Several That Have Been Sent To Me

Here are some items that have been sent to me. I thought that you might enjoy looking at them.

OV-1 Aileron Roll
This was posted on the OV-1 Mohawk Facebook page by Rober Mendoza of the Argentine Army. It was taken at Camp Humphries, Korea at the 1986 Memorial Day celebration. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28IIVn-cGlQ

Top 10 Air Forces of the World
Our friend George Drago, the one who was in the left seat on my last mission in Vietnam, sent this to me. It's about 5+ minutes long and well worth it! Be sure to turn your sound on.

Great photos presentation made by an Israeli group and I suspect some of the rankings will surprise you. It did me.

I was especially surprised that China did not even make the top ten, but then with that many people maybe they don’t need to.

Note what we spend to train each USAF pilot.

...and before you complain about military spending -- consider it part of your Life Insurance Policy.

http://fun.mivzakon.co.il/video/israel/10460/במקום_4_בעולם.html

An Osprey Fishing
Jim Taylor and Terry Carlson sent this link recently:
http://www.arkive.org/osprey/pandion-haliaetus/video-00.html

Air Swimmers
Jim Taylor sent this one…
http://www.wimp.com/airswimmers/


They Fly By Night
I don’t remember our birds leaving trails like this! Again, turn your sound up and enjoy!
http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=1103012503001

And finally….

Semper Fi Baby!
Steve Bogner, fellow Photo Lab Tech of the 225th, sent this wonderful picture:
I hope the picture will go through for you - of this Army soldier in Iraq with his tiny 'plot' of grass in front of his tent. It's heartwarming! Here is a soldier in Iraq, stationed in a big sand box.

He asked his wife to send him dirt (U.S. soil), fertilizer, and some grass seed so that he can have the sweet aroma, and feel the grass grow beneath his feet. When the men of the squadron have a mission that they are going on, they take turns walking through the grass and the American soil -- to bring them good luck.

Of all the things he could have asked his wife to send to him from home...........he asked for American soil. WOW.

If you notice, he is even cutting the grass with a pair of scissors.. Sometimes we are in such a hurry that we don't stop and think about the little things that we take for granted.

Upon receiving this, say a little prayer for our soldiers that give and give (and give up) so unselfishly for us.

Thanks, everyone, for sending these!  Keep 'em coming!

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

MAJ Bill Page

CPT Steve Hammons

Our friends Mark Nestor (Association Membership Director) and Chris Walker (Association Reunion Director) alerted me to this article about that ugly but very beautiful warbird we flew in and took care of those many years ago in Vietnam and elsewhere.  Two of our Blackhawk/Phantomhawk comrades, Bill Page and Steve Hammons, are prominently featured in it too!  

Thanks Bill and Steve for sharing you stories!

Click the link to Warbirds Magazine and enjoy!

Our National Symbol

Around 6:45am last Saturday morning I saw the most wonderful sight, though not so unusual around the Puget Sound region nowadays.  As I was driving into Seattle Children’s Hospital heading to work to finish up some tasks as I prepared to begin a two-week vacation, I decided to go across Lake Washington from the Eastside instead of around the north end of the lake.  As I was nearing the Seattle end of the Highway 520 Floating Bridge (also known as the Evergreen Point Bridge), I saw our national symbol sitting on the top of a light standard watching the wetlands for his breakfast.  Highway 520 bisects the Washington Arboretum, which a 230-acre park created in 1934 and located on the edge of Lake Washington jointly managed by the University of Washington and the City of Seattle.

What a wonderful way to start the day!   Seeing a majestic wild bald eagle while driving into a major American city!  They are not an uncommon sight around here; there are several nesting pairs residing along the shores of the lake in our urban and suburban neighborhoods.

On a related note, Jim Taylor sent this photo from the Minneapolis Star Tribune, as have several of you, taken on a June morning at the Minneapolis National Cemetery.  If you have not seen it before, it kind of takes you breath away.