories from men younger than I make my aches and pains seem minor by comparison. Bill also told me about the death of Joe McCombs just before Christmas. Seems only yesterday that I had him and Bill in ground school when they came to us from Pan Am Africa. I regret the extra effort this request will entail but I will try to get the N.J. P.O. straightened out before your next mailing. Meanwhile, I'll borrow a copy from Bob Voss who is only bike ride down the beach. Keep healthy .... Best regards, Joe. [Joe, a copy will be on its way shortly from Dick Guillan as I send any extras to him. Hello to Bill and Mickey Townsend. I flew co-pilot with Bill on the DC3 out of Newark and, unless my memory fails me, he had gotten so disgusted one day at his golf game he stopped on a bridge on the way home and threw his clubs overboard. He did an outstanding job at Colorado Springs chairing the golf tournament. And, Joe, until I read Ed Betts' articles I didn't know you and some of the old-timers I flew with were so high up in management and so well-respected. Will this garner me a recommendation for 890?] *
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* Left to right; CAPT JOE MONTENERO, CHAIRMAN EALPA TWA MEC B PLAN COMMITT E BILL BAINBRODGE GORDON HARGIS Joe sent some information regarding progress on the termination of the B plan and transfer over to the DAP (Designated Account Plan) to Sherman which you have probably already read earlier on in here. More comprehensive information will possibly come your way by the time you receive this or shortly thereafter. We are all anxiously awaitin g further word in this area.
Do golfers play golf on their days off? Desk: A wastebasket with drawers.
Sent in by Bob Picotte
The March issue of TARPA TOPICS has the picture of Captain Fred Austin on the front cover and announces that he is an Award of Merit appointee. I called him to offer my congratulations and to ask him if he could fill me in on some of the details of the following account. He remembered the event but neither of us could recall why we were involved. By that I mean, why we as individuals were involved. Fred was domiciled in Los Angeles and I in San Francisco. I think in my case it was the result of a bid and if I am not mistaken, Fred was the local ALPA representative, if not the MEC. In March 1952 TWA became involved in a caper that should go into the books as one of the outstanding examples of how to set up a new airline route. TWA, Eastern Airlines and Braniff decided to inaugurate through plane service from San Francisco to Miami. The idea was, a person could board a flight in San Francisco and go to Miami without changing planes and vis-a-vis. In order to orchestrate the phenomenon, it would involve the use of crews from the airlines involved. You guessed it--it was before the days of de-regulation. Now here is sort of the root of this memorandum. The aircraft that would be used for the operation would be the Lockheed Super Constellation and although TWA had some of this model on order, none had as yet been delivered. On the other hand, Eastern was in possession of at least one of them that was to be used as a trainer during the startup of their service. Therefor, although the TWA crews involved were rated on the Constellation, it was necessary to familiarize them with Easterns' aircraft so it was set up that they be sent to the Eastern training center at Miami. Actually it was no big deal for the TWA gang but here is the hooker. Braniff was a DC-6 airline and it is doubtful if one out of a thousand Braniff pilots had ever set foot inside a Lockheed airplane since the thirties and a Constellation is no *%*' DC-6. Here was the layout as far as who was to do what, with which and - - - - - ! TWA would operate the segment from San Francisco to Amarillo, Braniff would take it to Houston and Eastern would do the rest. The TWA segment would serve Los Angeles and Albuquerque and of course, Amarillo. For one reason or another, the TWA flight personnel were mustered in Kansas City and subsequently a DC-3 was assigned to them for transportation to Miami. That trip in it's self was no forgettable incident. We started out with moderate turbulence and two hours later it was so bad that the DC-3 was beginning to creak. We. were all getting sick and with that L.W. (Ole) Olson charged into the cockpit and took command. Ole was our chief pilot in San Francisco and a better man never lived. He went to flight level 290 where it was fairly smooth. It may have been higher, I don't remember.
47
It appeared that our arrival in Miami came as a total surprise to every one in Dade County. After parking the DC-3 in the long term parking lot we walked to a building that had Easterns logo on it and checked in with a gum chewing telephone operator there. After a while the guys began wandering around. Checking out the drinking fountain, looking at a shelf laden with bowling trophies etc. One fellow was checking out the phone operator. By and by Ole announced that we would all be staying at a hotel in downtown Miami and with that we commandeered ever cab in sight and proceeded to the hotel. There must have been some inquiries made during the evening by Ole because we were greeted (in the lobby) the next morning by one captain Hamilton of EAL. He was no kid but he turned out to be almost one of us. He was wide open for suggestions and he seemed willing to go along with most anything within reason. He even ended up going through the ground school with us. One fact finally surfaced. It was determined that there was indeed a ground school set up for the flight crews of TWA and Braniff and one and only one class was to he held. Needless to say, the next question was--will some one go find Braniff? Later that day it was determined that Braniff hadn't decided who was going to fly their part of the transaction so by virtue of the ongoing costs it was also determined that the TWA bunch be put through the school, come what may. The class was convened the next day and ended the day after with the usual open book exam. Assuming that there were twenty one of us, the class was divided into three groups of seven for the flying part of the training which consisted of some hood time but mostly just sailing around getting acquainted with the cockpit. This took the better part of a couple more days and it was back to the "what next syndrome". Some how, Fred Austin and I got paired up and it seems that our purpose was to get home via Houston, Amarillo and Kansas City under the guise that we were route qualifying. Somehow we ended up afoot in Wichita trying to get authorization to get on a Braniff flight to Kansas City. Fred was banging on the counter trying to get some ones attention when some Braniff employee stepped up and said "if you guys want to go to Kansas City I suggest you go get on that airplane out there PDQ because it is leaving for Kansas City PDQ soon". We boarded the aircraft and there was obviously no seats in the cabin so we proceeded to the cockpit where there was literally standing room only. Fred and I were standing there gazing at one another when they slammed the doors shut and with a " bellar and a cough we roared off". Bob Wittke and company took the first flight. It was an east bound and aboard was the likes of the mayors of the cities that would be serviced, airline executives including the then CEO of Eastern Airlines: Eddie Rickenbacker, some movie personalities etc. According to Bob and others, the flight was uneventful
48
CAPTS. MAX PARKINSON & FRED AUSTIN
L to R; CAPT. HAMILTON, EAL
until the flight was being serviced at Los Angeles. Some one let it be known that American Airlines, backed up by the then National Airlines, had served an injunction that would bring the whole concept to an absolutely silent halt. The through plane service from San Francisco to Miami then and there fell apart like a two dollar suitcase. TWA, Eastern and Braniff spent a lot of effort and money for advertizing, training and a hundred other things necessary to organize the service but the question is, did the caper smack of intrigue, was it intrusive or invasive on the part of TWA Eastern or Braniff?. Needless to say, American and National certainly waited until the eleventh hour to hi-jack an idea that had possibilities for the entire industry to say nothing about the traveling public. Best regards and keep up the good work. Robert Picotte [Bob, we especially want to thank you for sending in an interesting article beautifully typed and print ready. A lot of my work consists of retyping material so as to make it print ready and to save space. Been a long time since I flew over the ocean with you on that trusty and beautiful Constellation] PARRY IN MISSOURI A.T., I have made copies of your letter for Tom Sawyer, President of the TWA Seniors Club; and suggest he help carry the ball on TWA Identity bank checks. I have been trying to get the job done but felt it wouldn't get set up until TWA came out of bankruptcy which was supposed to be Dec. 1st - that has now been extended to January 1993. I also made the enclosed up [WHAT DID I DO TODAY TO SELL TWA?] and it was put at the place settings of the local chapters at their luncheons about 8 months ago. You might want to use it in next issue of TARPA TOPICS. We need to help sell revenue traffic to use our passes. I'll also write Jerry Cosley who I know as he is working with the management committee to get TWA out of bankruptcy ..... "73", Parky. [Parky added a P.S. that he still can't find the package of pictures and letters he loaned Ed Betts which he knows Ed sent back. It must really be bugging you, Parky, as you keep mentioning it. Also, you might be interested to know that Bob Sherman told me the pilots are plugging the Identity TWA checks as he saw signs posted around .... 73, that's my age, A.T.] WHAT DID I DO TODAY TO SELL TWA? According to Will Rogers, there ain't nothing that breaks up homes, countries and nations like somebody publishing their memoirs. Did you know that moving your head from side to side can make you lose weight? Just be sure to do it every time somebody offers you food! The waiter asked his customer if he wanted his pizza cut in six slices or eight. "Six," the man replied. "I don't believe I - could eat eight slices. According to little Johnny, there are three sexes; male sex, female sex and insects.
50
PENSION/TAXES UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION AMENDMENTS OF 1992
A. H. SANTMYER, BOX 1142, CAREFREE, AZ 85377 (602) 488-3018 Congress Has Done It Again President Bush has signed into law an extension of unemployment benefits to jobless workers who have been without work for more than six months. This was a nice move, considering the shape of the economy. Congress attached to that bill a piece of garbage that can be painful to workers changing employers, losing their jobs or retiring. To help finance these jobless benefits, the law imposes a 20% withholding on lump sum pension re q uirement distributions. Assume, as an example, a worker who is entitled to a $100,000 distribution because he is changing employers, losing his job or retiring. His employer would write him a check for $100,000 and he would have sixty days to roll that money into an IRA or into the new employer ' s plan, where it would continue to grow tax-deferred. If the sixty day period was exceeded, the distribution would be p taxed at the appropriate rate and ossibly p enalized in addition to the tax. This was the old law. Assume the same situation under the new brainstorm of Congress. The worker gets a check for $80,000 and the IRS gets a check for $20,000. If he is under age 59 1/2 and the $80,000 is rolled into an IRA or a new employer's plan, the $20,000 will be hit with a 10% penalty since it will be classed as a premature distribution. If the worker can " find " $20,000 elsewhere, he can roll the entire $100,000 ($80,000 + $20,000) into an IRA or new plan within sixty days, and guess what--? He can now claim -a refund when he files his tax return. Obviously, this charade creates more work, more planning, more risk to the worker, a possible loss of tax deferred growth and in no way does it cover the cost of the additional unemployment benefit. A retiring worker can avoid this nonsense if his present employer transfers the money direct., to the retiree's IRA ( trustee to trustee transfer). A worker transferring to a new employer may have a different problem. The new employer may require a year of probation before a new hire can join the pension plan and the present plan may have no provision for retaining a terminated employee. In this situation, the employee must transfer the money directly to an IRA to avoid the 20% withholding. This brings on a new problem--. The law does not permit transferring money from an IRA back to a pension plan. If the terminated employee under age 59 1/2 requires money to live on while looking for other employment, he must structure a series of substantially equal payments, based upon his then life expectancy, which will continue for five years and he will have attained age 59 1/2. Otherwise a 10% penalty plus the regular tax will be imposed on the total distribution. And we were expecting something intelligent to emanate from the hallowed hails of Congress. Throw the bums out; there's nothing worth recycling. 51
1 you currently receive a pen-
By 1965, Gordon himself, then an
sion—or expect to—say thanks
adviser to a Cabinet committee on
to Michael Gordon, the archi-
pension reform, was helping to draft
tect of the Employee Retire-
such a law. But in 1967 President
ment Income Security Act of 1974.
Johnson withdrew support, partly to
Before ERISA, you could work for
punish Secretary of Labor W. Willard
decades and never receive a benefit if,
Wirtz for opposing the Vietnam War.
for example, your employer misman-
Finally, three years later, New York
aged the pension or simply laid you
Senator Jacob Javits revived the issue
off a week before you hit retirement.
by finagling funding for a new pension
previous 20 years and found that an astounding 92% of workers in those
the bill until its passage in 1974. Thanks to ERISA, which covers 42 million workers today, your company
study. He hired Gordon to produce it.
when he was 28 and working as a law-
"My job was to bring the issue home
yer in the U.S. Department of Labor.
" to the public, says Gordon. To do so,
Congress forwarded him a steady
he traced 300 pension plans over the
had suffered outrageous—but not il -
revelations generated the grass-roots support that was needed to sustain
Gordon's crusade began in 1962
stream of mail from constituents who
plans never collected a penny. The
HE FOUGHT
must now systematically fund its pension so that it can make good on all promised benefits, and it cannot disqualify you from a pension once you are vested, generally after five years. Gordon, now 58 and a Washington, D.C. employee-benefits lawyer, credits Javits and Dan M. McGill of the
legal—pension abuses. Recalls Gor-
THE GOOD FIGHT
Wharton School. But it was Gordon
don: "I would write back and say, 'If
FOR YOUR
who waged the battle in the legislative
PENSION RIGHTS
trenches—and won.
you want to protect these people, '
write a new law. "
•
Ray & Ruth Schmidt on their boat with friend. He says sorry they missed the TARPA convention but they were on a long boat trip. We departed Long Island on our 43 foot Egg Harbor (twin 671 Detroit Diesels August 10. Up the Hudson transiting old and new Erie Canal. Overnight at Niagra Falls. Across Lake Erie to Sandusky. Enjoyed fishing. Through Detroit River and across Lake Huron to Tobermory, Ontario. Across the Georgian Bay to Manitoulan Island where spent 4 days due to influence of HurriAndrew. Caught more salmon off Frankfort, Michigan, than when we were on the Alaska cruise. Across Lake Michigan to Chicago, then down the ship and sanitary canal through Des Plaines River to Joliet. Down the Mississippi to St. Louis visiting relatives and downtown St. Louis and the arch. To Cape Girardeau and Cairo into the Ohio and Cumberland Rivers to Lake Barkley. Canal to Kentucky Lake, then the Tennessee River to 3 corners (the junction of Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi in the middle of the river. This is also the northern end of the Tennessee-Tombigee waterway system connecting the Tennessee to the Black Warror at Demopolis via man-made canals and parts of the Tombigbee River through parts of Mississippi and Alabama. Authorized in 1972 and completed in 1985. More earth was moved than that in building the Panama Canal. Talk about port barrel although it does reduce the waterway trip from Pittsburgh to Mobile by over 500 miles. However, we encountered very little barge traffic on this system. Arrived in Mobile on 17 Sept. then Intra-Coastal Waterway to Pensacola visiting old Navy friends and the Naval Aviation Museum. On to Punta Gorda visiting Dale and Joan Davis 24 & 25 Sept. Our son, Greg, and friends arrived in Punta Gorda and made the trip across Florida via Okeechobee waterway to Stuart then the Intra-Coastal Waterway to home in North Palm Beach on 27 Sept. Great trip. 4,133 miles, 6160 gallons Diesel fuel, 240 engine hours, 31 different marinas, never touched bottom, no mechanicals except a water pump. We went through 66 locks, had over 20 bridges opened for us and the amazing thing is that it never cost a a penny in tolls. Is this a great country or what. Merry Christmas.... Ray & Ruth.
53
ROBERT H. CUMMINGS * * * MARILYN LAKIN (JOHN) * * * MEADE L. MORRIS * * * REX N. PAINTER * * * MIKE FERRARA
1992 16 November 22 November 30 October 7 November 28 November
THOMAS G. EVERHART * * * JOSEPH S. McCOMBS * * * ROY D. PAGE * * * JOHN B. STAPLER * * * LLOYD W. OLSEN
26 November 18 December 7 November 28 October 11 January
ROBERT H. CUMMINGS Capt. Cummings, 74, of Venice, FL, died November 16, 1992. He was born Dec. 27, 1917, in Johnston City, IL: He flew for Trans World Airlines for 38 years. He was a member of the AOPA, EAA and was a test pilot. Also a member of the Active Retired Pilots Association of TWA. Survivors are his wife, Erika; 2 daughters, Diane Zuch of Evergreen, CO., and Marisa of Gainesville; a son, Robert Jr., of California and 2 grandchildren. ROY D. PAGE Capt. Page, 72, of Palm Harbor, FL, died Saturday, December 19. Born in Temple, OK. He was a veteran of World War II serving in the Army Air Corps. A member of the Airline Pilots Association and the TWA Active Retired Pilots Assn. Survivors include his wife, Mary Louise; 4 sons, Dr. Willima R. Page and David L. Page of Palm Springs, CA,; Edward J. Page of Tampa, FL. and Robert S. Page of Camp Lejune, NC,; 1 daughter, Kathleen Lloyd-Wallace of Tampa and 2 sisters, Marybelle Babbis of Virginia and Edna Randolph of Temple, Oklahoma; 7 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.
MARILYN A. LAKIN Mrs. Lakin, 63, died November 22, 1992, at North Kansas City Hospital. She was born in Atkins, Virginia, and lived in Salem, VA, before moving to Missouri in 1956. She attended Roanoke College in Salem. She was a member of the TWA Pilots' Wives Club and the TWA Seniors Club. Member of Northminister Presbyterian Church. Survivors are her husband, John; a son, Scott B. of Kansas City; a daughter, Laura L. Meyer, Marshall, MO, and five grandchildren. Sent in by Dick Stoneking .
JOSEPH S. McCOMBS Joe McCombs passed way at home just before the Holidays in December, 1992. Joe was a mixture of people Hard to define because all were outstanding. He was tough when it came to business and had a soft core when it came to people. He was sometimes impatient, because he always wanted it to be right. No one ever volunteered to do something and then followed up harder than Joe McCombs. I flew with Joe as a CoPilot a few times and he made those airplanes talk.. It was not Aircraft and Pilot but all one piece of equipment. I worked with Joe McCombs on the TWA MEC in the early '60s when he was MEC Chairman. and those were some tough times. Joe Never wavered. He got all the facts and made the decisions that had to be made that were the best and fairest for all. His career as a Trans World Airlines Captain was, as many of us, through all the different types of equipment and different Bases. He always gave his all for TWA and his crew and passengers where ever he was. As a TARPA Officer he went beyond the call of duty. When under the weather he worked harder and harder so the job would get done... well... and on time. Believe me he did not always agree with every one and. every one did not always agree with him, but in the long run, there is no better Retired Pilots Organization than TARPA because of the likes of Joe McCombs and others like him. We will surely miss Joe McCombs, but we will never ever be far from him, in our thoughts and memories. God speed, Joe Whats 'is Name , and we will be seeing you one of these days for sure. Keep the bead on the Target. J.T. Happy, just one of your many friends
55
JOHN EUGENE KACZYNSKI
John Eugene Kaczynski, age 56 of 262 Baypoint passed away Monday, 22 December, 1986. He had been a Naples resident over eight years, coming from Westtifelf ; NJ. He served in the Korean War with the United States Marine Corp. and was awarded the purple heart. He was a Pilot for Trans World Airlines for 30 years and was a graduate of Rutgers University and Seton Hall Law School. He was a member of the New Jersey Bar Association, Westfield Kiwanis Club. Naples Board of Realtors and was a Communicant and member of St. Johns Episcopal Church. He is survived by his wife, Adele (Dale) Kaczynski of Naples; a daughter, Erna "Nini" Kaczynski of Naples; a daughter and son-in law, Pam and Bill Blankenship of Marbleton , Ga. and his father and mother-in -law. \1r. and Mrs. Franklin Sweigert of Naples Fl. From Dale Kaczynski last November, 1992: John went to law school full time and flew to Rome every weekend (F/O) for three years !! ha was a very smart man and a tough act to follow, for any man I have met and dated these last few years. He was accepted into the New Jersey Bar in October of 1975... Thereafter, he did aviation law at "605" on his days off with Jim Burger- ALPA lawyer, We moved to Naples in 1978 and John got his Real Estate License and Brokers License and commuted to New York to fly his trips... Quite a guy... and I sure miss him ! ! ! As ever Dale Kaczynski Editors Note: We for sure have no idea how Johns passing got by us but we can't atone for this properly. I believe Irene Myers , New Kensington, Pa. brought it to our attention. Dale, Please forgive us.
JOSEPH S. McCOMBS From Joe Brown TARPA and I lost a great friend on Friday, December 18, 1992. Joe McCombs, his family and I and my family have been friends for almost 50 years, from ICD days through TARPA days. Few people realize what COJO did for TARPA. He moved us from addressing and hand posting of bills, correspondence, bank statement, the TOPICS and many other details to the computer age with printed address labels and computer print-outs of financial statements, etc. I don't mean to minimize the work of many others in TARPA, however, many times and in many ways Joe was the spark that held everything together. Note: Due to it being so close to publication date, it was decided by several of us to honor Captain McCombs in the May issue with a front cover picture and article inside. John Happy will coordinate the effort so if you wish to contribute anything please forward same to J.T.
56
CYRUS E. "CY" STEWART Cy passed away September 8, 1992 in Valle Hospital. Spokane , Wa. from complications of heart disease and cancer. He was born in Red Lodge, Montana in 1913. His family moved to Spokane, Washington State in 1927. Cy began his flying career at Felts Field in Spokane. He was a Flight Instructor at Provo, Utah prior to joining TWA in June, of '42 . He took medical leave from TWA in March, of '69 due to a heart problem and retired in 1972. After retirement; we spent our winters in Mexico and the summers in North Idaho. Cy was an avid outdoorsman and spent many happy hours ocean fishing in Mexico. He still found time to build a Lazaire Ultra Lite with his nephew, and helped the neighbors. The Survivors are myself; a son Cyrus K. of Las Vegas, Nv. ; a daughter, Virginia Koh field in Eagle River, Alaska; 7 Grandchildren and 4 Great- grandchildren. Naomi Ruth Stewart IN LOVING MEMORY GOD LOOKED AROUND HIS GARDEN AND HE FOUND AN EMPTY PLACE, HE THEN LOOKED DOWN UPON THE EARTH AND SAW YOUR TIRED FACE. HE PUT HIS ARMS AROUND YOU AND LIFTED YOU TO REST: GODS GARDEN MUST BE BEAUTIFUL, HE ONLY TAKES THE BEST. HE KNEW THAT YOU WERE SUFFERING : HE KNEW YOU WERE IN PAIN HE KNEW THAT YOU COULD NEVER GET WELL ON EARTH AGAIN. HE SAW THE ROAD WAS GETTING ROUGH AND THE HILLS WERE HARD TO CLIMB SO HE CLOSED YOUR WEARY EYES AND WHISPERED "PEACE BE THINE" IT BROKE OUR HEARTS TO LOSE YOU BUT YOU DIDNT GOALONE ; FOR PART OF US WENT WITH YOU THE DAY GOD CALLED YOU HOME. MADELEINE AGNES JURY Madeleine Jury a resident of La Pine for the past eight years passed away 3 Nov. '92 at St Charles Medical Center , in Bend, Or. She was 68. Mrs. Jury was born Sept. 30, 1924, In Lennox Mass. to Ralph and Rose (Tierney) Martin. She was raised in New York where her parents owned a chauffeur service. consisting of 16 Rolls Royces which they lost in the depression. The family then moved to Los Angeles. She married Bud Jury, a Captain with Trans World Airlines, on Sept. 30, 1945. Mrs Jury is survived by her husband, Bud, two daughters, Janet Mendez of Madras and Jina Jury of La Pines: four grandchildren, one great-grandson: two sisters, Janet Lane of Palm Springs. Ca. and Rose McKay of Florida: one brother, Frank Martin of Hawthorne, Ca. submitted by
John W. "Jack" Miller of Bend, Or. 57
ROBERT H. CUMMINGS This from Neal Lytle .. After returning from a Naval Aviation Reunion, I telephoned Bob Cummings (Monday, 16, Nov. ) to find out he had passed away from a massive heart attack at 0920 that mornig. What a shock! The services were Friday. 20 Nov. at the Venice Presbyterian Church at 10.00 Bob's three children. Robert. Diana and Marisa attended the services and his wife Erica ( from whom he was separated ) Bob was born the 27th of December. 1917 and served as a Trans World Airlines Captain for over 35 years. I was in Cairo Egypt. with Bob for the whole time from the Cairo base opening until closing. Bob served as Chief Pilot for a period. under Hugh Herndon. Ed. _Note: as a CoPilot on international for many years I had the opportunity to fly with Bob quite a lot. He was always a Gentleman and very Professional in everything he did. His Airline and Crew came first. and it was always First Class. With a great sense of humor. This Captain and Gentleman will be sorely missed. And NEVER forgotten.
ROBERT H. CUMMINGS
58
I N MEMORIAM- CAPT. RICHARD A. FORD BY CHUCK HASLER Dick was born in Hingham Mass. in 1936 & grew up in Scituate Mass. He graduated from Scituate High School, Wentworth Institute & Boston University where he studied aeronautical engineering. Dick died after a long bout with cancer, at his home in Scituate, Mass. on May 19, 1992 surrounded by his loved ones. Dick was well respected & sincerely liked by his fellow pilots. His great sense of humor & genuine personality stayed with him even during the last months of his illness. He joined the Air National Guard in 1953 and spent two years at the Air Force Cadet Flight Training School in Texas. He spent 2 yrs. on active duty in Phallsbourg, France with the 102nd Fighter Squadron during the Berlin Crisis in 1961-1962. Dick was one of the most quiet, unassuming, and professional pilots that I have been privileged to know. Dick was never one to brag about himself and the only way I heard this story was from talking to the leader of a flight of 4 F-66s over water off the coast of France when Dick experienced complete loss of aileron control & had only rudder and elevator control left. Instead of ejecting Dick brought the plane back to the base for a very hairy but safe landing. The problem turned out to be water that had leaked into the control activator & had frozen For this Dick received aircraft.the Air Force Award of Merit for saving the The leader of the flight was our own TARPA director Al Mundo. Dick tried the civilian workplace for a year and decided that flying was his game & joined TWA & went to co-pilot school Feb. 1 7, 1964. He went through the TWA Capt. checkout program in the Fall of 1967 at the BOS domicle where he remained until they closed the BOS domicle in 1970. Dick bid SFO and flew some of his first trips at SFO with me. Dick and his Family were only living about 3 miles from us & we all became close friends. Dick & his family moved back to the old hometown, Scituate in 1977 where Dick flew Capt. at JFK until 1988 when he elected to take early retirement. Another note of interest, 7 of Dick's squadron mates from France all ended up flying for TWA & another for PAN-AM. The PAN-AM pilot was Jim MacQuarie the Capt. on the PAN-AM 747 that exploded over Lockerby, Scotland several yrs. ago. One more short story that I think could be told only about Capt. Dick Ford. On his last leg of his last flight, for TWA, before retirement into JFK ( his wife Rosemary was on the flight & told me the story recently) everyone got off the airplane and the co-pilot ( last name Jones ) said "I'll see you next trip Dick' whereupon Dick replied "No you won't" & Jones asked Are you going on vacation?" and Dick replied, "No, I'm 59
retired, this was my last trip'. Dick had not told any of the other crewmembers or any station personnel that it was his last trip & had told Rosemary not to tell anyone. Jones called a few days later and said to Dick ` I checked the computer in operations & you really are retired'. Dick was a very private person & wanted no fanfare for himself. He will be missed by all whose lives he touched. Capt Richard A. Ford is survived by his wife Rosemary A.(Lynch ) Ford; a son, Paul Ford of Derby, Conn., an electrical engineer.; two daughters, Nancy Collins of Scituate, a banker & Laurie Ford of Lancaster, Calif. a jet propulsion engineer for NASA at Edwards AFB. Laurie may still follow in her dad's f ootsteps as she has her commercial, instrument , multi engine & instrument. T wo brothers Donald W. Ford & John W. Ford Jr., both of Scituate; two sisters, Patricia Falter of Eau Claire, Wisc., & Eleanor Kelly of Scituate; & a grandson, Patrick Collins of Scituate.
M. REX PAINTER By Dean Phillips Capt. Rex Painter, 80, departed on his last flight November 7, 1992. He was survived by his wife, Ann, and his son, Charles. Rex was born in Indiana but his burial was in Springfield, Illinois, which is close to Ann's family. Rex retired October 6, 1972, from the TWA New York International domicile. His previous domiciles were Boston and Chicago. He never missed a flight assignment which is ample testimony to his devotion to his job and his profession. After retirement, Rex continued his residency at the family home in LaGrange, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. He maintained his interest in flying serving as a flight instructor, chief pilot of a fixed base operator and as a flight examiner. I will miss our telephone conversations and luncheon meeting we had when I visited the Chicago area and especially Rex ' s pleasant nature and sense of humor. Memorial contributions can be made to the Community Nursing Service, 29 Calendar Court, LaGrange, IL 60525.
MICHAEL FERRARA Most of you who have been to our TARPA reunions will remember Mike Ferrara. He had been active in the Retired Airline Pilots Association for years and president the past two years. He was on a Caribbean cruise and on Saturday, 28 November, he had gone for a walk on the beach while in port at Venezuela, returned to the ship and fell dead apparently of a heart attack. We have no other details.
WILL YOUR SURVIVORS HAVE A RESUME OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE THAT THEY CAN GIVE TO THE NEWSPAPERS, UNDERTAKER, TARPA ETC. IN CASE OF YOUR DEPARTURE?
60
MEDICAL FORUM
Dear A. T.; I fully share your thoughts about the Medical Forum and found a lot of information in Chick Dyer's article. A week after the article got here, I had occasion to really use the information. I had done some very strenuous work on an automobile and passed blood in my urine for two days. I went to a doctor for the first time in ten years and he gave me a digital exam and drew blood for the PSA test. He said he felt an irregularity and my acetase number was 19. Anything over 4 is abnormal. This started a series of tests to see if there was any spreading of the tumors. Ultra sound for the kidneys, liver and colon which are nearby. Drinking a radio isotoped liquid and being x-rayed for the bones, and a few other tests and finally a laparoscopic exam through the penis and biopsy through the anus after being anaesthetized. My previous medical history was a resection through the penis in 1980 (TURP) and x-ray treatment for a year afterwards to supposedly kill any cancer cells. I have had superb health since then with my weight the same as it was at retirement in 1973, my blood pressure 125/80 and pulse rate at 70. I thought that a removal of the prostate or more x-ray treatment could be accomplished but the doctors say the previous x-rays have scarred the gland and they could not be certain of success. There would be the possible problem of incontinence, maybe a colon resection and a high mortality rate. The suggested treatment is an injection of Lupran once a month and six capsules daily.. The Lupran sends a signal to the brain to inhibit the production of Testosterone in the testicles and the capsules do the same thing for the adrenal glands; which account for about ten percent of the testosterone level. I understand that the prostate gland secretes the milky fluid that the sperm inhabits in the ejaculation process and it lives on By drying up this level of testosterone, the tumors the testosterone. on the prostate will shrink and be controlled, opening the way for a possible operation for a removal of the prostate, which is probably the only cure, in this case. Of course, the body hormonal balance has to be compatible with these drugs for success. My mental attitude is great and I'm going to last as long as I can and I hope that some of the above information will be helpful to my fellow pilots, especially the advice to have a finger exam twice a year as this is still the best early warning test that the medical profession has devised. As ever, Capt. James T. McClure Rt. 1 Box 664 Dayton, TN 37321
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MEDICAL FORUM From Earl Korf; September 1991 I had the prostate Transurethral resection (TURP) with biopsy showing benign. No cancer signs. My PSA was 17 before the operation. Then in Aug. 1992, on routine blood tests, the PAP was the same which is above normal. A transrectal Ultra Sound exam was made, with cancer showing in some of the cells. The next week I had a bone CAT scan, showing no signs of cancer spreading to the bones. My urologist advised that my cancer was of a low grade and did not think it was necessary to do anything about it for the present but suggested another opinion. The doctor I went to see for a second opinion was not a urologist but a well-known radiologist. After a short exam and going over my records, he suggested 6 weeks of radiation treatments and talked me into starting them in 2 weeks. My regular doctor went along with his decision. My son, a professor in Law at UCLA, asked me to come out and have a check with the UCLA medical staff. I immediately went to LA and went through several hours consulting with Dr. Smith, head of the UCLA Urology Dept. He told me I did not need radiation treatments. Go home, watch the PSA. If the PSA, which was now down 1 point, suddenly took a sharp upturn, then he would suggest, instead of radiation, hormone shots of Lupron or some other type of shots. The cancer was of too low a grade and perhaps never will develop any further. With that, I phoned our local hospital and cancelled the radiation appointment. Right now, since then my last PSA check showed 15 which actually had decreased a bit. Will have another complete exam in March. At present am feeling fine, physically and mentally, but will keep a running check on it.
FROM CHUCK HASLER YOU KNOW YOU'RE GETTING OLDER WHEN; Almost everything hurts. Mat doesn't hurt, doesn't work anymore. It feels like the morning after the night before and you haven't been anywhere. All the names in your little black book end in M.D. You get winded playing cribbage. You look forward to a dull evening. You turn out the lights for economic, not romantic reasons. Your knees buckle and your belt won't. You are 17 around the neck, 42 around the waist and 126 around the golf course. You sink your teeth into a steak and they stay there. You try to straighten the wrinkles in your socks and find you aren't wearing any. A little old gray-haired lady tries to help you across the street. She's your wife!
Your editor would like to see this section continued and it can be if you will share your experiences and knowledge with your brother pilots. Our baby boy, Dr. Frank F. Humbles, an anesthesiologist , has agreed to write some articles for us. [Glad he picked a speciality where his Pa can spell and pronounce it.] Maybe we could also get him to field some questions. We were absolutely amazed when he took us through their operating rooms and demonstrated all the advances in medical technology presently being employed in patient surgery and support. The nervous father-to-be telephoned the hospital and announced, "I'm going to bring my wife in. She's going to have a baby." "Is this her first baby?" asked the nurse. "Of course not," stammered the distraught spouse,"This is her husband."
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MEDICAL FORUM Dear With the turn of events having come on as quickly as they did I have not been able to send a Christmas card with a few personal lines at this auspicious time of year. Thus I have taken this method to inform as many friends and acquaintances with a form letter. It is and always has been my belief that this minimizes the personal feelings we share with those whom we know. I wound up with heart by-pass surgery w/5 grafts at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta on December 10th. On the 1st while having worked some 30 minutes taking down a tree for firewood I developed an angina pain across my chest and pain down my left arm. I quit immediately, my wife called the doctor, and we made our way to his office. On examining me he made an appointment for a thallium stress test, in which they get one up to a 90% pulse rate, stop the treadmill, inject an isotope in the arm, and take a 20 minute time lapse picture with a gamma camera. One conies back 3 hours later for a repeat scan for comparison first scan. with the On review the doctor called Emory to arrange an appointment for a catherization. With the counsel of the cardiologist we opted for surgery as the ballon treatment would not last. It is something not to fear, apprehensive yes, but we like to think that we take logic and prudent steps in our lives. On reflection I believe my biggest problem has been getting a good nights sleep after the post operative trauma. As a normal 4½/5 hour/night sleeper I found I could not sleep even with the narcotic pain killers, with their hallucinagenic side effects. My wife joined me 2 days later as a partner in the life of an "insomnia" . The normal stay for the surgery is 7 days. As an aside may I say that '92 has been somewhat of a disaster for us, from December of last year into November we both in constant care of the dentists for extractions, peridontry, bridges, crowns, fillings, all of which without dental insurance. Then my trusty '84 Volvo had a repair bill for more than 1/2 of the residual value of the car. We are still optimistic , what else could or should one be, money isn't everything, health is! Fortunately I have had no heart damage(attack)only the blockages which necessitated a vein from each lower leg. It is an irony that I have been charging around doing heavy work, "Fat, Dumb, & Happy", with no family history of heart problems. It is as the cardiologist said, "I would not have gotten in the car with you, a loaded cannon". He also stressed that an annual physical after age 6o be accompanied with a Treadmill EKG. I would be happy to lend any further Insight through a phone call. In closing may we wish you a belated Merry Christmas and a Healthy New Year. With warmest regards!
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W1992 HEALTH GUIDE
Some new cancer tests can lead to needless biopsies and treatment.
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â– 1992 HEALTH GUIDE
Weapons in the battle to find cancer early
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5-AT-CS Ford "Tri-Motor"
The AMTRAK of Southern California by Dick Beck
BACKGROUND This West Coast passenger train makes the 127 mile, single track run from Los Angeles to San Diego 9 times southbound and 9 times northbound every 24 hours. Station stops are as follows: Fullerton, Anaheim Stadium, Santa Ana, Irvine, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Oceanside, Del Mar, and finally San Diego. One of the most colorful stations is at historic San Juan Capistrano. The original Depot was built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, and much of the stone building material had been taken from the rubble of Mission San Juan Capistrano when it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1812. The present Depot is air conditioned. It is located only 2 blocks west of that same Mission which gained notoriety in the United States by the song "When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano". It is situated 25 feet from the tracks, and it consists of a double row of old railroad cars, such as a Baggage Car, a Freight Car, Passenger Cars, Pullman Cars, and a Caboose, each one located on railroad tracks. There is a roofed walkway built between each row. These various cars contain the Ticket Office, a high quality Restaurant, a Snack Bar, a Liquor Bar, Rest Rooms, and a Business Office. The interior of the cars are liberally sprinkled with old-time black and white and sepia photographs depicting various railroad activities of long ago. One picture shows a Conductor pushing a half a dozen men and women up the loading steps of an already overloaded Passenger Car. Advertisements of many past decades include: Drink MOXIE * *** RED MAN The Mild Mellow Chew * *** CRACKER JACK Great Britain, September 18, 1897 Canada, March 19, 1901 * *** CARNATION MILK From Contented Cows
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MORTON'S SALT When It Rains, It Pours Outside, due west and across the tracks, are weathered signs that read: ANTIQUE GAS PUMPS Bought and Sold DON'T THROW ROCKS Hay Rides - Past the Chicken Pen Use BURMA SHAVE Please Don't Pick the Cactus DENTIST Whiskey for Cowards
Old automobile license plates, nailed on the side of an ancient, graying barn
The TRAIN Most of the Diesel Engines are manufactured by General Electric....16 cylinders in two rows of 8 each. The Engine Room is so well insulated that when in the Cab the Noise Level is very low. Inside it however, when at cruise speed, the noise is more than deafening - it's unbearable! The old "Cow Catcher" on the front of the engine is long gone, just a memory, unless you happen to see one in an old Cowboy movie on T.V. The Caboose no longer exists on any train. The Passenger cars boast of plush, individual easy chairs, 2 on each side of the central aisle. The ride is very soft and gentle, almost like sitting on a feather bed. The cars are also well insulated. In fact they are so quiet a person could probably hear a pin drop - or if your hearing is exceptionally acute you might hear it on the way down. No more clickety-clack of the wheels passing over the track joints. A normal "make-up" of the train is one Engine and seven passenger cars. If another car is added, then another Engine is required, usually hooked to the opposite end of the train. The Conductor and the Engineer are in continual contact with each other by "Walkie-Talkie". On a normal Northbound Run, the Diesel Engine is pulling the train in its forward position. But, on the Southbound Trip, the engine maintains its same relative position to the cars, and what was formerly the last passenger car has had the rear platform made into the Engineer's Cab. All controls and instruments are routed from the operating Diesel to this
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platform. Therefore, on the Southbound Run, the Diesel is in reverse and is pushing the train. There are very few "Turntables" in Southern California where locomotives can be turned around. If the reversing of the engine is necessary, it can make use of a "Wye". Visualize a capital "Y " with a short stem and very long arms that emanate from the Main Line. The Engine and cars proceed down one arm of the "Y". When the last car is free of the Main Line, the engine is uncoupled leaving the train intact. It now backs down the other arm of the "Y" to the Main Line. The Diesel then proceeds past the first arm of the "Y" where the train is, backs up into 'that arm, is coupled to the train, and finally proceeds to the Main Line, pulling all of the cars. The INTERROGATION My wife Lou, and I have our home on 120 foot high bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, a short stones throw to the surf, and about a 1/4 mile north of the San Clemente Pier. The railroad tracks run between the base of these cliffs and the ocean. There are no retaining walls or fences. We have noticed that when the trains are in motion, Engineers blast their whistles to warn anyone near the tracks to stay well clear. Sometimes there may be a long one, a series of short ones, or a mixture of both.... like a slowly executed Morse Code. The AMTRAK Manual of Operations lists these "noisemakers" as whistles, even though they may actually be horns. Some of the interesting ones that the Engineers use are as follows: At least 1/4 mile before arriving at a crossing or a Depot, it is required to blow the Morse Code for "Q" (-- -- . --) two long, one short, one long. As he gets closer, he puts out a continuous blast until the Engine has occupied the crossing. Two short blasts (.. ) indicate the train is about to leave the Depot. Three short blasts (. . .) when the train is standing, warning that the train is going to back up. A succession of short sounds ( ........) is for Emergency, such as when people or livestock are on or very near the tracks. When visibility is impaired by weather conditions, the whistle must be sounded frequently. If there is whistle failure, the bell must be rung continuously while the train is moving. Finally, the Headlight must be displayed brightly on the front of every moving train, day and night. It must be extinguished when a train is stopped clear of the main track. One Engineer, in particular, plays a long blast, four short ones (pauses), and then two
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short Ones (-- ........ ). It's a rendition of that old expression "Shave and a Haircut, Two Bits" - the Two Bits meaning, 25C.
Not too long ago, we had a house guest from Germany for a short visit. Before she left, she expressed a desire to take the train to San Diego. Accordingly, we drove her to the Depot at San Juan Capistrano. Before the train arrived, I walked south along the road bed, a hundred yards from the loading platform. When the train arrived and stopped, I approached the converted Cab of the Passenger Car. The Engineer stuck his head out of the window and said "Howdy". I said "Hi" and explained where I lived. I then said that I had noticed that there was one Engineer who tapped out Shave and a Haircut, Two Bits" with his whistle. Do you know who he is? He laughed and said "I sure do. It's me!" Then he climbed down from the Cab and we formally introduced ourselves. His name was Harry Carlson. In the few minutes left before departure time, I mentioned that I was a Retired T W A Airline Captain. He said "Would you like to make a trip with me to San Diego and back? We can pick each other's brains." I answered, "Sure, I'd love it". We then exchanged addresses and phone numbers, and he climbed back up to his Cab and headed for San Diego. Due to a number of unforeseen circumstances, we zigged and zagged for a couple of weeks. Finally, we were able to agree on a date and I bought a ticket from San Juan Capistrano to San Diego and return. The OPERATION and the "RUN" When Harry pulled into the Depot at San Juan Capistrano on the south "Run", he poked his head out of the window and said, "Board with the passengers and then come forward. I'll let you in".
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When I arrived at the stainless steel door of the "Cab", I rapped -- ..... and there were a few clicks. The door opened and Harry said "Welcome". In a couple of minutes, the Conductor's voice came through on the Loud Speakers: "All Clear." Harry gave a couple of "toots" on the whistle glanced at the big left and right rear view mirrors to make sure that no one was on the loading steps, eased the throttle forward one notch, and we began to move. As the train gathered momentum, he slowly opened the throttle until we reached the maximum speed limit for the sector that we were in. In a few minutes we were passing our house, and I saw Lou on the back patio, waving a big white towel. The best I could do was wave back with a handkerchief. Of course, the first things I looked for was the Instrumentation. Harry obliged with a complete description of the gauges. Speedometer: Air Gauges:
Top speed set at 90 MPH; Overspeed set at 93 MPH. 1st is Brake Pipe Pressure, set at 110 pounds. 2nd is Brake Cylinder Pressure, set at 72 pounds. 3rd is Main Reservoir Pressure set at 130 to 140 pounds. 4th is Brake Actuating Pressure set at 120 pounds.
Two Ammeters: One for Power and one for Electric Dynamic Braking. Oil Pressure and Water Temperature: Located in the Engine Room. Fuel Quantity: Located outside the Engine, mounted on the Fuel Tank. It will hold up to 2500 gallons. Circuit Breakers and Switches:
A myriad of them on the back Panels of the Cab.
Of particular interest, I observed a yellow light on the Overhead Panel that came on about every 30 seconds. When I inquired about it, Harry said, "It's called an 'Alerton', or A T S (Automatic Train Stop). See the electric cord fastened to the bottom of my seat? It emits a very low-power, harmless electrical charge to my body. To put it out all I do is touch metal anywhere in the Cab. It's an excellent Safety device, in case the Engineer has a heart attack, a stroke, or any kind of physical disability. If not answered, the train is automatically brought to a stop." As we proceeded toward the town of Oceanside, which is adjacent to Camp Pendelton, I noticed tracks that branched off into a number of "spurs", so Freight trains could divert to the Marine Base. I said "Tell me about 'Sidings' ".
Harry answered, "They are normally 1 to 2 miles long to accommodate Freight trains that have to give way to Passenger trains. That means that the number of cars are therefore restricted, depending on whether the cars are short or long, and also how big a load of cargo is available for transport. In this sector, there are usually two Freight trains, one southbound and one northbound. It takes a lot of time and work to make-up a Freight train." I said, "When I was a kid, I always counted the cars on Freight trains. Still do! One time, on a trip through the flatlands of Iowa, I stopped our car and counted 135 of them, including around 6 Engines. "The most I've ever counted going past our house was 118, but they were nearly all real short dump cars containing broken up rocks as well as many with sand and gravel. I said to Lou, "Maybe those rocks were broken up by prisoners at the State Penitentiary." She paused, then said, "Maybe the sand and gravel came from the real bad guys!" Actually, the number of Freight cars that now pass San Clemente add up to between 60 and 80. On the Overhead Panel in the Cab, I pointed to a Radio Transmitter and Receiver. Harry said, "It's a V H F with assigned frequencies. We can talk with other Engineers on their runs." "How about maximum speed limits?" "Unless otherwise posted it's 90 MPH for passenger and 60 MPH for Freight. Occasionally, someone with a Radar Gun will be positioned near the tracks on a long straightaway to check speed. I was cautioned several times when I was gung-ho, trying to keep to the Published Schedules. In fact, some of my colleagues called me 'Hurry Up Harry'. But it just wasn't possible, especially in summer when there were a lot of people traveling between Los Angeles and San Diego. The Del Mar Depot was always heavy when the Race Track was open. I finally decided that I just couldn't 'beat City Hall'. Until the higher-ups review schedules, I'll just do the best I can." Posted alongside of the tracks are various signs. A green square means resume speed. A "W" means a whistle crossing in 1/4 mile. Speed restrictions in certain areas are displayed in MPH and shown as black numbers on a yellow background. At various points along the way were Red and Green lights on vertical posts. I said "I'm sure the Green means to proceed, but how about the Red?" "You must stop. If you go past the Red Light the A T S is invoked and the train comes to a screeching halt. Even if it's a wrong signal for any reason, a bad switch or a multitude of things. Violating this rule is justification for immediate dismissal. All of these electronic safeguards and train movements are controlled by the Dispatcher, which include the A T S, switching of the tracks with access to sidings, the lights, etc. The movement of trains in this sector are displayed on a large Situation Board. He is located in San Bernardino, 67 miles from
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Los Angeles and 103 miles from San Diego." As we approached overpasses and bridges, I noticed what appeared to be a third rail lying between the two main tracks. Harry explained. "Those Third Rails are placed there in case of a derailment of any car on any train while it is in motion. It realigns the wheels so they continue straight ahead. Thus, they prevent structural damage to bridges and overpasses. When we arrived in San Diego, I noticed there were a lot of side-by-side tracks at the Terminal. I said, "You guys come from a single track to a multitude of them. On the Airlines we come from a bunch of tracks to one runway. You have the advantage." After Harry completed his "Shut Down" procedures, he said, "Let's go for lunch. Our Layover is a little over 3 hours. I know a nice restaurant." When we were settled, I said, "I'm very curious about your runs. Do you bid them?" " My bid Run has me working every day except Sunday and Monday. On those days I get lost." "On T W A each year, we undergo a couple of Line Checks and a couple of local Check Rides that are usually done in a Simulator. In . addition, we have 2-3 days. of Recurrent Training at our Training Center in Kansas City. I might add that the T W A Training Center is considered to be the best in the United States. What kind of Checks do you go through? " " Well, we get random Check Runs with a Supervisor. In addition, we take a Rules Test once a year on the Southern Pacific, Union Pacific, Santa Fe, and AMTRAK. Also, we are quizzed on the General Code of Operative Rules." "Here's a question I'm sure you can answer. Not too long ago, I was awakened about 2 in the morning by a loud clatter, a lot of noise, and the sound of a Diesel engine. When I looked over the bluff, I saw what appeared to be a Work Train with a derrick, rails and ties on Flat cars, a big generator for floodlights and a whole bunch of men working on the tracks." "Sure can. Periodically, a small computerized car slowly x-rays 6 foot long segments checking tolerances. After a period of time, the tracks, ties, and road bed tend to shift somewhat, spikes can come loose, and there may be some minor misalignment as well as possible fatigue cracks in the rails, then replacements must be made. When a sector has been completed, a kind of red-orange paint is sprayed on the rocks of the road bed. The men doing the work are Navajo Indians and they are absolutely fantastic, completely dedicated, and highly skilled. They move all over the west to wherever they are needed. Sometimes they are gone from home for as much as 7 months."
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When we got back to the Terminal, the engine was idling, ready to pull the Train northbound. I walked past a couple of Passenger Cars and the Engine. Until you stand up close to one of them, it's hard to realize how big the Cars are and how massive and how powerful the Engine is. After we were on board, and after Harry had gone through his Check List, a man appeared on the right side of the Cab. He held up his hand making a circle with his thumb and forefinger. "Who is he?" Harry said, "He's called a Car Man. He checks brakes, axles, and general condition of the Train. He's a great guy to have around." Before we moved out, Harry saw a blond kid standing off to the right, and in a Zone of Safety. Harry said, "I've seen him several times. I guess he comes after school and just stands there." He motioned to the boy to come over, and then helped him up into the Cab. The kid looked around, his eyes bulging. He said, "I want to be an Engineer, just like you." Harry looked him straight in the eye and said, "Maybe you can. Just study hard in school." He lifted the boy down. They both had big grins on their faces. As we pulled out of the Depot, I realized that I had spent a good deal of time on Technical aspects, but I still had a few questions before I could enjoy the countryside. "How about illegal Mexicans and people from Central America? Are there very many of them trying to get on board?" "Quite a few, and mostly in the San Diego area. At a Stop, the Aliens get on and ride between the Cars. It's very precarious, very dangerous. I believe a few of them have lost their lives." Most of the time we were very close to the surf, or at least close enough to be able to see the ocean. Sometimes we were next to Interstate 5 that parallels the tracks. There was one place where we were somewhat inland, winding among small, low hills. Here the curves were posted at 25 MPH. I asked if he encountered much dense fog. He said, "Yes, but mostly in the Fall and the beginning of the Winter season. Sometimes it's so thick I can barely see the front of the engine. I can count the curves by 'feel' in my butt
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as the Engine sways slightly. So I do know where I am all the time." "That's sure co-incidental. Even on a plane as big as the Boeing 747, we have sensitive butts and can feel light turbulence and also when a Jet Engine coughs or isn't running properly." "Speaking of curves," I said, "I remember the Horseshoe Curve in Pennsylvania's Allegheny Mountains. It was so tight, the expression evolved that the Engineer of a Freight Train could shake hands with the Brakeman in the last Car!" The rest of the Run was just perfect. Clear blue skies, kids surfboarding, flowering trees and bushes, temperature around 72 degrees. Harry must have blown his whistle a dozen times with his "Shave and a Haircut" signal. There were people waving to him from Crossings, from joggers, from people walking on the beach, and from people who were on the balconies of their homes....one had a big sign that said "Hi Harry." As we passed our house, Lou was waving the towel, and this time Harry stuck his hand out of the window and waved back with his handkerchief. Our arrival at the San Juan Capistrano depot was only a few minutes late, but it was always a long stop. I said to Harry, "There's a pleasant, middle aged woman in San Clemente who lives very close to the beach She works in one of our local Drug Stores. When I told her about your 'Shave and a Haircut' whistles, she mentioned that during last year's Christmas Season their was an Engineer who played 'Jingle Bells' and that it almost made her melt inside. She wanted me to say a big thank you. "In Laguna Beach there was a large, tall man with a long, gray beard who used to greet every one who passed by with a big smile and a wave of greeting. He died a few years ago. The Town Fathers erected a huge statue of him that now stands in front of a Pottery shop in the middle of town on the Coast Highway. "The other day I saw a man on T V who, for some 30 years, has been greeting Newcomers to his small town the same way. "I got to thinking that, if you can spread your -- ...... around the people along your route, and continue waving to people the same way, you could be one of the best Ambassadorsof-Goodwill AMTRAK has ever had. What do you think?" Harry smiled and said "Why not? It could be worth a try." Now it was time to Leave. My thanks to him for allowing me to participate in an outstanding, never-to-be-forgotten day may have been effusive.
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He said, "It was a marvelous day for me, too. I enjoyed every minute of it. I sure hope we can continue this ritual". Just before I climbed down from the Cab, I said, "On the railing of our Patio I have erected a pole with a white handkerchief attached to it. If we are unable to wave back to you when you pass by, this signal indicates that we are thinking of you." In a few minutes, I heard 2 "Toots" on the whistle, and Harry and "His Train" slowly moved northward toward Los Angeles. Capt. Beck sent the following later which would more aptly be a prologue but there was no room at the beginning so there is room at the end; On May 10, 1869, in the railroad "Shanty Town" Of Promontory, Utah, a "Golden Spike" was driven into a railroad tie, connecting tracks from the west and the east. The eastbound Central Pacific engine was the Jupiter. The westbound Union Pacific engine was # 119. Slowly, the two engines inched forward until their "Cow Catchers" touched. This signaled the completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad in the United States. Since that historic date, railroads have laced the country like a giant spiderweb. Their phenomenal growth has brought people, goods and services to all corners of our land. The AMTRAK of Southern California is a small but important part of our vast network. Thus, when the invitation was extended to make a round trip, San Juan Capistrano to San Diego, I accepted with great enthusiasm . Not only was I interested in noting passenger comfort, but also learning about the state-of-the-art safety features that AMTRAK has incorporated into their operation. During the Christmas season, Harry played Jingle Bells on his whistle for Lou and me when he passed.
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WHAT IS..,IS By Charly (Black Dog) Davis
Of all the flight engineers in the domicile Cal Myers was the most enjoyable to fly with. Witty, humorous and lighthearted, he always kept the pilots entertained throughout the flight. When Captain Glen Schaeffer and his copilot, Les Bridges, checked with crew schedule and found out that Cal was their flight engineer for the coming month they were elated. On their first trip Cal was still outside checking the craft when Les entered the cockpit and gave Glen a puzzled look. "Did you say good morning to Cal when you came out to the airplane?" "Yeh," Glen said, frowning. "He barely spoke. I said good morning twice." "Same deal," Glen said. "Wonder what's eatin' him?" "Whatever it is," Glen said. "I hope it's temporary." When Cal came up to the cockpit he sat down and started checking out his panel and never said a word. Les read his list and only received a few grunts of acknowledgment. After climb out a hostess came up and told Cal one of the first class seats wouldn't recline and stayed to smoke a cigarette. Glen lit it for her and said, "Cal's an old buddy of yours isn't he?" The hostess nodded and said, "You heard what happened didn't you?" "No," Glen said, "Havn't heard anything." "Cal's wife ran off with his best friend. Took the kids, the car and the checking account." "No wonder he's gloomy," Les said. "Should we try to cheer him up?" "We all tried on our last trip and it didn't work. He's really down." The flight was a five hour non-stop to New York and without Cals repartee the time started to drag. As they were passing over Albuquerque he swiveled his chair around and leaned forward. Looking straight ahead he said, "What is... is. It was a meaningful statement and each word was delivered in a solemn, profound tone with three definite beats between the last two words. The final 'is' was emphasized as if it was a sentence. Having uttered the proclamation he
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swiveled back and resumed his duties. An hour later he gave a repeat performance with no deviation in enunciation. This lasted the whole month and the impact of the simple, explicit, statement caused Glen and Les to readjust their philosophies of life. "Those three little words are going to ease a lot of my burdensome worries," Glen said. "Conscience too." "There's not much room for argument, is there?" Les said. "Let's spread it around the line." At the first of the month, when his new flight schedule came out, Glen sat down with his wife and they compared his days away from home with her social calendar. She was sharply disappointed when she learned he would be out of town during all of the months activities they were supposed to participate in. Glen had practiced repeating the maxim so that his delivery would have the force and decisiveness of Cals. Looking his wife directly in the eye he said, "What is...is." For a minute he gazed at her stricken features in expectation of some kind of response, tearful or otherwise. When none was forthcoming he realized he had said it all. It was nearly a week before Glens first flight and when he got to the airport he found a package stuffed in his mail box with a note from Les. "I had these printed up and have already distributed a lot of them throughout the system. Everyone's using it as you will soon discover and the air of finality seems to give one peace of mind. You might want to pass them out to your friends or to anybody who can benefit from them." Glen tore open the package and looked at one of the cards. 'What is', with the three beats, was on the front and a capitalized, 'IS', was on the back. When he checked in and inquired about the weather along his route he was told there were thunderstorms everywhere. "First flight of the month," Glen said. "And I get slapped with this." The dispatcher handed him his clearance and said, "What is...IS." Glen had made an arrangement with the crew schedule clerk, who received a fifth of V.0. each month for the favor, to assign a certain hostess to his flight who he had been squiring around for some time. An hour out of Los Angeles she came up to the cockpit. "Gonna be a hot time in the Big Apple tonight," Glen said. "Hunh unh," the hostess said. "What do you mean, hunh unh?" Glen asked.
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The hostess handed him one of the cards and left the cockpit. On the back of the card was written: 'wrong time of the month'. As the flight approached New York the thunderstorms increased in intensity and Glen was advised that due to traffic congestion he would have to hold for at least an hour before an approach time could be granted. "I don't have the fuel," Glen said. "Then you'll have to go to your alternate," the controller said. "That's all the way back to Pittsburg." "What is...IS," the controller said. When he got back he started distributing the cards to anyone, he thought, who might appreciate or need them. The young girl who came once a week to do house work was trim and pretty and always wore jeans. One day Glen was steadying a chair for her while she reached up to brush away some cobwebs. The cuffs of her jeans moved upward to expose the scaly rash of psoriasis. At first he was hesitant to question her about the affliction but then decided to go ahead. Pointing at her ankle he said, "How long have you had that?" She didn't seem upset by his query and told him it was genetic on her fathers side and the symptons had begun at birth. "I still can't accept it though. It goes all the way up my legs. I never wear shorts or go swimming. I even went to a shrink once. He told me to try to imagine that I didn't have any legs." ample Glen pulled out his billfold which carried an supply of the cards and handed her one. She gave him a puzzled look. "What is?" "Turn it over." "Is?" "Now listen carefully." Glen said. "This statement is everybody's salvation. It's a symbol of acceptance but only when it's clearly apparent that no other avenues of relief exist. Also, you just don't say, "what is is". To get the full meaning and impact of the words they must be expressed with conviction and timing. The three beats are very important because they set up the delivery of the most significant word, the last, "IS". It settles the matter." A week later she returned to continue her chores wearing brief shorts. Before Glen could start a discussion she gave him a look of satisfaction and said, firmly, "IS". "Yeh?" Glen asked, a note of inquiry in his voice. "I took a big piece of paper and printed it right in the middle and pasted it on the ceiling in my bedroom, threw away my pajama bottoms and every night before I go to sleep
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I look down at my legs and say it like you said to say it. I do it in the morning too. Some people stare at them but I don't care." She gave Glen a direct look and said "IS" again emphatically. It was like that with many of his friends who were having just plain bad luck. One of them had purchased a rundown old house and instead of moving in and staying put for awhile he immediately and against the advise of his friends began a vast program. Within a month he was close to a breakredecorating down and Glen got to him just in time. He gave him the lecture and mentioned the effect that Cals positive declaration had on himself and the copilot. Before long it worked its way through the entire community. Everybody seemed to have a problem they were stuck with. Glen overheard people on the street and in stores accepting their lot. Many of his friends became obsessed. They rolled down their car windows and yelled it at him. If they just said, 'what is', he had to respond with a loud, "IS", after the proper interval. He was on a flight on his birthday and when he got back his wife presented him with a neatly wrapped package. One of her hobbies was needlepoint and when he opened it the three words were embroidered in the middle of an ornate frame. Glen thought of some of the old bromides that had hung around for awhile, some longer than others. 'Out of sight, out of mind', had stayed popular for quite some time. 'Deja vu' was the corniest as far as he was concerned and he was amazed that some famous authors and celebrities persisted in using it. One only lasted a few days, 'quid pro quo'. He put that in the category of 'deja vu'. Then a startling thing happened. He and his wife were watching the news and The Chief was being interviewed by the press. Many of the insistent questions were fended off in an abrupt manner but some sort of blunder the administration had committed, for which there was no apparent solution, became the main topic. Finally The Chief said, "Read my lips." He was facing the camera and Glen startled his wife by leaping up and shouting, "He said it! He said it! Even the beats! Did you wee the way he said, 'IS'? Flawless." The phone rang and it was Les. "Glen, are you watching the news?" he asked excitedly. "Yes! He said it! But I've got to hang up. He may do it again." Some of Glens more imaginative friends, who were involved, had formed a fraternal group and called themselves 'Issies'. When he ran into Les at the airport and told him Les said, "Lot of the guys down my way have started that. Would you believe 'whatsies'?"
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Glen had never attended any of the sessions at the United Nations and on his next trip to New York he read in the Times that one of Russia's top ministers would be addressing the assembly that day. He was late getting to the building and when he entered the hall everyone was in a state of agitation. As the heated exchanges continued he gathered from the interpreter that the Russian wouldn't back down on something of great importance. The floor was furious and several of the representatives were demanding a retraction. The minister crashed his fist down on the table and shouted, "SCHO EST...EST!" His interpreter quickly delivered the ultimatum in English and Glen nearly fainted. When he got back he immediately called Les and told him. "I saw it on the tube," Les said. "Crazy. I wonder what important person will say it next?" "Maybe The Man upstairs," Glen said. "If he could talk." A week later Glen had a check ride and had trouble on his approaches and landings. The chief pilot recommended an eye check and the optometrist sent a report back stating that the eye muscles were slow to react and weakening. The chief pilot called Glen in and said he would have to be terminated. Glen was shocked and angry. "I've only got five years to retirement. I'll lose almost a third of my pension." The chief pilot looked at Glen for a minute then said, "What is... Glen never heard the rest of it because he rushed out of the room. End
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SUGGESTIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS & INFORMATION A good place for a charitable contribution where no middlemen syphon off any funds is our Retirement Foundation. When we learned of Joe McCombs' death we sat right down and sent in a memorial donation. Here is the address; TWA PILOTS RETIREMENT FOUNDATION Capt. Robert R. Thompson, S/T 807 W. Hintz Road Arlington Heights, IL 60102
"WILL FLY FOR FOOD" T SHIRTS THE SAME KIND YOU SAW AT THE SAN DIEGO CONVENTION THESE SHIRTS ARE ONLY $12.00 S & H INCLUDED. ALL PROCEEDS OVER AND ABOVE TARPA'S COST WILL BE DONATED TO THE TARPA RETIREMENT FUND. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND MORE THAN $12.00 IT WILL ALSO GO INTO THE FUND IN YOUR NAME SEND NAME ADDRESS AND SIZE SM, MD, LG, EX LG OR EX EX LG PLUS CHECK OR MO. TO BILL KIRSCHNER P.O. 5356 STATELINE, NV. 89449
Re the ad on your left, Bill Kirschner, member of our Board of Directors, is the one handling this. There was some question as to it possibly offending someone. We doubt that it will but the following is a quote from Capt. Kirschner; I meant no offense to anyone and I certainly hope that no one took it that way. What I was enthusiastic about was that "will fly for food" just indicates how much that person loves flying and will do anything to do so. Besides, furloughs are a part of the career and I think our guys understand that. Also, as you know, ALPA is doing everything they can do to minimize the number of pilots involved and time off. Right now it looks like 75 pilots or less with the new financing, maybe none, I hope. I
guess flying for food is better than flying for free! And to Dick Guillan, our Secretary/Treasurer, Bill sent the following note; Please find enclosed the first accounting from the proceeds of the "will fly for food" T shirts. So far, business has been brisk. I sold the first two dozen right away and have ordered another three dozen. I hope this helps our fund. A copy of the accounting, plus a check for $120.96, going to the TWA Pilots Retirement Foundation Secretary/Treasurer Bob Thompson. Take care and happy holidays...Bill Kirschner.
PROPELLOR - Fan up front that keeps the pilot cool...turn it off and watch him sweat. USEFUL LOAD - About four martinis. TAILDRAGGER - Pilot who has just survived his first hooded instrument lesson.
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THE R ED LOBSTER by Goldy Goldthorpe Yes, the Stephenville Airport is still on the southwest coast of Newfoundland. According to JFPPESEN a JT radio beacon replaced the old JT range and there is an ILS approach to runway 28 now but the hills are still, there. However, the field is restricted to DC8 or smaller birds so that takes care of you Jumbo Jet Jockeys. Winter maintenance is no more but not because there are no more winters, you bet. Of the many airports we flew into during ICD Stephenville will Long be remembered as it was the primary exit and entrance point for North Atlantic ATC flights. As the Lone Eagle once noted: "It (Newfoundland) is the Last point on the last island of America...the end of land ." It sure was. Now the 'outport' of Stephenville itself, although tiny in population furnished the big Harmon Field airbase with willing workers, fresh fish and large lobsters all of which were appreciated by us 'CFAs' as they made our layovers more enjoyable. I have many memories of Stephenville. On my first overseas trip we ran out of ceiling on our approach, the importance of which didn't sink in until I saw all those rock filled hills around! Then there was the time we took off (slowly) into a black midnight with what was supposed to be the heaviest cargo ever flown eastbound out of Stephenville. It was so heavy that our passengers were crowded into the cockpit to help keep the C-54's nose down and her tail up in the process. And I'll never forget the time a hydraulic tank exploded in the C-54's belly coming up from the Azores. Gander was socked in STV marginal but Capt. Joe Grant made one of his usual, precise instrument approaches and on breaking contact signalled our F/E, Ernie Larsen, to dump the contents of a 5 gallon can of 'pocket' hydraulic fluid into the system to aid the Landing process. Well, almost the entire airbase turned out to watch us which puzzled me until I remembered that the bar in the officer's club had not opened yet that afternoon and the 'screech' was still on the shelves. But one of my fondest memories of Stephenville has to do with my very first Lobster dinner. In the small, midwest town where I came from Lobster dinners were just about unknown in those days so I decided to try one to see what all the shouting was about. One early morning I Left the bunk house bundled up against the wild, wet and windy weather making my way to the mess hall dimly Lighted and nearly deserted at that hour. In due time the Lobster arrived and it was a big one, all right, but I found I had a problem. How was I going to get to the meat that was in those big claws? A knife and fork? Forget it. And the nut-cracker the waiter furnished seemed inadequate too. About this time a familiar figure approached with a coffee mug in his hand. It was my friend from Domestic, Capt. Don Terry who had transferred with the Strats at the very beginning of ICD. In fact he had been hand picked for the crew of the NAVAJO to make the initial overseas trip out of DCA while I was still in MKC teaching radio to GIs, He remembered me, 'the: "Hi, Kid. What you doing up here?" But Don hasn't come over to chat old times. He needed more Worcestershire Sauce to cover the egg in the mug. Adding salt and pepper he stirred the contents thoroughly before swallowing it all down. Winking at me and coming, for him, very close to cracking a smile he growled: "Ahhhhh! Best dam' pickup in the whole dam' world:" Setting the mug down on the heavy table he noticed my still unopened Lobster. Brushing the nutcracker aside he headed for the kitchen: "Garcon! Gimme a hammer, will ye?" Returning with a Large, wooden mallet he set right to work. "You gotta hit 'em hard, Kid...(BAM:)...like this...(BONG!)...Gotta beat the livin' (BANG! BLAM!)...outta them. See?" Sure enough! That crusty crustacean had finally given up his fresh, white meat: Don picked up one of the Larger pieces, dipped it into my matted butter and slowly munched away: "Dam' good Lobsters these Newfys raise up here." A short time Later Don fastened his slicker and jammed his cap down on his head in preparation for the stormy weather outside. He turned and waved: "So Long, Kid. Remembers There's more than one dam' way to skin a dam' Lobster."
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ADDRESS & PHONE CHANGES & CORRECTIONS
BAKER, RICHARD S, (DICK) CAPT
(LILLY)
(R) BANKS, EMMETT E. "ERNIE" CAPT.
P.O. BOX 422204
10 INDIANA CIRCLE #7211
KISSIMMEE FL 34742-2204 407-933-7697
4110 N.HWY 77, HARLINGEN, TX 78552-4625
(BILLIE)
512-428-5127 BATCHELOR, RICHARD L.
F/0 (ELISABETH)
143 RIM ROAD DUCK CREEK VILLAGE UT 84762
(R) BAXTER, FERRELL L. "BUD" CAPT.
(ROBERTA - "BOBBIE'
11226 N. 75TH ST. (MAY 1-OCT 15
SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85260 602-596-9374
BEIGHLIE, C. RITCHIE CAPT.
(SHIRLEY)
(H) BLISS, DULCIA MRS (LEWIS)
2264 6TH AVE SE
298 WAVERLY, #10
VERO BEACH FL 32962-8301 407-563-9663
MENLO PARK CA 94025
(R) CARROLL, JOSEPH W. FIE (SYLVIA) 3443 JAMAICA CORPUS CHRISTI, TX 78418 512-937-9406
(A) DAVIS, THEODORE A. CAPT. 40 SQUARE ACRE DR. STAMFORD, CT 06905 203-329-2329
(R) DOHERTY, KENNETH A. CAPT (DOROTHY) 20021 WOLFEL TRAIL ESTERO FL 33928 813-992-4840
(A) ESSAF, ROBERT D. CAPT.
(NAOMI)
5007 W.LONGFELLOW AVE. TAMPA FL 33629
(A) FRANK, GENE CAPT.
(MARY)
P.O. BOX 507 SPRING VALLEY, CA 91976 619-697-8731
(R) HATCHER, JOHN W. CAPT. 912 SO. ESPLANADE LEAVENWORTH KS 66048 913-682-8790
(SALLY)
ADDRESS & PHONE CHANGES & CORRECTIONS 01-05-1993 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(R)
JUDD, LEWIS B. F/E (VICKI) 958 S. MILITARY TRAIL 1125 W.PALM BEACH FL 33415
(S) JURGENSEN, JOHN T. FSM (JOYCE , 7389 E. SHORELINE DR. TUCSON AZ 85715-3453
(R)
LOURY, KEITH "BUD " CAPT. P.O. BOX 439017 SAN DIEGO, CA 92143-9017 1-70-661-33171 (MEXICO)
(A) MARCHIONE, ANGELO CAPT. P.O. BOX 342 BLAIRSTOWN NJ 07825
(R) MARTIN, FLOYD E. FRO (DOROTHY) 17 OAK LANE STERLING, VA 20165 703-430-2499
(R) McARTHUR, JAMES B. CAPT. 10417 CORNEILS ROAD PLANO IL 60545 708-553-7165
(R) MEYER, E.W. F/E (MARIEL) P.O. BOX 2184 STATELINE, NV 89449 415-967-5365
(R)
(E) MORRISON, JOHN R. CAPT. P.O.BOX 6177 CARMEL CA 93921-8177
(R) MYERS, ORA E. "CORKY" CAPT. 9027 SADDLESPUR WAY ROSEVILLE, CA 95746 916-791-2903
(R) O'GRADY, ARTHUR J. CAPT (IRMGARD) 3844 SW OSPREY CREEK WAY PALM CITY FL 34990-2568 407-283-9088
(R) PAKULSKI, JOHN R. F/E 1455 NE 57TH PLACE FORT LAUDERDALE FL 33334 305-771-1372
(R) ROGERS, CURTIS E. CAPT. 1525 COLUMBINE DRIVE SCHAUMBURG, IL 60173 708-517-1311
(R)
(R)
(FRANCES)
(VIRGI
MITCHELL, ROBERT D. CAPT, 9355 E, VIA DEL SOL SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85255 602-998-2503
SALZ, JOSEPH W. CAPT. 35 ASH ST. YERINGTON NV 89447 702-463-5783
(PATTI
(ERMA
(ADA)
(R) SCHNEIDER, ROBERT S. F/O (DORY) 2834 S.W. 51ST CAPE CORAL FL 33914
SCHMIDT, RAY A. CAPT. (RUTH) 105 PARADISE HARBOUR BLVD 1104 N. PALM BEACH, FL 33408 (OCT-APR) 407-848-1429
(R) SMITH, DAVID O. CAPT. 7151 W. 319TH ST LOUISBURG, KS 66053 913-831-2521
(R) SHAUGHNESSY, STANLEY J. CAPT. P.O.BOX 462 GRAIN VALLEY, MO 64029 816-224-5401 87
NEW MEMBERS & SUBSCRIBERS---WELCOME 01-05-1993
(R) ADAMS, C.EDWARDS CAPT (DEANIE) 1454 GLENMORRIE RD LAKE OSWEGO OR 97031 503-636-6433
(R) BARRETT, WILLIAM G. (BILL) CAPT (EVELYN) 303 SO. 6TH ST. ST. CHARLES IL 60174 708-584-3107
(H) CARRINGTON, BETTY MRS (WARREN) 8029 NW 104 TH OKLAHOMA CITY OK 73132 405-728-3637
(R) DAVIS, GILBERT M. CAPT (KAY) 17195 AV. deSANTA YNEZ PACIFIC PALISADES CA 90272 310-454-0157
(R) DAVIS, WILLIAM R. CAPT (YOLANDA) 430 VILLAGE PL. APT F306 LONGWOOD FL 32779 401-682-2978
(R) FEATHERSTONE, KEVIN CAPT (JUDY) 1255 MYRTLE AVE. SAN DIEGO CA 92103 619-497-1881
(H)
(R) HALL, ERIC (NOBBY ) CAPT (MYRA) 9900 LANE,#127 SUNSET COVE FT.MYERS FL 33919 813-482-0072
FONTES, DOROTHEA (DODDIE)MRS (MARIO) 4957 E. FT. LOWELL TUCSON AZ 85712 602-795-5236
(R) HODGES 111, WILLIAM H. NAV. 224 LAUREL LANE PONTE VEDRA FL 32082 904-285-9262
(LETA)
(R) INGLESBY, CARL J. (BUTCH) CAPT 644 COUNTESS DR. YARDLEY PA 19067-4654 215-493-5364
(R)JOLLY, WILLIAM R. F/E (BARBARA) 16 REO LOCUST LITTLETON CO 80160 303-933-0274
(R)
(S)LARKINS, WILLIAM T. KR. 175 CLARIE DR. PLEASANT HILL CA 94523 510-682-8858
(R) MARKS, JR, LARRY H. 870 SUTRO AVE. NOVATO CA 94947 415-897-1054
(TILLIE)
KLIMT, H.LES CAPT (PATRICIA) Y 4408 HUNTINGTON WA INDEPENDENCE NO 64055 816-373-7222 NAV (JEAN B.)
(R) MCLAUCHLIN 111, JAMES A. CAPT (NEDRA) RTE 5, BOX 396 STILLWATER OK 14014 405-624-1070
(R) MEGARGLE, P.G. F/E (VERA) P.OBX372, WELLS NY 12190 (JUN-SEP) 518-924-2832
(R) MEGARGLE, P.G. F/E (VERA) 1312 APACHE CIRCLE TAVARES FL 32778-2502 (OCT-MAY) 904-343-1792
(R) MILFORD, M.EDMUNDS (BUD) CAPT 570 14TH ST. SAN FRANCISCO CA 94103 415-252-0316 89
(JOAN)
NEW MEMBERS & SUBSCRIBERS---WELCOME 01-05-1993 ---------------------------------------------------
(R) MILLER, GEORGE D. CAPT 3 SOUTH DRIVE KEY LARGO FL 33031 305-451-7015
(JANET)
(A) PERRY, DAVID A. CAPT (PAM) 2215 WINDWARD WAY VERO BEACH FL 32963 401-234-8717
(R)
SHOOK, WAYLAND R. FRO (DOROTHY) 4 OAK STREET WESTPORT CT 06880-2024 203-227-6002
(A) SIANO, RICHARD P. (DICK) CAPT (MARGARET MARY) 1 MORGAN ROAD FLEMINGTON NJ 08822 908-782-8389 FAX 908-782-5014
(R)
TABB, JAMES (TRIM) CAPT (KATHLEEN) P. O. BOX TRYON NC 28782 704-859-5976
(R) Specht, Leonard J. Capt. P.O. Box 442 Raymore, MO 64083 816 331. 1848
The young man was very shy and after his girl friend had flung her arms around him and kissed him because he brought her a bouquet of flowers, he got up and started to leave. "I'm sorry if I offended you," she said. "Oh, I'm not offended," he blushed. "I'm going out for more flowers." A precocious four-year-old had put in his first day at nursery school. His father was asking him what it was like. "Well," he said. "They teach the children who hit not to hit and they teach the kids who don't hit to hit back. "How come your sister married such a half-wit?" "She is such a bargain hunter she just couldn't resist anything that was 50 percent off!"
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This column appeared in the Washington Daily News, Washington, North Carolina, in the Sunday edition of January 10, 1993. This seems like a mighty long time after the Los Angeles rioting, looting, murdering and destruction. It is a pity more such sane voices could not have been raised back when the heat was on.
Another look at beating
More role models such as Mr. Williams could go a long way toward influencing the conduct of those who seem loaded with hate and destruction.
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TARPA TOURS
BY PAT & CHUCK HASLER
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