dnbeven
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Post by dnbeven on Apr 24, 2009 16:16:28 GMT 9
I remember at Langley one fine day Gen Chappie James landed in his F-106 B model. I can still see the canopy coming open and smoke billowing from the cockpit. His aircraft, name in script on the side, coming in to park in the 48th ramp. He comes barreling down the ladder, cigar puffing like a chimney, jumps the red rope and asks where are the troops at? He walks past the high ranking greeting line and walks right at us lowly enlisted who were told to keep out of sight. Chappie came right up to us, shook our hands and asked us how we were doing. One of the airman asked, how come when you jump the red rope no one does anything, but when we do it we have an M-16 in our ear. Chappie said something like it's good to be a General. I'll never forget that day!!!
:fire_missle_ani
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Jim Scanlon (deceased)
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Post by Jim Scanlon (deceased) on Apr 25, 2009 9:36:23 GMT 9
:salute
Chappie James was Vice Wing Commander of the 8th TFW while I was at Ubon in 1967. Robin Olds was the Wing Commander. I don't know who thought it up, but they were known as "Black Man and Robin". A real dynamic duo.
Col. James flew the requisite number of combat missions and pretty much ran the wing. Col. Olds flew well above the required number of missions and had a reward posted, up north, if some pilot could verify shooting him down. I'm sure Col. James did too, but it wasn't as well publicized by Hanoi Hannah.
Col James spent a lot of time out and around the base talking to the troops. To say he was impressive would be an understatement. Big, boisterous and a loud, infectious laugh. He seemed to smile a lot. But there was also a serious side to him. He had more than one lecture stop to let people know we were in a very serious business and that we had to take our jobs seriously, and enjoy ourselves doing it.
He never missed an opportunity to talk to the enlisted troops to find out how things were going. It was not unusual to be walking one of the base roads and have him stop his staff car and tell you to hop in. He never seemed to be in a hurry and would take you where you were going, even if it was out of the way.
He was one of those "old-fashioned" type fighter pilots. After you greeted each other at the bird, he would ask if she was ready to go. When you told him she was, he would take a very quick look at the weapons and then go fly. There had to be something really wrong for him to write anything up. He would tell you what needed fixing and trust your judgment to fix it then or later.
Quite a man and quite a fighter pilot. Too bad there are so few of his caliber that ever come along and become commanders. Wonder if there are some like him and Robin Olds out there who have not become so politically correct that they are not leaders, but "Sheeple".
:god_bless_usa
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Post by Jeff Shannon on Apr 25, 2009 17:44:07 GMT 9
 He never missed an opportunity to talk to the enlisted troops to find out how things were going. It was not unusual to be walking one of the base roads and have him stop his staff car and tell you to hop in. He never seemed to be in a hurry and would take you where you were going, even if it was out of the way. ".  While at Misawa Col Dean Stickle and Col Mike Ryan were the same way. We were TDY to Yakota Japan to prepare the first 3 jets for Misawa's grand opening so to speak. it had been a couple of crazy and hectic days. any way we had the jets ready to launch and it started to rain so a few of us hopped in the bus and waited for it to stop, we were smoking and joking. I had my head down when I felt some one tap me on the shoulder and ask me if I had a extra smoke? I didn't even look up and said sure raised up and was looking at Col Mike Ryan our wing Commander along with Col Dean Stickle our Vice wing. They sat there with us and talked to us about the jets and thanked each of us for coming down here to do the painting and prepping we were doing. When we got back to Misawa the following week (we had missed the opening ceremony by a couple of days) we each received a letter from them thanking us again for the sacrifice we had made and how impressive the jets looked. We also had a coupon for a free meal at the NCO club. :thumbsup about a month later I was walking to the chow hall and I heard a car come up behind me and the horn honked, I turned around and there was Col Stickle waving for me to get in, he just drove me up to the chow hall I forget just what we talked about but when we got to the chow hall there were a bunch of sgt's and airman out front and he says, "just get out and say thanks Dean shut the door and walk off, it will keep them guessing" So I did and even tho we were outside you could here a pin drop as I walked to the front doors. Both the Col's were seen on the flight line and hangers talking to the troops about the jets and what we needed. I'm not sure what happen to Col Stickle but Col Ryan became Gen Ryan and our 16th AF Chief of Staff.  |
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Post by Jim on Apr 26, 2009 1:40:35 GMT 9
He never missed an opportunity to talk to the enlisted troops to find out how things were going. It was not unusual to be walking one of the base roads and have him stop his staff car and tell you to hop in. He never seemed to be in a hurry and would take you where you were going, even if it was out of the way. ". I'm not sure what happen to Col Stickle but Col Ryan became Gen Ryan and our 16th AF Chief of Staff. believe it became Maj Gen Dean Stickle and he wrote a book - title escapes me......... When were you at Misawa? Jan 64-Jun66 then to RVN with the 45th TACRECON The Old Sarge |
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Post by Jeff Shannon on Apr 26, 2009 3:09:11 GMT 9
I'm not sure what happen to Col Stickle but Col Ryan became Gen Ryan and our 16th AF Chief of Staff. believe it became Maj Gen Dean Stickle and he wrote a book - title escapes me......... When were you at Misawa? Jan 64-Jun66 then to RVN with the 45th TACRECON The Old Sarge I was there in 84 -85 with the 432TFW. From what i was told fighters hadn't been at the base since the war. After the Vietnam war when they closed down the flight line for Air Force fighters the Navy and the Japanese were the only ones who flew out of there until we came along with 2 squadrons of F-16's. I believe is now the 35TFW with F-16 Wild Weasels there now. I will have to Google Maj Gen Stickle and see what I can come up with. Thanks Jim |
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Post by dude on May 1, 2009 11:32:10 GMT 9
 Never met Chappie, but had dinner with his son. LGen Daniel James, ANG. He told me that his dad was only 30 days retired when he died. I believe he said it was a heart attack.
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Post by Mark O on May 1, 2009 12:21:55 GMT 9
Never met Chappie, but had dinner with his son. LGen Daniel James, ANG. He told me that his dad was only 30 days retired when he died. I believe he said it was a heart attack. I don't mean to put a bad spin on that but it got me thinking. A long time ago during my Army days I read an article that said something to the effect that the death rates for retirees was highest within the first year after they retired. If you made it past that first year - you were fine! When I read that I recalled a story I heard about UH-1 door gunners in combat during the Vietnam War. If they made it (lived) past the first 8 minutes of combat, they would most likely make it to have grandkids! Of course that could have been all bullshit! Mark |
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dnbeven
F-106 Skilled
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Post by dnbeven on May 4, 2009 10:59:55 GMT 9
Actually, the part about the living past the first year is pretty accurate. I've read several articles about service men dying just after retirement. If memory serves me right, it is due to the servicemen going straight into retirement, ie. not getting another job.
Yes, Gen Chappie James died within 30 days of retirement. He didn't even get to receive a retirement check. Rumor was Chappie was a possibility for VP as a Republican in a future Presidential election.
:fire_missle_ani
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Post by falconkeeper on Jun 17, 2009 0:14:03 GMT 9
The one thing that I remember about Gen. James was that he was the first to admit that he got his star by being in the right place at the right time. The Air Force was looking for an African-American to promote to general and he was there. I never heard anything bad said about the man.
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Never met Chappie, but had dinner with his son. LGen Daniel James, ANG. He told me that his dad was only 30 days retired when he died. I believe he said it was a heart attack.
