Good Sunday morning February 23. The weather is another good day here with 79 as the high and no clouds. Got one hutch close and the other laid out in pieces.
Have a great weekend wherever you are.
Warm Regards,
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Make it a GREAT Day
The follow on to Shadow's piece from yesterday is at the end. Remember peruse at your leisure there is no test at the end….skip
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History (thanks to NHHC)
Go here to see the director's corner for all 86 H-Grams
Here is a link to the NHHC website: https://www.history.navy.mil/
February. 23
1795—The U.S. Navy Office of Purveyor of Supplies is established.
1919—The first ship named for an enlisted man, USS Osmond Ingram (DD 255), is launched.
1944—In an overnight raid, Task Force 58 planes bomb the Japanese at Saipan, Tinian, Rota and Guam in the first raid of the Mariana Islands.
1945—Four days after landing on Iwo Jima, an invasion "where uncommon valor was a common virtue," the United States flag is raised on Mt. Suribachi. But there was still a lot of fighting and dying left to do
. February 23, 1945: During the bloody Battle for Iwo Jima, U.S. Marines from the 3rd Platoon, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Regiment of the 5th Division take the crest of Mount Suribachi—the island's highest peak and most strategic position—and raise the U.S. flag. Marine photographer Louis Lowery, who was with them, recorded the event. Americans fighting for control of Suribachi's slopes cheered the raising of the flag.
Several hours later, more Marines headed up to the crest with a larger flag. Joe Rosenthal, a photographer with the Associated Press, met them along the way and recorded the raising of the second flag along with a Marine still photographer and a motion-picture cameraman..
Rosenthal took three photographs atop Suribachi. The first, which showed six Marines struggling to hoist the heavy flag pole, became the most reproduced photograph in history and won him a Pulitzer Prize. The accompanying motion-picture footage attests to the fact that the picture was not posed. Of the other two photos, the second was similar to the first but less affecting, and the third was a group picture of 18 Marines smiling and waving for the camera. Many of these men, including three of the Marines seen raising the flag in the famous Rosenthal photo, were killed before the conclusion of the Battle for Iwo Jima in late March.
In early 1945, U.S. military command sought to gain control of the island of Iwo Jima in advance of the projected aerial campaign against the Japanese home islands. Iwo Jima, a tiny volcanic island located in the Pacific about 700 miles southeast of Japan, was to be a base for fighter aircraft and an emergency-landing site for bombers. On February 19, 1945, after three days of heavy naval and aerial bombardment, the first wave of U.S. Marines stormed onto Iwo Jima's inhospitable shores.
The Japanese garrison on the island numbered 22,000 heavily entrenched men. Their commander, General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, had been expecting an Allied invasion for months and used the time wisely to construct an intricate and deadly system of underground tunnels, fortifications, and artillery that withstood the initial Allied bombardment. By the evening of the first day, despite incessant mortar fire, 30,000 U.S. Marines commanded by General Holland Smith managed to establish a solid beachhead.
During the next few days, the Marines advanced inch by inch under heavy fire from Japanese artillery and suffered suicidal charges from the Japanese infantry. Many of the Japanese defenders were never seen and remained underground manning artillery until they were blown apart by a grenade or rocket, or incinerated by a flame thrower.
While Japanese kamikaze flyers slammed into the Allied naval fleet around Iwo Jima, the Marines on the island continued their bloody advance across the island, responding to Kuribayashi's lethal defenses with remarkable endurance. On February 23, the crest of 550-foot Mount Suribachi was taken, and the next day the slopes of the extinct volcano were secured.
By March 3, U.S. forces controlled all three airfields on the island, and on March 26 the last Japanese defenders on Iwo Jima were wiped out. Only 200 of the original 22,000 Japanese defenders were captured alive. More than 6,000 Americans died taking Iwo Jima, and some 17,000 were wounded.
Two items of note on Iwo Jima…skip
In the last couple of years two of the original Marines names have been updated after someone noted the equipment on the Marines did not match. There was an interesting program on the TV that detailed this. Right down to the gear on the person's uniform and the way he had slung his rifle.
The other was that the battle was not really over. 300 Japanese soldiers came out of their caves and silently killed over 155 sleeping aircrew using knives and swords before they were counter attacked and killed.
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This Day in World History
February. 23
0303 Emperor Diocletian orders the general persecution of Christians in Rome.
1516 The Hapsburg Charles I succeeds Ferdinand in Spain.
1540 Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado begins his unsuccessful search for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold in the American Southwest.
1574 The 5th War of Religion breaks out in France.
1615 The Estates-General in Paris is dissolved, having been in session since October 1614.
1778 Baron von Steuben joins the Continental Army at Valley Forge.
1821 Poet John Keats dies of tuberculosis at the age of 25.
1836 The Alamo is besieged by Santa Anna.
1846 The Liberty Bell tolls for the last time, to mark George Washington's birthday.
1847 Forces led by Zachary Taylor defeat the Mexicans at the Battle of Buena Vista.
1854 Great Britain officially recognizes the independence of the Orange Free State.
1861 Texas becomes the seventh state to secede from the Union.
1885 John Lee survives three attempts to hang him in Exeter Prison, as the trap fails to open.
1898 Writer Emile Zola is imprisoned in France for his letter J'accuse in which he accuses the French government of anti-semitism and the wrongful imprisonment of army captain Alfred Dreyfus.
1901 Britain and Germany agree on a boundary between German East Africa and Nyasaland.
1904 Japan guarantees Korean sovereignty in exchange for military assistance.
1916 Secretary of State Lansing hints that the U.S. may have to abandon the policy of avoiding "entangling foreign alliances".
1916 Battle of Verdun begins »
1921 An airmail plane sets a record of 33 hours and 20 minutes from San Francisco to New York.
1926 President Calvin Coolidge opposes a large air force, believing it would be a menace to world peace.
1936 In Russia, an unmanned balloon rises to a record height of 25 miles.
1938 Twelve Chinese fighter planes drop bombs on Japan.
1942 A Japanese submarine shells an oil refinery near Santa Barbara, California, the first Axis bombs to hit American soil.
1944 American bombers strike the Marianas Islands bases, only 1,300 miles from Tokyo.
1945 Eisenhower opens a large offensive in the Rhineland.
1945 U.S. Marines plant an American flag atop Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima.
1946 Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita is hanged in Manila, the Philippines, for war crimes.
1947 Several hundred Nazi organizers are arrested in Frankfurt by U.S. and British forces.
1950 New York's Metropolitan Museum exhibits a collection of Hapsburg art. The first showing of this collection in the U.S.
1954 Mass innoculation begins as Salk's polio vaccine is given to children for first time. I remember getting mine….skip
1955 Eight nations meet in Bangkok for the first SEATO council.
1960 Whites join Negro students in a sit-in at a Winston-Salem, N.C. Woolworth store.
1964 The U.S. and Britain recognize the new Zanzibar government.
1967 American troops begin the largest offensive of the war, near the Cambodian border.
1972 Black activist Angela Davis is released from jail where she was held for kidnapping , conspiracy and murder.
1991 French forces unofficially start the Persian Gulf ground war by crossing the Saudi-Iraqi border.
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Rollingthunderremembered.com .
February 23
Hello All,
Thanks to Dan Heller and the Bear
Links to all content can now be found right on the homepage http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com. If you scroll down from the banner and featured content you will find "Today in Rolling Thunder Remembered History" which highlights events in the Vietnam war that occurred on the date the page is visited. Below that are links to browse or search all content. You may search by keyword(s), date, or date range.
An item of importance is the recent incorporation of Task Force Omega (TFO) MIA summaries. There is a link on the homepage and you can also visit directly via https://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/task-force-omega/. There are 60 summaries posted thus far, with about 940 to go (not a typo—TFO has over 1,000 individual case files).
If you have any questions or comments about RTR/TFO, or have a question on my book, you may e-mail me directly at acrossthewing@protonmail.com. Thank you Dan
Thanks to Micro
To remind folks that these are from the Vietnam Air Losses site that Micro put together. You click on the url below and get what happened each day to the crew of the aircraft. ……Skip
From Vietnam Air Losses site for "Sunday 23 February
February 23: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=1612
This following work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear's Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady's work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
This is a list of all Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . Listed by last name and has other info https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/KIAINDEX.HTM
MOAA - Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Service members Killed in the Vietnam War
The site works, find anyone you knew in "search" feature. https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/ )
By: Kipp Hanley
AUGUST 15, 2022
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From the archives…a great story with pictures. Since I flew RF-8G in NVN I can relate…skip
Thanks to Mike
I had this in the List many years ago and it is a great story. I believe there was a follow on to this one and I am searching for it..skip
Interesting film about a USAAF Spitfire reconnaissance pilot who flew over Berlin.
He was surprised be shown a movie of his wheels up landing on his return from one trip.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/ie3SrjLlcUY
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Thanks to Dr. Rich
An Old Pilot's Reflections … more
Thanks to Dick R. ...
Oh!!!!
The last flight….. syndrome.
Combat Vietnam last flight SHINES
ASS … SOMEONE GETS PEOPLE KILLED.
GOT SO BAD WE REFUSED TO TELL THEM.
FIRST THEY KNEW WAS TAXIING IN AND Champagne and a fire hose waiting.
In fact the guy I was with was on his Champagne Flight I Volunteered to go with him——we were home town high school buddies.
When we took off that morning I had about 18 more MISTY missions to go.
Took off in a F 100F … returned in an
HH-3 Jolly Green, helicopter pickup out of the Golf of Tonkin…
Since I was high time MISTY Pilot I said Fuck it I am done.
That USAF General that burned alive in that POS RF4 not 5' away, as I watched in horror on his wing … he was on his published last flight and went into North VN (prohibited for general officers) just to get one more fucking Air Metal.
Sent from Dick's iPhone
On Feb 20, 2024, at 06:55,
Thanks to Bruddah ....
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Thanks to 1440
Background
The Manhattan Project was a top-secret US government program that developed the world's first atomic weapons. Officially formed in 1942, the project's explicit goal was to develop an atomic weapon before Nazi Germany.
The project's work ultimately led to the creation of the bombs that devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, effectively ending World War II and setting the stage for the Cold War.
Origins
In 1938, scientists in Germany discovered nuclear fission—splitting an atom—releases a tremendous amount of energy. And in 1939, physicist Albert Einstein sent a letter to President Franklin Roosevelt warning fission could be used to create "extremely powerful bombs."
Fearing that Nazi Germany might develop its own atomic arsenal, Roosevelt created a committee to advise him on the feasibility of atomic weapons. Between 1939 and 1942, the committee expanded to include prominent scientists such as Enrico Fermi and Leo Szilard.
In 1942, after the US entered World War II, the advisory committee determined that it would be possible to create atomic bombs. The committee's work then evolved into the initiative now known as the Manhattan Project. Under the supervision of the Army Corps of Engineers, the Manhattan Project team was tasked with developing atomic bombs that could be used in World War II.
Three Challenges, Three Locations
The Manhattan Project faced three practical problems: creating uranium or plutonium for use in an atomic bomb, building the bomb, and testing the bomb. To address these challenges, the project would ultimately employ hundreds of thousands of people—many of whom worked at one of three facilities built specifically for the project.
In Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the Corps created an industrial site to produce enriched uranium. This site would also become the headquarters of the Manhattan Project. In Hanford, Washington, the Corps created a site to produce enriched plutonium.
The workers in Oak Ridge and Hanford were pioneering an entirely new field. The work was dangerous, and progress was slow. They were not able to produce enough material to construct atomic weapons until mid-1945.
Meanwhile, in Los Alamos, New Mexico, the Corps also created the site where a team of researchers led by Robert Oppenheimer developed the first atomic bomb. The first test of an atomic weapon—given the codename Trinity—took place about 200 miles south of Los Alamos in July 1945.
Aftermath
On Aug. 6, 1945, the US military dropped a uranium-fueled atomic bomb dubbed "Little Boy" on Hiroshima, Japan, devastating the city. On Aug. 9, a plutonium-fueled bomb called "Fat Man" was dropped on Nagasaki. Japan announced its surrender Aug. 15, ending World War II.
The financial cost of the Manhattan Project is estimated at $27B in today's dollars. The human impact is harder to calculate, with estimates for the number of people killed at Hiroshima and Nagasaki ranging from 110,000 to 210,000. What is certain is that the birth of atomic weapons led to a widespread fear of nuclear war, setting the stage for the diplomatic efforts that characterized the Cold War and still echo today.
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Thanks to Interesting Facts
7 Interesting Facts About Animal Patterns
From leopard-print clothing to tabby cats to ladybugs, we're surrounded by beautiful animal patterns. While some provide obvious camouflage for their wearer, others have more mysterious origins. Some are more complicated than they seem, or make more sense in the context of the food chain. One well-known animal, generally thought to be a solid color, has a pattern hiding in its fur that is far more obvious under infrared light.
What does your house cat have in common with wild cheetahs? Which big cat's pattern goes way beyond just its fur? Why are peacock feathers so mesmerizing? These seven facts about animal patterns could help you see the animal kingdom in a new light.
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Zebra Stripes Could Be Pest Control
It can be tricky to pin down just why an animal's coat looks a certain way, and scientists have a few ideas about why zebras evolved to have their trademark black and white stripes — they might act as thermoregulation, or as a unique, confusion-based kind of camouflage, to name just a couple of examples. But one of the more promising, consistent theories — although scientists are still ultimately divided — is that the striped pattern keeps dangerous flies away.
After finding that zebra stripes are more pronounced in areas of Africa with more horseflies and tsetse flies (which can transmit deadly diseases among equines), an evolutionary biologist assembled a team for a new experiment. They observed horses, some dressed up in zebra-striped coats, next to some especially tame zebras, and found that while flies hovered around all of them, they rarely landed on zebras or the striped horses compared to the horses without coats. When flies would approach zebra-striped surfaces, they would behave as if they couldn't find a good spot to land.
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Black Panthers Have Spots
Black panthers aren't a distinct biological species. Depending on the region, they're technically either black leopards (Africa and Asia) or black jaguars (Central and South America), and often live in different regions than their tan-coated brethren, perhaps because black is more effective camouflage in those environments. But just because their black and near-black coats don't show off their spots doesn't mean they don't have them. They're just far more subtle.
Sometimes the spots are visible by just looking closely in good light, but researchers have been able to see black panther spots in the vast majority of cases using infrared light. Viewed that way, most black leopards just look like black-and-white portraits of higher-contrast cats.
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Tiger Skin Is Striped, Too
There are very few reasons for someone to shave a tiger, but when they do (for example, if a tiger needs veterinary care), the animal's skin matches the pattern of their coat, almost like it has been tattooed on. (And the pattern of each tiger's stripes is unique.)
Because tigers are apex predators, they don't usually need to hide from potential threats, but their striped pattern gives them an advantage in hunting. Many species that the tiger hunts as prey, including deer, are colorblind, so tigers actually appear green to them — and the stripes keep them from sticking out too much from the trees.
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Ladybugs Come in Different Patterns
The ladybug (or ladybird or lady beetle)'s red and black dots are iconic, but they're just one of many possible ladybug looks. In addition to red, their hard outer wings can be yellow or even black, and come in a variety of patterns. The yellow 22-spot ladybird, native to Europe, has (as its name suggests) 22 black spots. The Australian transverse ladybird has a vertical black band at its center and a more wavy pattern on its wings. In North America, the three-banded lady beetle is red with three thick black stripes, outlined in a more beigey color, on each of its wings.
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Dalmatians Are Born Unspotted
You might remember this factoid from 101 Dalmatians. While adult Dalmatians are known for their many-spotted coats, their puppies are typically born all white, although some are born with patches. Most puppies start to show their spots in a few weeks. Each Dalmatian's spots are unique, like a human's fingerprints, so no two pups have the same pattern.
Speaking of 101 Dalmatians, this rambunctious breed is not one to take on lightly. After the release of the 1996 live-action film, Dalmatians began flooding animal shelters as adopting families realized they were in over their heads. This breed has been running alongside carriages for centuries — a normal walk is not going to cut it.
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The "Eyes" on Peacock Feathers Don't Move (Much)
How do you feel about prolonged eye contact? Peacocks, or male peafowl, are known to show off their famed colorful plumage, especially during courtship rituals. When a peahen is nearby, the peacock will start rattling his feathers at around 25 times per second, creating a noise to go along with the brilliantly hued show.
But as his feathers move, his eye spots, the circular blue and green shapes toward the top of each feather, stay mostly still. This part of the feather is created by feather barbs that are locked together. (Some researchers describe it as like Velcro.) This makes it much denser, and less ready to move, compared to the rest of the feather, making the whole display a bit more mesmerizing.
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Spots and Stripes Can Be Just One Genetic Mutation Away
For a long time, cheetahs, which have spots, and king cheetahs, which have stripes on their backs, were considered separate species. Eventually scientists realized they were the same species, but now we know why they look so different: King cheetahs have variations in a gene researchers call Taqpep, which makes the cheetah's ordinary spots "coalesce" into stripes and larger blotches. This distinct breed — not species — is found only in small populations in southern Africa.
This very same mutation affects the coats of domestic tabby cats, too. Many tabby cats, especially those in America, have the "mackerel tabby" pattern, which has tidy stripes. Cats with the same mutation that gives a king cheetah its stripes have the "blotched tabby" pattern, which is more, well, blotched, and are more common in Europe.
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This Day in U S Military History
February 23
1847 – U.S. troops under Gen. Zachary Taylor defeated Mexican Gen. Santa Anna at the Battle of Buena Vista in Mexico. The United States and Mexico had been at war over territorial disputes since May 1846. The Battle of Buena Vista, also known as the Battle of Angostura, saw the United States (U.S.) Army use artillery to repulse the much larger Mexican army in the Mexican–American War. Buena Vista, a village of the state of Coahuila, is seven miles (12 km) south of Saltillo, in northern Mexico.
1893 – Rudolf Diesel received a German patent for the diesel engine on this day. The diesel engine burns fuel oil rather than gasoline and differs from the gasoline engine in that it uses compressed air in the cylinder rather than a spark to ignite the fuel. Diesel engines were used widely in Europe for their efficiency and power, and are still used today in most heavy industrial machinery. In 1977, General Motors (GM) became the first American car company to introduce diesel-powered automobiles. The diesel-powered Olds 88 and 98 models were 40 percent more fuel-efficient than their gas-powered counterparts. The idling and reduced power efficiency of the diesel engine is much greater than that of the spark engine. Diesel cars never caught on in the U.S., partly because the diesel engine's greater efficiency is counter-balanced by its higher emissions of soot, odor, and air pollutants. Today, the argument over which engine is more environmentally friendly is still alive; some environmentalists argue that in spite of the diesel engine's exhaust pollution, its fuel efficiency may make it more environmentally sound than the gasoline engine in the long run.
1896 – Tootsie Roll was introduced by Leo Hirschfield. Tootsie rolls are still found in some of today's MREs
1900 – In the Philippines, Marine Captain Draper arranged with the gunboat USS Nashville, when it next came by on patrol, to shell the village of Benictican in retaliation for a raid on a marine water party 6 days before that had killed two Marines. After the bombardment, he entered the town with a force of 100 men and, finding it abandoned, destroyed it completely.
1903 – Cuba leases Guantánamo Bay to the United States "in perpetuity". Guantanamo Bay Naval Base (also called GTMO and pronounced gitmo by the US Military personnel stationed there) is located on 45 square miles (120 km2) of land and water at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, which the United States leased for use as a coaling and naval station in the Cuban–American Treaty of 1903 (for $2,000 until 1934, for $4,085 since 1938 until now). The base is on the shore of Guantánamo Bay at the southeastern end of Cuba. It is the oldest overseas U.S. Naval Base, and the only U.S. military installation in a country with whom the United States has no diplomatic relations. Since 1959 the Cuban government has consistently protested against the US presence on Cuban soil. Since
1940 – Woody Guthrie dated his song "this Land Is Your Land" to this day. His original title was "God Bless America."
1942 – A Japanese submarine shelled an oil refinery at Ellwood, near Santa Barbara, Calif., the first Axis bombs to hit American soil.
1945 – During the bloody Battle for Iwo Jima, U.S. Marines from the 3rd Platoon, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Regiment, 5th Division take the crest of Mount Suribachi, the island's highest peak and most strategic position, and raise the U.S. flag. Marine photographer Louis Lowery was with them and recorded the event. American soldiers fighting for control of Suribachi's slopes cheered the raising of the flag, and several hours later more Marines headed up to the crest with a larger flag. Joe Rosenthal, a photographer with the Associated Press, met them along the way and recorded the raising of the second flag along with a motion-picture cameraman. Rosenthal took three photographs atop Suribachi. The first, which showed five Marines and one Navy corpsman struggling to hoist the heavy flag pole, became the most reproduced photograph in history and won for him a Pulitzer Prize. The accompanying motion-picture footage attests to the fact that the picture was not posed. Of the other two photos, the second was similar to the first but less affecting, and the third was a group picture of 18 soldiers smiling and waving for the camera. Many of these men, including three of the six soldiers seen raising the flag in the famous Rosenthal photo, were killed before the conclusion of the Battle for Iwo Jima in late March. In early 1945, U.S. military command sought to gain control of the island of Iwo Jima in advance of the projected aerial campaign against the Japanese home islands. Iwo Jima, a tiny volcanic island located in the Pacific about 700 miles southeast of Japan, was to be a base for fighter aircraft and an emergency-landing site for bombers. On February 19, 1945, after three days of heavy naval and aerial bombardment, the first wave of U.S. Marines stormed onto Iwo Jima's inhospitable shores. The Japanese garrison on the island numbered 22,000 heavily entrenched men. Their commander, General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, had been expecting an Allied invasion for months and used the time wisely to construct an intricate and deadly system of underground tunnels, fortifications, and artillery that withstood the initial Allied bombardment. By the evening of the first day, despite incessant mortar fire, 30,000 U.S. Marines commanded by General Holland Smith managed to establish a solid beachhead. During the next few days, the Marines advanced inch by inch under heavy fire from Japanese artillery and suffered suicidal charges from the Japanese infantry. Many of the Japanese defenders were never seen and remained underground manning artillery until they were blown apart by a grenade or rocket, or incinerated by a flame thrower. While Japanese kamikaze flyers slammed into the Allied naval fleet around Iwo Jima, the Marines on the island continued their bloody advance across the island, responding to Kuribayashi's lethal defenses with remarkable endurance. On February 23, the crest of 550-foot Mount Suribachi was taken, and the next day the slopes of the extinct volcano were secured. By March 3, U.S. forces controlled all three airfields on the island, and on March 26 the last Japanese defenders on Iwo Jima were wiped out. Only 200 of the original 22,000 Japanese defenders were captured alive. More than 6,000 Americans died taking Iwo Jima, and some 17,000 were wounded.
1952 – Air Force Major William T. Whisner, 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, flying his F-86 Sabre "Elenore E," destroyed his fifth MiG-15 to become the war's seventh ace and his wing's first.
1954 – The first mass inoculation of children against polio with the Salk vaccine began in Pittsburgh. Jonas Salk created the Salk vaccine against polio. It used a killed virus to induce immunization. Poliomyelitis is a viral attack of the central nervous system and can cause paralysis and death by asphyxiation.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
*GRABIARZ, WILLIAM J.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army. Troop E, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Place and date: Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 23 February 1945. Entered service at: Buffalo, N.Y. Birth: Buffalo, N.Y. G.O. No.: 115, 8 December 1945. Citation: He was a scout when the unit advanced with tanks along a street in Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands. Without warning, enemy machinegun and rifle fire from concealed positions in the Customs building swept the street, striking down the troop commander and driving his men to cover. As the officer lay in the open road, unable to move and completely exposed to the pointblank enemy fire, Pfc. Grabiarz voluntarily ran from behind a tank to carry him to safety, but was himself wounded in the shoulder. Ignoring both the pain in his injured useless arm and his comrades' shouts to seek the cover which was only a few yards distant, the valiant rescuer continued his efforts to drag his commander out of range. Finding this impossible, he rejected the opportunity to save himself and deliberately covered the officer with his own body to form a human shield, calling as he did so for a tank to maneuver into position between him and the hostile emplacement. The enemy riddled him with concentrated fire before the tank could interpose itself. Our troops found that he had been successful in preventing bullets from striking his leader, who survived. Through his magnificent sacrifice in gallantly giving his life to save that of his commander, Pfc. Grabiarz provided an outstanding and lasting inspiration to his fellow soldiers.
WILLIAMS, HERSHEL WOODROW
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 21st Marines, 3d Marine Division. Place and date: Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 23 February 1945. Entered service at: West Virginia. Born: 2 October 1923, Quiet Dell, W. Va. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as demolition sergeant serving with the 21st Marines, 3d Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 23 February 1945. Quick to volunteer his services when our tanks were maneuvering vainly to open a lane for the infantry through the network of reinforced concrete pillboxes, buried mines, and black volcanic sands, Cpl. Williams daringly went forward alone to attempt the reduction of devastating machinegun fire from the unyielding positions. Covered only by 4 riflemen, he fought desperately for 4 hours under terrific enemy small-arms fire and repeatedly returned to his own lines to prepare demolition charges and obtain serviced flamethrowers, struggling back, frequently to the rear of hostile emplacements, to wipe out 1 position after another. On 1 occasion, he daringly mounted a pillbox to insert the nozzle of his flamethrower through the air vent, killing the occupants and silencing the gun; on another he grimly charged enemy riflemen who attempted to stop him with bayonets and destroyed them with a burst of flame from his weapon. His unyielding determination and extraordinary heroism in the face of ruthless enemy resistance were directly instrumental in neutralizing one of the most fanatically defended Japanese strong points encountered by his regiment and aided vitally in enabling his company to reach its objective. Cpl. Williams' aggressive fighting spirit and valiant devotion to duty throughout this fiercely contested action sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
*AUSTIN, OSCAR P.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Company E, 2d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, (Rein), FMF. Place and date: West of Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam, 23 February 1969. Entered service at: Phoenix, Ariz. Born: 15 January 1948, Nacogdoches, Tex. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an assistant machine gunner with Company E, in connection with operations against enemy forces. During the early morning hours Pfc. Austin's observation post was subjected to a fierce ground attack by a large North Vietnamese Army force supported by a heavy volume of hand grenades, satchel charges, and small arms fire. Observing that 1 of his wounded companions had fallen unconscious in a position dangerously exposed to the hostile fire, Pfc. Austin unhesitatingly left the relative security of his fighting hole and, with complete disregard for his safety, raced across the fire-swept terrain to assist the marine to a covered location. As he neared the casualty, he observed an enemy grenade land nearby and, reacting instantly, leaped between the injured marine and the lethal object, absorbing the effects of its detonation. As he ignored his painful injuries and turned to examine the wounded man, he saw a North Vietnamese Army soldier aiming a weapon at his unconscious companion. With full knowledge of the probable consequences and thinking only to protect the marine, Pfc. Austin resolutely threw himself between the casualty and the hostile soldier, and, in doing, was mortally wounded. Pfc. Austin's indomitable courage, inspiring initiative and selfless devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
*DAHL, LARRY G.
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, 359th Transportation Company, 27th Transportation Battalion, U.S. Army Support Command. Place and date: An Khe, Binh Dinh Province, Republic of Vietnam, 23 February 1971. Entered service at: Portland, Oreg. Born: 6 October 1949, Oregon City, Oreg. Citation: Sp4c. Dahl distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a machine gunner on a gun truck near An Khe, Binh Dinh Province. The gun truck in which Sp4c. Dahl was riding was sent with 2 other gun trucks to assist in the defense of a convoy that had been ambushed by an enemy force. The gun trucks entered the battle zone and engaged the attacking enemy troops with a heavy volume of machine gun fire, causing a large number of casualties. After a brief period of intense fighting the attack subsided. As the gun trucks were preparing to return to their normal escort duties, an enemy hand grenade was thrown into the truck in which Sp4c. Dahl was riding. Instantly realizing the great danger, Sp4c. Dahl called a warning to his companions and threw himself directly onto the grenade. Through his indomitable courage, complete disregard for his safety, and profound concern for his fellow soldiers, Sp4c. Dahl saved the lives of the other members of the truck crew while sacrificing his own. Sp4c. Dahl's conspicuous gallantry, extraordinary heroism, and intrepidity at the cost of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, his unit and the U.S. Army.
*HARTSOCK, ROBERT W.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, 44th Infantry Platoon, 3d Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Hau Nghia, Province, Republic of Vietnam, 23 February 1969. Entered service at: Fairmont, W. Va. Born: 24 January 1945, Cumberland, Md. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Hartsock, distinguished himself in action while serving as section leader with the 44th Infantry Platoon. When the Dau Tieng Base Camp came under a heavy enemy rocket and mortar attack, S/Sgt. Hartsock and his platoon commander spotted an enemy sapper squad which had infiltrated the camp undetected. Realizing the enemy squad was heading for the brigade tactical operations center and nearby prisoner compound, they concealed themselves and, although heavily outnumbered, awaited the approach of the hostile soldiers. When the enemy was almost upon them, S/Sgt. Hartsock and his platoon commander opened fire on the squad. As a wounded enemy soldier fell, he managed to detonate a satchel charge he was carrying. S/Sgt. Hartsock, with complete disregard for his life, threw himself on the charge and was gravely wounded. In spite of his wounds, S/Sgt. Hartsock crawled about 5 meters to a ditch and provided heavy suppressive fire, completely pinning down the enemy and allowing his commander to seek shelter. S/Sgt. Hartsock continued his deadly stream of fire until he succumbed to his wounds. S/Sgt. Hartsock's extraordinary heroism and profound concern for the lives of his fellow soldiers were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
*WEBER, LESTER W.
Rank and organization: Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, Company M, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam, 23 February 1969. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 30 July 1948, Aurora, Ill. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a machinegun squad leader with Company M, in action against the enemy. The 2d Platoon of Company M was dispatched to the Bo Ban area of Hieu Duc District to assist a squad from another platoon which had become heavily engaged with a well entrenched enemy battalion. While moving through a rice paddy covered with tall grass L/Cpl. Weber's platoon came under heavy attack from concealed hostile soldiers. He reacted by plunging into the tall grass, successfully attacking 1 enemy and forcing 11 others to break contact. Upon encountering a second North Vietnamese Army soldier he overwhelmed him in fierce hand-to-hand combat. Observing 2 other soldiers firing upon his comrades from behind a dike, L/Cpl. Weber ignored the frenzied firing of the enemy and racing across the hazardous area, dived into their position. He neutralized the position by wrestling weapons from the hands of the 2 soldiers and overcoming them. Although by now the target for concentrated fire from hostile riflemen, L/Cpl. Weber remained in a dangerously exposed position to shout words of encouragement to his emboldened companions. As he moved forward to attack a fifth enemy soldier, he was mortally wounded. L/Cpl. Weber's indomitable courage, aggressive fighting spirit and unwavering devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for February 23, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD "PHIL" MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
23 February
1909: John A. "Douglas" McCurdy made the first plane flight in Canada by flying the Aerial Experiment Association's plane, the Silver Dart, over Baddeck Bay, Nova Scotia. (24)
1911: Glenn Curtiss made his first amphibian demonstration at North Island near San Diego, Calif., by taking off and alighting on land and water. (24)
1912: War Department Bulletin No. 2 established a "Military Aviator" rating. (4)
1914: Charles Broadwick demonstrated an automatic attached backpack-type parachute. (5)
1942: The Materiel Division recommended the British looped-hose refueling system for American military inflight fuel transfers. Using this method, the receiver aircraft trailed a 300-foot line, with an attached three-pronged grapple, and positioned itself near the tanker, which trailed a 100-foot weighted line. (18)
1952: By shooting down a MiG-15, Maj William T. Whisner, Jr., 25th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, achieved ace status. (28)
1955: The Army selected Bell Hellicopter from 20 competing companies to build the first turbinepowered helicopter. Bell's design, the XH-40, later became the HU-1 Iroquois (later still UH-1), the famous "Huey" from Vietnam. (8: Feb 90)
1956: Secretary of the Air Force Donald A. Quarles sped up the Navaho missile program, using a high national priority second only to the ICBM and IRBM programs. (6)
1961: In an experiment at Eglin AFB, Fla., the direct measurement of atmospheric densities between the altitudes of 70 miles and 130 miles was accomplished for the first time. (24)
1965: PROJECT ASSET. The 1,175-pound reentry glider, last in a series of six, launched from Cape Kennedy, Fla., by a Thor-Delta booster into a 13,300-mile suborbital flight. This flight incorporated test materials for future lifting body reentry designs. (5)
1976: Through 26 February, a joint DoD/NASA team studied expendable launch vehicles during the transition to the Space Shuttle. They suggested using an Interial Upper Stage, being developed for the Space Shuttle, with the Titan III in this period. (5)
1984: The Tactical Air Command received its first F-15C Eagle as a replacement for the F-4 Phantom in the air superiority role. (16) (26)
1990: PIONEER 11. This vehicle became the fourth spacecraft to leave our solar system. It launched n 1973 and joined Pioneer 10, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 in an attempt to find the heliopause, the point where solar winds are no longer effective. [8: May 90] Through 6 March, the 435th Tactical Airlift Wing flew 11 tons of medical equipment and relief supplies to Senegal to treat diseases and provide shots against disease. (16) (26)
1998: Air Combat Command deployed the B-2 overseas the first time from Whiteman AFB, Mo., to Andersen AFB, Guam. (21)
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FOLLOW ON FROM SHADOW FROM YESTERDAY
CENTRAL AMERICA
After my first meeting with the Salvadorians… I came back and started to research what
was required in order to sell them the C-123. One of the things I discovered, much to my
chagrin, was that I would have to register with the State Department as an "Arms
Dealer"… since the C-123 fell into the military category. In addition, the Salvadorians
desired to purchase the aircraft through the FMS Program (Foreign Military Sales
Program). This would require touching base with both the Pentagon and the State
Department.
In the meantime… a whole lot of folks had learned of my trip and the potential sale to the
Salvadorian Air Force. I made a few calls and set up a couple of meetings in Washington.
I felt it was better to meet face to face with all the players… instead of dealing with
faceless, nameless bureaucrats. I've found it has always served me well, to know the
folks I'll have to deal with.
My first appointment was at the Pentagon. Generally, the guys there were supportive and
understanding of the immediate need the Salvadorians had and knew that my plane would
satisfy them and their limited resources much quicker and better than going through the
regular channels. All in all, I felt good when I left them… but I was forewarned by all
that "State" may be a different kettle of fish to deal with… "You never know about those
guys" I was told.
I went back to my hotel that night, optimistic that things may move along nicely. I also
received a call from my wife, informing me that an Airline Pilot acquaintance was trying
to get a hold of me. I called the guy and he said a "friend" of his was in Washington and
wanted to meet with me about the C-123 and he gave me the guy's phone number. My
whole next day was already set aside for meetings at State. But I called the man and
agreed to meet him for dinner that night, after my meetings at State. He had a foreign
accent… I couldn't quite place it… German, Austrian… something like that? He told me
he may have some customers interested in my plane and would tell me about it at dinner.
He then asked if I'd met the Salvadorians and how that went. I opined it went well and I
was trying to get approval for a possible sale. He said good; but if it fell through, he
might be able to help me… We'd discuss it over dinner.
I was staying at the Key Bridge Marriott and it was just a walk up the street to the State
Department Office Building. I arrived 15 minutes early as is my norm and my first
meeting was with Ms. Rose Biancanello… Rose's office was in charge of approving or
disapproving all military aircraft sales to foreign countries.
I didn't know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised to find her a real professional
lady. She was very matter of fact and straight forward. She gathered all the documents I
would need to fill out and told me all the do's and don'ts of the process. She also told me
the approval/disapproval would be based on the merits of the individual case. She then
told me I would have to go over to the section that handled FMS sales to get their
approval, as well as hers. She called over and set up my appointment. It was in the same
building.
As pleasant as my meeting with Rose had been… my meeting with this guy was both
disappointing and upsetting. He seemed totally out of place with the professionals I had
encountered at State up to that point. First, he was a lot younger; second… he was ill
kept, sloppy and disheveled… and he had attitude… bad attitude.
He started out by railing at the Salvadorians… calling them a bunch of fascists and
stating unequivocally… that he was on a personal mission to deny them what ever he
could, whenever he could. He went on and on and started bashing the Reagan
Administration. I sat there and wondered how in the hell such a person ended up with any
authority at all… much less something so important to the nation. He was obviously a
leftist political activist instead of a career professional. As I stared at him, I noticed a
piece of scrambled egg on his tie, surrounded by a grease spot about twice the size of the
piece of egg… and then I noticed the rest of the tie… it was filthy and covered with
grease spots all over. He saw me staring and said, "You've noticed my tie"… "I've worn
this tie every day since I got this shitty job… and I'll wear it until I leave here, one way
or another… It's my thing, my protest". I just nodded and didn't say a thing.
He reached down and pulled up the tie and flicked the piece of egg against the wall in his
small office. I then noticed all the other smatterings against the wall. By the time I left, I
regarded this guy with utter contempt… He was unprofessional, filthy and a political
activist. I was beginning to worry that the sale may not go through.
When I got back to the hotel, I called the folks at the Pentagon that I'd met the day
before. When I brought up the guys name, the Colonel on the other end said; "So you met
the little prick… One of the world's true great assholes"! He went on to say what a royal
pain in the ass this guy was… and that they'd been begging someone to get rid of the guy
for the last two years. He like me, wondered how in the hell someone like that could end
up in that position… "Must be someone's son or something… He sure as hell wasn't
qualified for the job".
I took a nap and then went to meet my dinner appointment at the restaurant in the hotel. I
met the mystery man and we sat down for dinner… He told me he was Austrian and was
an international businessman. Almost at once he started asking me questions as to whom
I had met with in El Salvador. I mentioned I'd not only met the head of the Air Force…
but the Chief of Staff of the Army as well. That seemed to impress him… and then he
said something peculiar… "I don't like to talk business over dinner… Why don't we just
enjoy the meal and we'll go to my room and talk business afterwards".
His comment struck me as weird… He'd told me he lived right near where we were in
Alexandria… Yet he'd checked into the hotel. Why would he do that? Why not my room
if he wanted privacy? Why the intrigue at all?
After dinner we went upstairs to his room… He had a suite. He directed me to a table and
pulled out a large notebook from his suitcase. As he sat down, he gave me a card and
said, "Anytime you need to reach me… call the number on the card and I'll get back to
you". He then went on to say my Airline Pilot friend spoke very highly of me (I found
this ironic, since I hardly knew the guy) and that he and his associates… had been
looking for someone to represent their interests in Central America. Over the course of
about five minutes he explained he represented an international arms broker… who was
looking to expand their market in the Central American region. Since I had already met
some of the folks they wanted to meet… perhaps I could help them get an entrée or even
represent them. He said they were already strong in Africa and parts of Asia and wanted
to expand. He then opens the notebook and shows me a virtual catalogue of every type of
weapon imaginable… short of an ICBM. Alongside each weapon or system was a unit
price… broken down by lots and/or quantities. Virtually all of the weapons were Eastern
Block manufacture!
I was dazzled… They had incredible things for sale, including tanks, land mines,
automatic weapons, etc. Toward the end of the presentation, as I was flipping through the
pages, I noticed SA-7's… the Soviet made, shoulder launched, heat seeking missile. I
looked up at him and said, "SA-7's"? He said yes… that they'd already supplied over a
thousand in Central Africa and their customer was quite pleased. I did my best to hide
what I was really thinking. I then told him I was going back to El Salvador shortly and
would try to lay the ground work for a meeting. He seemed truly enthused and thanked
me and reminded me to call the number on the card and he would return my call within
an hour. We said goodbye and I went down to my room.
I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned all night… I was really upset. I had just met a real
"Merchant of Death"…
I need to take a minute here and explain something… For all my time in and around the
military… I have always felt that things military… should remain the province of the
military. The idea that someone was willing to sell landmines and boat loads of automatic
weapons to the highest bidder… really attacked my sensibilities. And the coup de grace…
was the heat seeking missiles. The idea that some nutcase or revolutionary group could
buy these things on the open market… sent chills up my spine… I tossed and turned all
night… Trying to figure out what to do.
In my life… the folks I've always held in utter contempt were politicians, gun runners
and dopers… in that order. None cared a damn thing about their fellow man… and few if
any… stayed around long enough to see the havoc they brought to peoples lives through
their endeavors.
I got up the next morning and went down to breakfast… I was still upset. I finally
decided that I had met a real professional in Rose Biancanello… and since such things
were in her area of expertise… I decided to go back to her office and seek her guidance. I
had no idea if she would see me or not… but felt I needed to do something.
I signed in downstairs and was asked if I had an appointment? I said no… but I'd met
with her the day before and needed to talk with her again about something. I was finally
cleared to go upstairs and was met by a slightly irritated secretary who explained that Ms.
Biancanello was very busy… and could only give me five minutes max. I was escorted
into her office and sat down. I looked up at her and said, "I need your help… I had
something happen last night that I can't quite believe and need your guidance"… I then
started telling her my story. After about two minutes… Rose held up her hand to stop…
She called her secretary and said to cancel her next appointment and to get the Head of
Security up to her office right away. Rose then told me to stop talking and wait until we
were joined by another person. In less than 5 minutes… two middle aged gentlemen
walked into her office. Rose introduced us and then told me to start my story once again
from the beginning.
I told all of them what had happened… Who the guy was and what he had for sale… the
whole nine yards. I was asked if I'd kept his card and I said yes… and handed it over.
One of the men took the card and copied it and handed it back. He then asked me to not
contact the man until they got back to me. In the end, I was assured I'd done the right
thing… that they'd be getting in touch. As I left her office, Rose came up to me and said,
"Thanks Roy… You did the right thing… We need to know these things".
As I walked back to the hotel… I actually felt good about myself. I rationalized I was not
a fink or worse… but hoped my actions might actually save someone's life someday.
I didn't have a clue what this incident would lead to… I had no idea that this simple little
act would lead to years of drama and intrigue… that would affect the rest of my life. I
was about to enter a world of shadows and secrets… a world with so many twists and
turns, it is almost unbelievable.
N4410F… would not only turn my world upside down… it would twist it inside out and
leave me wondering many nights… "How the hell did I get myself into this mess"?
THE FEDS CALL
Within two days of returning to Florida, I received a couple of phone calls… One was
from Hank Moore out in Visalia, California… the owner of TBM Inc. A duster/sprayer
and fire bombing outfit. Hank had just gotten a C-123 also and asked if the Salvadorians
might be interested in two instead of just one. I told Hank what the agreed upon price was
and he said that would suit him. I told him I would contact them and ask if there was any
interest.
The second phone call was from a Government Agency… asking if I'd mind coming in
for a talk. They said my friends in Washington had contacted them and they needed to
talk to me. I agreed to meet with them the next day.
I got directions and arrived for my appointment the following day. I was escorted into a
briefing room and two Agents began to ask me questions about my meeting in
Washington with the Arms Dealer. How had I met him? Who put me in touch? Tell them
everything I could remember. After about an hour… One of the guys looked up at me and
asked, "Why did you turn this guy in… are you after the reward or what"? I was shocked.
I explained that I knew nothing about any reward… didn't want any… just felt that what
he was doing was endangering innocents and wanted no part of it. The two agents looked
at each other and sat back and then they told me the guy I had met was wanted by
Interpol and a whole host of other Agencies… he was a "bad actor" and everyone was
amazed that he had turned up in Washington, right under everybody's nose. They then
asked me if I would make a phone call to him and set up a meeting with a supposed
Salvadorian representative there in Washington. I really didn't even think about it for a
second… I agreed to make the call.
I called the number on the card, left a number for a call back and waited for the return
call. In the interim, the Agents then asked me about my contacts in Salvador… I had a
pretty open discussion about all that had occurred and again, naïve or not… I felt very
comfortable talking openly and candidly with them… After all… they were on our side…
weren't they?
Twenty minutes later… the arms dealer returned my call. As directed, I told him the
Salvadorians wished to meet with him in Washington and gave him a phone number to
call… and to ask for Miguel. He thanked me profusely and said he'd get back to me. As
he hung up… one of the Agents said, "Don't worry, you'll never hear from him again". I
didn't.
Two days later, I received another phone call from one of the two Agents I'd met with
and he asked if I could come down for another meeting the next day. This time I was
curious… and asked what it was about? I had done what they had asked of me and didn't
think I could be of more help. He said someone else wanted to meet with me and I'd
learn more when I got there.
I made the trip again and was escorted into a large conference room. This time there was
a middle aged lady and three agents. I was introduced all around and my original contact
thanked me for what I'd done… He informed me I was entitled to a "reward" if I wanted
to file for it… and the government appreciated my cooperation. I declined the reward
(didn't even ask how much) and explained I felt it was my civic duty. The lady in the
room said that was a refreshing attitude. They then said the bad guy had been arrested on
an international warrant and was being processed out of the country.
The lady then said, "Roy, tell us a little about yourself". I spent the next five minutes on a
quick and dirty about my background and they all kind of looked at each other and
nodded.
Then she said, "Tell us about your airplane". I spent the next 10 minutes telling them
everything I knew about the C-123… and then another 30 minutes telling them all about
the weird circumstances of everything that had happened from finding it… to the trade
and then everything that had happened up to that point in time. I even told them about the
belt buckle and the guy in the red pickup with the $800,000 in cash. They all got a big
kick out of it and we all laughed with every twist and turn.
After I finished my story… They then asked once again about whom I had met with in El
Salvador? The Americans at the Embassy and the various Salvadorians; civilian and
military. They wanted to know my impressions of each and asked me not to hold
anything back… They wanted all my thoughts; warts and all. I then said something that
may have sounded cocky… but I felt was true. I explained that I was blessed with a pretty
good "recall" memory… if they really wanted me to get in depth, it would take a while.
She then said, "We've got all day". For the first time, I realized that she was not just
somebody… She was the somebody. The others were there just for dressing… she was
the one in charge.
I spent the next four hours telling them everything I could remember. At the end, she said
they would be getting back to me and asked if I had any questions? I asked what this was
all about and she said they weren't prepared to say anything at that point… But she
would be getting back to me shortly. She got up to say goodbye and then said, "Of course
you understand you aren't to talk about any of this with anyone, including your wife for
the time being". I said I'd figured that much… and understood completely. With that we
all shook hands and I left.
On the way home… I couldn't help but wonder, what the hell was going to happen next?
It didn't take long to find out. The next week the lady called and asked to meet me at a
restaurant near the airport. I agreed and drove out to see her. She'd arranged for a booth
in the back of the dining room and no one was seated near us. She then explained in
detail who she was… and also explained that they had checked me out and wanted to
know if I'd be willing to help them from time to time? She went on to say they had an
interest in my airplane… but more than that, my contacts in El Salvador. She asked if I
had any reticence about traveling in the region, seeing as how it was technically a war
zone. I said I didn't… I'd been around the military all my life and this was nothing new
to me. I then said… if I did go back, I would not stay in the hotel I'd stayed in the first
time. It was full of U.S. military folks and fellow travelers… and I felt it was just a matter
of time before it became a target. She looked at me and said, "I like the way you think".
We spent the best part of two hours talking… She wanted to know how the sale of the
plane was going and I told her about the asshole at the FMS Section at State… then about
my conversation with Hank Moore and his airplane. She asked if I was willing to return
to El Salvador fairly quickly and offered to pay my expenses if necessary. I said I'd have
to talk with them first… to determine if they had interest in purchasing his (Hank's)
airplane as well… if so, that would give me a good excuse to go down. She once again,
said, "Good thinking".
We talked some more and then she got sort of specific about what they wanted and better
than that, she explained why… I was amazed at her candor. I also found it more than a
little interesting that they wanted my impressions of the various U.S. personnel I came in
contact with down there… as well as the Salvadorians. She then gave me a phone number
to call when I found out what I was going to do. Strange, but I honestly didn't feel any
pressure from her… in fact I felt quite comfortable. She was smart, insightful and candid;
while not giving away the bank at the same time. In short, she was a real professional.
I called down to El Salvador and told them about the second plane… and that it was
available at the same price. They asked me to come down and bring them a copy of the
times and particulars on the aircraft. I called my contact and told her I was on my way
south.
Armed with the new knowledge of what was wanted by both parties… I decided to spend
a little extra time… nurturing all the contacts I had in this small country… and it was to
eventually pay off, big time. I also decided to never stay at the El Presidente again… Too
many American military and civilians. To my way of thinking… too tempting a target.
Sooner or later, the "G's" (guerillas) would get around to attacking it (I was later proved
to be right).
What I decided to do also paid off for me personally… Although I didn't know it at the
time… it bought me a little protection when the shit hit the fan later. I had learned on my
first trip down there, that most of the press corps and media were staying at the
Intercontinental Hotel in downtown San Salvador… and this was where I decided to stay.
My logic was simple… Nobody down there was going to screw with the press… The G's
viewed them as allies (for good reason) and the government down there was scared as
hell of them and made sure nobody screwed with them. To my way of thinking, the
Intercontinental was a "war free zone"… and that is where I wanted to sleep at night…
out of harm's way. It would be an interesting experience!
My meetings with the military went well… and I indulged myself by taking the time to
look for warbird parts in the Air Forces' warehouses and through the civilian Cotton Co-
Operative, that had a warehouse full of old Stearman parts… Most of the boxes still had
the "Hands" embossed on them as part of our Government's Lend Lease program going
back to WW II. It was a treasure trove.
On this trip, I also expanded my circle of contacts; civilian and military, U.S. and
Salvadorian… and I got my first up close and personal look into how "News was
made"… and got to meet some of the famous and notorious… of the national and
international media.
I have to stop here and make a notation for the reader… For obvious reasons… I will not
use names of Salvadorian civilians or military personnel involved… nor will I use the
names of American government and military personnel (with a few exceptions)… but I
will… for the first time… use the names of certain media types… since they are "public
persons" and the public has a right to know. It will be a while before I get to it… but I
think you will find it enlightening.
As a result of my meetings with the Salvadorian military… it was decided to have them
send an inspection team up to the U.S. to inspect the two aircraft… It was to take place in
two weeks and I flew back home to set things up. I had a layover in Miami and was
surprised to find I had a greeting committee. My contact and another person met me
coming off my flight and we went to a private place to allow me to tell them all about my
trip… whom I met, impressions and what ever else I'd gleaned from my travels. It was
really very informal… I was encouraged to speak freely and candidly and received very
little feedback… mostly it was just the nodding of heads and some pointed and/or
clarifying questions. I had a three hour layover and virtually every minute was spent with
them. At the conclusion of the meeting I was told one of them would come up to
Jacksonville to meet with me the following week.
On the flight to Jacksonville, I was thinking to myself… "These guys are pretty
competent… They knew what flight I was on and were there to meet me… even though I
hadn't called anyone to let them know I was coming"… I also wondered if I was being
followed when in Salvador… and I made it a point to remind myself to start looking
around me more carefully in the future. I was to find out a slight bit of paranoia would
serve me well later.
At this point, I should also add… that no one was telling me what to do… where to go…
or what was wanted in anything other than generalities. I was pretty much left to my own
devices and interests. I just went with the flow… Let things take me where they took me.
My time in the military had taught me that "situational awareness" is the most valuable
tool in one's inventory of knowledge… I was also smart enough to know that something
that seemed innocuous to me… might be of some value to someone else… that knew a
lot more about the big picture than I did. I did my best to remember everything I could. I
also had decided their interest in me was very simple and uncomplicated… I was simply
a businessman, thrown into an unusual circumstance… that may come across some
valuable little tidbit of knowledge that would be useful down the road. I really didn't
think it was a big deal at all. And I had no qualms about cooperating… I felt it my duty.
I got home and called Hank Moore. Since both airplanes were in California; mine at Long
Beach and his in Visalia… that's where the inspections would take place. In the
meantime, John Gasho had sold my C-131 to the University of Washington… This was a
relief… in that I was finally able to settle my debt with Roy Reagan and Pat Ross and it
gave me a little financial breathing room. I flew out to California a couple of days early
in order to brief Hank and set things up for the inspections.
Hank was a terrific guy… and a hell of an aviator. He reminded me very much of Frank
Tallman in looks and demeanor. Tall, slim and with an air of confidence that only comes
with experience. Hank had done more and seen more than I could ever have imagined.
Over a couple of days… I felt like I'd known him forever. He was a gracious host.
Besides his aviation business, he had quite a cotton operation going on. One day we flew
his early model Aztec out to one of the farms and landed on a dirt strip carved out by a
bulldozer right next to a cotton field. I was amazed.
Having grown up in the South and having spent more than a little time on the farm… I
was dazzled by this California approach to cotton farming. "High Cotton"… in the South
was about waist high… out there… it was the height of my head! One of the fields had a
truck and trailer parked next to it… the back of the trailer was open and about a hundred
Geese were inside. I asked Hank about it and he said they were "Weeder Geese"… I
looked at him, puzzled and said "What"?
He explained that they'd discovered the Geese would eat all the little numbs and grubs
growing between the cotton rows and were actually more efficient at it… than resorting
to manual labor. Having hoe'd a lot of cotton in my youth… I knew it was backbreaking
work… and was amazed at this simple solution to a major labor project. I looked around
and noticed they used D-8 Cats instead of tractors to disc and plow with… Man… This
was Big Time farming… I was impressed!
The Salvadorian inspection team flew into L.A. and inspected my plane then they came
out to Visalia and inspected Hanks… Hank even let them fly it around the patch. They
were obviously impressed. They said both planes were better than the ones they were
currently flying. They said they'd get back to us and I left to go back to Florida. Sorry to
say, I never saw Hank again after that… but I truly enjoyed knowing him what little I did.
Once back in Jacksonville… I received a summons to another meeting. At that meeting I
was told that "some other folks" wanted to talk to me as well and would be getting in
touch. This puzzled me… and I asked, "Why wouldn't you just tell them what I'd told
you"? He went on to explain… that certain laws prevented them from sharing
information… but nothing precluded me from telling them what I'd told him and my
other contact. Weird… "You mean the right hand can't tell the left hand what you're up
to"? He said as strange as it sounds… that's the way it worked.
Actually, I received two phone calls the next day from two different agencies… both
referred to my original contact and that they had her blessing to talk with me… Separate
meetings were set up with each over the next few days. One of the agencies was only
interested in El Salvador… but the other indicated a unique interest in my C-123. Who
had called on it? How close were the Salvadorians to buying it? What kind of condition
was it in? Had I flown it? Etc. I came away somewhat puzzled by the whole experience.
What had started out as a simple little "heads up" to the State Department… had led to
having my phone number on speed dial with about four different government agencies.
At this point, I still wasn't concerned… I'd done nothing wrong… and felt I may be
serving a higher purpose. Most of the folks I'd met and dealt with seemed to be the type
of folks I'd dealt with all my life in the military. There was definitely a simpatico… with
all involved. No one had asked me to do anything untoward and no one seemed to be
looking into my personal life or interests. They were just doing what they were supposed
to do… seeking information. And to be honest… I saw nothing wrong with what they or I
was doing. I willingly complied with their requests which seemed reasonable at the time
and I was receiving no compensation, other than the satisfaction of helping my country.
Over the next few months… things were about to change… and dramatically! I can't
quite believe all that happened, even to this day. But it was a hell of a ride!
STRANGE BEDFELLOWS AND THE C-123
OR
A TALE OF DOPERS AND FRIENDS
Over the next few weeks… I tried to get back to as normal a life as possible. I was
actively trying to market the C-123… while holding on to hope that the Salvadorians
would come through. Even though I had sold the C-131… the monies were finite… and
sooner or later I would be in a financial crisis again. Also, Harry Doan was calling almost
everyday, wanting to get together with me on a purchase price for the C-123 that we
could both live with.
Then I got a call from El Salvador… my worst fears were coming true… the asshole at
State… was refusing to let FMS fund the purchase. They said they were trying to come
up with other funding… but it didn't look good. I called my contact and informed her of
this turn of events… and in the conversation; she suggested I call one of the other
agencies she had passed me on to. I did… and for the first time, I got an inkling, that their
previous interest in the C-123 was more than just cursory. I was told that something was
"in the works"… but it may take a little time. I didn't know what to make of this… but
I'd also had enough experience with government… that a little time… could mean a long
time or never.
I held off as long as I could. Harry had come up on his price considerably and I reached a
point that I felt I had to sell. I called my new friends and told them I was going to have to
sell the plane to Harry… I'd had a lot of feelers… but Harry was the only one willing to
step up to the plate and complete a deal. I was surprised at their reaction.
First, they asked me not to sell the plane. I told them I was sorry, but I really didn't have
any choice. I had to think of my family. They asked me to hold off for a couple of days. I
said I would. Two days later, they called me back and asked if I could get Harry to agree
with a couple of caveats attached to the sale… in writing. When they told me what they
wanted… I couldn't believe it.
They asked me to get Harry to agree to keep track of all inquiries about the C-123 and to
give me at least 48 hours notice before consummating a sale of the airplane. In addition
they wanted a first right of refusal! I told them I didn't think there was a snowballs
chance in hell that Harry would agree to such terms. They asked me to try.
I called Harry and set up an appointment for the next day. I planned on driving to
Daytona and would be staying with him at his house. On the way down… I thought about
how best to approach Harry on the "conditions" of the sale. I finally decided that Harry
was my friend and I trusted him with my life… The Truth… was my only option. I
explained to Harry that night that I had friends in the government that were working
toward purchasing the C-123… but that I was running out of money again and needed to
get rid of it. I told them what they had asked me to get from him and to my
astonishment… Harry agreed to everything, except putting it in writing. He gave me his
word that he would cooperate… and that was good enough for me… It would also have
to be good enough for my other friends. We consummated the deal that night.
For the first time in years… I felt financially secure. I had a huge burden lifted off my
shoulders and life was looking up. Harry and I became even closer than we had before
and I spent a lot of time traveling back and forth to Daytona. If we weren't together… we
talked on the phone two or three times a day. Harry also lived up to our bargain and
would call me and give me any information he had about prospective buyers, which I
passed on.
Harry encouraged me to get into the "warbird" parts business… He thought I had a
natural instinct for it and could make a good living from the proceeds. He even gave me a
poster he'd had made up years before to post in all the airports and barber shops in my
local area. He said I should get it duplicated and replace his name with mine at the
bottom.
The poster had a silhouette of an SBD crashed on its' nose… In bold lettering it said
"REWARD"… it went on to say there was a reward for taking Harry (later me) to any
WW II aircraft crash site. $100 dollars for any crash… $250 dollars if anything was
salvageable and $500 dollars if most of the aircraft was intact. At the bottom was Harry's
name, address and phone number. Harry said it had paid off in the first week he put it
out… and then he told me one of the funniest stories I've ever heard about "warbirds".
Harry said about 3 weeks after he'd spread the poster around… a drunk showed up on his
doorstep at about 11 o'clock at night… Harry looked through the peep hole and saw a
really rough looking character… he had about a weeks growth of beard and could hardly
stand, he was so drunk. Harry said he was not about to open the door and yelled out to the
guy, asking him what he wanted. The guy replied he wanted his "Goddamn reward"!
Harry didn't understand what the guy was talking about and said, "What reward"? The
drunk swayed and pulled out a folded up copy of Harry's poster… He pointed at it and
said, "I want my five hundred dollars"! Harry was still looking through the peep hole and
said the guy almost fell over. Harry decided he wanted nothing to do with this drunk at
this time of night… He yelled out to the guy to come back when he was sober and they'd
talk… but he was not coming out or letting him in… if he didn't leave… he'd call the
police. Harry said the guy just stood there for a minute and finally staggered off.
The next night, around midnight, the old man shows up again… once again demanding
his reward and drunker than Cooter Jones… Once again, Harry sent him on his way and
told him to come back in the day time when he was sober. He said the guy yelled out, "I
knew it was bullshit"… and staggered off.
Three months go by and one day Harry's doorbell rings… He looks out and sees an older
man, clean shaven and respectable looking in work pants and Brogans… Harry asked
what he wanted and the old man said through the door… "Mr. Doan… I was the drunk
who showed up at your door a couple of months ago. I know I was a mess. I just got out
of rehab… and I really do know where an airplane crash is and I'd like to take you there
and collect the reward". With that, Harry opened up the door!
The old man came in and Harry made him a cup of coffee… With shaking hands, the old
man told Harry his tale of woe. He'd worked all his life as a logger until the demon
whiskey got the best of him. He'd been in and out of jail; and to rehab about a half a
dozen times. He was down on his luck, but hoped to be on the road to recovery. He said
he really knew where an old crash was over toward DeLand and wanted to take Harry to
it and collect the $500 dollars.
Harry got excited and he and the old man jumped in his pickup and took off toward
DeLand. They drive on some back roads and then got off on a secondary… and the old
man finally pointed to what appeared to be an old logging road off to the side. He said to
go down this road until it ended… and then they'd have to walk in about a mile. As Harry
creeped down the logging road, he began to get worried. First it was obvious someone
had been on this road recently from the mud tracks… And then he was worried that
maybe he was being set up. Harry regretted not bringing someone with him. As they
neared the end of the road, Harry sees this old clapped out pickup truck sitting there. He
looked at the old man and asked, "Friends of yours"? The old man shook his head no. He
then said, "But this is the place".
Harry was reluctant to get out of the truck… but finally decided he had no choice. He
followed the old man into the woods and he could see where someone had dragged
something through it recently. About 200 yards into the woods they came across two
elderly black men dragging a piece of aluminum… It was the horizontal stabilizer of an
SBD!
Harry was beside himself… it had obviously been chopped off from an airplane! They
stood there talking to the two men and they told him they'd found this old airplane and
were scrapping it out for the aluminum. Harry and the old man then asked them to take
them to it. At first they were reluctant… but Harry then told them if it was what he
thought it was… He'd pay them more than the scrap value they would get. With that…
All four of them went deeper into the woods. They came to an opening near a swamp and
there sat what remained of an SBD Dauntless!
Amazingly, it was mostly intact… with the exception of the wings and horizontals being
chopped/hack sawed off. Harry was beside himself! The old man was suddenly silent and
the two black men were asking if he wanted to buy it from them. Harry asked them what
they wanted and they said $250 dollars… Harry said deal… but don't take any more
stuff. They agreed… Harry then took the old man aside and said, "Don't worry old
man… You'll still get your reward". Reassured, the old man then told Harry he knew a
way to get it out through the woods… Harry said no need… He had another idea.
The four of them walked back to the trucks and Harry gave the two black men their $250
dollars in cash… they put what was left of the stabilizers into Harry's truck… as they
drove away, Harry put 10, $100 dollar bills in the old man's hands. He saw a tear in the
old man's eyes. Harry told him he would need him to guide his crew back out to the
airplane the next day. As they drove back to Daytona, Harry found out the guy was
staying in a half-way house… He dropped him off and went to gather up his crew.
The next day they were all out there… after doing a lot of prep work, they called Harry
and told them they were ready. Harry climbed in his H-34 helicopter and flew to the crash
site and lifted the SBD out of the swamp! He flew it back to his place and had the
airplane secure and covered in his storage yard within hours.
Harry said he'd been kicking himself for years for not talking to the guy that first night…
if he had, he'd have been able to save the wings and tail surfaces… it was a great story…
lots of pathos and ethos and all that. The end result was that Harry at least had one of the
few real SBD fuselages known to exist at that time. Harry's admonition to me was…
"You just never know"… all leads are worth following until the come to a conclusion.
About a month later, Harry called me and said he thought he had a hot prospect on the
C-123… A broker had a client who was willing to trade a Merlin IIIB turboprop…
straight across for the C-123. "Call your friends… I really want to make this deal". I did
and was told very curtly… "Make sure it happens and do everything you can to make
sure everything works". I called Harry back and said it was a "Go".
The next day, the buyer flew in with the Merlin and I was there with Harry to meet him.
Harry checked out the Merlin while the guy and two others checked out the C-123. It was
over in less than an hour. The buyer said he'd be back the next day with a pink slip (FAA
Bill of Sale) and the deal would be done. He then asked if Harry had any objection to him
leaving the airplane at Harry's for a while. Harry balked at first… but remembering my
encouragement from my friends… I took Harry aside and said under my breath… "Give
him what he wants". Harry then turned around and said, "Will you pay rent"? The guy
said sure… He walked over to the Merlin, reached in and pulled out a briefcase, opened
it, reached inside and handed Harry a wad of $100 dollar bills… must have been at least
$10,000 dollars! He then said, "We may be here for a month or two… Let me know when
you need more". With that, they climbed in the Merlin and left.
I don't know who was more shocked… Harry or me! Harry looked at me and said, "I
don't know who your friends are… but I sure like the way they do business"! I went into
the hangar office and called my contact and told them everything that had happened.
They said "Good… Give them everything they want". Then he asked… "What did you
think of El Gordo (the fat man)"… I said I didn't get to talk to him too much but he sure
as hell had impressed Harry. By the way… El Gordo's real name was Barry Seal.
Things were just starting to get interesting. Harry and I went out and celebrated that night
and were there to meet Seal when he came in the next day. He arrived with an entourage.
With Seal were mechanics and electronics technicians… They started work on the C-123
immediately, while he and Harry filled out all the required paperwork. I had to admit, I
was impressed with their knowledge and work ethic. When Harry and Barry finished the
paper work, they came out into the hangar and we all just stood there and talked. Barry
asked Harry who he could get to give him a checkout in the airplane… Harry said the
only one's he knew were Reagan and Ross and that he'd give them a call. Harry went in
to call and I stood there with Seal… someone came over and said they'd need to buy
some fuel and supplies and Seal lifted up the ubiquitous brief case and handed out
another bunch of hundred dollar bills… I'm sitting there thinking… This seems more like
a drug operation rather than a government operation!
Harry came out and said that Reagan and Ross were both tied up and couldn't do the job
because of other commitments… It was at that point that I remembered one of the
Salvadorian Aircraft Commanders on the C-123 was over at Maxwell AFB going to the
Air Warfare College. I told Seal I would get a hold of him that night and see if he could
come down for the weekend to give a checkout. Seal said he'd pay him whatever he
wanted; he just needed it done as soon as possible.
This gave me an excuse to go home for the evening… My contact information was
there… It would also give me some time to talk to my contacts. I had a lot of concerns
and questions and I wanted some answers.
As soon as I got home… I called my friend in Alabama and arranged for him to fly down
on Friday and go back on Sunday… It would have to be a quick checkout. I called Harry
and let him know I had a check pilot for Seal and he said he'd pass it on.
The next morning I called the contact and explained I wanted a face to face… I'd seen
some things that disturbed me greatly and wanted to hash some things out. He agreed and
I went in for the meeting. I told him all about Seal… and that this thing was looking all
the world to me like a dope deal and not a government operation. I was concerned about
Harry… he was my friend and he'd proceeded with the deal and agreed to let these guys
work out of his facilities down there… all based on my encouragement and assurances. If
this thing was some "sting" operation they were running… Harry could be hung out to
dry and in harm's way.
After I got through venting… the contact sat me down and told me that what I had
assumed (a dope deal) was exactly what they wanted everyone to believe… Not to
worry… Harry was not in any danger… everything was going according to plan. I then
told him I'd arranged for a Salvadorian to give Seal a checkout… He said good… and
wanted to know when I could get back down there and keep a watch on things. I told him
I'd get back down the next day. When I got home, Harry had called and said a part had
failed on the plane and he knew I'd acquired a replacement since it had given us
problems before… He wanted me to fly it down, first thing in the morning. They wanted
to turn the airplane up and needed it right away. I said I'd fly it down in my T-34 the next
morning.
I got out to the airport at around 8 o'clock the next morning… I'd had the oil changed the
week before and discovered one of the mechanics had left the master on and the battery
was dead as a door nail. I was pissed and screwed! I went into the FBO and one of the
airport regulars was standing there and asked what was up… I explained that I needed to
get a part down to Harry and my damn battery was dead. He said, "Hell, I'm not doing
anything… I'll run you down in my plane".
The guys name was Neal Byrd… He was the son of a local brain surgeon… and a local
Blue Blood. He was your typical rich kid… he dressed appropriately sloppy and wore flip
flops or Topsiders all the time. To my knowledge, he had no job… and I assumed he was
just another "Trust Fund Baby"… Seems every airport has one. He'd told me a week or
two before that he'd bought some P-40 wrecks and was hoping to build one up… He was
also extremely interested in my travels and future business plans… and opined that
maybe we could do something together?
We jumped in his airplane and flew down to Harry's hangar at New Smyrna Beach, just
south of Daytona. We got there by 9 o'clock. I crawled out of the plane and gave one of
Barry's guys the part. Neal took off into the hangar to look at all of Harry's toys. Barry
came out and thanked me for the part and for getting him a check pilot… He then looked
behind me and saw Neal looking at Harry's Corsair and asked, "Who's that"? I explained
that my battery had been dead on my airplane and that Neal was one of my local airport
regulars who'd volunteered to fly me and the part down. Barry didn't say anything and
turned to go back in the office which now served as his base of operations. Neal and I
spent another half hour roaming around Harry's hangar and got back in his airplane to fly
home. As we were getting in, Seal came out of the office with a video camera… He
yelled out, "Hey Roy… You guys smile and wave at the camera". We did… but I thought
it was real unusual… but promptly forgot about it.
On the flight back to Herlong Airport in Jacksonville, Neal asked me all about my trade
with the Museum and how one would go about being in the business… I told him about
my discovering the A-17 and what all had happened since. I also mentioned I'd located a
shit load of parts in El Salvador and planned to go back and buy as much as I could. Neal
said it sounded like something he'd like to get into… and offered to bankroll me if I
needed it. I said I'd consider it and let him know. Neither of us said a thing about Seal or
the C-123 on the way home.
Once we landed, I thanked him and offered to pay for the gas… He declined and said just
seeing all Harry's toys was worth the trip. I went home and intended to take a nap. About
four o'clock the phone rang… and all hell broke loose!
"What the fuck were you thinking" said the voice on the other end of the line! In my
sleep fog… I asked who it was talking… He identified himself and I sat bolt upright.
"What are you talking about"? He said they needed me in their office immediately… I
had just committed a major fuck up! He then hung up. I had no clue what he was upset
about… I drove over to their offices and just about everyone was gone except two
Agents. I was taken in a room and the main guy said, "I told you this was a government
operation… You needed to be discrete… and you turn around and bring a big time doper
right in the middle of a major operation! I said, "What the fuck are you talking about"?
He said, "This"! And dropped down a photo of Neal Byrd.
I looked up at him and said, "That's no doper, that's Neal Byrd… his Dad's a local brain
surgeon… He gave me a ride down to Harry's this morning because my airplane was
broken"! The agent snatched up the photo and said… "You don't have a clue… do you"?
I just shook my head. He then asked me if this guy was a friend, I told him no… he was
just some guy from around the airport. He'd approached me about possibly hooking up
together in the "warbird" parts business… said he had a couple of P-40 wrecks and that
was about all the contact we'd had. He then asked what Neal had to say about Barry Seal
and/or the C-123… I said he'd said nothing about either. The agent then pissed me off
when he said he found that hard to believe. I said "Look… I've got no reason to lie to
you… What's all this about"?
He sat down and got real close… this so called acquaintance of yours is a principal in one
of the largest cocaine smuggling rings in the United States… You have put him right in
the middle of a major operation and we can't tell you how pissed we are. He then gave
me a quick and dirty on Neal Byrd… How Barry had recognized him from doing
previous business together and there was to be a major meeting the next morning to
decide what to do. He also said they wanted me in their offices at 9 o'clock sharp to be
available for questioning.
I was stunned… not only about what I'd just learned about Neal… but also about what a
major screw-up I'd just made. I have to admit… I didn't sleep too well that night.
I arrived back at the office at 8:30… I was sat in a room to wait until called. Eventually I
was brought into the conference room. On the table was a speaker phone… I was
introduced and even though no one else was identified at first… I started getting question
after question thrown at me… was I sure Byrd had said nothing about Seal? How well did
I know Byrd? Do you think he suspects anything about the C-123? It went on and on… I
answered every question to the best of my ability.
Finally a voice identifies himself as a U.S. Attorney from Scranton, Pa. He said he was
with two agents who'd spent a lot of time working on Byrd's case… He said there was a
major concern about what Byrd suspected or found out about the operation… One of the
options discussed was whether to arrest Byrd on some charge to get him off the street
long enough for the operation to go through… but that he and his agents were afraid that
this would jeopardize their case. They'd spent a lot of time and money on this thing and
were within days of going to a Grand Jury.
He then dropped a bombshell on me… How would you feel about "working" him for us?
I asked what he meant… He said, "You know, get close to him… find out what he knows
or suspects about what is going on". "If he really doesn't suspect anything, we can leave
him alone until the indictment comes down… If he suspects something, then we can
figure out a way to get him out of circulation". For the first time, I really felt uneasy
about what I was being asked to do. I asked how long I would be expected to do this…
The attorney confidently said, "Three weeks to a month max". I thought about it for a
second and figured; What the hell… I could stand on my head for that long… Besides I
had been the one that had screwed up… I owed them that much. My primary concern was
protecting the operation… in three weeks, I was sure I wouldn't learn much of anything
about Neal's past… But I could at least help protect the operation. I finally spoke up and
said I would do whatever they wanted.
I was ushered out of the room and told to wait. About an hour later the two agents came
out and sat down with me… They said that based on the needs of the US Attorney… that
it was decided to take a chance on me… and that they wanted me to get close to Byrd and
pick his brains if possible. As long as he wasn't suspicious… the operation would
continue. They then sat me down and gave me a primer on how to conduct myself…
What not to do, etc.
During the course of the brief, I mentioned that I'd told Byrd about a trove of "warbird"
parts in El Salvador… If they really wanted him out of circulation… maybe I could get
him to go on a trip with me. If he was out of the country… he'd be hard pressed to screw
anything up. They thought that was a hell of an idea… and said they'd let me know the
next morning. The next day they called and said to try to get him out of the country as
soon as possible.
First things first… I had to get my Salvadorian friend to Daytona to check Seal out in the
C-123. I picked him and his young daughter up at the airport and drove him down to
Harry's. The daughter was an unexpected surprise and we had to arrange a baby sitter for
her in a hurry.
Miguel was a hell of a guy… He sat with Barry for over an hour, going over the plane
and its' quirks… they then went out to the plane and started it up and taxied it around.
They came back and shut it down and decided to call it a day and planned to get it up and
flying the next morning. Miguel worked with Seal some more that night in the motel.
When we got out to the airport the next morning… we were surprised to find that
someone had decided that maybe my idea of using a foreigner to check Barry out, might
not be a good idea… and overnight an Air Force Instructor/Check Pilot had been flown
down from Ohio to assist. He reminded me of an airline pilot.
He then gets in the plane with Barry and Miguel and tells them he is going to show them
the proper way to do things. They start the thing up and he is demonstrating a magneto
check… in the process, he turns the magneto's completely off on the right engine and
promptly blows the exciter right off the back of the mag when he rapidly turns the mag
back on… So much for the friggin "expert". The airplane was down until it could be
fixed. Seal was pissed and Miguel was cool… our expert was trying to figure out how to
blame the plane for his screw-up.
Luckily, Harry had the part needed in stock and two hours later… she was up and
running. Harry and I watched as the three of them took off and headed North West. Barry
told us they'd be gone an hour or two so he could get the feel of the airplane and shoot
some landing and takeoffs. While they were gone, Harry took me aside and asked, "Do
you know what is really going on"? I said I knew enough to know it was OK.
Finally they came back and everyone seemed to be happy with the way things had
progressed. They decided to spend Sunday morning on another flight and then we had to
get Miguel on the plane back to Alabama. On the way to the airport, Miguel looked at me
and said, "Hermano… anytime you need me I'm at you disposal". Barry had paid him
$3,000 dollars for the weekend… That was more than he made in a month in El Salvador.
I headed back to Jacksonville. On the way, I thought about what was expected of me with
Byrd… I felt obligated… but I still didn't feel comfortable with what I was asked to do. I
needed to talk to someone… and the only guy I trusted with this would be my Dad.
Pop was working the night shift at NARF (Naval Re-work Facility) in the small frames
metal shop. His work week started on Sunday night. I was allowed on the base using my
Reserve Officers ID card… and I drove to Dad's shop. I waited until he had a break and
we went outside to talk. I told him everything that was going on…
Typically, Dad was more than a little pissed at me for not thinking and having Byrd fly
me down to Harry's. He said I should have known better, considering my background. I
told him what they wanted me to do with Byrd and he asked how long I might have to be
involved… I told him 2 weeks to a month. Pop felt that wasn't a big deal… "You won't
be getting that close to this guy in such a short time… but I don't like the idea of you two
traveling together". I explained I didn't have much choice… they wanted him as far away
from the operation as possible. He said, "Just do what you have to do, but keep your wits
about you… don't be stupid". I drove home, feeling a little better about things. Dad was
OK with it… But if either of us had known what was really going to happen… I'm sure it
would have been a different story.
I called Byrd the next morning and asked if he wanted to go with me to El Salvador…
Like I expected, he took the bait immediately. I called down to El Salvador and set things
up. Two days later, we were on our way.
On the way down, I spent some time telling Neal a little about El Salvador… What to
expect and make him aware he'd be seeing a lot of guns. I did my best to assure him he'd
be safe as long as he acted sensibly. I laid down some ground rules and made it clear he
was not to go off on his own. I also indicated there were some places he would not be
able to go with me, because I had other business besides looking for parts. He seemed to
understand and wasn't the least bit nervous that I could tell.
Upon arrival, we cleared Customs and took a cab to the hotel. As we were checking in, I
heard a female voice behind us yell out; "Neal? We turned around and there stood an
attractive young woman… chain around her neck with a little sign that said "PRESS" on
it. In one of those little quirks of fate… it was an old college friend of Neal's from Loyola
University in New Orleans. Her name was Courtney (Cookie) Hood.
I watched as they held a little re-union… Neal introduced me and said we were down
looking for airplane parts and Cookie informed us that she was the "Station Manager" for
CBS News in the region and split her time between Salvador and Nicaragua. It turned out
her family was originally from the area and even though she had U.S. citizenship… she'd
grown up living in Nicaragua and the U.S. She invited us to have dinner with her, but had
to leave at that moment to go on an assignment. She said she'd call us when she got back.
I should note here that the meeting of Cookie would become very fortuitous to me. She
and I eventually became friends… and unwittingly, she would later save my butt when I
was confronted with a very dangerous situation. She would also give me entrée into the
more unseemly side of the news business.
After checking in… I told Neal to kick back… I'd make some phone calls and try to set
some things up for the next day… In the meantime, let's get some rest and wait for
Cookie to call. We went to our respective rooms; I made some calls and took a nap.
Neal called my room about 7 o'clock and said Cookie had invited us down to the fourth
floor of the hotel to their offices and then we'd go to dinner. I showered and shaved and
got down there in about 20 minutes… Neal was already there.
Their "office" was really just another hotel room in which they had computers and
equipment strewn all over the place… there were wires running every where and stacks
of video tapes and editing equipment. Cookie introduced us around and the group of folks
reminded me very much of the college crowd I'd known in Southern California. Lots of
beards, long hair and beads and wire jewelry. Their dress was definitely on the "hippie"
side. The room had more of a crash pad ambiance than an office… but it was also
obvious it was the central meeting place for all the staff and hangers on.
Over the next hour or so… Cookie and Neal re-kindled their friendship and Cookie
started to tell us a lot about the war and who the various players were. Occasionally one
of the others in the room would kick in with some anecdote and/or opinion… I kept my
mouth shut as it was obvious, that virtually everyone of them were sympathetic with the
FMLN (The G's) in El Salvador and the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. I decided it best to just
watch and listen. I really wasn't even surprised when the names of some of my
Salvadorian friends came up and they were described as really dangerous and evil people.
We eventually made it to dinner and Cookie continued her critique of the politics and
issues in the region… from a decidedly leftist point of view. She finally got around to
asking us what we were really doing down there? Neal told her our reasons were
legitimate… we really were looking for airplane parts. She seemed to buy it, but she kept
looking at me to see if I gave off any facial expressions or hints of something more than
she was being told. I tried to act as casual as possible. She seemed more than a little
interested to find we were meeting with the Salvadorian Air Force at Ilapongo, the next
day… How did we pull that off, she asked? Neal explained that I'd been down there
before and had already done some business with them… Cookie said she thought I'd
looked familiar. I then told her it was all really a fluke… I had an aircraft that they
wanted and in the process of meeting with them, I'd noticed a lot of WW II aircraft parts
laying around, that if they could be bought at a right price, they could pay off handsomely
back in the states… it was really that simple.
Cookie then said, "If that's true… you guys ought to come see me in Managua… there's
lots of old junk around there and I can introduce you to the right people". She didn't
know it… but what she said was like dumping blood in the water to a bunch of hungry
sharks. Neal and I looked at each other and nodded… I was thinking to myself… she may
see us a lot sooner than expected.
At the end of dinner, Cookie said she was flying back to Managua the next morning and
gave us each her business card with her various phone numbers and hoped we'd get
together again soon. After she left us… Neal asked me what I thought about making a
side trip… I opined that nothing ventured, nothing gained. I'd see how things went here
and if we had the time, we might jump over to see Cookie and look around. Neal didn't
seem to be in any hurry to get back to the states… I was to later find out… there was a
good reason.
Later in my room… I got to thinking. So far everything was working as planned… but
going to Nicaragua was not something that was even remotely considered or discussed
before I left the states. I was starting to get cold feet and decided that I had to find some
way to contact some folks back in the states, before making such a move. It was one
thing to be baby sitting their suspect on familiar turf… but something else again to be
diverting from the intended itinerary.
The next morning we took a cab down to Ilapongo. When we pulled up to the walled
compound I told Neal to get out his passport… I knew the routine and warned him not to
be intimidated by all the guns he was about to see. He nodded and once again seemed at
ease. After the cab was searched and screened for weapons and hidden bombs… we were
allowed in. We were then escorted to one of my contacts office. He had some folks with
him and saw me when I came in. He waved me in and I told Neal to wait outside for a
few minutes.
In his office was one of the military advisors from the Mil Group at the embassy I'd
previously met. With him was a short, stocky man, with a buzz cut. Looked to me just
like a Marine. Both men were in civilian clothes. I shook the Advisors hand and he
introduced me to his companion… his name was J.J. Manion… He was the Executive
Officer of the Inter-American Air Forces Academy (IAAFA) in Panama. The Mil Group
guy explained who I was and mentioned I was a former Marine pilot… I sized this guy
up and I commented to Manion that he looked more like a Marine than an Air Force
puke… He beamed me a smile and said he'd spent a lot of time on the "street" as a Drill
Instructor when he was enlisted. People who have never spent any time in the military…
don't know how certain little things can remove walls so quickly… This was a guy I
instantly liked and wanted to get to know much better. We spent a few minutes trading
good natured jibs and instantly formed a bond. The Mil Group guy just watched and
stayed aloof. I'd already decided from our previous meetings, that he was somewhat of an
arrogant SOB.
In just a few minutes Manion and I discovered we had a lot in common… We'd both
served in Vietnam about the same time and had a lot of common interests. He asked if I
was staying at the El Presidente… I said no… I didn't feel it was safe… with all the U.S.
Military and civilians staying there, I felt it would be a ripe target some day… I was
staying at the Intercontinental where the press was… nobody fucked with them. When I
said this… Manion shot me a knowing look and nodded his head.
The Mil Group guy asked how the sale of the C-123 was going? I was surprised he didn't
know that it had fallen through… I told him the deal was killed by the FMS desk at State
and I'd already sold the airplane to someone else. I then told him I was back down to see
if I could buy some old Corsair and Mustang parts I'd seen laying around the area. That I
had a friend with me and we hoped to find some stuff we could buy and re-market.
Mannion then asked what I was doing for dinner; I said I had no plans… He said, "Why
don't you join us for dinner at the Ponderosa Steak House just up the road from your
hotel"? I said I'd be delighted and we set a time.
With that, he and the Mil Group guy left and I had Neal come in and introduced him to
my Salvadorian military friend. We talked for a little bit and then he had a sergeant take
us out and show us around the storage yard. We found a good bit of stuff… mostly for the
Corsair… Flaps, rudders, ailerons and cowling… plus some other things like oil tanks
and coolers. All in all, I figured out there was about $25,000 to $50,000 dollars worth of
stuff there, if we could get top dollar. We went back inside and I told my friend we'd like
to buy everything we'd seen. He asked what I'd be willing to pay and I said I'd rather he
told me what they wanted… He said he'd have to get with the "Bosses" and get back to
me. We all then went over to the civilian side of the field to the Aero Club and had
lunch… While there, I met one of the Salvadorian civilians I knew and he agreed to show
us some stuff on their side. My military friend said he'd go back to his office and see if
he couldn't get us an answer on the Corsair parts that day.
The civilian showed us a nice Stearman that could be bought at a steal… and then
showed us a lot of old engines and other things… mostly junk. While we were still with
him, a jeep pulled up and the driver said my friend wanted us back over on the military
side. He drove us over and my friend said he'd talked to the boss and he wanted $5,000
dollars for the group of parts… He then opined he might be able to get him to come down
a bit. I turned to look at Neal; just in time to see him reach into the side pocket of his
cargo pants… He pulled out a bulging envelope and turned away from my friend and
counted out fifty $100 dollar bills which he handed to me. Shades of Barry Seal… it
erased any doubt in my mind about who Neal Bird really was… only dopers threw that
kind of money around so casually. I looked at my friend and said, "No need to haggle,
that's a fair price"… and handed him the money.
He had us a receipt typed up and we discussed how to get the stuff back to the states. My
friend said he had a buddy at TACA… the local airline, and he could get all of it on the
plane as luggage. I said, "You're kidding"! He said "No… A couple of hundred dollars
would work miracles down there". I laughed and said I'd get back to him… we had
decided we might make a side trip before going home… I would call him in the morning.
On the way back to the hotel… Neal was absolutely giddy… this was too easy… He
couldn't believe how smooth the whole thing had gone. I warned him it wouldn't always
be this way… we'd just gotten lucky. I told him we would be having dinner that night
with some U.S. military guys and I'd ring him up when we were ready to leave.
Getting ready for dinner… I was worried about what to do… I knew my other friends
wanted us out of circulation for as long as possible… but we had completed what we'd
come for in just two days, instead of the week or so I had anticipated. I also knew I
shouldn't go to Nicaragua without alerting someone first.
J.J. Manion was to be the answer to my prayers.
STOP I
The Ponderosa Steak House was not one of the similarly named "chain" steakhouses
from America… but a pretty nice restaurant by any standards… Up on the side of the
mountain, with a giant patio where you could eat al fresco and enjoy a beautiful view of
the city's night lights. They had a great chimichurra sauce as well.
Manion was a great host and a hell of a recantour… We swapped war stories and he
entertained all of us through dinner. He really had an infectious personality. Toward the
end of the meal he asked about the airplane parts business. I explained that we'd just
bought some Corsair stuff there in El Salvador and we were thinking about going to
Nicaragua to look for old parts there.
Manion said if I wanted to expand my list of contacts… that they had a guy at South
Comm in Panama, that knew every Chief of Staff of every Latin American Air Force on a
first name basis. Said his name was Matias Farrias. He went on to explain that Mat held
the title of The Permanent Secretariat of SoCOFA (whatever that was) and had almost
legendary status in Latin America. Mat was originally a Cuban Air Force Officer under
Batista and had escaped Castro and took part in the ill fated Bay of Pigs fiasco. He
evidently impressed somebody as he ended up with a commission in the U.S. Air Force
and had been in Panama every since. J.J. laughed and said, "That son of a bitch has been
down here so long… we don't know whose side he is on anymore". He invited me to
come to Panama and said he'd introduce me to Mat. He even suggested I come there
before going to Nicaragua. I immediately warmed to the idea for more reasons than one.
Just before the end of the evening, we experienced a moderate earthquake… It provided
an excuse for some more wine and we talked well into the night. When it finally broke
up… we said good bye and exchanged numbers. On the way back to the hotel, I told
Byrd I thought we might be well served to make a visit to Panama before going anywhere
else… this Farrias guy may be able to open more doors than we could ever do on our
own.
Manion left the next day and I made the obligatory social call on the embassy… I met
with the Mil Group guys and discussed my dealings at Ilapongo. The Colonel in charge
invited me to dinner at his quarters. I went back to the hotel and told Neal he was on his
own for the evening… but stay in the hotel… it was too dangerous to be on the streets.
He said OK.
I took a cab to the compound where the Colonel lived and was ushered in. I was surprised
to find he had a female companion. He explained that she was his secretary at the
embassy and also a good "friend" (How do you spell mistress). She was a native
Salvadorian. The guy had a cook and a maid… and they served up a fine meal and we
talked about a lot of things… I commented that this attaché stuff was good duty,
considering the perks involved. He wasn't amused.
I was really surprised at some of his and her observations and comments… mostly
negative about the current Salvadorian military and government. Actually, they were
downright insulting. I wasn't surprised to find out later after this guy was fired… that his
friend was actually an FMLN spy. She sure as hell had influenced him! Ah, the power of
a woman.
I made a lot of mental notes to pass on when I got back to the states… it seemed to me
that perhaps this guy and his staff were not always operating in concert with the
Salvadorians… actually, there appeared to be a bad relationship all around. Tough to win
a war, if all were not working together. It seemed like a bad situation to me. His attitude
reminded me of a similar attitude I'd encountered in Vietnam from some of our guys
toward our allies there. Everyone respected the enemy and what he was capable of… but
many showed open disdain or contempt for our allies. American hubris is the best I can
describe it.
Back at the hotel that evening, I called Byrd and asked how he felt about going to
Panama? He was all for it and agreed it could open a lot of doors. We made plans to have
breakfast and check on plane reservations for Panama. We got lucky and were able to
catch a flight that afternoon. I called ahead to Manion to let him know we were going to
take him up on his offer… He suggested we stay at the Hilton downtown and he'd get a
hold of us the next day. I also called down to Ilapongo and told them we'd decided to
take a side trip and I'd return for the parts later… "No problemo hermano… they'll be
waiting for you when you get back".
We arrived at Omar Torrillos Airport that afternoon, checked into the hotel and had
dinner in the open atrium. When I got to the table, Byrd was reading a stateside
newspaper and for the first time since we'd left, he seemed detached and not himself. I
didn't know what was going on and asked him if he was OK? He said it was nothing…
but I could tell something was bugging him.
STOP II
We called it a night and planned on breakfast at 8 o'clock… Manion said he'd have us
picked up at 9. When I got down to breakfast… Byrd was still in a funk. He told me that
he needed to make some calls to his stock broker and take care of some things… How
'bout I go alone and let him catch up on some things. I actually welcomed this… in that it
gave me the opportunity to talk to Manion about something alone.
What was going on with Byrd… that I didn't have a clue about… was that Byrd's partner
in crime and one of the other principals in the Air America smuggling operation up in
Scranton, Pa.… had been indicted down in Tampa for his part in a previous drug
smuggling operation. Byrd had also been a member of that group, but had escaped
detection because he'd used a pseudonym… a phony name with the other smugglers…
None of the others in the ring knew his real identity except Rik Luytjes… who was on
trial.
I was later to find out that Byrd had read an article about the trial in the newspaper he'd
picked up that first night in Panama… which painted a gloomy picture as to Rik's
chances of getting off. I'm sure it was on his mind that if Rik went down… He might
give Neal up as part of a plea deal. The young man had a lot to think about. Ironic… that
in reality… Byrd wanted to be out of the country as much as we wanted him out of
circulation… little did we know.
J.J. arrived right on schedule… When we got to IAAFA's Headquarters… One of the first
things I did while we having the obligatory cup of java… was to ask if he had a "secure"
phone I could use. Manion looked at me and smiled… didn't say a word or ask why…
other than tell me how to use the phone… he then handed me a phone from behind his
desk and walked out of the room to let me do my business.
I made two calls… the first to the lady and the second to the guys related to the C-123.
The lady encouraged the trip to Nicaragua and the other guys were happy we'd be down
longer than originally planned. The asked if Byrd had mentioned or asked questions
about Seal and the C-123… I said not a word. When I finished, Manion got Mat Farrias
on the phone and we all chatted for about a half hour. Farrias was emphatic he could get
me entrée to virtually all the Air Forces in Latin America. He said he'd come over that
afternoon and give me his business card… that alone would open all doors. I was to find
out later he exaggerated a little bit… but not much.
After talking with Mat, J.J. took me in to meet his boss, Dan Medogovich. As extroverted
as Manion was… Medogovich was a total opposite. Quiet, poised and serene. He was a
cool customer. They were the perfect "Mutt and Jeff" team… and I mean that in a good
way. In the few years that I was down there… they were by far the best, smartest and
most resourceful guys I met. Their knowledge of Latin America and their militaries…
exceeded anyone else's I've ever known.
The only guy who came close was Jim Goodsell… the long time correspondent for the
Christian Science Monitor for Latin American affairs. Goodsell was also a treasure trove
of knowledge. I had been fortunate to meet him on my first trip to El Salvador and we
exchanged letters and phone calls on a regular basis. Like Manion… Goodsell didn't ask
me questions I couldn't answer… he just treated me like a friend.
Getting back to Medogovich… Manion at one point said, "Have Dan show you his
gimmick"… Dan reached behind him and placed a very old photograph on his desk… It
was an autographed derraugotype of Simon Bolivar… Manion said that every general in
Latin America had tried to buy it at one time or another… that Dan was a legend amongst
the Latin's for having it in his family. It opened all kinds of doors that money wouldn't
open.
After lunch, Farrias came by and dropped off his card… it had all his numbers on it and
he said to call if I ever ran into trouble… and to give him a heads up when I was going to
a different country and he'd tell me who to contact. We only talked for a couple of
minutes because he had a meeting with Manuel Noriega he had to go to. Mat was a name
dropper.
STOP III
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