2001.03.TARPA_TOPICS

TARPA CONVENTION 2001 PHILADELPHIA SEPTEMBER 20-22

75 years... WAE, TAT, Maddux, Standard, PAIC, Transcontinental & Western Airline, TWA, Ozark, Trans World Airlines...

A truly great adventure!

Never strong Never secure Never boring

Early Birds Western Air Express Boeing 95 Fokker F-10s in the background

CONTENTS TARPA TOPICS THE MAGAZINE OF THE TWA ACTIVE RETIRED PILOTS ASSOCIATION

FEATURE ARTICLES:

DEPARTMENTS: PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Bob Dedman

3

DAMASCUS `69 ADDENDUM

by Jon Proctor 46

EDITOR'S NOTE John Gratz

4

REQUIEM FOR AN AIRLINE

by Bill Dixon 53

SECRETARY/TREASURE Phil Belisle

5

CHARTER TO RIYADH

by Dick Carter

TARPA TOURS

by Jean Thompson

15

GRAPEVINE

by Hank Gastrich

25

FLOWN WEST

51

TARPA CONVENTION '01

by Clark Billie

MEMORIES OF GEORGE RICE

by Mary Schliep

7

55

60

BRESLIN CROSS COUNTRY

by Jim Breslin 73 LAST WORD ON PIGS

by Larry Vodra

89

Material contained in TARPA Topics may be used by non-profit or charitable organizations. All other use of material must be by permission of the Editor.

All inquires concerning the is publication should be addressed to : John P. Gratz, Editor TARPA TOPICS 1646 Timberlake Manor Parkway Chesterfield, MO 63017

TOPICS is an official publication of TARPA , a non-profit corporation., Editor bears no responsibility for accuracy or unauthorized use of contents.

Cover Photo Courtesy: Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation

PAGE 1 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

EDITOR

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

GRAPEVINE EDITOR

HISTORIAN

HISTORIAN EMERITUS FLOWN WEST COORDINATOR INTERNET WEBMASTER

TARPA TOURS COORDINATOR

John P. Gratz 1646 Timberlake Manor Pkwy Chesterfield, MO 63017 (636) 532-8317 jppjg@msn.com David R. Gratz 1034 Caroll St. Louis, MO 63104 dave@dgratz.com Henry E. Gastrich 310 E. Bradley Ave. Apt 43 El Cajon, CA 92021-8929 (619) 596-6169 hankflew@aol.com Felix M. Usis III 1276 Belvoir Lane Virginia Beach, VA 23464-6746 (757) 420-5445 73644.3341@compuserve.com Edward G. Betts 960 Las Lomas Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 (310) 454-1068 John S. Bybee 2616 Saklan Indian Drive #1 Walnut Creek, CA 94595 (925)938-3492 Jack Irwin 2466 White Stable Road Town and Country, MO 63131 (314) 432-3272 jack@smilinjack.com Jean Thompson 11 Shadwood Lane Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29926 (843) 681-6451

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS, 2000 - 2001

PRESIDENT

FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT SECOND VICE PRESIDENT

SECRETARY/TREASURER

SENIOR DIRECTOR DIRECTOR

DIRECTOR

EX-PRESIDENT

Robert W. Dedman 3728 Lynfield Drive Virginia Beach, VA 23452 (757) 463-2032 rwd@sybercom.net Chuck Hasler 24 Rustic Way San Rafael, DA 94901 (415) 454-7478 H.O. Van Zandt 1810 Lindbergh Lane Daytona Beach, FL 32124 (904) 767-6607 hopvz@compuserve.com Phillip M. Belisle 3145 Geary Blvd, PMB 705 San Francisco, CA 94118-3316 (415) 567-9921 Harry A. Jacobsen 848 Coventry Street Boca Raton, FL 33487 (567) 997-0468 Larry Ashcraft 15435 E. Shore Big Fork, MT 59911 (406) 982-3366 larjet@pti.net Jack Irwin 2466 White Stable Road Town and Country, MO 63131 (314) 432-3272 jack@smilinjack.com John P. Gratz 1646 Timberlake Manor Pkwy Chesterfield, MO 63017 (636) 532-8317 jppjg@msn.com

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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE The holidays are over and the New Year has begun. I believe we all have wishes and dreams of what is to come. I hope that your best wishes and desires come true. To exist as a group, we are fortunate enough to have each other. To share both grief and joy, accomplishments and, maybe not a failure, but something that did not live up to our expectations. After all, we are seniors, and as such, allowed a little leeway because our minds may not be at their peak, but our hearts are!

The very sad news we all have to share and live with is that our beloved airline is to be no more.

We have all lost a part of our lives and the United States has lost a great part of aviation pioneering and history. Each of us has been touched by TWA and we all have wonderful stories to tell. Let's keep them alive in our hearts. We do not ever have to bow our heads, as we were the "best " and to the last gallant battle, fought with honor and integrity.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Don Carty, AMR CEO, after his public statement about TWA Retiree passes. I now feel confident that we can have a relationship of mutual respect with our new family. They too have a long history, legacy, and pride and, I believe that we will soon see that this change will be beneficial to all members of this vital and growing Company.

Within this issue, you will find the wonderful things that are being planned for us at the convention in Philadelphia. Having hosted a convention in Virginia Beach, I can assure you that the best thing you can do for all the workers is to show up and sign up. These conventions take about a year to plan and execute and the only rewards are the number of happy people that come and enjoy their efforts. Philadelphia is really an easy city to get to both by air, rail or car plan your journey early because some tours may sell out.

I am happy to report that we are getting some new faces in our organization and so, on behalf of the membership, we welcome one and all. We know you will enjoy the group. If you have an e-mail address, please send it to Phil Belisle, our treasurer, so that we have a rapid way to communicate with you.

Finally, I want to thank John Gratz, Jack Irwin and the entire board for the wonderful help and support during these times.

Bob Dedman President

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EDITOR'S NOTE Well, it is common knowledge that TWA was flying on a wing and a prayer for as long as anyone can remember. Now, it appears that we are down to just a prayer and hoping to come under the wing of our bigger stronger brother, American Airlines. All of you gentle readers know how much the Editor is committed to TWA and its Legacy. We have tried to make TOPICS the vehicle for preservation of that Legacy, especially as to the part played by its Flight Deck Crewmembers. That approach to TARPA TOPICS will continue, no matter what the final chapter is for TWA as a stand alone Company. The situation at TWA as this is written was addressed by President Dedman in his Letter and by Bill Dixon in his article.

As you can see from the cover, this issue features TARPA Convention 2001 information. It looks like the committee has arranged another exciting event for us to gather and discuss our past glories and our plans for a pleasant acceptance of life ' s vicissitudes. Philadelphia, city of brotherly love, has been an important part of our shared history, both our nation and our airline.

Lee Pierson sent a picture of the first PHL TWA flight ceremonies, which we include. Lee wonders how many of you can identify those in the photo.

We are also pleased to include stories from several other Members that cover a wide range of events during their long careers with TWA. I think you will find this issue full of good stuff.

Finally, though we hate to admit it, one of our eagle eyed subscribers, Jon Proctor, points out an excess in our poetic license in the last TOPICS. He sent photographic evidence. You be the judge.

SPECIAL NOTE At the last moment before printing this issue of TOPICS, word was received that AAL would provide Travel Privileges to TWA Retirees along with the Medical and Dental coverage previously announced. This makes the takeover a very big win for all members of the TWA family. It is also a big win for the cities of our major employment and all those served by TWA. We all owe Captain Bill Compton our deepest and most sincere gratitude. From the day that Bill moved up to Management, he began to implement programs and policies that improved our operational performance. As he moved up to his current position, he continued making decisions that enhanced performance, earning On-Time records and one year, a J. D. Power Award of Excellence. TWA people did the work but Bill provided the vision and the leadership. Sadly, this all means that we have lost our cherished name but the TWA family has finally gained security and a real chance for a brighter future. In our hearts we know that The Legacy of TWA will live on.

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Wednesday, January 17, 2001 Bye Folks, I'm sure that all of us are saddened by the situation at TWA. It was our working life and more for many years. For me it was the fulfillment of most of my aviation dreams and in a practical sense, the finances for my family. But more ...

When my dad passed on, TWA took me to his funeral. When my first wife succumbed to cancer, TWA paid the hospital bills. When I found a new woman in my life, she worked for TWA. When I took some 20 plus European vacations, guess who flew me there.

Through this I always said "I have the perfect arrangement with TWA; they didn't ask me to be a flight manager, and I don't want to be one". No, I wanted to fly the line where tired, dirty, and unpredictable managed your day; where pleasure was measured by the approval of the cockpit and cabin crew, and by the passengers; where satisfaction was knowing you could cut it.

My last four years as TARPA Secretary/Treasurer have been my small way of saying "thank you" to the many people of TWA. What a ride! I guess the seat belt sign was on for all our collective careers. Let us hope that American Airlines understands the excellence of our active employees and the rich history of our retirees.

Phil Belisle

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TARPA Cash Flow Report 1/1/97 through 12/31/00

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Time to BID a 96 hour Layover in PHL Welcome to one of TWA's oldest cities. We will be staying in downtown Philly, across from the old Bellevue Stratford Hotel, in which so many of us have had great layovers. Philadelphia has had a wonderful rebirth, while retaining all of its colonial charm.

We are planning tours to the famous Longwood Gardens (which is a spectacular botanical garden), the HarleyDavidson Factory, and of course many Historical Sites.

Hundreds of interesting places can be accessed by local city tour buses or even walking. Walking through the city is always fun and of course the "shopping" is excellent.

Aside from our planned events, information will be provided for you to take advantage of the theatres, restaurants etc., many of which are within walking distance of our hotel. We will be staying at the DoubleTree Hotel at Broad and Locust Streets across from the Academy of Music.

There will be lots of opportunity for those who would just rather "hang out" at the hospitality room and see old friends. A comfortable and easy convention is planned.

The committee members are looking forward to TARPA 2001 and to seeing all of our great friends We know how difficult it is to plan so far ahead, but we appreciate any effort you can make to sign up as early as possible.

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TARPA

2001

PHILADELPHIA

September 19-22

SCHEDULE

THE ABOVE TIMES ARE BUS DEPARTURE TIMES...... PLEASE BE AVAILABLE AT LEAST 10 MINUTES PRIOR TO DEPARTURE TIMES TO ASSURE AN " ON-TIME DEPARTURE"

PAGE 12 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

Tour Information

Harley-Davidson/Amish Country Tour - Thursday, Sept 20, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM The tour will depart the DoubleTree by bus at 9 Am on September 20, 2001. We will be guided around the shop floor of the H-D assembly plant and get a close look at the assembly line.

A visit to the Motorcycle Museum is included.

Lunch will be at the Hershey Farm Restaurant and is included in the cost. Time will be available after lunch to shop and visit the on-site gardens.

Our bus will return us to the DoubleTree at approximately 5:00 PM. Longwood Gardens — Friday, Sept 21, 9:00 AM-4:00 PM In 1906 industrialist Pierre S. duPont purchased a 42-acre farm to preserve trees, which had been planted there as early as 1798. Since then Longwood Gardens has grown to encompass 1,050 acres of gardens, meadows and woodlands; four acres of greenhouses containing 20 indoor gardens; 11,000 different types of plants; a rich collection of trees, statuary and fountains.

Our walking tour will be self-guided so that you can select your area of interest — roses, orchids, cacti, fountains or arboretum. Wheelchairs will be available if walking is a problem.

Lunch will be on your own at the Terrace Restaurant or the self-service cafeteria.

Transportation to and from the gardens will be provided by bus, leaving the hotel at 9:00 AM and leaving Longwood for return at 3:00 PM. The cost of this event includes admission to the gardens and transportation.

Historic Philadelphia Tour —Saturday, Sept 22, 12:00 noon-4:00PM This is what Philadelphia is all about! Independence Hall, The Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross House, Christ Church and many other wonderful stops on this four-hour guided tour of early colonial Philadelphia, The "City of Brotherly Love". The tour includes transportation and a professional guide as well as admissions, taxes and gratuities when required. This is a walking tour!

Transportation will be provided to and from the hotel, departing at 12:00noon.

The above tours are space limited

Dinner Cruise — Friday, Sept 21, 6:00 PM — 10:00 PM The Spirit of Philadelphia Cruise Ship departs Penn's Landing on the Delaware River at 7:00 PM for three hours of dining, dancing and sight-seeing; some points of interest are Penn's Landing, the Ben Franklin Bridge, the New Jersey State Aquarium and the Naval Shipyard, to name a few.

Transportation will be provided by bus to and from the hotel, departing at 6:00 PM.

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On Your Own For those individuals who desire to tour the city of Philadelphia and nearby areas on their own, here is a listing of several places of interest. Some of these sites are included in the Historic Philadelphia Tour, which is being offered on Saturday.

City Hall Located at Penn Square, Broad and Markets Sts. Constructed between 1871 and 1901, it features a 37-foot bronze statue of William Penn atop the tower. Monday thru Friday a 90-minute guided tour, including the tower, is offered at 12:30. Tower tours are available every 15 minutes, Monday thru Friday from 9:30 to 4:00. Free.

215-686-2840.

Masonic Temple This magnificent structure is significant because of its architecture; seven different styles are found in the seven lodge halls. Tours include the Grand Lodge Museum. All tours are guided; Monday thru Friday at 10, 11 AM, 1, 2 &3 PM. 215-988-1917.

7th Atwater Kent Museum Located at 15 S St. The accent is on the history of the city and archeology.

Open Wednesday thru Sunday, 10 AM to 4 PM. Admission $3. 215-922-3031.

Christ Church Burial Ground Located at 5 th and Arch Sts. The site of Benjamin Franklin's grave.

The United States Mint Located just north of Christ Church at 5 th and Arch Sts. Open 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Free. 215-408-0114.

Independence National Historical Park Located three blocks north and approximately eight blocks east of the DoubleTree Hotel. The following is a partial listing of points of interest in or near to the park. th Independence Hall Located on Chestnut St between 5 th and 6 Sts. Where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed. Admission by guided tour only between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Free.

215-597-8974.

Liberty Bell Pavilion Located between 5 th and 6th Sts on Market St. The bell can be viewed from outside 24 hours a day but is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM. Free. 215-597-8974.

Second Bank of United States Located at 420 Chestnut St. This 1824 structure houses the Portrait Gallery of Independence National Park. Call ahead for hours. Admission $2. 215-597-8974 The Betsy Ross House Located at 239 Arch St. This is where the first American flag was sewn. Open Tuesday thru Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM. Donations. 215-627-5343 Elfreth 's Alley Located just east of the Betsy Ross House. Purportedly the oldest continuously inhabited street in the US, it is lined with quaint homes from the early 1700s.

Penn's Landing Located between Market and Lombard Sts along the Delaware River. It marks the site where William Penn landed in 1682. This is also home to several historic ships maintained by the Philadelphia Ship Preservation Guild. 215-629-3200.

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The above-listed attractions could be visited on foot; however, for those needing transportation Philadelphia's Phlash service runs every ten minutes from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. And as they advertise, "Hop on and off all day for $4.00."

Farther removed from the DoubleTree are the Franklin Institute Science Museum and the Fels Planetarium, located at 20 th St and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Open daily from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Combination tickets, which add either the Fels Planetarium or the Tuttleman Omniverse Theater, are $12.50, $10.50 for those over 62. 215-448-1200.

The Academy of Natural Sciences, located at 19 th St and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, was founded in 1812 and is the oldest continuously operating museum of its kind in the US. Open Monday thru Friday from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Admission $7.75, $7 over 65. 215-299-1000.

The Rodin Museum located at 22 nd St and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, houses a 124- piece collection of Rodin originals and casts; second only to the Rodin Museum of Paris. Donations. 215-763-8100.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is located at the end of the Ben Franklin Parkway at 26th St. This is truly an outstanding art museum, presenting works by Cezanne, Monet, Poussin, Renoir, Rubens and Van Gogh. Works of modem artists are also included. Hours: Tuesday thru Sunday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with guided tours available hourly from 10 to 3. Admission $8, $5 over 62. There is limited free parking. 215-763-8100.

The Edgar Allen Poe National Historic Site, located at 532 N 7 th St, contains a visitor's center within the house where Poe lived 1843 — 1844. Open Thursday and Friday 1:30 to 5 PM. Free. 215-895-2424.

Across the Delaware River in Camden, NJ are a couple of major attractions. The Thomas H. Kean New Jersey State Aquarium is located on the banks of the Delaware River and features 400 species of fish. Ferry service is available from Philadelphia's riverfront. Open daily 9:30 AM to 4:30. Admission $10.95, $9.45 over 64.

Reservations recommended. 609-365-3300.

The battleship, USS New Jersey, is scheduled to be opened to the public on September 2, 2001. This 887-foot ship was mothballed in 1991 and is presently undergoing restoration. Areas open to the public will include the main deck, #1 gun turret and the superstructure with its quarters and command centers. Phone 856-966-1652.

The Brandywine River Museum is located in nearby Chadds Ford, PA at the intersection of Routes 1 and 100. It is housed in a restored 19 th century gristmill and displays the best of area artists, including Pyle, Schoonover, and three generations of Wyeths. Daily 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM. $5.

Should you be interested in attending the Theater while in town for the TARPA convention, it is suggested you contact directly, any of the theaters listed for their features: Academy of Music — across the street from the DoubleTree 215-893-1999 Forrest Theater — Walnut St between 11 th and 12th Sts 215-923-1515 Walnut St Theater — America's oldest theater, founded in 1809. Walnut St between 8 th and 9th Sts. 215-574-3550 Wilma Theater - 265 S. Broad St. 215-893-9456, box office 215-546-7824 The Pennsylvania Ballet — 215-551-7000 Telecharge – 1-800-447-7400 Further theater listing are---http://www.theatrealliance.org/popup.html

For more information and maps you can go to the Web. http://www.gophila.com/gettinghere/

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FURTHER INFORMATION

The DoubleTree Hotel is located in the very heart of Philadelphia at Broad and Locust Streets, just two blocks from City Hall across the street from the Academy of Music and The Bellvue Stratford Hotel. Most of the historic parts of the city are within walking distance from the hotel and convenient, inexpensive bus or taxi may easily reach those that are not.

Hotel parking is $15/day in the attached garage.

Those traveling to PHL International can reach the hotel by taxi (about $20, 4 people max), Airport SUPERSHUTTLE (about $8/person) or train to Market East then a 4-5 block walk or taxi to the Hotel. The train costs about $5 or $1 if you are 65 or older. All major car companies are represented at the airport.

The hotel has all of the usual facilities such as pool, restaurants, gym, business center etc. as well as in-room computer access outlets.

For those flying privately: at PHL the FBO is Atlantic Aviation and at PNE (Northeast Philadelphia) the FBO is Hortman Aviation (sound familiar? Yes, originally Norm Hortman, now run by his son).

For RV parking please send an E-mail or call Jim Breslin at breslipjimac@compuserve.com or 910/977-5122. There are no RV camps nearby, so hopefully we can get some of you to travel together to the hotel.

When making hotel reservations be sure to specify the "DoubleTree at Broad and Locust Streets in Downtown Philadelphia," because there are two DoubleTree hotels. Call directly to 215/ 893-1600 or 800/222-8733. Advise "TARPA 2001" for the special room rate of $112/night.

Atlantic City casino trips are available by contacting the hotel concierge.

TARPA 2001 Convention Committee Chairman Co-Chairman Treasurer Secretary Committee Committee Committee

Clark Billie Joe Gallagher Ephe Olliver Bonnie Olliver Marlene Billie Jim Anderson Chris Anderson

215 297-8436 610 825-5122 215 345-0768 215 345-0768 215 297-8436 215 672-1297 215 672-1297

PAGE 16 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

billie422@aol.com joeg981@aol.com epheao@aol.com epheao@aol.com billie422@aol.com

TARPA POST-CONVENTION TOUR PEEKS AND VALLEYS Sunday, September 23-Friday, September 28, 2001 Highlights of the post-convention tour include: Peeks at the lifestyles of the rich and famous (Vanderbilt's, Roosevelt's) The beautiful, scenic Hudson Valley The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome where WWI planes are flown A visit to a 2-year-old National Warplane Museum Visits to a garnet mine, the Coming Museum of Glass, West Point Lunch at the Culinary Institute of America Group Leader: Jean "Touring" Thompson Itinerary: Day One: Sunday, September 23 Included meals: Dinner With an early morning departure from Philadelphia, we'll head for the Hudson Valley, NY with a coffee stop (on your own) and luncheon on your own at the 50's style Eveready Diner in Hyde Park. We arrive at the Rhinebeck Aerodrome in the early afternoon, tour their extensive museum and enjoy a parade of vintage autos. Then the air show begins' Late afternoon we'll check into the Sheraton Civic Center Hotel in Poughkeepsie with lobby lounge and health club. A "no host" cocktail reception with light hors d'oeuvres awaits us at our hotel before dinner overlooking the majestic Hudson River at the acclaimed Brass Anchor.

Day Two: Monday, September 24 Included meals: Breakfast and Dinner Following breakfast at our hotel, we'll check out and drive the short distance to Hyde Park for a tour of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Library and Museum. Luncheon is on your own at the Apple Bakery Cafe at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America. A tour of the Vanderbilt Estate follows, with spectacular views of the Hudson River. Mid-afternoon finds us traveling up the NY Thruway and the Northway to Saratoga, NY and our home for the next two nights, the lovely new Hilton Garden Inn at Saratoga Springs with indoor pool, whirlpool and fitness center.

Dinner this evening is at the elegant Longfellows.

Day Three: Tuesday, September 25 Included meals: Breakfast and Dinner Following breakfast, meet our guide for a tour of Saratoga followed by an all day Adirondacks Tour. Late morning arrive at North Creek for luncheon overlooking pretty Thirteenth Lake at the charming, rustic Garnet Hill Lodge. Then enjoy a tour of the Gore Mountain Garnet Mine, one of the world's largest, where we drive into the mine and perhaps pick up some garnets there or in their Mineral Shop. (Remember-garnets are the birthstone for January.) Mid-afternoon finds us touring Vanderbilt's Great Camp Sagamore on Raquette Lake for a glimpse of the summer lifestyles of the rich and famous during "The Gilded Age". Our day concludes as we sail aboard the WW Durant with cocktails on our own and a narrated dinner cruise of Raquette Lake, the largest natural lake in the Adirondacks and the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi River. We return to Saratoga mid-evening.

PAGE 17 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

Day Four: Wednesday, September 26 Included meals: Breakfast and Dinner Enjoy breakfast before departing for New York's Finger Lakes region. We'll enjoy luncheon on our own at the newly renovated Coming Museum of Glass in Coming, NY, followed by a tour of this incredible museum. A highlight is their Hot Glass Show, the premier live glass blowing demonstration in the world. Then on to nearby Horseheads where we'll visit the two-year old National Warplane Museum for a tour of their display and restoration hangars. Later, check into the lovely Lodge on the Green in nearby Painted Post, where we'll enjoy a 'no host' cash bar before dinner in their Garden Atrium Room.

Day Five: Thursday, September 27 Included meals: Breakfast, Luncheon, Dinner Following breakfast and checkout this morning, we head for Watkins Glen for a scenic Seneca Lake Cruise aboard Captain Bill's Stroller IV. Luncheon follows in the upscale 1 "eraisons Restaurant at celebrated Glenora Winery before a tour and tasting of their outstanding wines Later, we head for West Point in the highlands of the Hudson Valley. We'll overnight at the beautifully restored landmark Hotel Thayer, overlooking the Hudson on the grounds of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Dinner this evening is served in the main dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Hudson. The hotel's elegant lounge is open this evening.

Day Six: Friday, September 28 Included meals: Breakfast and Luncheon Following breakfast at the hotel, we check out and meet our guide for a tour of "The Point" including the "central area 7 where cadets live and attend classes, the Parade Grounds, Trophy Point, the site of Battle Monument with relics dating back to the Revolutionary War and the imposing Cadet Chapel. We'll also explore the museum and Visitors' Center. A hibachi steak and chicken luncheon follows at wonderful and scenic Gasho of Japan. Then, find great bargains at the nearby upscale Woodbury Common outlets before departing for Newark and the beautiful Airport Marriott. Those who wish to depart this afternoon will be dropped off at the airport before check in. Our hotel has an indoor pool, lounge and two restaurants.

Day Seven: Saturday, September 29 Optional extra day: Break-fast is on our own before check out at leisure this morning. The hotel offers a free 24-hour airport shuttle for transfers to EWR for our flights home.

Inclusions:

Deluxe Motorcoach Transportation with Driver/Guide Accomodations, Admissions, Sightseeing and Meals as outlined All taxes and gratuities with the exception of Driver/Guide and local guides (2) Baggage handling of one bag per person

TRIP INTERRUPTION AND CANCELLATION INSURANCE IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED .

To obtain an insurance brochure check the box on the reservation blank that follows.

Cost: The cost is per person, double occupancy.

If we have 30 people sign up - - $885/double $1120/single If we have 35 people sign up - - $855/double $1090/single If we have 40 people sign up - - $835/double $1070/single

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Those who want to fly out of EWR Friday evening and not stay at Newark Airport Marriott may deduct $50 per person double and $100 single.

If you want to be included in a group of other fun folks on the Peeks and Valleys Tour, complete the blank below and send it by MARCH I with a check for $250 per person deposit payable to Spencer Tours plus a check for $30 per person registration fee payable to Jean E. Thompson and mail them to: Jean Thompson, I I Shadewood Lane, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina 29926.

If you have questions regarding the post convention tour you can contact me at 843/681-6451 or email me at jetslanding@)attglobal.net. The balance is due July 20. Before that date I will let you know how many TARPAns are planning to join us for a week of revelry so that you know how much you should write your final payment check for.

Cancellation policy ---If you cancel by March 1, Spencer tours will refund your deposit minus $25; by May 18 all but $100; by June 22 all but $200: after July 20 all but $500.

CONDITIONS: Jean Thompson, TARPA Tours, & Spencer Tours, acts only as an agent for the clients in all matters pertaining to travel by air, or surface. They shall not be liable for any loss, injury, or damage to person, property or otherwise in connection with any accommodations, transportation, or other services, resulting directly or indirectly from any acts of GOD, dangers, incident at sea, fire, breakdown of machinery or equipment, acts of government or other authorities, or cancellations of or changes in itinerary or schedules, or from any causes beyond Spencer Tours control, or for any loss or damage resulting from insufficient or improperly issued passports, visas, or other documents, & that neither Spencer Tours or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries shall be or become liable or responsible for any additional expenses or liability sustained or incurred by the tour member as a result of any of the foregoing causes. The right is reserved to change hotels or transport or to cancel the tour prior to departure. If any tour must be withdrawn prior to the passenger's joining the tour, Spencer is liable only for refunding of monies received from the client.

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TWA INAUGURAL FLIGHT FROM PHILADELPHIA Captain Lee Pierson sent this picture of the first TWA flight from Philadelphia. It shows the Mayor, Miss Philadelphia and the crew. Lee wonders if any reader can identify them.

WELCOME TO OUR NEW TARPA TOUR DIRECTOR We want to congratulate Jean Thompson (a.k.a. Touring Thompson) for accepting the TARPA Tours appointment as organizer and escort of our group's Cruises and Tours.

Jean has been on most of our TARPA Tours; in fact more than anyone other than "Wild Bill" Kirschner and the world famous Ken Hippe and their Spouses and families.

We know you will do well Jean and soon you'll be leading groups of smiling TARPA members, their friends and families all over on their junkets. You have the personality to do it Jean, with your great sense of humor (all of those skits and songs you wrote on our trips), and keen intelligence (be sure Jean's on your team of Trivia players).

The best of luck and we will look forward to traveling with you one of these days in the near future.

CHUCK & PAT HASLER PAGE 20 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

Captain Hank Gastrich 310 E. Bradley Avenue Apt. 43 El Cajon, CA 92021-8929 Tel: 619-596-6169 Email: hankflew@aol.com Address Change: Please note address and telephone number changes. I live about 5 miles north of where I formerly lived and about one block east of Highway 67. It is abeam of what would be the middle marker (if Gillespie Field had a middle marker) so I will have a great view of the Confederate Air Force planes on their approaches at the next "fly-in!"

Health: Deteriorating. Had two hospitals visits through end of Y2K. On 20 December because of "congestive heart disease," was released Dec 23rd for Christmas, and back in on 29 December (released Jan 3rd) with what I at first thought was a repeat of the heart problems but turned out to be pneumonia. I think having pneumonia, vis-a-vis, a second heart problem made me feel better if having pneumonia can ever make anyone feel better. Incidentally, I found out what all the bitching about pharmaceutical costs are. The doctor prescribed "Levaquin" (500 mg tablets), taking one tablet each day for seven days. Through my HMO the co-pay cost was $20 (no generic available). I asked the pharmacist what the "straight cost" would be, if no HMO, and was told $79! Holy Toledo! More than $11 per pill.

College: Here there is good news and less good news. I was accepted for the spring 2001 semester at SDSU but on doctor's advice, did not apply for any classes. Since I need two years of foreign language for a Bachelor's degree, and high school German does not meet the requirements, I plan to take Spanish I at Cuyamaca College starting Monday, 22 January. What I would really like would be to speak English, with a Mexican accent, but they have no classes in that.

Super bowl prog: About time for my annual Superbowl pick. This being written on 11 January and the final combatants still to be determined Sunday, I am hoping for the Oakland Raiders to play the New York Giants on Super Sunday. I may have time to change this, but for now, Super Bowl winner will be Oakland over the Giants by a score of 37-14. Remember, you read it here first!

GRAPEVINE future: This will be my seventh year doing the GRAPEVINE, and while I have enjoyed doing it very much, you have to be getting tired of my nonsense. I think it may be time to give someone else a chance, so, I'm willing to turn over the reins at any time - the July deadline is circa May 15 and the November deadline - shortly after the Philadelphia convention.

PAGE 21 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

SAY WHAT?

OTHER AIRLINES A passenger walked up to the counter at the airport. "Can I help you?" asks the agent.

"I want a round trip ticket," says the man.

"Where to?" asks the agent.

"Right back to here!"

He then piled his luggage on the scale at an airline counter and said to the clerk, "I'm flying to Los Angeles. I want the square case to go to Denver and the two round ones to go to San Francisco."

"I'm sorry, sir, but we can't do that!"

"Why not? You did it last time!"

Q: Name the four seasons?

A: Salt, pepper, mustard, vinegar.

Q: How can you delay milk from getting sour?

A: Keep it in the cow.

Q: What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?

A: He says good-bye to his youth and begins to look forward to adultery.

Q: What is a fibula?

A: A small lie.

RULES OF LOGIC Never lick a steak knife.

WORDS of WISDOM It's always darkest before dawn - so, if you're going to steal a neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it!

We are born naked, wet, and hungry.

Then things get worse.

Don't squat with your spurs on!

There are two theories to arguing with a woman - neither one works.

You should not confuse your career with your life.

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

BLOW !

DAMMIT! BLOW! IT'S SO HOT IN TEXAS:

Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

EX-LAX IT WORKS! Paid Advertisement

Farmers are feeding chickens crushed ice - to keep them from laying hard-boiled eggs.

The cows are giving evaporated milk.

The trees are whistling for dogs.

You discover you can drive your car with only two fingers.

The birds use pot holders to pull worms out of the ground.

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PAGE 23 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

GRAPEVINE (cont'd) LITTLE BROWN CHURCH IN THE VALE Adam and Eve had an ideal marriage. He didn't have to listen about all the men she could have married, and she didn't have to hear about the way his mother cooked.

A Sunday school teacher asked the children just before she dismissed them to go to church, "And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?" Little Annie replied, "Because people are sleeping."

A Sunday School teacher was teaching how God created everything including human beings. Little Johnny seemed especially intent when she told how Eve was created out of one of Adam's ribs. Later in the week his mother noticed him lying down as though he was ill and asked, Jjohnny, what is the matter?" Little Johnny responded, "I have a pain in my side. I think I'm going to have a wife."

A very dirty little boy came in from playing and asked his mother, "Who am I?" Ready to play the game she said, "I don't know, who are you?" "WOW!" cried the boy. "Mrs. Johnson w IMPORTANT RULES of WRITING Rule 1. Verbs has to agree with their subjects.

Rule 2. Don't use no double negatives.

Rule 3. Avoid alliteration - always.

Rule 4. Be more or less specific.

Rule 5. Who needs rhetorical questions?

Rule 6. Don't use commas, which aren't necessary.

Rule 7. Never, never, never be redundant.

Rule 8. One should never generalize.

Rule 9. Punctuation., is - important?

Rule 10. Avoid colloquial stuff.

Rule 11. Spell out numbers 1 through 10.

Rule 12. Last, but not least, lay off clichĂŠs.

DO IT RIGHT! Never take a beer to a job interview.

It's considered tacky to take a cooler to church.

A centerpiece for the table should never be anything prepared by a taxidermist.

Proper use of toiletries can forestall bathing for several days - however, if you live alone. deodorant is a waste of good money.

Refrain from talking to characters on the screen. Tests have proven they can't hear you.

CONSIDER THIS! Don't squat with your spurs on!

Never miss a good chance to shut up!

Never mess up an apology with an excuse!

There are two theories for arguing with women - neither works! Timing has an awful lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance!

CHURCH BLOOPERS Thursday night Potluck Supper - prayer and medication to follow.

Don't let worry kill you - the church will be glad to help.

This being Easter Sunday, Mrs. Lewis will lay an egg on the altar.

Any member who enjoys sinning is invited to join the choir Weight Watchers will meet at 7 P.M. at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double doors at the side entrance.

Low Self Esteem Group will meet Thursday. at 7 P.M. Please use the back door.

At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be, "What is hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice.

The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday "I UPPED MY PLEDGE - UP YOURS!"

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GRAPEVINE (cont'd)

STOP BLOWING

1970: Parents beg you to get haircut 2000: Kid begs you to shave his head RELATIVES

DAMMIT!

STOP BLOWING!

A MIRACLE? This guy stranded on a desert island, is joined by a woman wearing a wet suit who emerges from the surf. The conversation goes: "How long since you had a cigarette?"

"Ten years" She reaches into the wet suit and hands him a cigarette.

"How long has it been since you had a sip of bourbon?"

"Ten years."

She reaches into the wet suit, pulls out a flask and hands it to him, and then starts slowly unzipping the suit and looking at him sexily, "How long has it been since you played a round?"

"Wow! Don't tell me you've got golf clubs in there too!"

A couple drove several miles along a country road, not saying a word. An earlier discussion had led to an argument, and neither wanted to concede fault. As they passed a barnyard full of mules and pigs, the wife sarcastically strives for the last word.

"Relatives of yours?"

"Yes," the husband replies. "In-laws!"

TOP INVENTIONS THAT NEVER MADE IT Water proof towel Dictionary index Glow in dark sun glasses Powdered water No 1. The helicopter ejection seat PRISON LIFE In prison you get three meals a day - at work you get a break for one meal and have to pay for it.

In prison you can watch TV and play games - at work you get fired for watching TV or playing games

30 YRS MAKES A DIFFERENCE 1970: Long Hair 2000: Longing for hair

1970: KEG 2000: EKG

1970: Growing pot 2000: Growing pot belly

1970: Paar 2000: AARP

1970: Going out to a new, hip joint 2000: Getting a new hip joint

In prison, there are wardens who are often sadistic - at work they are called supervisors.

In prison you spend a lot of time looking through bars wanting to get out - at work you look out wanting to get out so you can go into a bar.

GREAT TONSILS!

PAGE 25 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

GRAPEVINE (cont'd) HAPPY HOLIDAYS

DAFFYNITIONS

An elderly man in Phoenix calls his son in New York and says, "I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty five years of misery is enough, so call your sister in Chicago and tell her," and he hangs up.

What do you call a boomerang that doesn't work? A STICK What do you call Santa's helpers?

SUBORDINATE CLAUSES What lies at the bottom of the ocean and twitches? A NERVOUS WRECK Where do you find a dog with no legs?

RIGHT WHERE YOU LEFT HIM Why don't blind people like to sky dive? IT SCARES THE HELL OUT OF THE DOG

CLANG! CLANG! Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. "Like hell they're getting a divorce," she shouts, "I'll take care of this."

KIDS INSTRUCTIONS ON LIFE She calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at the old man, "You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing," and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone too, and turns to his wife. "Okay," he says, "They're coming for Thanksgiving. Now, what do we tell them for Christmas?"

THE FAIRER SEX The trouble with some women is that they get excited about nothing and then they marry him.

A woman confused her Valium with her birth control pills. She has 14 kids, but she doesn't care.

"Skinny people p--- me off. Especially when they say, `You know, sometimes I forget to eat." Now, I've forgotten my address, my mother's maiden name, and my keys. But forgetting to eat? You have to be a special kind of stupid to forget to eat."

I know Victoria's Secret! The secret is that nobody older than 30 can fit into her stuff.

"Wear a hat when feeding seagulls."

Eric - age 8.

"Don't flush the john when your dad's in the shower." Lamar, age 10 "Never try to baptize a cat." Laura, age 13 "Stay away from prunes." Randy, age 9 "Don't ever be too full for dessert" Andy, age 6 "Beware of cafeteria food when it looks like it's moving." Rob, age 10

During the heat of the space race in the 1960s, the U S National Aeronautics and Space Administration decided it needed a ball point pen to write in the zero gravity confines of the space capsules. After considerable research and development, the Astronaut Pen was developed at a cost of about $1 million. The pen worked and also enjoyed some modest success as a novelty item back here on earth.

The Soviet Union, faced with the same problem, used a pencil.

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GRAPEVINE (cont'd)

FRED LINGENFELSER

Daytona Beach, FL

Email received November, 2000 from Fred: This ought to make you feel your age !!!! (and dream a little also).

Fred Ed's Note: Everything makes me feel my age Fred, but thanks for this. It put tears in my eyes and my heart paste. The taste of paste? Crowding around in Let's go back ... way back. a circle for the after school fight. And the girl Remember with the big, bubbly handwriting . . . who I'm talkin' about hide and dotted her "I's" with circles . . .with hearts? go seek at dusk. Sittin on the porch.

Sock hops and hay rides.

Hot bread and butter. The ice cream Popcorn balls. Reachin into a man, Simon Says. Kick the Can. Red Light. muddy gutter . . . for a penny. When Green Light. Lunch boxes with a thermos ... girls didn't date or kiss until High Chocolate milk. Lunch tickets. Penny School . . . maybe not even then. candy from the corner store. Hopscotch, butterscotch, skates with keys. Jacks, kickball, When your mom wore nylons, that dodge ball, Dixie peach and Bonnie Doon came in two pieces. When they threatened to keep kids back who socks.

Mother may I? Hula hoops and failed . . . and did! When the worst sunflower seeds. Whist, Old Maid thing you could do in school was chew and Crazy Eight. Wax lips and bubble gum ... or smoke?

When the prom was in the gym and you mustaches. Mary Janes and saddle danced to an orchestra. Going steady. The girl shoes, and running through the sprinkler, circle pins, bobby pins. Mickey who wore your class ring . . . with an inch of Mouse Club, Crusader Rabbit, Kukla Fran and wrapped dental floss coated with nail polish to keep it on their finger. And you got in Ollie . . . all in black and white. trouble for locking the doors at Coke bottles with the names of home - no one took a key with cities on the bottom. Catchin lightnin them. Lying on your back in the bugs in a Mason jar. Playin slingshot.

Playing baseball in the grass.

Bedtime, climbing trees, making forts. empty corner lot. First base was a Coaster made from orange crates and an old rock.

Third was a glove. skate. Backyard shows, lemonade stands. Cops When a `57 Chevy was and Robbers - Cowboys and Indian's. "I GOT everyone's dream car. And the YOU! " You MISSED." Sittin on the curb. staring at clouds. Edsel. When stuff came from the market without safety caps or hermetic seals . .

Jumping on the bed. Pillow fights. "company" Ribbon candy, angel hair on the Christmas . because no one had yet tried to poison a tree. Walkin to church ... walkin to the library perfect stranger. When around the corner . . .walkin. Being tickled to death. seemed far away and going downtown seemed Running 'til you were out of breath. like going somewhere.

Laughing so hard your stomach hurt.

Not steppin on a crack . . .break your Thanks Fred - It hurt, but was worth it. Hank mother's back. Paper chains. The smell of

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GRAPEVINE (cont'd) JOHN MALANDRO

Arlington, TX

Ah, The good old days......... The following tips from Daedalion Foundation are excerpts from a Royal Flying Corps monthly safety report.

Royal Flying Corps 21 December 1917 INTRODUCTION: Another good month. In all, a total of 35 accidents were reported, only six of which were avoidable. These represent a marked improvement over the month of November during which 84 accidents occurred, of which 23 were avoidable. The improvement no doubt, is the result of experienced pilots with over 100 hours in the air forming the backbone of all units RESUME OF ACCIDENTS Avoidable Accidents.

1. Avoidable accidents this last month. a. The pilot of a Shorthorn, with over 7 hours of experience, seriously damaged the undercarriage on landing. He had failed to land at as fast a speed as possible as recommended in the Aviation Pocket Handbook. b. A B, E. 2 stalled during an artillery exercise. The pilot had been struck on the head by the semaphore of his observer who was signaling to the gunners. c. Another pilot in a B.E. 2 failed to get airborne. By an error of judgment, he was attempting to fly at mid-day instead of at the recommended best lift periods, which are just after dawn and just before sunset. d. A Longhorn pilot lost control and crashed in a bog near Chipping-Sedbury. An error of skill on the part of the pilot in not being able to control a machine with a wide speed band of 10 MPH between top speed and stalling speed. e. While low flying in a Shorthorn the pilot crashed into the top deck of a horse drawn bus near Stonehenge. f. A B.E. 2 pilot was seen to be attempting a banked turn at a constant height before he crashed. A grave error by an experienced pilot.

2. There were 29 unavoidable accidents from which the following are selected: a. The top wing of a Camel fell off due to fatigue failure of the flying wires. A successful emergency landing was carried out. b. Sixteen B. E. 2s and 9 Shorthorns had complete engine failures. A marked improvement over ; November's fatigue. c. Pigeons destroyed a Camel and 2 Longhorns after mid-air strikes.

COST OF ACCIDENTS: Accidents during the last three months of 1917 cost 317 pounds, 10 shillings, sixpence, money down the drain and sufficient to buy new gaiters and spurs for each and every pilot & observer in the Service.

ACCIDENT BRIEFS No. 1 Brief NO. 912 Squadron 3 December 1917 Aircraft type B.E. 2C. No. XY 679, Total solo - - 4.20 Pilot Lt. J. Smyth-Worthington, Solo in type - - 1.10 The pilot of this flying machine attempted to maintain his altitude in a turn at 2,500 feet. This resulted in the aeroplane entering an unprecedented maneuver, entailing a considerable loss of height. Even with full power applied and the control column fully back, the pilot was unable to regain control.

However, upon climbing from the cockpit onto the lower mainplane, the pilot managed to correct the

PAGE 28 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

GRAPEVINE (cont'd)

machines altitude, and by skillful manipulation of the flying wires successfully side-slipped into a nearby meadow.

Remarks: Although, through inexperience, this pilot allowed his aeroplane to enter an unusual attitude, his resourcefulness in eventually landing without damage has earned him a unit citation.

R.F.C. Lundsford-Magnus is investigating the strange behaviour of this aircraft.

No. 2 Brief No. 847 Squadron 19 December 1917 Aircraft type Spotter Balloon J17983, Total solo 107.00 Pilot Capt. * * *, Solo in type 32.10 Captain * * * of the Hussars, a balloon observer, unfortunately allowed the spike of his full-dress helmet to impinge against the envelope of his balloon. There was a violent explosion and the balloon carried out a series of fantastic and uncontrollable maneuvers, while rapidly emptying itself of gas. The pilot was thrown clear and escaped injury as he was lucky enough to land on his head.

Remarks: This pilot was flying in full-dress uniform because he was Officer of the Day. In consequence it has been recommended that pilots will not fly during periods of duty as Officer of the Day. Captain * * * has requested an exchange posting to the Patrouville Alps, a well known mule unit of the Basques.

No. 3 Brief Summary of No. 43 Brief dated October 1917 Major W. de Kitkag-Wetney's Nieuport Scout was extensively damaged when it failed to become airborne. The original Court of Inquiry found that the primary cause of the accident was carelessness and poor airmanship on the part of a very experienced pilot. The Commandant General, however, not being wholly convinced that Major de Kitkag-Wetney could be guilty of so culpable a mistake ordered that the court should be reconvened. After extensive inquiries and lengthy discussions with the Meteorological Officer and Astronomer Royal, the Court came to the conclusion that the pilot unfortunately was authorized to fly his aircraft on a day when there was absolutely no lift in the air and could not be held responsible for the accidents. The Court wishes to take this opportunity to extend its congratulations to Major de Kitkag-Wetney on his reprieve and also on his engagement to the Commandant General's daughter which was announced shortly before the accident.

FLYING SAFETY TIPS: Horizontal turns. To take a turn the pilot should always remember to sit upright, otherwise he will increase the banking of the aeroplane. He should NEVER lean over.

Crash precautions: Every pilot should understand the serious consequences of trying to turn with the engine off. It is much safer to crash into a house when going forward than to sideslip or stall a machine with engine troubles.

Passengers should always use seat belts as the pilot may start stunting without warning. Never release the belt while in the air, or when nosed down to land.

Engine Noises: Upon the detection of a knock, grind, rattle or squeak, the engine should be at once stopped. Knocking or grinding accompanied by a squeak indicates binding and a lack of lubricant.

Signed: C. St. John-Culbertson Colonel, Royal Flying Corps 21 December 1917 Editor's Note: Thanks John. Years ago, I started the engine (he propped) and then taxied Jim Appleby's Fokker E-3 Eindekker. It had a 7-cylinder rotary engine.

PAGE 29 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

GRAPEVINE (cont'd)

Flemington, NJ

FLOYD L. EVANS Jr. FLOYD L. EVANS, JR. PO Box 500 Flemington, New Jersey 08822-0500 908 782-3000 FAX 908 996-2550 Email: evair@compuserve.com

30 November 2000 Dear Hank, George Seaborg and his wife both died recently. Natalie died November 14, 2000 and George followed ten days later. They had moved from Flemington, New Jersey, where I still live, to Towanda, Pennsylvania several years ago.

Natalie was a former TWA Stewardess and they were married for 46 years.

George was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross while serving in the Navy during World War II. George was an interesting person because anytime he had something really important to tell you he said it out of the corner of his mouth. When I first went on the B747and was on reserve, George was nice enough to clean out my TWA mailbox and bring the contents to his house where I would pick them up and get a free beer.

On one trip thereafter giving me my mail, he wanted to show me his workshop in his basement and when we went down there he carried a bucket of sand with him. We toured the shop and when we came back up the steps, he brought the bucket of sand with him. I asked him why he carried the bucket of sand and he answered the bucket plus the sand weighed what he was overweight and this was a reminder to lose that much, and every time he lost a pound, he took out a pound of sand.

We had a couple of beers and some cheese and then I left.

Thanks for doing all the good work.

Sincerely, Floyd Evans. Jr.

Ed's Note: Fine letter about George, Floyd. I'm sure John Bybee or someone will put more information in the "FLOWN WEST" section, but I see no reason for not putting this little story about George in the Grapevine. I'm not sure that I ever flew with him,. perhaps half a trip (ferry) or something In Europe.

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GRAPEVINE (cont'd) HOW

CLOSE

IS

CLOSE? - ELECTION

More than 200 years ago, our founding fathers, created the Electoral College. It also created the possibility of someone being "elected" as president other than the candidate that received the most votes.

Election 2000, unarguably the closest presidential race in history, was an election wherein one candidate received the most votes nation wide but another candidate received the most electoral votes. Let the weeping and wailing begin, and the cry to eliminate the Electoral College. To do so requires a constitutional amendment (2/3 vote of approval by both House and Senate, and 75% ratification by the 50-states).

Recognizing this as unachievable,, others suggest modifying the Electoral college by assigning electors in the same percentages as the popular vote for each candidate in that state. Let us then look at whom the 43rd POTUS would be under the three systems.

2000

not change the final outcome. The same candidate (G. W. Bush) elected under current Electoral Collge rules would still be president-elect. As you can see, Election 2000 was closer than paint.

APPORTIONING ELECTORS

Popular Vote Only In 2000, Al Gore amassed some 300,000 more popular votes than G.W Bush, which would make Gore president-elect. However, in doing so, Gore received margins of 1,500,000 and 1,300,000 popular votes from two large states (NY and Cal).

Gore's overall margin being a mere 300,000 votes, it indicates that 48 other states, gave G.W, Bush some 2,500,000 more votes. A more demanding number it would seem.

Electoral Vote In the method used to elect all previous Presidents, the final electoral vote totals were George W. Bush - 271 votes, Al Gore - 266 votes (one elector withheld a vote in protest). This is so close that the change in electoral votes of just a single small state, (3 electors) from Bush to Gore, would have installed Al Gore. But the change never occurred and G. W. Bush is president-elect.

Apportioning Electoral College Electors Finally, a third method would have each state apportion electors to the Electoral College by the same percentage as their poplar vote percentages. This would also give electoral representation to also ran candidates, but would

PAGE 31 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

GRAPEVINE (cont'd)

CELL PHONE CLAMBAKE SANTA & THE F A A Santa Claus, like all pilots, gets regular visits from the Federal Aviation Administration. It was shortly before Christmas when the FAA examiner arrived. In preparation, Santa had the elves wash the sled and bathe all the reindeer.

Santa got his logbook and made sure all his paperwork was in order.

The examiner walked slowly around the sled. He checked the reindeer harnesses, the landing gear and Rudolph's red nose. He painstakingly reviewed Santa's weight and balance calculations for the sled's enormous payload.

Finally they were ready for the check ride.

Santa got in and fastened his seat belt, shoulder harness and checked the compass. Then the examiner hopped in carrying to Santa's surprise, a shotgun.

"What is that for?" asked Santa incredulously.

The examiner winked and said, "I'm not supposed to tell you this. but you're going to lose one on takeoff!"

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GRAPEVINE (cont'd) LEN SEVERSON

O'Fallon. MO (Condensed by Grapevine Editor Hank Gastrich)

On December 16, 1950, retired Captain Wayne Severson and his wife Betty, nee, NcAnney were married in the New Gretna, New Jersey home of Betty's parents. Having met just a few months earlier we note that at the wedding rehearsal, the minister made a Freudian slip of the tongue by saying, instead of, "your lawfully wedded wife," saying, "your lawfully bedded wife!" None the less, Betty's father put away the shot gun, the wedding took place, and a reception was held at Officers club in Atlantic City, A brief biography for Wayne and Betty would note Wayne was born In Des Moines, Iowa almost twenty three years earlier (12-13-27) and that he attended College at Southwest and at Iowa State where Wayne became part of the Navy V-4 program Wayne's employment with TWA dates from October 5, 1953. His child bride, Betty was born on November 3, 1931 in New Gretna, NJ. After the wedding, Wayne and Betty moved into an apartment in Atlantic City. Not too long after Navy orders sent them to Pensacola, Florida, where I first met them This was circa late 1952. and after completing primary flight instructor training, we were both detached to Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Milton, Florida. Primary instructing in the Pensacola training command was far from "good duty." We instructed three students daily for 1 hr 15 minute sessions each and when your own student was on a solo flight, or was receiving a check ride, your assignment would be giving a check ride to another pilot's student or perhaps "extra time" to a student who had been having difficulties. One hundred flight hours in any month was not a rare occurrence. All this from the rear seat of an SNJ (AT-6 Texan) which itself was no easy task on a runway, but the main practice field was Pace Field. Pace was one mile square and grass, and was completely lined by tall Florida pines. Operations at Pace was not unlike operating in the lid of a box of chocolates.

Wayne and Betty sired three children, the first born being "little Wayne", born on the 23rd of November 1951 and is now a barber in Kansas City. A year and a half later, on June 9, 1953, Cory, the female member of the Wayne Severson clan was born. Cory as of now has been the only Severson heir to make Wayne and Betty grand parents, and the Severson grandchildren are Alex, age 20 and Christina, age 18. Both Alex and Christina are currently attending community college.

Wayne's third child, Leonard was born on February 2 in 1962. Lenny followed closely in his father's footsteps and is currently going through the TWA upgrading to captain process.

Leonard holds a Bachelor's degree in Geology and a Masters in Aviation Safety. Leonard

PAGE 33 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

GRAPEVINE (cont'd) received a Private Pilot rating in 1979, and ten years later, in May 1989, he was employed by TWA. Wayne served as Flight Engineer on the Boeing 727 and as First Officer on the Dc-9 and the MD-80. Wayne and Melissa have been married for more than a dozen years and so far have not any children to the elder Severson's grand child list.

Bad fortune visited the Seversons in 1966 when Wayne was stricken with diabetes. While the disease Wayne's eventually ended flying career, it did not terminate his employment with TWA. Wayne transferred into the TWA ground Training Program as a safety instructor. I, unfortunately, was never scheduled with Wayne in any of my recurrent training sessions, but the word was, Wayne was a strong disciple of the Sailor Davis method. During his Navy service which included the time he and I were together flying R5D's in a Transport squadron at Naval Air Station, Olathe, Kansas, including one flight we made to Bermuda. Besides the SNJ, Wayne also flew the Navy F4U Corsair, AD Douglas Skyraider, Grumman TBF Avenger.

With TWA, Wayne started flying, as did I on Martin 202s and 404s and the DC-4. He also flew all of the Constellation models. Son Leonard who provided me with most of this information was not sure if Wayne flew DC-3s or not. During our era the DC-3 was used only for engine carrier duty between midnight and dawn or Proficiency Checks by "Doc" Mesker or Howard Hall who never flew much before twelve noon or very long after twelve noon.

Considering Wayne was some ten numbers senior to me, I'm reasonably sure he passed all of his "after midnight flight class" to me.

The 50th anniversary celebration for Wayne and Betty Severson was a great success, as a party and as a surprise. Leonard and Melissa 'limousined' them to Sky's rotating restaurant.

Sky's is a rotating restaurant atop the Hyatt Hotel where Wayne and Betty once took me and a high school chum. .That my visit to Sky's climaxed a few weeks later in my marrying said high school chum in my second marriage creates no bad vibes about the restaurant, and because ten days after the wedding, I was three states west of my `bride,' I harbor no bad thoughts about him, albeit, he was very close to being moved from the "Friends" list to the top of the "Guys to Get" list. In fact, I actually planned to send them flowers but could see no way of doing it without the surprise being revealed. So Betty, you missed receiving a huge bouquet (from the newest and largest head stone in the Singing Hills Final Hole Park).

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GRAPEVINE (cont'd)

PAGE 35 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

GRAPEVINE (cont'd) GIL DAVIS

Pacific Palisades, CA

Dear Hank, Stop the presses. STOP THE PRESSES! I want to be sure we get something in the next TARPA TOPICS about our 4TH Bi-Annual TWA Crew Member Informal Get-together. Your information in the Grapevine for the one we had in May 1999 helped us get more than 100 attendees. This year we hope we pass the century mark again. Considering that TWA is hovering on the brink of extinction, the get-together will provide a wonderful time to gather and reminisce about the good old days. The golden years!

This year we will again meet at the Santa Monica Museum of Flying on Tuesday, 1 May 2001. As two years ago, it will be a non-structured, no agenda affair - a Flight Crew Member Woodstock. We welcome all Flight Crew Members; Pilots of course, but also, flight engineers, navigators, radio operators, and hostesses. No one will be turned away. Anyone desiring more information. please contact one of the following: Gil Davis Tel: 1-310-454-0157 or Email: gmd@gte.net Mike Stofer Tel: 1-805-544-5274 or Email: mikestofer@aol.com Ted Price Tel: 1-805-650-9588 Thanks Hank, Gil Davis Ed's Note: You reached me, even as I was putting the March Grapevine in the envelope for JPG. HE can wait! Glad the Grapevine helped the turnout in 1999.

PAGE 36 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

GRAPEVINE (cont'd) JOHN BOYCE

Bethany, CT

Hi Hank, I, like the rest of the TWA family, have been too distracted by the unfolding story of our imminent demise to keep up with other things. It seems that Carl Icahn still has his greedy hands, or at least one of them, around our corporate throat. I wish someone would ...

Anyway, on 24 February 1954, all these future concerns almost became prospectively irrelevant, as my brief airline career nearly ended that day. Larry Ives really should be telling this story, since I and some thirty-five others owe our lives to his judgment and skill. It was one of those typical late winter days in southeastern Michigan, gray and wet, with intermittent snow showers and the temperature hovering around freezing. We had completed two legs of a shuttle between YIP and CVG and were about to depart on F347, back to CVG. As we taxied out, we noticed some snow falling on the wings, but melting about as fast as it fell. There didn't seem to be any reason for concern that we could see, but what we couldn't see is what nearly terminated the flight. Nobody, as far as I know, ever figured out for sure what caused our problem, but the consensus of opinion was that snow had accumulated on the tail surfaces, where the angle between the trim tab and the elevator had formed a valley and collected some snow, the elevator being deflected downward and the tab upward.

Unsuspecting, we started the takeoff roll, Larry flying, and lifted off in what seemed a normal manner. Then I noticed that although Larry was vigorously rolling in nose-down trim, we continued to pitch nose-up. Just before we entered clouds, around 400 feet, Larry grabbed the mike and said, "For the record, I've got full forward trim!" Now, despite this being almost 47 years ago, I remember some of the events very clearly. We had started to get buffet and were about to enter clouds. There was an open area ahead of us. Larry reduced power, the nose dropped, the speed increased, and we remained barely clear of clouds. I don't know if he had thoughts of putting it into that field or not?

Since we were still flying, we started turning and looking Martin 404 # 428 for YIP. We went around, managing pitch with power and staying barely clear of clouds until we could find a runway. Of course, though the tower cleared us to land on any runway, I don't recall which one we finally landed on. I think we made at least one full circle of the field. We did land however, taxied in, and with a huge sigh of relief, shut down the engines. And the flight was canceled. Flight 347-28, YIP to YIP, 00:13 minutes block to block, A/C # 428.

Now although I have used the word "we" throughout this narrative, let me make it clear I did nothing except make the radio calls, and do the flaps and gear things. Larry did the job that had to be done! I do not recall thirteen minutes of "ter ror" during this event nor do I recall reflecting on my mortality, or any feelings of excitement at all. And I wasn't especially busy, just watching the Michigan cornfields pass by a few hundred feet below, that is, until I heard my wife Betty's voice on the telephone some time later when I called her to pick me up (we were still too poor to afford two cars). Then I absolutely came apart, nearly in tears and barely able to speak. I still get a bit that way whenever I think back to that day.

Ed's Note: Hours and hours of boredom??? Sometimes John, as you well know, the copilot's job is more difficult than the Captain's!

PAGE 37 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

GRAPEVINE (cont'd) Spring Hill, KS

JACK WEISS Sub]: One pic worth 1000 words Date: 12/7/00 8:06:46 AM Pacific Standard Time From.

Jbweiss1@cs.com To: Hankflew CC: foe@juno.com Right-click picture(s) to display picture options

Hank. now you have gone and done it! You've made me famous. I'm bracing for the onslaught of autograph seekers. However, I'd trade a picture of me for one of Alyssa Milano anytime. How did you know I was a fan of hers?

Anyway, here's a much better picture of me flying the Airline History Museum ( formerly Save A Connie) Martin 404 in formation with the Connie. A loose formation I'll admit, but when one considers the effort and sacrifices made to restore these old beauties, I couldn't bring myself to risk any closer.

Wouldn't it be great if all members of TARPA were also members of "The Airline History Museum"? If anyone would like to join, have them E mail me their home address, and I'll send them an application. I'm sending you our newsletter by mail.

Jack

Thursday. December 07. 2000

America Online: Hankflew

Ed's Note: Thanks Jack. I wouldn't call it a "loose" formation - rather a comfortable one. And considering your lust for Alyssa Milano, I agree. She is the best argument ever against these "want to be equal or the same as men" campaigns. I do not want to ever think of Alyssa Milano as, one of the boys!"

PAGE 38 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

GRAPEVINE (cont'd) DICK FORRISTALL

Naples, FL CHANGE of ADDRESS NEW: Richard G. & Phyllis. M. Forristall 631 Jacana Circle Naples, FL 34105

Hello Phil, Hope things are well with you. We are still looking at the green side of the turf and are about to take off for Florida. We are into our 18th year of retirement. Where have the years gone?

Enclosed is a check for my TARPA Eagle dues.

Best Regards, Dick F. JEAN DAVIS

Kingston, NY

Dear Hank, Found this article in one of our local papers and thought it would be of interest to any of the older group. Cy and Rose lived about 20 miles from Rusty. Cy and Ray were both Inter- national F/E's in the 50s thru 80s years. Cy was always known as being involved in good deeds, as this article shows.

Thanks and Happy New Year.

Jean Davis Ed's Note: Jean's article, from the Times-Hearld Record is about Cyril "Cy" (Crash) Nolen. One paragraph from the article is most descriptive, "Nolen also did what angels do -- he flew as a TWA engineer. As a World War II P-38 pilot, he was shot down and escaped from a German prison camp. At age 45, he flew a Vietnam War prop-driven reconnaissance plane and was bedecked with medals, including the Distinguished Flying Cross.

JACK BAKER

San Clemente, CA

Dear Hank, This gentleman is not familiar to me. I didn't find him in the TARPA directory. Maybe he has some TWA friends who have lost contact with him.

Thank you, Jack Baker Ed's Note: From the Honolulu Advertiser (dated 1 December 2000) Jack sent an article about Joe Filler being reunited with his children, Jeff and Eileen, after having not been together for 35 years. Joe and his children were reunited at the Seagull School Adult Day Care Center in Kapolei, where Joe spends two days a week interacting with other seniors. During World War II, Joe trained pilots to fly B-29 bombers and later became a TWA pilot. I have queried my Email list and no one seems to recall either Joe Filler or Cy Nolen.

PAGE 39 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

GRAPEVINE (cont'd) Kingston, N. Y.

HARRY D. GRAHAM

From: Harry D. Graham to, Earl Korf, John Robert Stevens and Captain Henry E Gastrich, etc.

TEL. 1914) 331 -3157

CAPT. HARRY D. GRAHAM ADMIRALTY LAWYER MARINE & AVIATION CONSULTANT

BY APPOINTMENT

My dear fellow Airmen, Seamen (if there be any yet) and believe it or not. vojrone-eyed navigators, and any others similarly short.

120 RINGTOP RD. KINGSTON. N. Y. 12401

I sincerely apologize to all of you, your families and next of kin during these past weeks when today I find my computer don from my own neglect and my failure to respond as properly due.

As General Marshall said during our preparations during WW II in urging top wringers wherever situated, to analyze himself and what he could really do best to render assistance to stay at it. despite the military attraction. I, and a younger brother were picked up by the Brooklyn cops and placed in a large Children's Home in Brooklyn. They had to trust me there because the public school next door only went up to the sixth grade, and here I was, already admitted to the seventh. grade. In my third grade in a public school, the school fitted me with a pair of those tinney eye glasses of the day, and during the lunch hour this hookey-player sang out, "How you doing there cockeyed P?" That was it! The glasses flew into the gutter and the fight was on and that was the end of the "lady eve" bit for me. Later I had an appointment to the West Point Military Academy but the right eyed aimers and shooters kept me out.

I averaged 94% on the mentals, but the military requirement for uniformity is the tight eye for sighting and firing. Somewhere around 1925s I learned that I was being considered for some kind of farm around YONKERS and me knowing nothing about farming - being a Brooklyn Native, I absented my self down to Red Hook section of Brooklyn where I was able to secure a Mess boy assignment on a Limey vessel bound for the Far East. I did my job with perfection and was able to convince the Captain to let me off in Baltimore during our return to the U. S. to avoid the Brooklyn cops from picking me up and returning me to the Home again.

The crew were very good, cheered me on, teaching me how to eat on an American ship.

American ship wages were far superior to the British and foreign vessels. By WW II time, I was carrying American licenses as Master, unlimited tonnage, any Ocean, and navigable waters of the world, and had mastered plane and spherical trigonometry, Sperry Gyroscopes, and Submarine Signals, servicing etc, Fellow next to whom I was sitting on TWA plane from Los Angeles to New York apparently noticed some marine literature I was studying introduced himself as Jack Frye,

PAGE 40 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

GRAPEVINE (cont'd) President of TWA. Learning that I was a regular Merchant Seaman with Master papers, informed that his airline had ten multi engine qualified pilots none of whom had ever been out on overseas flights or knew anything about navigation: also told me that the plane we were flying in was similar to the B17 and he was curious about the relative stability of the aircraft compared with a ship at sea. TWA he said had the prime contract with the Army for delivery of the B 17s.

I had flown in aircraft before but only as a passenger. Nevertheless, My talk with Jack Frye resulted in Earl Korf, as R/O and myself as Navigator. The actual performance of our respective duties on TWA's first flight for the Army with satisfaction to all concerned.

Enclosed please find a photograph of Harry just after 1630 surgery on the right eye. I am due back at the doctor's right after Christmas.

My "hawkeye" the left one awaits that post Xmas observation.

Sincerely, Harry Ed's Note: Quite a story, Harry and glad to hear from you. I would guess fewer than 1 in 1000 active TWA people know of you and probably only 1 or 2 of every 100 TARPANS.

Harry D. Graham Dr. Povill Taken 11-20-2000

PAGE 41 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

GRAPEVINE (cont'd) LEW JUDD

Murphy, NC

Hank, Here's the story I promised. Captain Johnny Thomson and I flew together many times. A finer gentleman and pilot never existed. This particular night we were westbound in a 1649 which had been introduced on International not too long before. It was July 3rd 1959. We took off from London for New York. We lost an engine leveling off at cruise and Paris Dispatch advised us to land Shannon. We landed in Shannon which had a spare engine and were ready to go again on July 4th. However, FARS said that an airplane had to be test flown after an engine change and we took off in the dark around 0500 for the test flight. It soon became obvious we had a really good engine and Johnny said, "I've always wanted to see how these things handled and now I've got one without any check pilots around." We did chandelles, Immelmans, rolls, and I remember seeing the lights of Shannon in the top part of the windshield. He really wrung it out, secure in the knowledge that only those on board would know what he had done.

Test hop over, we landed and taxied to the ramp. Hundreds of people standing there applauding and cheering. All of Shannon's airport personnel and passengers had turned out to watch this beautiful plane, highlighted by the morning sun do all those marvelous maneuvers.

Some years ago while traveling in our motor home I met a neighbor of Johnny Thomson. I wrote a short note to Johnny, recalling the test hop. He gave me a call shortly before he died, laughing about that clandestine test flight.

Lew Judd Belhaven, NC

A T HUMBLES Hank,

Sad news about TWA. I didn't realize how carriers in debt were discriminated against in regard to aircraft leases and fuel prices. One would think it would be the other way around. I thought you might find the following interesting.

Back when the jets were first coming on stage for TWA, Phares McFarren was one of the first to be checked out. He was Chairman of the ALPA Council at LAX. When he first came on the MEC, he had a chip on his shoulder feeling that juniors were out to take away from seniors. He was # 34 which I thought he had tattooed on his forehead. I was Chairman of Council 110 and Lew Burkhardt was copilot rep. Mac once made the statement that he was a tall tree among us small bushes.

Once Mac got up and in his perfect diction and haughty voice was introducing a resolution with a lot of whereases about problems with close mid-air encounters with military jets, how instrument landing aids were inadequate, myriad problems with aircraft operation and finally said, "be it resolved that the MEC go on record as supporting ILS equipment on all jet runways, upwind, downwind, crosswind, everywhere they flew. In the silence, waiting for a second to Mac's motion, Lew Burkhardt, who had flown jets in the military, asked if we Martin pilots might use those ILS's too. McFerren had to join the laughter that followed Lew's question.

I will say that Phares went on to become a valuable member of the MEC and I came to admire his strength in dealing with the Company as well as his willingness to look at all problems and come up with honest and sensible solutions.

A T Humbles

PAGE 42 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

GRAPEVINE (cont'd) JACK MATEER

Sparta, NJ

Dear Hank, It was good to see Aircraft 4339 getting the traditional "Retirement Salute" on the cover of the November TARPA Topics. Our initial class, "680503" was a Boeing 727 class and I consider myself fortunate to have flown all three seats in this great airplane (although I spent much more time in the third seat than I had planned or wanted!). Jake Rast did a fine job at researching the "Pigstickers" and, at one time, I did know the name of the author, or one of the authors. In the event that those articles sparked any interest in those retired pilots that never saw, or, had and lost, the complete list that contained the very clever "pig-related" names of the entire 727 fleet. I'm enclosing a copy of my original sheet that was carried on the clipboard from shortly after inception until I retired. I am sure that seeing these "names" again will bring a smile or two, and possibly a few memories, to the faces of the many "72- types" who flew the "line", just as they did when we first started seeing them appear on the upper left of the F/O's forward panel. In the event that it isn't known, the "Pigs" were the "Stretches" (-231's) and the "Piglets", the "Standards" (-31's, and a good performer!). Proven by the number of airplanes and the length of service, the B-727 will always be remembered as the "Workhorse" of the TWA fleet!

Best Regards, Jack Mateer Ed's Note: Thanks for clearing up what Jake Rast's article put in my mind - for the first time. I had never heard of the 727s being called any "pig" names. Over the years I was acquainted with a lot of `cats", I.e., Grumman F4F Wildcats, F6F Hellcats, F7F Tigercats. I also got 45 minutes in a "Jug" (P-47 Thunderbolt) and in Benny Howard's Damned Good Airplane, but I was at a loss about the 727s.

THE "PIGS"

PAGE 43 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

GRAPEVINE (cont'd) MAX WETHERBEE

Punta Gorda, FL

Dear Hank, This isn't too interesting, and whether you publish it or not, won't change my way of living in anyway, so it's up to you.

Ed's Note: I usually add my comments at the end but Max, if I don't use something guys like you send, I not only should be replaced as Grapevine editor but kicked out of the outfit. It's a great story and I wondered how it would end all through my first reading.

When I returned home, my wife asked the usual and standard questions, "How was the flight? Any problems?" My answer was the same as always during our 27 years together in my 30 year TWA career, No honey, everything was routine." I guess I figured she would never understand - no one would, except another pilot.

Max Wetherbee

PAGE 44 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

GRAPEVINE (cont'd) TWA SENIORS CLUB Yesterday I received my copy of the TWA Seniors Newsletter and was surprised to see it was part of a mailing sent to over 18,000 people. Knowing that Seniors' membership is not over 3,500, I soon learned this was an effort by TWA Seniors' president Jack Boesch to increase membership. I am proud to say, I have been a member since retiring back in 1974. While I have attended only a couple of the meetings, I do know that few pilots, far too few cockpit crew members, are members. And I am a bit ashamed that more of us have not joined this retirement organization, which like TARPA, strives to attain the same goals, accomplishments and camaraderie.

The membership of the TWA SENIORS CLUB comprises TWA retirees from every job description in the company. Most of us knew few individuals from the offices and hangars; who did so much, not only for the airline, but for each of us who flew, at one time or another. A girl in operations who "purpled" her hands again, just after cleaning them, to see that I received a copy of the latest weather. A schedule clerk who "juggled the balance sheet" to let those of us who wanted more time, get a "last day of the month flight;" and those of us who didn't want to go out again, to drop that last day of the month trip. A Wichita mechanic, who with hands turned blue from below zero cold, replacing a Martin generator so that I would be sure of getting to La Guardia and staying on pattern. A young lady in pay roll, who helped find a miscalculation in expense hours, and who worked overtime to assure the correction would reflect on my next pay check.

These examples are but a few of those who did the things which helped me do my job well, because they did their jobs extra well. Unfortunately, I don't recall thanking a single one of them for the extra effort. Many of these individuals looked on us as little Gods. So now guys, I'm suggesting we reflect on what we owe them. Reflect well, and then, fill in the membership form reproduced here (or use the one you received in the mail), and send it along with a check for ten bucks. Hell! The Monthly Newsletter which includes reports from 20 or more separate (by areas) chapters is worth that.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TWA SENIORS CLUB Membership Application Dues are $10 per calendar year - Jan 1 - Dec 31 Make Checks Payable to :TWA Seniors Club Mail to: TWA Seniors Club 8661 So. Highland Dr. #168 SANDY, UT 84093-1697

PAGE 45 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

December 3, 2000 Dear John, I very much enjoyed the latest Topics, particularly Larry Griffin's remembrances of the 707 hijacking to Damascus. I thought the readership might enjoy this Boeing photo showing the newly manufactured nose section at Seattle (probably Renton), about to be loaded into an Aero Spacelines Pregnant Guppy for the long ride to the Middle East.

Those who flew the 707 during that time period may remember that the aircraft, N776TW, was re-registered twice after certain terrorist groups pledged "revenge" after TWA chose to repair and fly it out. Fleet number 8776 was one of the five original, nonadvanced 707-331 Bs delivered to TWA. It had a lower max gross weight takeoff weight that the advanced and "advanced heavy" models (323,500 lbs. vs. 327,500 lbs. and 334,000 lbs.). In order to confound any of the would-be revenge takers, the airplane was first re-registered as N8739, and then changed again to N28714, the number it would wear until retirement. It was eventually sold to Boeing Military Airplane Company and used in the KC-1 35E upgrade program.

Readers may also be interested to know the background of the Stratoliner photo on page 33. It was taken while the airplane was being repaired on the open prairie, 20 miles west of Pritchett, Colorado. Otis Bryan force-landed the airplane there on May 17, 1940, during a proving flight en route from Kansas City to Burbank, with a planned stop at Albuquerque. The Stratoliner iced up and experienced power losses on all four engines. Otis landed it gear up with minimal damage. You can see in the photo where they removed all the TWA livery except on the rudder; I guess they thought the press would find them and take pictures! At any rate, the airplane was repaired on the spot and later ferried out.

The aircraft registration was NCI 9905, and the incident was blamed carburetor icing; modifications followed on the Stratoliner fleet. In addition to Capt. Bryan, the cockpit crew included 1st Officer F. Richardson, Relief Pilot Felix Preeg and two flight engineers, R. De Campo and Lloyd Hubbard. The hostesses were Ida Staggers, Miss Benefiel and Miss Swarmer. There were a total of 19 aboard the flight.

They hit terra firma at 6:02 p.m., Central Time; it was raining and the field was muddy. A school bus reached everyone about 8 p.m., and it took nearly four hours to negotiate the trip to Pritchett. Most of the group left around noon the next day for Trinidad, Colorado (60 miles from the landing site), where a TWA DC-2 picked them up for the flight back to Kansas City.Enclosed is a photo of the airplane shortly after its forced landing, still resting on its belly.

Best Regards Jon Proctor

PAGE 46 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

Hijacking of TWA's Flight 840 to Damascus Branded as Piracy After more than 20 years of providing service to countries of the Middle East, TWA became involved in a political problem of the area on August 29 when Flight 840, bound from the United States to Tel Aviv, Israel, was hijacked to Damascus, Syria. The two Middle East countries are technically in a state of war.

Since the United States does not have diplomatic relations with Syria and TWA is not certificated to that country, negotiations had to be conducted through the Italian government.

The hijackers, a young woman Tuesday conferring with Syrian and a young man who described themselves as representing the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, seized control of the aircraft from Captain Dean A. Carter and his crew near Brindisi, Italy. After the aircraft had landed at Damascus and the passengers turn were being conducted at the and crew were evacuated, the hijackers partially destroyed it with an explosive charge.

A TWA-chartered aircraft from Alitalia flew to Damascus on August 30 and returned with most of the 101 passengers and all crew members except Captain Carter who remained with six detained passengers, all Israeli citizens, and the aircraft. (Three other passengers resumed their journey to Iraq, while one woman who had been injured in leaving the aircraft and her four children were later driven to Beirut) On September 1, President F.C.Wiser and other TWA officials flew to Damascus on a second aircraft chartered b y T WA from Alitalia which brought back four Israeli women citizens. President Wiser remained in Damascus until Tuesday conferring with Syrian officials.

Negotiations for theft early return were being conducted at the highest diplomatic level. U.S. Secretary of State William P. Rogers issued a statement in which he said, We shall continue vigorous efforts through all available channels on behalf of the remaining on this U.S.flag aircraft." Similar pleas were made by other international officials and passengers, organizations including Knut Hammerskjold, director general of the International Air Transport Association.

PAGE 47 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

"Everything Possible" In New York, TWA Chairman Charles C. Tillinghast, Jr., said, "Despite the fact that TWA has no force at its disposal to compel the Syrian government to act in this matter and must rely solely on the tools of persuasion, you may be confident that we will continue to make all possible approaches through all possible sources to effect the speedy release of these two passengers."

The hijacking was generally denounced as an act of aerial piracy. The punishment for hijacking an aircraft under the laws of the United States, and many other countries, is death. So far as is known, the hijackers of the TWA aircraft are in jail in Syria.

Members of Flight 840's cockpit crew, all JFK-based, were Captain Dean A. Carter, first officer Harry D. Oakley, Flight engineer H. C. Tomlinson and an ACM, R. W. Davis. The cabin crew, all Paris-based, were pursers Claude Espallac and Claude Moitry; hostess supervisor Inge Heyn and hostesses Gisela Mayer, Monika Worf, Catherine Andre, Elizabeth Louis and Margaretta Johnson.

Threaten Crew As related by members of the crew, the flight started as a routine one from Rome to Athens.

Then, about half an hour out, as a hostess entered the cockpit with meals for the crew, a man knocked her aside and came in with a gren ade in one hand and a gun in the other. First officer Oakley, inter viewed in New York on his way home to Prairie Village, Kansas, said, "A young woman was right behind him, also canying a gren ade. She told us: `We're taking command and we'll blow up the aircraft unless you obey orders." Her first order was to head for Tel Aviv.

PAGE 48 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

IN MEMORY OF JOSEPH WILSON DECEMBER 10, 1921 - SEPTEMBER 29, 2000

IN

MEMORY

OF

CAPTAIN RALPH HARTER JULY 31,1926 - OCTOBER 9, 2000

IN

MEMORY

OF

CAPTAIN GEORGE F. COLEMAN OCTOBER 7, 1932 - OCTOBER 8, 2000

IN

MEMORY

OF

CAPTAIN OLIVER HALLBERG DECEMBER 16, 1916 - NOVEMBER 3, 2000

IN MEMORY OF CAPTAIN THOMAS H. CARROLL DECEMBER 29, 1919 - NOVEMBER 16, 2000

PAGE 49 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

CAPTAIN

GEORGE

"NICK"

PAULSON

AUGUST 17, 1927 JANUARY 7, 2001 Nick passed away at the V.A. Medical Center in Danville, IL. On Sunday January 7, 2001 at age 73 following a lengthy illness from the Alzheimer disease. He leaves behind his wife Carolyn of 37 years of marriage and two sons George Christopher, Nicholas Gregory and a sister Rosemary Schweinfurth.

Nick was born in Marion, Ohio. He attended Marion Catholic School and went on to graduate from Dennison University in 1949. He resided in Saratoga, California most of his life before moving to Williamsport in 1996.

Nick was a veteran serving first in the Navy during World War II and in the Korean War in the Marine Corps. He flew F9F Panther Jets in Korea. In 1955 Nick was hired by Trans World Airlines as a pilot and retired in 1986 as Captain. He spent many of those years in the San Francisco domicile. His hobbies were model airplanes, soccer and reading history which he

by Carolyn Paulson loved. All his fellow TWA friends will certainly miss Nick.

IN

MEMORY

OF

CAPTAIN GEORGE A. SEABORG NOVEMBER 9, 1925 — NOVEMBER 24, 2000

IN

MEMORY

OF

CAPTAIN BERT W. HACKLEY NOVEMBER 11, 1917 — NOVEMBER 20, 2000

IN

MEMORY

OF

CAPTAIN

ERNEST

PRETSCH

AUGUST 21, 1911 — NOVEMBER 14, 2000

PAGE 50 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

CAPTAIN HARRY R. HUNZEKER AUGUST 20, 1923 - DECEMBER 15, 2000 I have had the privilege and the joy of loving and being loved by a truly wonderful human being, my husband, Harry. I've shared this love with many, his family who all adore him, his friends, colleagues, the Kansas City Chiefs, the girls at the bank, the flight attendants, and girls in general. It seemed that wherever we traveled or made our home Harry gathered a circle of friends. There was always room in his heart for another.

Harry enjoyed a challenge. He decided quite young that he wanted to fly airplanes. All he knew at that time was farming but he managed to become a very good pilot and is proud to have earned his wings by the age of 21. Whatever Harry tried, he did his best - a legacy he has passed on to his children.

When called by the Navy to enter the Korean War, Harry did not complain and he did not hesitate to serve his country. He flew over 50 missions off the Boxer. When he married Arlene and their children were born he worked two and three jobs to support his quickly growing family. He became one of TWA's best pilots and managed to raise his family with a lot of help from Arlene, I suspect, while opening dry cleaning stores. When he lost his wife to cancer at an early age, Harry had to take on full responsibility of the home and the children. This was in addition to being a pilot, a red coater for the Chiefs, dry cleaning owner and cattle rancher again with no complaints.

Fondly known as "Snuffy" by his Navy squadron; "Captain" by his colleagues, "Crash" by the K.C. Chiefs, "Fearless" by his accountant; and "Mr. H" at the casinos, Harry touched many lives.

He treated everyone, from the Emperor of Ethiopia to the girls at his favorite car wash, with the same deferential respect.

True to his character Harry faced his most recent and biggest challenge without a complaint.

I wish to thank Arlene, for "loaning" Harry to me these past almost 20 years. I know she is there to welcome him home. I will miss him greatly but I know he is in good hands.

PAGE 51 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

Harry was born August 20, 1923, in Humboldt, Nebraska. He served as a fighter pilot in the Korean War and was awarded four air medals plus other commendations for support of the United Nations troops. He retired as a Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Following the war, Harry was employed by TWA and retired as a Captain in 1983 after 31 years of service. In 1970 he was selected as TWA's Flight Deck Man of the Year. From 1965 to 1982 Harry was the pilot for the Kansas City Chiefs and was affectionately referred to as "Crash" Hunzeker. Upon his retirement from TWA, the Chiefs christened him their "Hall of Fame Pilot." Harry was active in the Kansas City business community, starting a chain of dry cleaning stores in 1960 and a yogurt franchise in I 984.

Harry was active with the Chiefs as a Red Coat booster for many years. He served on the Board of Directors for five years and as President for two years. He was a member of the Quiet Birdmen, Association of Naval Aviation, Tailhook Association, TWA Seniors and TARPA.

by Sharon Hunzeker

IN MEMORY OF RUSSELL E. OLSON DECEMBER 17, 1920 — DECEMBER 19, 2000

IN MEMORY OF CAPTAIN ROBERT J. EARLEY FEBRUARY 14, 1922 — DECEMBER 13, 2000

IN MEMORY OF CAPTAIN GEORGE A. SEABORG NOVEMBER 9, 1925 — NOVEMBER 24, 2000

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REQUIEM FOR AN AIRLINE -- A TWA MEMOIR by Bill Dixon As a long-time retired TWA pilot, I am deeply saddened that after 75 years the oldest airline in the U.S. is being taken over by American Airlines. TWA, once one of the top three airlines, along with United and American, is following other pioneer airlines such as Pan American, Eastern and Braniff, into extinction.

The announcement came one day before my 83rd birthday -- a depressing present! I enjoyed every working day of my 41 years with TWA, riding out its ups and downs, going off to war, and returning from military leave in 1945. Another big year 1978, Airline deregulation began, and the expanded competition started TWA on its downward slide toward oblivion.

This descent was speeded when corporate raider Carl Icahn took over control of TWA in the mid 1980s. He departed in 1993, but not before he sold important overseas routes to other airlines, including American. The influence of the eccentric Howard Hughes, who owned the majority of TWA stock for 25 years, beginning in 1940, was also detrimental. His unpredictably was lendary.

I treasure fond memories of TWA in Kansas City, where I started at age 18 on December 28, 1936, as a ticket agent at $90 per month in the downtown office. I had to learn shorthand to get the job, and was one of its youngest employees. I had been a sophomore in junior college and lived in the small town of Nevada, Missouri. On arrival in KC, I rented a room for $15 per month, including breakfast, and rode a streetcar to the office. The workweek was 48 hours.

Bill Dixon age 19 on the job.

TWA had 1100 employees in 1937, and flew 21-passenger DC-3s. In those days, if a flight were delayed -- and they often were in the winter due to the DC-3's lack of fuel capacity to reach distant alternates -- we called the passengers to advise them of the delays, often setting them up on trains to their destination. Can you imagine such service today?

I was promoted to the public relations department in January 1939, and in October, now earning $140 a month; I married my hometown sweetheart (62nd anniversary this year), renting a fully furnished apartment for $33 per month. With the advent of WW2, I enlisted in the Army Air Corps, learned to fly, and on return to TWA in September 1945, I was accepted into copilot training, which had been my dream when I enlisted.

Photo left to right: Lee Swigart, Ab Hinshaw, Joe Letzkus and Bill Dixon at the only downtown Kansas City TWA office about late 1937.

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I continued my flying career for another 32 years, retiring as chief pilot in New York. All our international flight crews were based there, and I enjoyed many interesting experiences, including flying the White House Press to Europe and Asia on several occasions accompanying Presidents Nixon and Ford. Exposure to California weather, when I was chief pilot in San Francisco in the seventies, is what brought us back to San Jose to retire.

TWA has a fine management and employee group today, headed by president and CEO Captain Bill Compton, but is overwhelmed by inherited debts and the staggering increase in jet fuel costs. Employment has dropped from a top of near 40,000 at one time to 20,000 today. The company and its employees no doubt will be better off with American Airlines, but fond memories of the airline, formed in October, 1930, as Transcontinental and Western Air (TWA) through merger of Transcontinental Air Transport and Western Air Express, will forever remain with me.

Kansas City Municipal Airport REQUESTS From time to time, we get requests for copies of the book that Ed Betts wrote and the Editor helped promote, "The Making of An Airline." That book, thankfully, has long been sold out and cannot be redone. I do know that some of our kind readers, for one reason or another, have been willing to donate their books to the less fortunate. If anyone feels that they no longer want to keep their copy, please let the Editor know so that I can assist in finding a proper home for it.

Another request comes from our regular contributor, Dan McIntyre. Dan supplies TOPICS with photographs and books for our use in almost every issue. They come from his extensive collection of TWA memorabilia. In fact, Dan has a veritable museum in his house and it may very well be the largest in existence. He asks especially for old copies of TARPA TOPICS but he guarantees a suitable display for any bits of TWA history that you may care to send. His address: Mr. Dan McIntyre, 175 Sandy Shore Dr. Granite City, IL 62040 Tel. 618-931-1112

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CHARTER TO RIYADH F8785-CLE-LHR-RUH-CDG-CLE -15-20 Sept. 1978 by Dick Carter On each occasion that there is a flare-up in the Middle East it brings to mind TWA's minor lateral involvement in such an event. This is the story of that flight that resulted in flying one of the most interesting trips of my time as a TWA pilot.

In 1978 after 25 years in SFO the time came that I could bid JFK with the reasonable expectation that I would be able to fly International which had been a long time ambition. After going through all the hoops and qualifying to do so, I spent my first summer and the beginning of fall on reserve and flying open time. International flying was all that I hoped it to be.

On Sept. 13th Crew Schedule called and said that we have a charter flight for you tomorrow, Deadhead Cleveland, layover, and fly Heathrow, layover, fly Riyadh, layover, ferry Rome, fly charter JFK. It sounded like a great flight, and though I felt sure that Riyadh was the capital of Saudi Arabia, I wasn't even sure what part of the country it was in. Had to go look it up on a map.

The trip started out routinely, report to JFK, pick up the charter kit, meet the crew, and deadhead to Cleveland that evening. The crew were: Charlie Wilder-F/0, Bill Brackett-F/E, Janet Nuttle-Purser, C/A's-Susan Frederick, Gayle Mertz, Wendy Taylor, and Bill Walsh.

The next morning we went to the airport and prepared for a routine departure and flight to LHR. The only thing odd about the flight was the passenger load-15 in a charter configured 707 and the amount and kind of cargo they put on the a/c. They were all from the Cleveland Clinic, 6 doctors, 7 nurses, and 2 administrators. Dr. Mehdi Razavi, an Iranian cardiologist was in charge of the party. In the course of the flight and conversations with them we were told that they were going to Riyahd to conduct a survey and inspection of the King Faisal Hospital, which they had helped to set-up. The cargo was medical apparatus and supplies for the hospital.

The flight was routine, but we were put on a hard-stand on arrival and the passengers picked up at the a/c by a number of Mercedes sedans. We were impressed, but gave it no more thought other than the level of curiosity going up about the special treatment. Quiet layover, but there were all the indications the next morning that the medical team had enjoyed their London layover to the fullest extent.

We departed LHR the next day about noon. The passenger load had increased by 2, for we had picked up 2 more doctors, one of whom was Dr. Donald Effler, former head of Cardiovascular Surgery at Cleveland Clinic and now head of surgery at a Syracuse hospital. Dr. Effler had operated on the present king, Khalid, when he was Crown Prince in 1972. More mystery.

The next leg was beautiful. The flight plan took us across France, parallel to the Alps, across Yugoslavia and northern Greece. By the time we got to Cyprus it was dark and as we crossed Beirut, Lebanon there was a full eclipse of the moon. It was one of the most beautiful nights and

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scenes that I had ever seen. It was particularly poignant when you thought of what was going on in that beautiful little country at that time.

With such a small passenger list it was possible to get everyone in the cockpit at some point to see the eclipse and anything else of interest. Some of the doctors were of a technical mind and wanted to know all about the navigation equipment. Since we had one of the first of the Omega sets they were i mpressed, though I didn't tell them that we weren't particularly.

On arrival Riyadh the medical team received the Mercedes treatment again, and we got the International carryall treatment. We were put in a small motel type hotel however, and it was adequate. The cabin team wanted to go to the souk the next day, so the contractor agent agreed to pick us up and take us there before our flight out.

Off we went to the bazaar the next day. I was pleased to see that the cabin team were conservatively dressed and had most of the "enticing" parts covered. More about that later. The bazaar was an interesting place, and I have never seen so much gold on display and being worn.

The veiled women were covered with it, some with face covers made with gold jewelry and filigree. Even the small little girls were wearing it. The children were cute as can be, but it was impossible to communicate with them, and you got the feeling that the mothers would just as soon not. It became I very apparent that neither were the merchants, and particulary, the gold shops eager to do business with we Americans.

Just as we were finishing up our tour of the bazaar, an older Arab, who I assume was a mullah, or religious policeman, came along in the company of a young uniformed Arab. He was carrying a cane switch and he was not happy with our ladies. He came at them, yelling, with the switch raised, but didn't strike one of them. We were lucky to get out of there without further incident.

Off we went to the airport for the next leg to Rome. Charlie Wilder and I went to find Operations to pick up the release and flight plan while Bill Brackett went to do the pre-flight. Pretty soon he is back and tells us that there is a guard on the airplane, and he can't get near it. About then I was called to the Civil Aviation Directors office for a phone call from the Royal Protocol Office. I was told that the Royal Cabinet had issued a decree that the crew and aircraft would remain in Riyadh to return the Clinic team to the U.S. and that this was at the request of the medical team.

I told the official of the problem that this created for TWA. He asked if I could guarantee a return flight to the U.S. by TWA for the team. I told him that I could not without consulting TWA Planning in Paris or Rome Dispatch. He said in no uncertain terms, "No phone calls." He would let me know in an hour what the decision was.

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Being more than a little p.o.'d by this decision and his attitude I started looking for a phone and fortunately found one in a back office with a young Arab who hadn't received the publicize the story. Telephone calls would be monitored and if there was any mention of the operation the call would be terminated.

When John finished his explanation I reminded him that this whole affair had caused considerable inconvenience to TWA and that if there was any further delays that TWA should be released from the commitment.

We were given a baby-sitter by the Saudia's. He turned out to be a young distant relative of the royal family who had been educated as a civil engineer in France and spoke very good English.

He hated the assignment with us but was very pleasant, so we adopted him and took him to dinner with us each night at the Saudia's expense, which he was very happy about.

The operating medical team was invited to dinner that night after the operation and King Khaled made an exception an invited three of the nurses. They were all impressed. One of the things I found most interesting, Dr.Fawzy Estanfanous, the cardio-thoracic anesthetist on the team, was an Egyptian. He appeared extremely nervous after the operation, and it was fairly obvious he wanted to get out of the country as soon as possible. I think that he was the only one on the team that realized the seriousness of the situation if the King died, and he didn't regard it as just an interesting experience.

The team had one more request of us. We stayed the following day and John Floria came to me and said that the team didn't really want to go home non-stop. They really would like to make one more stop in Europe on the way home. What would we suggest? Well, I said, it appears the airplane is yours, you have been to London, Madrid is nice or somewhere in Switzerland and then there is always Paris. He consulted with the rest of the team and the decision was that they wanted to go to Paris and spend a night.

Charlie Wilder and I worked up a flight plan route, advised TWA Planning and Dispatch what the request was, waited for the answer. It soon came back approved. So Paris it was.

There had always been in the back of my mind that there might be a problem with the incidental expenses signed for by all of us. It had already been my experience with a few that the word did not seem to trickle down to the guy who handled the bills in spite of the grandiose statements by the higher-ups,"that expense was no object and Saudia (airline or king?) would take care of everything."

The first day at the hotel we went back to the airport to check on the airplane, make sure it was secure. It was. Our TWA mechanics on assignment there had closed it up but in addition had helped themselves to a few of the beverages ala the Boston Ramp Rats. On our arrival the Saudia custom agents had been extremely reluctant to come aboard the airplane. Janet Nutter, Purser had to really persuade them to seal the liquor cabinets. Their method of sealing was to use glued stickers. These didn't stay glued long in 100 plus heat, to the gratification of our mechanics. The cabin team was concerned when I told them what happened that there would be enough liquor to serve the medical team on the way home for they were all 50 dying for a drink after non-alcoholic Saudia.

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When I got back to the hotel I told the hotel manager to pay the cab driver. He screamed to high heaven. I hope the driver got his fare. Later when we checked out the cashier wanted to know whom the extra person was on our dinner charges. Oh, I said he is one of yours. It was our Saudia baby-sitter. I heard no more of that, but when our cabin attendants checked out there were some pretty fantastic phone bills. They took the managers word for it and made the most of that wonderful satellite phone system. It was the close of their bid period, so each had to call JFK Schedule, and I think most of them called home to various parts of the U.S. The cashier wanted payment from them, and I told him to bill Saudia. About that time Ben Hosler of the Clinic Security office, showed up, and the cashier wanted to bill him for his phone charges. He told the cashier in no uncertain terms to bill the King for all of his and our charges and if that wasn't satisfactory to bill Cleveland Clinic. That settled it.

Off we went to Paris. The medical team asked us to stay at their Hotel de Crillon on Place De La Concorde, but the crew was ready to take a break and go to the crew hotel, the Concorde Lafayette. Shortly after our check in though I received a message from John Floria that we were invited to a cocktail party at their hotel, that a limo would pick us up and that we were to be their guests at the Folies Bergere. We had a wonderful evening, I hope and suppose at the Kings expense.

The next day we flew home to Cleveland, the end of a great and most interesting trip.

Sadly the Shah was later deposed. King Khalid came to Cleveland and was operated on again a few months later. He died not too long after that and his brother Crown Prince Fahd became king.

This was a case of exceptional service by an outstanding crew costing TWA a lot of inconvenience. I never found out if TWA got paid for its costs and losses and who paid for what. I always suspicioned that Saudia Airlines used the medical teams request to have us fly them home from Riyadh as a way out of a situation that they would just as soon let someone else take responsibility for.

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Captain George K. Rice Remembered Prologue by The Editor Sometime last summer, Gene Richards, a longtime friend from San Francisco, called to tell me about conversations that he had with a neighbor in the San Diego area. The neighbor turned out to be the daughter of the late TWA Captain George Rice. She told Gene that she had a box of memorabilia that George had kept after his long career as a pilot She asked Gene if he knew anyone who would be interested in having George's souvenirs. Gene called me, and I said that I was sure that several individuals and groups with whom I had been working would love to acquire such special pieces of history. I asked Gene to send the package to me so that I could attempt to determine a suitable place for preservation of the material. I must admit that I also wanted to see if there was a story for TOPICS in it.

The name, George Rice, was in my memory bank because when I was in my first year with TWA, one of my roommates, Jess Fiser, spoke of him in connection with a special flight assignment he flew in recovery operations after the TWA-United mid-air collision over the Grand Canyon. Jesse had been Co-pilot for Larry DeCelles on a DC-3 from Kansas City. I also knew that George was Chief Pilot at Los Angeles but that's about all.

When I received the memorabilia from Gene, I was fascinated by the many personal things in the box. They included his pilot licenses, logbooks, photographs, news clippings, an ALPA pin and his original leather helmet and goggles. It even contained a holster from the days when pilots carried side arms. Since I was aware of George's participation in the Grand Canyon operation, I became intrigued by the fact that the box contained numerous references to plane crashes. In those early learning days of aviation, George was involved in numerous crashes, most of them as a witness or in search and rescue or as an investigator. Coincidentally, in early January of this year, I received a story from Captain Al Reno about his father's accident at Kansas City in 1943. The investigating officer was George Rice. Al's story completes our review of one man's career with Western Air Express and TWA. The fascinating story by Mary Schliep is the most illustrative but we include a small piece about how George gained some measure of notoriety when he crashed his single engine Mail Plane and was missing for a day. That event is also mentioned later in these pages.

The box also contained several copies of old Flight Crew Pay Cards of the kind that were used in the Fifties. They recorded the flights Captain Rice made in the Grand Canyon recovery operations. They showed the First Officer to be another old friend of mine, Mary Schliep. I called Mary and asked if he would like to write something about George Rice and those events.

Mary agreed without hesitation. His very interesting story follows accompanied by numerous photos, most from the George Rice collection.

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My Memories of George Rice by Mary Schliep I met Captain George Rice, Los Angeles Chief Pilot, in May 1956. My first domicile was Midway Airport in Chicago. I was there for two years before being able to transfer to the west coast. TWA opened a new bidding category called Regular Reserve First Officer and, I had bid a Los Angeles vacancy as a Regular Reserve and was awarded the bid in 1956.

Upon arriving in Los Angeles, I went LAX to report to the Chief Pilot. I was ushered into Captain Rice's office and introduced myself. He came from behind the desk and shook my hand and asked about the move and about my family and did we have a place to live. I said yes, and he then said that he would lend me some money until payday because he knew it was expensive to move. I told him I did not need a loan. I thanked him and took my leave. Unfortunately, two weeks later the battery in my car went dead and I had to open a charge account at Sears to be able to buy a new one.

Our next meeting was June 30, 1956. I was called out as a reserve to fly First Officer on a DC-6 George Rice signed the release as captain, Captain Granny Lansdell flew left seat and I was in the right seat. We were to fly to the Grand Canyon to search for our TWA Connie and a UAL DC-6 missing since the day before. By the time we got to the canyon the two aircraft had been found near the point where the Little Colorado River and the Colorado meet. Granny was sent back to Los Angeles so, it was it was George and me in the DC-3. We spent the first night at Winslow. George wanted to find the Chinese restaurant he ate in when he flew through Winslow in the Thirties. He also wanted to see if that cute waitress was still there. We finally found a restaurant but he wasn't sure that it was the same one and there wasn't a cute waitress there.

Next day, July 1, we picked up Paul Fredrickson, TWA Director of Flying, and flew back to the Grand Canyon. George was in the left seat, me in the right seat and Fredrickson standing between us. Paul Fredrickson had a terrible reputation. He hated co-pilots and he didn't get along with Captains but he was very nice to me. That night back at Winslow after having a drink in Paul's room we once again looked for another Chinese restaurant.

We departed Winslow on July 2, for Flagstaff and to the canyon. Grand Canyon airport had two dirt runways but no other facilities. Los Angeles sent a maintenance foreman to take care of our airplane. Before long a DC-3 from Kansas City arrived piloted by Captain Larry DeCelles and First Officer Jesse Fiser bringing in TWA Management Officials. Now the Grand Canyon contingent consisted of John Collings, TWA President, Ray Bartles, Western Region Manager, Gordon Gilmore, TWA Vice-President of Public Relations, Paul Fredrickson and George Rice.

As I recall Larry and Jesse returned to Kansas City and George and the others stayed at the El Tovar lodge. I was put up at the Bright Angel Lodge. George invited me to have dinner at his table with the TWA President and Vice-Presidents. They would all have a cocktail. I didn't since I had to fly the next day, but George wouldn't have this, so he ordered me to have a drink with them. George was a real character, lots of jokes and laughter, and sometimes he would get up and dance with the waitress until Ray Bartles would tell George to stop dancing and sit down.

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Later, since I had very large room at Bright Angel Lodge I had to share it with George Sleeth, ALPA LAX Council Chairman, Jasper Solomon ALPA Safety Chairman for LAX and a Flight Engineer named Smith from Kansas City representing the FEIA. On July 3 we started flying to Flagstaff picking up a cargo of body bags, etc. It was very hot in that July and Flagstaff sits in a big bowl. We got off the ground OK but, it took a long time to climb out of that big bowl, always circling with only a two or three hundred foot rate of climb and the right engine backfired continually on take-off. I would say, "George, do you hear that HCP0724-/56GRANDCYO: largest single piece of wreckage of The AtheTrans-wold irlines plane which crashed and burned he is this section of the fuselage engine back-firing?' He swhotiecnamfhirlnedapctur of the planes itself.

By Dexter Alley, NBC-TV News UNITED PRESS TELEPHOTO would say, "Its OK son.

Don't worry about it." On our flights between Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon, George was looking for fire lookouts and ranger stations where he dropped mail and newspapers in the thirties. Also, flying low, he would look for antelope herds he remembered seeing in those days.

The Army had arrived by this time, with helicopters and ground personnel to fly down to the wreckage to remove bodies. Mornings were always cool with no wind but the afternoons were hot and windy. So mornings were best for the helicopters to get down into the canyon. But George and I were flying mornings and afternoons. Every flight with the right engine backfiring.

I would look down at our ground crew as we took off, with the engine backfiring and all those faces looking up at us, and George saying, "its OK son, don't worry about it." All of our afternoon flying was with strong crosswinds and blowing dust and dirt. George was a terrific VFR pilot and made great landings despite those strong crosswinds.

I had a rented car, so when anyone coming to the canyon wanted a ride from Flagstaff, I would drive down to get them. I picked up Captain Dave Halperin, ALPA Safety Chairman for Kansas City and Captain Buddy Hagins, Kansas City Council Chairman.

I also had a trip to Tuba City on the Navajo Indian Reservation. Captain Urb Kampsen, TWA Vice-President of Training and some other ALPA and TWA people decided to drive to the Reservation, which was just east of the Grand Canyon, to look for any objects that may have come from the Connie or DC-6, blankets, luggage or anything else. They didn't find anything but, that afternoon I got a call from them. They had knocked a hole in the gas tank and were stranded until the Indian police found them and towed them back to Tuba City. They wanted me to drive down and pick them up. I got there about dark and found them eating hamburgers and

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thinking bourbon and water. The hole in the gas tank had been fixed by then. So about Ten o'clock, we were going to drive back to the Grand Canyon. Everyone jumped into my car; they did not want to ride with Kampsen because of the drinking. After midnight, I could see that I was going to run out of gas, so I pulled into a gas station. It was closed, but it looked like someone lived upstairs so maybe I could still get gas. Kampsen drove up and said, "Why are you stopping?" I told him that I needed gas. He said, "get in your car, if you run out of gas, I'll push you." I got back in the car and about midnight I ran out of gas. Urb came up behind me, hit the bumper and we were off! No traffic so I had the headlights off We were going 60 miles an hour but, I had to break on the sharp curves and always watch out for deer. We made it safely to the Grand Canyon about two in the morning. My passengers slept all the way. They never knew what a wild ride they had.

Remember, I said that four of us were sharing a room, but we only had one key. The last one to leave the room left the key with the front desk. One day I came back to the go to the room, checked with the clerk and he said," which one are you? Sleeth, Schliep, Solomon or Smith?" It sounded like a real comedy act.

After a few days in that room, I noticed that my back was breaking out with lots of red pimples.

I asked the other guys in the room to look at it. They decided that I must have shingles. I said no, there was no pain. It must be something else. Well, they thought the stress of the accident and flying the bodies out was the probable cause. No I said, I had spent two years in the Tenth Air Rescue squadron in Fairbanks, Alaska and had flown bodies out from accidents before. So it was a mystery as to what was causing my to be so red. One morning at four o'clock when I got up to fly, I turned on the light and threw back the blanket. The sheet was covered with bugs. I captured a few of them in a metal Band-Aid box. That afternoon, after flying, I went to the Grand Canyon Hospital, saw a doctor and asked him to identify the bugs. He opened the box on his desk and they were gone in seconds. Oh, he said, those are bed bugs. So now I knew why my back was red. Back at the hotel, I took the Manager to my room, lifted the mattress and the bed rails were covered with thousands of bed bugs. We checked the other three beds but found no bugs. So we moved to another room and had the hotel dry clean our uniforms and wash all of our clothes.

Frank Busch, Vice-President of Operations arrived and, he and other TWA and ALPA people flew in an Army helicopter to the crash site.

That afternoon the wind came up, too strong now to fly down and pick them up. So, they had to spend the night at the site. The Army dropped sleeping bags and water to get them through the night.

Two famous Lockheed test pilots, "Fish" Salmon and Tony Lavier flew in to view the some Connie

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wreckage. I saw the skin from the belly of our Connie. The slash marks from the United props was very visible. We could see the paint smears from the props. Remember, United prop tips were painted red, white and blue. We could see that the Connie was on top and the DC-6 was below when they collided.

TWA had a Memorial Service at Flagstaff for the victims. Larry DeCelles and Jess Fiser flew into Phoenix with family members of the victims. George and I brought them to Flagstaff. The Memorial was at the Flagstaff Cemetery. All TWA Flight personnel attended in uniform. TWA displayed a large drawing showing the Memorial that they would build. It would include the names of all the victims. I have never been back but others have I know have seen it.

After the service, George and I flew family members back to Phoenix where they could connect with regular flights home. We then flew to Los Angeles. We had clouds and a low ceiling at LAX requiring an ILS approach. George was not a good instrument pilot, so I had to guide him through the approach to keep him on the localizer. He would get confused as to which way to turn. This did not embarrass him. He must have told all his friends at the LAX domicile because for months after I would fly with Captains who told me that George called me his instrument instructor.

I was with George for twelve days and we became friends. Whenever I saw him at LAX, he would come to me, shake my hand and ask what I was flying and how I was getting along. It was a great experience meeting so many great TWA and ALPA pilots. I only regret that it happened as a result of a most terrible human tragedy.

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This signed photograph, date unknown, was one of many in the George Rice collection. From left: Ted Moffit, Jack Walsh, Ted Hereford, Amos Collins, Franklin Young, Eddie Bellande, Dutch Holloway, Swede Golien, Paul Richter, Walt Seyerle, Lew Goss, Felix Preeg, George K. Rice

A GATHERING OF OUR EARLIEST EAGLES

Captain George Rice Retires

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George Rice? Sure, I remember once when the two of us were in Winslow back in the 30's -- but for cryin' out loud, you can't put that in print! Boy! Then there was the time George landed his ship load of passengers in a dry gulch when the heater caught on fire....gosh, was that something, but you don't want to talk about that.

And so it goes when you start talking to some of George Rice's old flying buddies about the "good old days." George retired from TWA last month after some 29 years of flying for Western Air Express, one of TWA's predecessor companies, and TWA as we know it today. Before he started putting in airline time he flew for Uncle Same as a pilot in World War I and then as a border patrol pilot between Mexico and the U. S. But even though some of his buddies like Lee Flanagin, Lew Goss, Bill Campbell, Eddie Bellande and Avery Black are pretty close-mouthed about some of their mutual experiences (self-incriminating, they say) some of the stories leak out.

Like how Bellande and Rice always finagled their schedules so their layovers would be in the same city at the same time -- then watch out! One favorite trick was to dine at a nice Italian restaurant in San Francisco, load up on garlic, and then go to a movie. A clear view of the screen was always assured as other patrons rapidly cleared the area!

There were more serious experiences, too, like the time George cracked up in a Northrup mail plane in the Newhall Pass in California. George was seriously injured and when rescuers finally reached him he was p ractically raving mad -not with pain (though there was plenty of reason to be) but because he couldn't find his false teeth! Ashes were sifted, the cow pasture carefully searched, until George finally discovered the missing dentures in the pocket of his flying jacket.

But putting the humorous stories aside, George Rice is a living example of the men who made flying what it is today. They flew the Ford Tri-Motors, the fourengined Fokker F-32s, the DC-2's, on up to the Constellations and the Super-G. They flew the first and they flew the finest and aviation will always be indebted to their daring, their perseverence, their imagination and foresight. They made aviation what it is today and what it will be tomorrow.

Just for the record, George Rice was district manager of flying in Los Angeles when retirement age caught up with him. The more fortunate pilots under his supervision learned to know that his "bark was worse than his bite," that despite his rugged looks and deep frown, he had a heart of gold. People who didn't know him that well, sort of felt that way anyway. He couldn't hide the fact that he was a hellava nice guy!

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Left to right, George Rice, pilot; Major C.E. Mosby, pilot; Bill Stupp and Sam Greenwald A QUICK CHANGING PICTURE UNFOLDS ON FIRST W. A. E. TRIP Their Impressions of the Flight From Kansas City to Los Angeles Are Described by Franklin Moore and F. H. Reid.

At the request of The Star, Franklin Moore vicepresident end general manager of Fairfax Airports, Inc., has told his Impressions as a passenger on the first Western Air Express plane to fly from Kansas City to Los Angeles, in its opening of a coast to coast rail-air service. F. H. Reid of Woolf Brothers, has also given his impressionsto the Associated Press.

Hollywood June 2nd, 1929 — The Heart of America in the morning and the city of angels that night: Winging over the Santa Fe Trail high above the dust and heat, the local storms the discomforts of turns and twists in roads and delays of small town traffic. The fleecy clouds all around and the great panorama of God's handiwork spread out below in an unending vista of everchanging interest.

That was the feeling experienced by those who flew from Kansas City to Los Angeles on the first trip of the Western Air Express. When we boarded the giant Fokker with its three Wasp motors idling, our feeling of confidence and security was strengthened by the obvious strength of the ship.

WERE QUICKLY AWAY We left the field before we knew It and soon were away from Kansas City over the beautiful green hills of Eastern. Kansas. Ere long, wEasmopnurlight,adbyeimw

were well acquainted with each other, Wichita, with its oil wells on the outskirts and its hangars and airports on the edge of the residence district was below. We had maps with air trails indicated and compass directions, and it was a simple matter to follow the course. Towns and cities arrived in their proper places and there was no deviation from the course. To those of us who had flown across Kansas many times, the few hours seemed commonplace though the oil derricks in the El Dorado field and the great plains west and south of Wichita gave us an opportunity to brag of the middle West to the four Shriners from Milwaukee who were on their way to the conclave in Los Angeles.

Miss Marjorie Sheets of Chillicothe, MO. ; our only woman passenger, enjoyed the trip like a veteran. At air airports where we stopped for gasoline the crowds seemed impressed that a young woman should think it so convenient to make such a trip. Crossing the Texas line shortly after noon gave us a thrill, with luncheon at Amarillo, only fifteen minutes away.

SMALL BOYS FIND DEMPSEY. As they "gassed" the ship, we enjoyed the

delightful lunch prepared by Max Snyder, the maitre d' hotel Hotel Baltimore. Before the "gas" loaded the crowd began to gather, and in a few minutes Jack Dempsey was surrounded by a hundred or more small boys. Jack had been delighted with the trip and now is convinced that air transportation is the solution of his many voyages between New York and Chicago and his home In Hollywood. Our pilot, Royal Leonard, left the controls in the hands Of L.J.Chiappino, then came back to talk with us and autographed the many letters to home folks the passengers were writing.

The two men gave us frequent information of interest regarding the countryside over which we were winging. From Amarillo to Albuquerque was at first comparatively uninteresting. Then we began to enjoy the beauties of mountains, gulches, arroyos and picturesque mesas stretching into the distance.

The weather was tine, so we didn't stop in Holbrook, but flew on over more mountains to Kingman, where we landed with the aid of the powerful searchlights imbedded in the wings.

A new supply of gas there took only a few moments, and the fact we were leaving Kingman in the dark with 220 miles to go before

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we arrived at our destination gave us no thought of fear.

Lieut. George K. Rice and his co-pilot, Licut Jack Walsh, who now were our pilots, had flown over those miles many times and knew every trick and turn of the air. With lights turned on in the cabin, dinner out of the way we sat back in our seats, we read newspapers, chatted of our plans and lost all realization of the fact that we were 12,000 feet higher than Kansas City, according to the altimeter in front of us, though we were only about 3,000 feet above the land.

VALLEY LIGHTS APPEAR The time passed quickly and before long we saw the lights of the San Fernando Valley. The first town was San Bernardino and from there on they came in rapid succession, connected by the headlights of most cars on the highways. We were guided by the flashing

beacons lighted to protect our course.

The mighty Standard Oil beacon near Vail Field, our terminal, was a welcome sight and we were soon settling down at the western terminal of the longest regular air route line in present operation.

Photographers, reporters and friends were there to meet us. Bert Reid of Woolf Brothers whisked away in one big car; Arthur H. Strickland of the Woods Brothers Corporation, Roy Godsey of the Chamber of Commerce and myself driving away in a comfortable limousine with the courtesy of the Western Air Express.

The sensations of the trip were legion; the pleasures and delights came in such rapid succession as to defy enumeration, but it demonstrated that air transport is a thing of the present.

Left to right: Joe Kelly, Floyd Hall, Frank Busch, George Rice and Joe Battles

Left to right: Gene Gerow, John Collings, Eddie Bellande, George Rice, Hal Holloway, Mo Bowen and Ted Moffett

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` By

Oakland

February 27, 1929

—Whisk!

— L.

A.

LOS ANGELES EXAMINER

HESE are record-breaking days In air-

plane travel. A Western Air Express T twelve passenger airplane left the municipal airport at Oakland yesterday at 9:14a.m. and arrived at Vail Field, Los Angeles, at 11:10 a. m.

The trip of 365 air miles was made in one hour and fifty-nine minutes. The average speed was 183 miles per hour. Two days ago a similar airplane, a huge Folker, made the flight from Oakland to Los Angeles in two hours and five minutes, an average speed of

178 miles per hour.

The record made yesterday is believed to be the fastest time ever recorded by a large cabin passenger airplane for such a distance. The ship was piloted by George Rice and J. L. Bartlett. It was a regularly scheduled, passenger trip.

George Rice, the chief pilot, explained that the remarkable speed was attained by taking advantage of wind conditions reported by the Weather Bureau.

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January 9, 2000

Dear John,

I have been retired for more than two years now and am just getting around to dashing off this note to you along with the attendant story about an incident in my father's career as a TWA captain during the 40's and early 50's. There are still a few people around that may remember those days so it is with that in mind that I submit the account of this incident.

My father's name was Max Reno and he joined TWA in May of 1940 and actively flew until 1952 when he developed a physical problem, which grounded him. He subsequently started working at the "Training Center" at 10 Richards Road at MKC in the Link Trainer department.

I am not too familiar with that part of his career with the exception of recognizing a number of names that were associated with that department. He left TWA in 1954 and we moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. where he subsequently got his physical back and went to work flying for Mackey Airlines until his death at the age of in Aug. 1962.

In his personal papers were a couple of letters concerning an aborted takeoff that resulted in some bent aluminum on top of the dike at the south end of Kansas City Municipal Airport in July of 1943. While I was an instructor in the training center, I tried a couple of times to find more information about that incident in TWA's archives but was unsuccessful in locating any more info on the subject. A few months ago, I was surfing the net and came upon an internet site that specializes in "aircraft archeology"(www.aviationarcheology.com/azfuller). They research military aircraft accidents and since the DC-3 involved in this incident was leased to the military at the time, the records were available and I obtained the information in this way. Unfortunately, the records were on microfilm so the quality of the photographs and the reports are not as clear as I could wish. I am sending you a couple of copies of the photographs but I doubt whether you will be able to use them if you decide to print this article. What follows are a couple of eyewitness reports including my father's account of the incident followed by the company's internal correspondence. (I hope you don't mind copying or scanning the documents that you think are legible enough in at this point.) This account is not a terribly exciting story (you had to be there) but it is a small, small part of TWA history.

No one was seriously hurt in this accident but I can remember being in the car with my mother as she picked up my father at the 10 Richards Road door and seeing her burst into tears as he walked out the door. I had no idea what was going on but that is one of my earliest memories.

(Wish I could remember where I put my reading glasses an hour ago.)

The brevity of the paperwork concerning this incident is amazing. (I have done a lot more paperwork concerning an inebriated passenger than this incident entailed. I guess this is one reason why we call them the "good old days") The lack of a more detailed investigation is understandable, I guess, considering that the war was raging and men and aircraft were badly needed in service. (The payload that day was a planeload of Norden Bombsights destined for New York.)

Going down memory lane, I can identify three major factors that lead to a flying career for me.

I know that we all had those moments that were great influences on our decision to choose a

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flying career. The earliest memory I have is being about 4 years old (1944) and standing with my mother on the viewing deck at the old Kansas City Municipal terminal building looking off to the southwest trying to pick up the speck in the sky that was the arriving Albuquerque flight. I would watch it as it approached the airport, land and taxi up to the parking spot right below us and watch the propellers come to a stop and then seeing a head and hand stick out the cockpit window to wave to us. It is interesting that, even at that age, there was a feeling of pride that that was my Dad. Another factor was sitting around and listening to other pilots visiting in our home talking about, trips, people, weather and the FAA. It all seemed so intriguing to a youngster who listened and formed the mental images in his mind of how it must be to fly. Probably the most defining moment came when f was 14. I skipped school to fly a trip with my father from Palm Beach to West End, G.B. I can remember that trip like it was yesterday, me sitting in the jump seat of that DC-3 (which in those days was legal) and feeling the excitement as I saw his hand move the throttles forward for take-off and feeling the sense of power, hearing the increase of noise level and feeling the vibration attendant with the gathering of speed. As I watched him move the rudder pedals and control column to keep the airplane going down the centerline, the thought came to me, "I am so proud of him. I'm glad my Dad doesn't have a 9 to 5 job." I think that in that moment it all came together in my mind "this is for me."

I have often thought what a shame it was that our sons and daughters could not ride in the cockpit in order to see their Dads (and Moms) at work. I think it would have had a positive effect in their level of respect for their "fuddy-duddy" Dad's.

Well, I have rambled on long enough. (While in the midst of writing this article the announcement of the Chapter 11 and American Airlines development was made. With the possible disappearance of the TWA name, I thought I would get on the stick and send this in.)

Whether you use this article or not, I really enjoy TARPA and I enjoy, especially, seeing the names of people that I grew up hearing about as a kid growing up in a TWA family.

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The Breslin's CrissCrossCountry Trip to the Seattle Convention by Jim Breslin Although this will be read as a generic newsletter, the Christmas Wishes that go along with couldn't be more personal and heartfelt.

Erika and I thought that we would like to share some of our experiences of the past year with you In lieu of the postcards that we didn't send out, to let you know that we are doing just fine as gypsies of the open road. And although you might not recognize all of the names mentioned herein, or any of them at all, you are nonetheless, personally near and dear to us all the same.

It's hard to decide upon a starting point, but I guess it all began In the Summer of `99 when Erika said to me one day, "Once we sell the farm, let's go motor-homing full time while we still can."

Well, my jaw just about hit the floor. Erika, who two years before, had vowed, "Not me — you're not going to put me in a motor-home and campgrounds. That's not my lifestyle." Well don't you know, she fell in love with this lifestyle almost immediately and each time we got home, it was she who had the maps out, plotting our next trip before we even got settled-in again on the farm.

It might not be for everyone, but we love it. Campgrounds, as we have come to find out, are among the safest places to live, where you can walk away from your "rig" and not lock the door, and where your neighbors are among the friendliest and helpful people you will ever meet anywhere. We are loving it.

So, we put our farm up for sale and in the fall of `99 the Altfeders bought it from us, David and Cheryl, a super-nice family. In the meantime, we had ordered a new motor-home of the size, and outfitted with the conveniences that would re-describe our new lifestyle from just simply camping, to "Roughing it Smoothly".

Well don't you know, just as David and Cheryl were about to move onto their new farm, and just as the dealership in Florida had called me to say that our new motor home was to be delivered in 10 days, "Come on down and get it." Erika was out running with our dogs when Sweetie, the 65 pound Lab/Greyhound came running at her from behind, all in play, and down she went. (Erika, not the dog). The result, a broken leg in three places down at the ankle and an arm pulled from its' socket at the elbow.

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Well as good fortune would have it, and good friends gathered `round, Mary Hill learned through Greta Fleischer of a fully furnished condominium next to her's that was for rent. So knowing Mary's Impeccable taste and Greta's impeccable taste, I rented the condo sight unseen, ' and what a find it was. And our good fortune didn t end there. Through one of the wonderful nurses at the hospital who were tending to Erika while she was there waiting for surgery, and then recovering from surgery afterwards, we were Introduced to Betty Hynes, a wonderfully compassionate lady who looked after Erika at home in the condo, and later on in the motor-home, while she went through almost six months of therapy.

So what happened to the dog that ran into Erika and caused all this misery? Well, I offered to shoot it, (naw, I would never do that) when Erika intervened with, "No, It wasn't her fault. She was just playing. She couldn't help it." So Sweetie and Daisy are still part of the family and travel everywhere with us. And they love it as well.

And what happened to the motor home that was waiting to be picked-up In Florida? We went down to get it over the year-end holidays, Erika now in a wheelchair, and we moved into the motor home full-time in early February while she continued her therapy in Pinehurst through mid-May. Although our Odyssey was set back by almost six months, we finally got underway on May 16th, 2000, and what a magnificent adventure it has been.

Leaving Pinehurst, we headed towards Red Bay, Alabama where the motor home was built, to have some adjustments and modifications done to it. That was a two-week experience that was sometimes exasperating, but always interesting nonetheless. One thing that Erika noted as we traveled through Alabama was how well kept their cemeteries are, and the profusion of flowers that adorn every gravesite. That impressed her enormously.

Mind you, these jaunts that I'm about to describe didn't take place in only one day. Oh no, we don't travel more than 200 miles at a time and never stay put for less than two days, and much more if the fancy should take us.

Once the work was completed In Red Bay, and because we were some five months behind in our Itinerary, our original flight-plan went out the window and we headed for Livingston, Texas.

Livingston, Texas, you gasp! Yeah, you see we don't mind paying Income tax to a State where we're living, but if that isn't the case anymore, you head to a non-tax State and get registered there. So now we have Texas license plates J90-LSL on the Jeep that we pull along behind us, and J91-LSL on the motor home.

Well up the road a piece from Livingston, in a town called Alvarado, just south of Dallas/Fort Worth, live John and Susie Nelson, a dear old T.W.A. buddy of mine. (John, not Susie.) Susie is ' a wonderful lady in her own right. Well don t you know, when Buddy and Jody Spear found out that we were going to stop by John's place, they left their ranch In Montalba, Texas, to join in on the party, and what a lovely evening we all spent together, despite a torrential rainfall that

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greeted us as we pulled-up to John's home early that evening. As we drove up to the house, there they all were, huddled in rain-gear inside the garage with the doors wide-open, waiting to greet us. There were hugs and kisses and handshakes and beer mugs and we could not have been received more warmly than we were. What a great evening that was, and we will never forget It. That was the first stop along the way of many to come, all of which have enriched the memories of this adventure that we're enjoying along the open-road. No regrets from us whatsoever, so far.

Life is grand, and it doesn't get any better than this.

The next day we were off again, heading up 35W and 1-35 towards Oklahoma City. John had told us to watch out to our left as we went through Fort Worth for one of the high-rise buildings that had had most of its' windows sucked out by a tornado a short while before, and sure enough, there It was just as he described.

Pretty soon we were into Oklahoma and it is hard to describe the vastness of the cornfields where the "corn is as high as an elephants eye." Thousand upon thousands of acres of cornfields, for as far as the eye could see in any direction, and not a building of any kind to signify that someone might live there. Who looks after all of this, you have to wonder. Absolutely awesome as you leave the congestion of the east behind and enter into the prairies where the early settlers came to stake their claims and to start a new life. The novels and movies about the Old West begin to take on a sense of reality as you gaze at `the vastness of this frontier land.

Oklahoma City - home of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. Being tourists the name had some allure to it, but nothing like what we found when we got there. I expected to find a collection of famous cowboy belt-buckles and maybe a couple of Trigger's shoes, but it was nothing like that at all. It is a most magnificent presentation of western memorabilia and western art that you will find anywhere. The building and the grounds that surround It are absolutely spectacular and you really should dedicate a full day to begin to appreciate it to its' fullest. We will go back there again. It is a must-see stop on any visitor's list. And there were some wonderful restaurants that we enjoyed while we visited that great city.

Still on 1-35 we ventured Into Kansas where the corn-, fields began to give way to wheat-fields just as awesome as the cornfields we were leaving behind. Again, thousand upon thousands of acres of wheat for as far as the eye could see in any direction, and I went on to explain to Erika that this vast crop of wheat and of corn is what is known as the world's breadbasket.

There are no words to describe how minuscule one is made to feel when standing alone on this planet amidst its' open vastness, under a blanket of stars.

We left 1-35 at El Dorado, Kansas, and followed US 77 from there, all the way up through Nebraska to Sioux City, Iowa, heading for Connie and Wally Erickson's farm In Elk Point, South Dakota. But at Sioux City you have to cross into Iowa to join up with 1-29 to cross the Missouri River into South Dakota. Well when we were In Red Bay Alabama, Erika persuaded me to put one of those show-as-you-go maps on the side of the new motor-home, fighting me all of the way. I guess you know who won that little argument. So, because we had spent less than

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10 minutes in Iowa making that transition across the Missouri River, she thought we had earned the right to add the State of Iowa to our map, and that's when I really protested — ten minutes in any given State doesn't cut It, I told her. However, we did go back to visit Sioux City while we were In the area, and spent enough time, I thought, to have earned the right now to display that State on our map. So, we now proudly display the State of Iowa on the side of our motor home.

Once we got to Elk Point, Wally insisted that we camp on their farm, and that's where we settled-in for several days. Once again, we could not have been more warmly welcomed. Connie and Wally just couldn't do enough; it seemed, to make us feel at home. There we met two of their grandchildren who were visiting for the summer - two well-behaved, polite, and delightful young children -brother and sister. And there I got to know a side of Wally that had slipped past me I guess, during the time that I had known him until then. He was not only the swashbuckling, intrepid aviator I had known until then, but he is a very warm and compassionate family man as well. He has on a wall, a poem that was written by a friend of his, and which he displays rightfully proud. It is a romantic appreciation of the Erickson homestead, written more sensitively than I could possibly do.

Connie and Wally have set aside an area of their front yard where they've planted a tree for each of their grandchildren born. It is the grandchildren's' orchard.

Then one day we all hiked along Grandma's pathway, a path still maintained by Wally and his brother. It's a pathway that meanders to the top of a knoll overlooking the farm, and where there's a bench that's been placed there to sit and to rest, and to meditate, and to give thanks.

Not far from the bench, Tabby, their beloved cat has been laid to rest. From there, the pathway meanders back down to the house around a large pond. What an uplifting experience that was!

Well that's not all. We came to learn that the home we were visiting was actually a hybrid of their original home and that of Wally's mother who had lived about 3 or 4 miles away. When Wally and Connie thought about enlarging their home, they were inspired by a friend to move his mother's home the 3 or 4 miles, and to join It onto their own home. And that's what they did.

Power lines had to be raised as the home was lifted onto a flatbed truck and then carefully and meticulously inched down the road. It took from sunup to sundown to cover those 3 or 4 miles, but when the homes came together they fit just as snug as two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Nary a window was broken nor a brick dislodged from the chimney. Connie has now got it decorated like a country-home showcase.

Connie and Wally, and both grandchildren, took us out sightseeing in the local area and pointed out an old house along the way where Jesse James once hid-out. Then later that evening to a restaurant where the parking-lot jockey gets a ten-dollar tip if you let Wally con you along.

Wow, I thought. This is high living.

Are we having fun yet, or not? Each stop along the way has served to enrich our lives even more than we had ever hoped for. When we bid adieu to Connie and Wally they both warned us that we were headed for some awesome country, and that was no exaggeration.

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We took Highway 50 out of Elk Point, and then 37 to, 1-90, and then westward towards the Badlands of South Dakota where the Elk and the Buffalo roam freely in state parks. Then onward towards the Black Hills and Rapid City where Jesse James, Billy the Kid, the Dalton Brothers, Bonnie and Clyde, Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp, the only two defenders of the law among them, to name a few, wrote some of the early history of the Old West. They are revered and venerated throughout the area in tourist shop museums. And that's when you realize that these were real people of the time, not just fictitious names that were glamorized through western movies and novels.

Well the reason we've stopped In Rapid City is to view the Presidential faces carved in the side of Mount Rushmore. Of all the pictures I've seen of that monumental achievement, none comes anywhere near to portraying the incredible accomplishment that that monument reflects. It was an unbelievable accomplishment when you consider the men suspended by scaffolding against the cliffs of the mountainside, working with drills and dynamite, to etch out the faces of Lincoln and Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and Washington.

We took a tour bus from the campground we were in, and that Included a stop at a hired-handtype chow-house for dinner along the way. No menu. You get in line and file through the kitchen where the menu of the day is scooped onto your plate, and nothing ever tasted so good. And as you sit enjoying your western-style grub, you are entertained by a quad of musicians playing footstompin' music on guitars and fiddles in the style of the Old West, mellowed at times by ballads from The Sons of the Pioneers.

Then on to the amphitheater that faces the carved mountainside, just before sunset. The floodlights go on and a Ranger from the Parks Department goes on to describe the challenges that this magnificent undertaking presented at the time. And you stand before it in awe. No picture you've ever seen has ever truly captured the grandeur of this awesome monument.

Now just a few more miles on down the road just north of Custer, South Dakota, work is about 80% complete on a similar monument to Chief Crazy Horse, also being carved and blasted out of a mountainside. That work depends upon donations and has been halted from time to time because of lack of funds. But it will be completed as funds are donated and will be every bit as impressive as the Mount Rushmore monument is.

So you think that we're having too much fun and need to be brought to task. Well that is about to happen.

As we left Custer, South Dakota, on US-16, and then cut across the wilderness of Wyoming heading for 1-25 and Casper, via highways 450, 387, and 259, and now miles from nowhere, one of our "sniffer" alarms began to sound off. Well, there was nowhere to pull over to check out the problem. Everything seemed to be normal, and so we pressed on, hoping to make it to 1-25 before disaster struck us, and a rest area where I could get out and take a look for what might be

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causing the alarm to sound. My words to Erika were, "Let's keep a close eye on one another and if either of us begins to nod-off, we'll stop right here in the middle of the road and get out into the fresh air. It could be carbon monoxide, I reasoned.

Well, we made it to the first rest area on 1-25 where I discovered we had a leak in one of our radiators and were losing cooling fluid that was being atomized by the air-conditioning fan and sucked into the motor-home. A call to Good Sam had rescue on the way. A truck-tractor such as pulls those long-haul trailers down the highway, but pulling a flat-bed trailer instead, was there for us within an hour as promised by Good Sam. Now here's where the funny part starts because when I looked at this arrangement I couldn't figure out how this was going to solve the problem of getting us to a service center In Casper, Wyoming, some 35 more miles on down the road. That's when I noticed the tow-truck driver throw a hydraulic lever on the trailer and watched as the rear wheels of the trailer began to move forward under the flatbed, moving the fulcrum point forward until the rear of the trailer lowered to ground level. Then the driver climbed to the top of the now tilted flatbed and began to motion me to drive the motor-home forward onto the flatbed with only inches to spare on either side.

Talk about a circus act!

Well, I got it up there where he wanted it to be and watched as he anchored it down with chains.

Then he moved those rear wheels of the trailer back to their original position until the flatbed was level again. "Okay, now you guys follow me in your Jeep." he said, and off we went down 1-25 South, heading for Casper.' I can't tell you how many times I closed my eyes as I watched my new motor-home swaying from side-to-side on top of that flatbed as we headed south. I hoped that this guy realized that my motor home is going to need at least 18 feet clearance now to pass under any overpasses that might be ahead. Well, in all truth, this guy was a pro and I really had nothing to worry about.

Finally, we pulled into a Truck Service Center on the outskirts of Casper behind the tow-truck.

Now we went through the same procedure again as we had gone through to get the motor home up onto the flatbed in the first place. Once the motor home was safely back on the ground I had to ask the driver, as I looked about the neighborhood, if he thought this was a safe place to spend the night. Oh, did I forget? This was a Saturday afternoon and the Truck Center would not be open again until Monday morning. "Not to worry." the driver assured me. "There is no crime to worry about In Casper, Wyoming. You ' ll be perfectly safe here, trust me."

Okay, so there we were, stuck for the rest of the weekend. Need I describe to you what the view is like in the parking lot of a Truck Service Center on the outskirts of town? But we had our generator for electrical power, and I always keep a full tank of fresh drinking water on board, so we were all set. With a micro-wave convection oven working for us, plenty of air-conditioning available to us through three heat pumps, plenty of food in the refrigerator, and lots of fresh water on board, we were about to experience what "Roughing it Smoothly" is all about.

Well, we were just fine, thank you very much. Not to worry.

We had picked up a stone or a rock on that road through the wilderness of Wyoming and It had

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punctured a small hole in the radiator. The radiator was removed on Monday morning and sent out for repair and was back before closing on Monday afternoon. It was re-Installed on the motor home first thing Tuesday morning, and we were on our way under a full head of steam once again, now heading for Utah along US 220, and 287 to join up on 1-80 into Salt Lake City.

Aside from the fact that Wyoming is definitely cowboy country, we couldn't help noticing the incredibly long freight trains that travel through there, easily exceeding a mile in length, hauling coal we were told, for the Japanese market.

Once we arrived in Salt Lake City, I called my good buddy, Larie Clark. But he was still out on a trip and wouldn't be home until Monday, Sandy told me. That was fine because we had planned to spend a week in Salt Lake City anyway, because of all that there is to see there. And we weren't disappointed. Lane and Sandy and Marci took us everywhere — up and down mountainsides —in and out of canyons that Larie knows like the back of his hand from growing up there. There was not a dull minute all the while we were there. For me though, the highlight of that visit was being able to attend a Thursday evening rehearsal of The Mormon Tabernacle Choir. There I got to witness the meticulous standards that the choir sets for Itself In preparation for its' Sunday morning radio broadcast, and appreciated that, more perhaps, than I might have enjoyed the weekly-scheduled broadcast.

Oh, Larry and Sandy, and Marci, showed us such a wonderful time all the while we were there.

Lane even cooked flapjacks for all of us one morning. And while we were there, Lane got us invited to view one of the maiden test-flights of a gyro-plane that shows so much potential that we both bought shares in the company the following day.

Another memorable visit that exceeded all of our expectations, and that we will never forget.

We are constantly reminded throughout this journey that friendships such as we have experienced, weave the warmth and the joy of this good life. If you haven't recognized any of the names up `till now, please don't become discouraged. Stick with me; I think you'll enjoy the journey as much as we have.

1-15 north out of Salt Lake City to Dillon, Montana, and then 41 and 55 to 1-90. We spent more than a week travelling Inside of Montana looking for the "Big Sky" but saw very little of it. You see, there were 27 major forest fires, all out of control, raging through Montana at that time, and very often visibility was less than a mile on the highways. We'll have to return there another time to experience the Big Sky country, and we will.

Now we were heading for Sandpoint, Idaho, where Jamie and Sandy Jamieson live, and they were as delighted to see us, as we were to see them after many many years. They hadn't changed one bit in all the years since we'd seen them last.

When I asked them both how they had discovered such a beautiful place and what made them decide to live there, Jamie told us that they had been skiing there at one time and fell in love with the place. "And besides that " , Jamie went on, "there is only 1 person per 9 square miles in Idaho. " and that suits the two of them fine. Even while we were there, they were preparing their 5th, wheel to attend a family gathering in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and then on to Churchill to join

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with the polar bears in their annual frolic. No, that's not a Canadian curling team — they're real polar bears. We're anxious to hear how that went.

While we were there, Jamie reminded me that Bill and Marilyn Reid were not much farther north, In British Columbia, and so they were joined onto our list of friends to be visited. Jamie also told me that since we were going to the Vancouver area, Art and Beckie Cox are now living in Sydney, British Columbia, and so our list of stops along the way began to grow.

That was another delightful visit with two super-nice friends.

US-95 and highway 1 led us from Sandpoint, Idaho, to Creston, British Columbia, where we dropped anchor. Bill and Marilyn Reid have a beautiful log mansion, which they call their summer home, a little bit farther north on highway 3k near a town called Boswell. The house Is perched on a cliff with an enormous sun-deck overlooking the most pristine lake you have ever seen In your life, that runs for miles between towering mountains on either side. What a setting!

Talk about roughing it smoothly. Wow! Well, we were in for another toasty warm welcome that seems to be the norm among people we have known and care about. There were hors d ' oeuvres and drinks out on the sun deck until it began to rain just a little, when we all retired back into the house. And then a wonderful dinner prepared by Marilyn a little later in the evening. There was a lot of good cheer and old war stories reminisced throughout dinner that night. Unknown to me, both Bill and Marilyn had crewed the Prince of Brunei's Boeing 747SP, Bill as Captain, and Marilyn as Interior-decorator/hostess. Marilyn was given an open-ended budget to furnish and outfit the interior of the airplane as befitting the then richest man in the world. What a blast that must have been!

Mark down another wonderful visit to remind us that our cup runneth over with good fortune and dear friends. Highway 3 to Osoyoos, and then highway 97 up through the Okanagan Valley, one of the magnificently beautiful fruit belts of Canada. Absolutely beautiful country all of the way to Vernon, British Columbia. I remembered an old Air Force buddy who came from Vernon, and so I looked him up in the phone book, but alas 40-plus years Is a very long time. He wasn't there any longer.

Now it's on to Vancouver to visit with two friends we had met at a Boeing symposium some years ago in Seattle, Danny and Gaynor Bereza, and to meet Renate Pohl who was flying into Vancouver from Paris via Montreal to join us on our trip down the west coast.

Danny and Gaynor live on a lovely yacht which they keep anchored at a beautiful marina just to the south of Vancouver harbor, and in view of Canada Place, and we couldn't wait to visit with them once we arrived there. Well we were greeted once again with delicious hors-d'oeuvres and lots of good-cheer on board, while catchingup on all of the latest news. Then Gaynor spent a whole day showing Erika and Renate around the beautiful city of Vancouver, including a walk through Stanley Park, while I baby-sat our two dogs and rested that day. Danny then asked if we might like to go for a cruise the following day, and we jumped at that Invitation, and so all have lunch on board. Need I tell you that

PAGE 80 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

of us, including Sweetie and Daisy set sail towards a favorite anchoring spot where Danny and Gaynor like to spend a pleasant afternoon on their own. The cruise was breathtaking, through the second narrows and beyond, and through some of the most beautiful countryside you have ever seen on either side of us. After sailing for almost two hours, Danny put in to one of his favorite coves and dropped anchor. Lunch was about to be served — a beautiful salad, lots of fresh crab, and beaucoup glasses of wine. It was a wonderful day out with good friends on the briny, and one that we'll never forget.

Next, we were to cross over to Vancouver Island to meet up once again with my old Air Force buddy John Evans whom I haven't seen since 1955, and to finally catch-up with Art Cox and his wife Beckie whom I had tracked all over the Mid-East but without success. (Art I didn't know Beckie then) The trip across the channel by ferryboat was delightful, with plenty of room for our motor home and a caravan of others besides, in addition to busses and moving vans. These boats are incredibly huge and comfortably appointed with an enormous passenger lounge on one of the upper decks, complete with cafeteria and gift shop. What is even more incredible is that they turn these vessels around, that is load and unload, in less than 45 minutes.

We put ashore at Nanaimo where we parked the motor home and contacted John who lives on the west coast of the Island In a tiny fishing village called Bamfield. Now if you look at a road map, there doesn't appear to be any way of getting to Bamfield except by boat. But things aren't always what they appear to be. No, there is a logging road that connects Bamfield to Port Alberni, some 70 miles distance. The bad news is that the road is a bone crushing series of bumps, ruts, and potholes. Breakneck speed on this artery through the Canadian wilderness is a maximum 25 M.P.H., and less than that when the Instrument panel becomes too blurred to read, so that there is no need here of a fuzz-buster. The voyage takes about three hours in a Jeep, give or take. (I would hedge my bets on the take). If I wanted to make a 1 of of money, which I gave-up on a long time ago, I would establish a massage salon at the end of that road.

However, John had strongly "suggested" that we leave the motor home In Nanaimo and make our way to Bamfield in the Jeep, which we tow behind us. Now the best news is that I took his advice.

When I spoke with John by telephone he asked a favor of me. Since he lives 70 miles from the only place where he can buy fresh fruit and vegetables, would I mind stopping at a market along the way to pick up a few vegetables for that night's banquet. He recommended a market just east of Port Alberni that I would recognize by the goats on the roof. No problem, I assured him, and I set out looking for plywood cutouts of goats on a roof such as you see of reindeer at this time of year.

But no, when we got there these goats turned out to be real live goats grazing peacefully on top of the roof of this enormous market place. It is a must place to stop if ever you're driving on highway 4 between Nanaimo and Port Alberni. You can't miss it - it's on the left side of the road as you drive westward, and just before you come to a narrow bridge that crosses such-and-such river.

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I first met John In April of 1953 when he showed up at Centralia, Ontario, to join in on the R.C.A.F. flight-training program. However, he was already a fully commissioned Artillery Officer In the British Army and that threw the "establishment" into a tizzy when he bucked protocol and insisted upon living and dining with his flight-cadet colleagues. We welcomed him into Club 100, Roly Cook, "Frenchie" Brown, and I, a most prodigious chapter of Class 5306.

Well, there he was, waiting for us at the dock In Bamfield where he said he would be, with a grin of excitement that ran from ear to ear. He looked at our mud-splattered Jeep and hesitantly inquired about our trip through the wilderness before apologetically explaining that we still had a short distance to cover by water before we would arrive at his home. No matter, I can't tell you how happy I was to see him again.

John is a tall bloke, exceeding six feet by several inches. He has a firm-set jaw and his gangly body appears to be set on a loosely hung skeletal framework. His eyes are deep-set in their sockets and lurk beneath furrowed brows that protrude from his forehead like a couple of protective thatched-roofs. He can usually be seen wearing comfortable tweeds and corduroy trousers held up by suspenders. The epitome of the English Squire is John.

John helped the ladies step into his boat, which was testy at best, while our two dogs were totally reluctant to part with the dock. The trick was to not capsize the boat as we three, not counting John, two feisty dogs, and two pieces of luggage made that transition from terra-firma to a vessel not nearly so firma. But we made it, and once we were seated, and with our weight evenly distributed as best we could do that without falling over-board, John tugged on the start cord several times, coaxing the motor to sputter occasionally, and then roar Into life. Well maybe not roar into life, but growl like a pussycat with a raspy soar throat. Curiously, I didn't notice any life-vests on board, but since this nautical version of a high-wire act was happening in full view of a Canadian Coast Guard vessel, I quietly acceded that flotation gear might not be required on a boat of this size.

Anyway, John did a marvelous job and we all arrived safely. Now the task at hand was to disembark without capsizing into the briny, and my dogs weren't terribly excited about that maneuver either.

Prom that docking spot you just walk a few hundred yards to John's hideaway, a romantic cottage that he built himself from polished rocks and timbers, and that Is set on a cleared piece of land with a breathtaking view of the Pacific Ocean right at his door-step. Its' English Country charm, and its' quaintness is right out of a Charles Dickens storybook. It is an utterly delightful spot on a rock strewn coastline that Is most probably reminiscent of the Welsh coastline where John grew-up. To digest that John built this country cottage with no outside help is testament to his Welsh tenacity.

In front of his home by some small distance, and directly behind a retaining wall that protects his land from erosion, Is a patio-table with plenty of seats all around for everyone, where you can sit and listen to the roar of the surf just below, while inhaling the freshness of the salt air, and the whole panorama becomes restfully Idyllic.

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The inside of his home is just as charming, and even perhaps more so, with a huge stone fireplace in the living-room, and with lots of books stuffed Into nooks and crannies and cubbyholes everywhere. The furnishings are antique and massive, reminiscent of an era gone-by.

John is a bachelor, and in the words of Professor `iggins, "is likely to remain so, I'm afraid." Oh John has been married, several times, and to beautiful ladies all, but alas, "I can't get them to stay with me." he explains with a grin. He has two sons of whom he is especially proud. One of his sons is a pilot with Air Canada, while his other son has built a home not far from his father's home, and on the same piece of land. There is the jawbone of' whale lying on his son's balcony which he will do something with someday when he gets the suitable inspiration.

John's forte is not limited to house building either, which contributed to our further good fortune. Our dinner that night was a whole salmon, freshly caught, and prepared by John himself, and with all of the trimmings — gourmet-delicious. And there was wine on the table, and candles, and a fireplace newly stoked. My two ladies were extremely impressed, (Renate and Erika), and acknowledged once again, what interesting and wonderful friends I have made over the years.

I forgot to mention that a friend of John's from Vancouver popped in to join the festivities, and stayed overnight with us - also a charming fellow. The following morning, John showed me out to his office, which is separate from the house, and there we went through some old photograph albums crammed with photos of dashing young aviators, also from an era gone by. There we were, resplendent In our flying gear, oxygen masks not yet attached, hanging loosely from our leather flying helmets as we each took turns posing on the wing of our yellow Harvards while glaring at the camera through our newly-issued and highly coveted Bausch & Lombe Aviator sunglasses. And not to forget the leather gauntlets that were issued on a first-come, first-served basis. What a prize it was to have been lucky enough to get a pair. My fingers bored holes all the way through the fingertips of mine on my very first formation flight. I can still hear my Flight Instructor remanded me to, "Tuck it in, tuck it in closer." Forty-five years were magically turned into yesterday.

Sometime during our visit, my ladies learned that they didn't have to suffer the beating again that they'd taken on the logging road between Port Alberni and Bam field. Oh no! There's a ferryboat that connects those two points every other day, and the cruise is wonderfully pleasant to boot. Guess what! The dogs and I were abandoned In Bamfield to tackle the return expedition alone.

What a visit! But there was still more to come.

Returning to Nanaimo to pick-up the motor home, we journeyed south to the beautiful city of Victoria, which we visited thoroughly. Not to be missed if ever you're there Is Butchart Gardens, an awesome display of manicured flora and fauna spread over acres and acres of closely clipped lawns and hedges. Talk about English gardens - Wow! And the English fish and chips are truly a must on your menu.

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Then just up the road In Sydney is where I had learned through Jamie that Art Cox was living.

After chasing him all over the Middle East, I was not going to let him get away this time, and what a delight it was to meet him again. He and I go back to R.C.A.F. days where we were both members of 426 Squadron, but at different times. We didn't meet up until, as fate would have it, we were both fortunate enough to be hired many years later by Trans World Airlines. The Canadian camaraderie was Instant, with old tales to tell of the people we had left behind.

Art later joined Royal Jordanian Airlines where he met his wife Beckie, and whom we were about to meet for the very first time. They rendezvoused with us near the ferry dock in Sydney, and Beckie was a delightful person to meet. We had lunch together down by the water and thoroughly enjoyed a wonderful afternoon all together, rehashing old times and just catching up.

Art, who I've known for a long time is a very talented caricaturist has refined his talents to oils and pastels, specializing in airplanes he told me, and has one of his works hanging in the International Airport in Victoria.

I wish we could have spent more time together but we were on a time schedule that was already beginning to fall apart. But we will be back to Vancouver Island to visit once again with Beckie and Art, and with John over in Bamfield. We'll take the ferry both ways though, next time.

Now it was back to the mainland and on to Seattle to join up with the T.W.A. Active and Retired Pilots Association group, (TARPA), who were holding their annual convention there this year.

And what a marvelous event that was.

But before I get on to that, If you've been wondering about where else we have been, and what else we have seen, trust me, it has all been spectacular.

First there was the awesome vastness of the open plains that is sobering in its' immensity and sets your being in perspective with the universe. Then there are the Badlands and the Black Hills of South Dakota where you can stand beneath the stars, and if you listen attentively, still hear the whisper of hooves and of ghosts of the past, as they wrote the drama of the Wild West not so many years ago. Then on to the mountain ranges that rise above you on both sides, their majesty crowned by Ice and by snow, even in August. And the river beds that cut through the valleys where deer and antelope and bison and buffalo and cougar and wildcat and bear pause to quench their thirst amid a profusion of wild flowers on either shore that draw their nourishment from those rushing, icy cold waters. While overhead an eagle rides on the lift of a thermal with wings spread wide.

It just doesn't get any better than this The TARPA Convention was hosted this year by Ev Green and Dave Amundsen, and their wives, and what a marvelous job they did. I know that the challenge of these conventions is not to try to outdo the previous one, although some people say they get better and better each year, and they do, but just to try to match the standards that have been set over so many conventions in the past, and this convention upheld that tradition admirably, and the ovation they received was certainly earned and deserved.

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What a unique opportunity it is to meet up once a year with old friends and colleagues you might not otherwise ever get to see — to share In a glass of cheer and to polish-up old war stories which seem to get better and better each time they're told. Ev and Jessica Green — Dave and Sharon Amundsen - Joe Gallagher —Joe and Georgeann Hitzel - Clark and Marlene Billie - Sam and Joann Rumford - Rufus Mosely and Marilyn - Bob and Lonna Trojan -Bill and Barbara and Kris Dawkins - Bill and Bobbie Kirschner - Don Lund Chris Urbain (Where were you guys this year?) - Chuck and Pat Hasler - Bob and use Dedman - John and Patricia Gratz - and Katy Buchanan — Betty Jo Fetherman — and so many others.

What a show of stars! And what a class act! It always is.

Now that I've run out of friends to visit, we can start to talk about the countryside. Upon leaving the convention in Seattle, ye got onto Highway 101 and circled the Olympic Peninsula before heading south on 101. There was Mount Rainier off in the distance to 00 and to AH, with its' mantle of ice on its' cap, fragmenting the co 1 or spectrum as the sun paused on the horizon before going to sleep for the night.

And then there was Mount St. Helens that beckoned me to her when I saw her marked on the map. That Is an experience never to be forgotten, and I can ' t give enough credit to the Parks Department for the wonderful work that they do. Without their presentation at the visitor's center there is no way you could ever possibly Imagine the enormity of the event that occurred on May 8th, 1980, as you look at the mountain today at rest. They have video footage that they had been taking of the mountain for months in advance of the eruption, and were there to capture that event as it was unfolding, the morning of May 18th. The video is presented in a large screen inside of the theater with all of the scientific explanations and descriptions to go along with it. The magnitude of the force that blew the north side of the mountain away is beyond words. My good friend, John Evans, heard the enormous explosion that morning, all the way up in Bamfield, B.C., but had no way of knowing what had caused it.

The wind that was produced as those megatons of force came unleashed snapped every tree in its' path for miles as though they were toothpicks. One scientist who had been monitoring the mountain's activity over several months tried to send word to his headquarters In Vancouver, Washington, and all that was ever received was, "Vancouver, Vancouver, this is it. ", and then there was silence. The rubble and lava that spewed out of the wound in the mountainside was traveling at 300 M.P.H. and nothing in its' path was spared. A man named Harry Truman (not the President) who had lived all his life on Spirit Lake, and refused to abandon his home when the evacuation alerts were given a few days before, lies buried today under megatons of earth and lava. The volcanic cloud billowed 10 miles into the atmosphere and was picked up by the winds aloft and carried full-circle around the world. Tons of volcanic ash fell on Montana and as far away as the Canadian province of Alberta.

This is a visit you won't want to miss. The presentation given by the Parks Department is riveting - the magnitude of the event is awesome. It is one of those cataclysmic events that must be seen and heard to be believed.

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Farther on down the road, just east of Portland, Oregon, stands Mount Hood, much more stable as It stands all alone not sharing its' magnificence with any nearby competitors, to be photographed and enjoyed as a recreation area, both In winter and in summer. Depending upon the profile you capture, it resembles the Matterhorn to some extent, I think. And a trip up to Timberline Lodge is well worth the while.

Of course Portland is not to be missed either. My ladies took a tour of the city one afternoon while I stayed in a parking lot with the dogs.

Crater Lake, farther on down the road is another must see spot of ethereal beauty. It fills the crater of a volcano that unleashed its' fury almost 7,000 years ago when the upper 3,000 feet of Mount Mazama was blown into oblivion. The surface of the lake Is 6,176 feet above sea level, while its' deepest point is almost 2,000 feet below the surface. The water Is a crystal blue, and the day that we visited, there had been a foot of new snow that had fallen and covered the rim of the crater so that the picture was one of a glistening diamond set in white gold. The people at the visitor's center assured me that the lake is as beautiful in the summertime as well. But you ' d better not daily because summer up there is but a few short months. The road around the rim of the crater was already closed for the winter when we were there in early November.

Once again, a stop at the visitor's center is a must. They have a video to show of their snow-clearing operation that will boggle your mind. Ask them to show it to you because it isn't generally advertised. Because the snow builds up to 50 and 60 feet deep, Caterpillar earthmoving tractors are needed to move that many tons of snow. And because the roads are narrow and winding, following the contours of precipitous cliffs, they have copper wire running along the center of the roads, and buried beneath their surface, to give guidance to the plow operators who have sensing devices to keep them on track.

Still traveling on highway 101, we make our way towards the giant redwoods of Northern California. The highway is a series of challenging twists and turns as it scales the side of a mountain on one side and then puts your jake-brake to the test as It leads you into a valley on the other. It has lifted you to heights of 5,000 feet in places, or has brushed the coastline in others where the spray from the surf will put your windshield wipers to work. That being said, it is easily navigable and well worth the choice over the interstate highway. How many thousands of films must have been used to try to capture the breathtaking scenes that greet you around every turn.

Crescent City, California, is where the redwood forest begins. No camera made can ever capture the majesty of these colossal giants in the same way that standing among them does. They exceed the length of a football field in height. Entrepreneurs have carved tunnels through their trunks so that you might drive your car through them for a fee. There are three such tourist "attractions" In the forest I'm told. We paid our two dollars to drive the Jeep through one of them.

You look at the new growth at the top of a tree and it is mind-boggling to be told that that tree

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was there 500 years before the discovery of the New World ever took place. Dinosaurs have scratched their backs upon their bark, and how many dogs must have lifted their leg on them over those years? These are things well worth considering.

To stand alone in the silence of the forest and to ponder these giant living things all around you sets a tone for self-reflection. Shafts of sunlight slice between these majestic columns of redwood from all directions, and on through the mist of the rain forest like shards of tinted glass, to be diffused into miniature rainbows that sprout among the ferns like tiny flowers waiting to be plucked.

The solemnity that hangs heavy here sets the hallmark that man has tried to achieve in every house of worship ever built. It raises the spiritual consciousness to a level of awareness that is sobering in its ' uncluttered beauty and simplicity, and leaves its' mark Indelibly etched upon our consciousness.

But now unfortunately, the mood will have to change for a moment in time as we approach San Francisco and leave this adventure behind us, for we must compete with the hustle and bustle of modern day living or else be swept-up in Its' vortex. And this is where we will bid Renate a fond adieu as she boards her plane to fly back to Paris. We have shared some exciting moments together since her arrival in Vancouver, British Columbia, and she has added a new word to her English vocabulary, - "awesome".

The awesome expanse of the plains — the ghosts of lawmen and gunslingers alike who still roam the Wild West if you listen closely for them under a starry night sky - the grandeur of the mountains and the majesty of the forests — the valleys, and the streams that cut through them to join with others, growing larger and larger along the way before emptying into the oceans on either side of the Continental Divide - and the friends revisited, and who welcomed us into their homes so graciously.

But it's not over yet. There is still a desert to cross as we make our way towards Las Vegas — The Mojave Desert with Its' own nostalgia and ghost towns to be visited along the way. There is a romance to this desert that can't be ignored or denied, equally as nostalgic as the Badlands of South Dakota, where the same frenzied excitement of gold and of silver once reigned not long ago. And across this foreboding land, casinos that dot the landscape now, and desert plants that grow helter-skelter In no pattern at all, anxiously waiting to burst into color with the first rains of Spring.

So here we are, in Las Vegas for Christmas, some 7 months and 12,000 miles later, since leaving Pinehurst. I'm looking at a trinket that Erika picked up in a souvenir shop. It is a flat piece of wood about the size of a foot-long ruler with an inscription on it that says, So this isn't HOME SWEET HOME - ADJUST

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Then perched on top of this piece of wood at one end is a sweet little bluebird, while hanging by its' claws on the other end and with terror in its' eyes and whiskers a bristle, Is a cat hanging on for dear life.

Well let me tell you, HOME SWEET HOME was never as exciting as this has been. We ' re having a blast. What a fulfilling and nourishing way to enjoy retirement. We'll do it `till we drop.

If we didn't get to visit with you this time around, we will when we come to your neck of the woods because you are among our very special people.

350 CALLING KINGMAN Oh send me up an ice pack For my engine is getting hot!

Its coming out the breathers And I'll soon be in a spot!

The book says it won't act like this, If it is rightly treated: I wish the guy who wrote the book, was here where I am seated.

Its not so nice away up here, The country ' s awfully rough My battle cry I give to you--"ONE ENGINE'S NOT ENOUGH!" Poem above was written in pencil on the back of a pay card in George Rice collection.

It was not signed.

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January 2, 2001 Dear Captain Gratz: I retired last year, and almost half of my TWA career was spent flying the B-727 as F/E, F/0, and Captain. I was interested in reading Jake Rast's article about the "pig stickers" in the November issue of TARPA TOPICS, but he didn 't mention all of the pig names carried by the aircraft.

Since many of the readers of TARPA TOPICS never had the opportunity to fly the 727, I thought they might be interested in all of the pig "names" on the aircraft: 727-31 C / H ("Piglets") 7831 7833 7839 7840 7841 7842 7844 7845 7846 7847 7848

Boeing Oink Ham Tram Piggy Sue Sky Pig Thunder Pig Porkys Pride Pork Chop Warped Hog Lil' Porky Schwine Der Blitzen HogJaw

7849 Lard Limo 7850 Jimmy Dean 7851 Short Snort 7852 Queen of the Sty 7853 Kitty Hog 7854 Cloud Boarer 7855 Slow Pork 7856 Porcine Princess 7859 Gloria DeJavalina 7889 Celestial Chiltlin

727-231 A SA / SAH ("Pigships") 4301 4302 4303 4304 4305 4306 4307

Porky's Flagship Porky's Petunia Hambone Pork du Jour Picnic Ham Heavenly Hambone Pigadilly

4330 4331 4332 4333 4334 4335 4336

Short Lardage Smokin Porkin Porky's Palace Pig 0' My Heart Truffle Hunter Strato Swine Fog Hog

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4308 Duroc Delight 4309 Sows About It 4310 Squealor Pealor 4311 Spring Chitlin 4312 Lard Sakes 4313 Kermit's Desire 4314 Hampshire Humper 4315 Hog Lander 4316 Trough Aloft 4317 Weiner Winger 4318 Pigmalion 4319 Aurora Boarialis 4320 Lard Above 4321 Heavenly Hog 4322 Ham Sweet Ham 4323 Petulant Porker 4324 Gilty Lady 4325 South Dakota Suey 4326 Me-a-Farrow 4327 Poland China Diner 4329 Makin Bacon

4337 4338 4339 4340 4341 4342 4343 4344 4345 4346 4347 4348 4349 4350 4351 4352 4353 4354 4355 4356 4357

Oklahoma Oinker Pickled Pigs Fleet Swine Star of Beirut (last revenue aircraft) Bacon Bomber Gloria Vandergilt Hamtrak Boaring Soaring Old Lang Swine Pork Link Connected Sue Oui Road Hog My Hammy Vice Sty Stream Sow Belly Ozone Oinker Ham Commander Poland China Clipper Millenium Wallower Porker Fokker San Juan Sow Barbados Bristler

Pigship 4328 and several Piglets were out of service prior to the beginning of the pig sticker program. Also, I cannot find any plane named "City of Smithfield" as mentioned in Jake's article.

I have one other comment about the November issue. It would have really been nice to have the people in the photos on pages 16-22 identified. I was unable to attend the reunion, and it's very likely I flew with a number of those pictured during my 23 years as RE or F/0, but don't recognize them from their photos. I recommend that, in the future, people in photos be identified.

John, I enjoy the publication very much. I don't want to volunteer to become editor (it's probably better to have someone in the STL area do this, since that's where the action seems to be centered), but I wish the best to the person that takes over this job.

Cordially, Larry Vodra

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19621 Surfbreaker Lane Huntington Beach, CA 92648-3043 London,

TN 37774

Lee's Summit,

MO 64064-1804

Asbury,

NJ 08802

Houston,

TX 77292-5733

St. Charles,

MO 63303-8410

Tiera Verde,

FL 33715-1916

Merry Point,

V A 22513-0070

Castro Valley,

C A 94552

Shelburne,

VT 05482

Philadelphia,

PA 19130

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MO 64116

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V A 23454

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NH 03246

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Pottersville,

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IL 60423

Mrs. (DAVID)

Terrell R. Capt. (BARBARA) dolphindreams@net-lynx.com Duane Capt. (ELLIE) dwarning@aol.com

PAGE 92 ... TARPA TOPICS ... MARCH, 2001

The adventure continues...

We made TWA a great airline, Let's hope for a happy landing!

Boeing 717 The last of many Boeings in the TWA fleet