Mobility Guardian

Last Monday I had the privilege of volunteering with the USO at Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) south of Seattle to help distribute snacks and water to the personnel who were participating in Mobility Guardian.  There were four of us and, on Monday, there were about 1,500 people over the course of the day who came through the hanger where we were set up.  These men and women were air crews from over a dozen allies around the world.  It was an honor and fun to briefly get to know some of these young career military professionals.

Here’s a brief description from the Air Mobility Command CO of what Mobility Guardian is all about...

Air Mobility Command's first Mobility Guardian readiness exercise is scheduled to take place at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, from Jul. 30 to Aug. 12, 2017.

"Interoperability with our joint and allied partners is crucial to be able to move people, planes and cargo into contested environments around the world. Mobility Guardian will be our premier exercise for U.S. and allied units to train together and improve joint capabilities. We'll train like we fight." -- Gen. Carlton D. Everhart II, AMC Commander

Although I didn’t see this aircraft myself, the British flew in one of their A400M “Atlas” transports to McChord Field for the exercise.

Oops!

Thursday mornings I usually pull a six hour shift at the SeaTac Airport USO.  My job has evolved into handling our luggage room, where folks in transit can store their suitcases, duffel bags, etc. so they don’t have to lug them around during their stay.  Yesterday several of us were discussing interesting take-offs and landings we had either experienced or had heard about.  Since we are all veterans (another Army guy, a retired naval jet jockey and me) there were naturally a lot of stories to be told.

Well, I remembered one that I had heard about and had later found on Youtube about the Seaboard World stretch DC-8 that had been cleared to land at Danang AFB but landed instead at Marble Mountain.  Below I’ve linked the movies that Stan Bloom and somebody else shot the morning it took off from that shorter-than-normal runway in 1968.  Fasten your seatbelt and make sure you tray is in the upright and locked position!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bvK6enoQDg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mId1WK6sYuk

More Words of Wisdom from George Drago

I called an old friend and asked what was he doing.

 

He replied that he is working on "Aqua-thermal treatment of ceramics, aluminum and steel under a constrained environment.

 

I was very impressed.

 

Upon further questioning, I learned that he was washing dishes with hot water under his wife's supervision.

Troops Forming Statue of Liberty

Larry Haglund, our friend from Minnesota, sent this...

This INCREDIBLE picture was taken in 1918.
I find it amazing that this photo, taken so many years ago, actually still exists!

It is 18,000 men preparing for war in a training camp at Camp Dodge , in Iowa .
EIGHTEEN THOUSAND MEN!!!!!

FACTS:  Base to Shoulder: 150 feet
               Right Arm: 340 feet
               Widest part of arm holding torch: 12 1/2 feet
               Right thumb: 35 feet
               Thickest part of body: 29 feet
               Left hand length: 30 feet
               Face: 60 feet
               Nose: 21 feet
               Longest spike of head piece: 70 feet
               Torch and flame combined: 980 feet
               Number of men in flame of torch: 12,000
               Number of men in torch: 2,800
               Number of men in right arm: 1,200
               Number of men in body, head and balance of figure only: 2,000
               Total men: 18,000

What a priceless gift from our grandfathers!

The 225th On Youtube

I got this note from John Pinkerton sometime ago, but forgot to post it like I told him I would.  Search on Youtube for Pinkerton Vietnam Movies and click on any of the 3 videos that should come up.

Hi Gordy, it's been a long time since we've talked.  Sorry I didn't see you in D.C.   I was there but I got messed up because I drove there in my motorhome and the only place I could stay was in College Park, Md.  The first day, Thursday, I drove to the Reunion and it took 40 minutes to get there, and 1 hour and 45 minutes to get back to Maryland . 

     Anyway, the reason for this email is that I finally got around to putting some Viet Nam movies on the internet.  (YouTube).  I think you'll like them.  Right now they are private but I will put your email address on them so you can check them out.  3 of them are at the 225th and 2 others are in Tuy Hoa but I was with the 18th Ave Co (otters) before the 225th.  Check them out and let me know what you think.     Later.

Vietnam Virtual Wall

A friend who I’ve known for nearly fifty years (he’s another Army vet but was in before the Vietnam War) sent me this link.  You may have already seen it, but it’s worth clicking on it again.  Here are some instructions...

Virtual Wall/Vietnam. First click on a state. When it opens, scroll down to the city where you lived or went to school during that era and look at the names.  Click on the name and it will give details of the person's death, a picture or at least their bio and medals.

http://www.virtualwall.org/

This really is an amazing web site. Someone spent a lot of time and effort

to create it.