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Post by daoleguy A.J. Hoehn (deceased) on Aug 26, 2007 5:50:45 GMT 9
Anyone remember him from the Avionics branch of the 49th? Ed was a civilian tech rep there in the 70's - great guy. I happened across an article from the USAF on 59-0021 (El Jefe) and it's crash in 1973. That sparked memory of Ed. He and I were part of crash recovery team on it. We had to pull the panel out of the hole Gen Price made augering it in that day. (Yeah, he had been in the cockpit when it impacted.) Mortuary affairs was part of our shop for a few days as we tore the panel apart. :embarassed:
On 021 it is interesting the USAF say Gen Price left from Hancock, wrong, a big wrong. I had been part of avioics lunch crew for Price and his wingman, LtCol. Suzanne (59-0074 I believe), that AM. The crash was caused by lightning as stated, but pilot error was involved and we reported as such. Many of us heard the thud and bang just after the aircraft disappeared into the cloud bank on takeoff. Sorry USAF, not dissing a Major General. 1973 was not a good year in the 49th. We had lost 084 less than a month earlier.
First of I had heard via the initial accident report the general took off against strong recommendations from air traffic controllers into the storm cell at the south end of the base. LtCol Suzanne took the lightning strike the hardest and recovered. A/C 021 due to minor strike and concusion lost primary flight instruments. The secondary were working fine at impact/power loss. Trust me we all in the Avionics branch tore the recovered electronics apart.
Anyhow Ed was a smart troop and invaluable to many of us in Avionics there. Great sense of humor and yet all business. Cheers to ya Ed! :yellowbeer:
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Post by lindel on Aug 26, 2007 5:59:14 GMT 9
I've heard the name, but never met him. In the mock-up we had a guy named Dick Fleming that was a com/nav guru. I didn't get to the Griff until Mar of 78.
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Post by daoleguy A.J. Hoehn (deceased) on Aug 26, 2007 6:07:44 GMT 9
I think I recall Dick. Lindel were you guys still in the small building with dinky parking lot we had then. 1978 I was on Andrews wishing I was at the Griff. Off hand can you rememer any guys from Instruments? Ernie Averill was my shop chief in 73 when I got shipped to Ubon.
AJ - Da Ole Guy
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Post by lindel on Aug 26, 2007 11:08:52 GMT 9
Yup, we were in the little building at the end of the runway, right next to the cal barn. I only really knew 2 of the instrument guys, and both of them were in the mockup with me. Unfortunately, I can only remember one's name.
I'll get with George Laubmeier and see if he remembers the other one.
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burt49
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Post by burt49 on Aug 24, 2010 4:33:19 GMT 9
I do not recall Ed Cook, but I vividly recall the day I saluted General Price off in what was some of the worst weather I had ever been in. I have the newspaper clippings that detail the crash to complement my memory of the event. He took off from Griffiss, not Hancock, and flew into worse weather than we had on the ground. I also do not want to disprespect the general in any way, but we should not have been out there. That goes for pilots and ground crews alike. Although I spent a lot of extra time cleaning and polishing 021, how many people get to be the crew chief of a 106, and then how many get to crew a major general. I have a few momentos of my aircraft including the general's stars. He always placed the stars in a holder before he took off. For some reason, he misplaced his regular stars and had to have another set made. The attached picture is of the replacement set that was in the aircraft when it crashed. Burt49 :  |
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lauren044
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Post by lauren044 on Aug 24, 2010 21:43:00 GMT 9
I too was there at the Griff the day Gen Price crashed 021, assigne to the hydraulic shop under Tsgt Kenny. Do you remember a A1C/Sgt Randy Armstrong, he was either assigned to mock-up or the radar shop. I ran into Randy 1977 - 1978 at Hill AFB, Utah; he lived in Summerset, Utah with his parents. Lauren044 :  |
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burt49
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Post by burt49 on Aug 25, 2010 5:32:12 GMT 9
The main folks I remember at Griffiss were the pilots and ground crews. This was especially true when we were on alert duty.
The crew chiefs would work with weapons, hydraulics, engine, avionics, and the other guys during maintenance or engine run ups.
It was usually a bad thing if we were asking for help from hydraulics since it often meant the plane would not be able to complete a mission. Overall, the six was great on hydraulics and there were few problems. I helped on some transient F-4's and instantly decided I wanted to stay with the six as long as I could.
It was usually avionics that gave us problems. We would call for the RAPE truck (Rapid Avionics Parts Exchange) and they would either tap on the black boxes or replace them. Next thing you know we got a thumbs up and the plane is ready to taxi out.
I have especially appreciated your comments regarding the general. Between the fire department and being a safety manager, I have dedicated my life to the preservation of others. Losing a pilot is not easy to take.
Burt
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