PR-21 "Final Flight"
I drew this drawing for my best friend Dennis Clark. Denny was a crew member on PR-21 before it fell prey to North Korean MiGs. This drawing was for Denny, but honors the crew of PR-21 and all who flew the Connies in harms way.
Uploaded by wingsnstuff
A FANTASTIC PAINTING BY WINGSNSTUFF
It was with great sorrow that I learned of this cowardly act by an enemy force. As a former member of VQ-1 while it was in Japan, I assume that I saw PR-21, but that was 47 years ago and I cannot recall the numbers of our planes; and it was a long time after the event that I learned of the event. I do not recall the event in the news at the time it happened. Did the media cover it when it happened or was it kept confidential? I only learned of it when I finally got a PC in 05 and began researching favorite subjects. Of course, I do recall with vivid memory when one of VQ-1s planes had to make an emergency landing on Hainan and were held for a few days, ten days or so.
That the plane was disassembled and shipped home was a real insult. Thankfully, our relations with China, I believe, have improved since that happened.
I have some great memories of the squadron; I had a lot of friends, but have not run across any since I left in December of 63 after more than two fabulous years of duty. Were you in FAIRECONRON ONE while it was still at NAS ATSUGI?
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
MILW 32C 8-69
I sometimes believe I could ride a train for an eternity and never be bored.........
MILW 32C 8-69
MILW E-9A 32C (21606 4/56) ex 202C @Chicago IL 8-69
Uploaded by clkayleib on 10 Dec 07, 6.18AM PST
MILW 32C 8-69
MILW E-9A 32C (21606 4/56) ex 202C @Chicago IL 8-69
Uploaded by clkayleib on 10 Dec 07, 6.18AM PST
TRIP TO CALIFORNIA: NIGHT IN EL PASO
MY FIRST TRIP TO CALIFORNIA WAS BY TRAIN AND ONE THAT WILL LIVE IN MEMORY OF AUNT MARY AND GLORIA'S DESCENDANTS FOREVER...
ESSAY ABOUT A NIGHT IN JUAREZ BY R.L. HUFFSTUTTER
HEADED WEST TOWARD THE GOLDEN STATE ON THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC'S PASSENGER TRAIN, THE GOLDEN STATE, OR IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE SANTA FE, I CAN'T RECALL FOR SURE, BUT I WAS HEADED WEST. WHEN IT STOPPED IN EL PASO, I KNEW I COULD MAKE MY SUMMER TRIP A BIT MORE EXCITING IF I COULD JUST DELAY MY JOURNEY FOR A DAY, VISIT OLD MEXICO, JUAREZ, BUT EVERYONE CALLED MEXICO "OLD MEXICO" BACK THEN. I GUESS IT WAS TO DISTINGUISH IT FROM "NEW MEXICO." AND BY THE WAY, I RECALL WHEN BOTH ALASKA AND HAWAII BECAME STATES. I WAS COLLECTING STAMPS THEN AND PURCHASED BLOCKS OF FOUR, BUT THAT IS NOT PRUDENT TO THIS STORY OF MY FIRST NIGHT IN MEXICO. WHAT BECAME PRUDENT, HOWEVER, WAS THE RESTRAINED AND SLIGHTLY HESITANT WELCOME I RECEIVED AT THE UNION STATION IN LOS ANGLES UPON MY ARRIVAL, EXACTLY 24 HOURS LATE, OR LATER, DEPENDING UPON HOW ONE LIKES TO RATIONALIZE ONE'S BEHAVIOR AND IRRESPONSIBILITY.
AUNT MARY AND GLORIA WERE NOT IMPRESSED BY MY EXCUSE FOR ARRIVING LATE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN OFF AS ONE OF THE FIRES OF SPRING THAT LINGERED INTO SUMMER, BUT NEITHER MARIETTA OR GLORIA HAD A SENSE OF HUMOR.SADLY, OUR KINSHIP ENDED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. WHEN GLORIA'S HUSBAND, JACK, ASSUMED I WANTED TO WORK TWELVE HOUR DAYS AT HIS SHRIMP BOAT DRIVE IN, WE PARTED COMPANY AND I FOUND NEW FRIENDS IN VENICE, CALLED VENICE WEST IN THE LATE 50S. THAT WAS THE LAST TIME I SAW MARIETTA, GLORIA OR JACK. IF AUNT MARIETTA IS STILL LIVING, SHE WOULD BE GETTING CLOSE TO BEING ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD. FAMILIES JUST DRIFT APART.
MY TRIP ACROSS THE BORDER WAS FUN. IT WAS WRONG. IF I COULD DO IT OVER AGAIN, I WOULDN'T; I CAUSED SOME FAMILY MEMBERS TOO MUCH GRIEF BY DROPPING OUT OF SIGHT FOR 24 HOURS. BUT THAT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING OF MY DISAPPEARING ACTS AS TIME ACCELERATED. NOW, IN RETROSPECT, THERE IS MUCH I WOULD UNDO IF I COULD. I CAN'T, THUS IT HAUNTS ME AT CERTAIN TIMES, THOSE TIMES BEING THE TIMES WHEN I WAKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND FEEL LIKE I HAVE JUST BEEN VISITING WITH AN AUNT OR AN UNCLE, ALWAYS ONE HAS BEEN LONG DECEASED. I DOUBT I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO IS VISITED BY DEAD UNCLES AND AUNTS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
THE CONDUCTOR GRINNED WHEN I ASKED HIM IF I COULD CATCH THE TRAIN THE NEXT DAY. "SONNY, YOU SURE CAN, JUST BE HERE AT THE SAME TOMORROW."
ONCE OUTSIDE THE STATION, I HAILED A TAXI TO THE BORDER. I MUST HAVE LOOKED LIKE THE FOOL I WAS WITH TWO SUITCASES, WALKING OVER THE BRIDGE. "CHICLETS, CHICLETS, MISTER, JUST ONE NICKEL," THE STREET CHILDREN, MOSTLY BOYS, HAWKED THEIR PRODUCT. ONCE AT THE END OF THE BRIDGE I FELT LIKE I HAD MADE A SERIOUS FOREIGN JOURNEY. FINALLY, ANOTHER COUNTRY. JAMES BALDWIN TURNED THAT INTO A BESTSELLER IN THE 60S. IT WAS GOOD. I UNDERSTOOD HIS SPIRIT OR THOUGHT I DID.
ESSAY ABOUT A NIGHT IN JUAREZ BY R.L. HUFFSTUTTER
HEADED WEST TOWARD THE GOLDEN STATE ON THE SOUTHERN PACIFIC'S PASSENGER TRAIN, THE GOLDEN STATE, OR IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE SANTA FE, I CAN'T RECALL FOR SURE, BUT I WAS HEADED WEST. WHEN IT STOPPED IN EL PASO, I KNEW I COULD MAKE MY SUMMER TRIP A BIT MORE EXCITING IF I COULD JUST DELAY MY JOURNEY FOR A DAY, VISIT OLD MEXICO, JUAREZ, BUT EVERYONE CALLED MEXICO "OLD MEXICO" BACK THEN. I GUESS IT WAS TO DISTINGUISH IT FROM "NEW MEXICO." AND BY THE WAY, I RECALL WHEN BOTH ALASKA AND HAWAII BECAME STATES. I WAS COLLECTING STAMPS THEN AND PURCHASED BLOCKS OF FOUR, BUT THAT IS NOT PRUDENT TO THIS STORY OF MY FIRST NIGHT IN MEXICO. WHAT BECAME PRUDENT, HOWEVER, WAS THE RESTRAINED AND SLIGHTLY HESITANT WELCOME I RECEIVED AT THE UNION STATION IN LOS ANGLES UPON MY ARRIVAL, EXACTLY 24 HOURS LATE, OR LATER, DEPENDING UPON HOW ONE LIKES TO RATIONALIZE ONE'S BEHAVIOR AND IRRESPONSIBILITY.
AUNT MARY AND GLORIA WERE NOT IMPRESSED BY MY EXCUSE FOR ARRIVING LATE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN OFF AS ONE OF THE FIRES OF SPRING THAT LINGERED INTO SUMMER, BUT NEITHER MARIETTA OR GLORIA HAD A SENSE OF HUMOR.SADLY, OUR KINSHIP ENDED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. WHEN GLORIA'S HUSBAND, JACK, ASSUMED I WANTED TO WORK TWELVE HOUR DAYS AT HIS SHRIMP BOAT DRIVE IN, WE PARTED COMPANY AND I FOUND NEW FRIENDS IN VENICE, CALLED VENICE WEST IN THE LATE 50S. THAT WAS THE LAST TIME I SAW MARIETTA, GLORIA OR JACK. IF AUNT MARIETTA IS STILL LIVING, SHE WOULD BE GETTING CLOSE TO BEING ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD. FAMILIES JUST DRIFT APART.
MY TRIP ACROSS THE BORDER WAS FUN. IT WAS WRONG. IF I COULD DO IT OVER AGAIN, I WOULDN'T; I CAUSED SOME FAMILY MEMBERS TOO MUCH GRIEF BY DROPPING OUT OF SIGHT FOR 24 HOURS. BUT THAT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING OF MY DISAPPEARING ACTS AS TIME ACCELERATED. NOW, IN RETROSPECT, THERE IS MUCH I WOULD UNDO IF I COULD. I CAN'T, THUS IT HAUNTS ME AT CERTAIN TIMES, THOSE TIMES BEING THE TIMES WHEN I WAKE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND FEEL LIKE I HAVE JUST BEEN VISITING WITH AN AUNT OR AN UNCLE, ALWAYS ONE HAS BEEN LONG DECEASED. I DOUBT I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO IS VISITED BY DEAD UNCLES AND AUNTS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
THE CONDUCTOR GRINNED WHEN I ASKED HIM IF I COULD CATCH THE TRAIN THE NEXT DAY. "SONNY, YOU SURE CAN, JUST BE HERE AT THE SAME TOMORROW."
ONCE OUTSIDE THE STATION, I HAILED A TAXI TO THE BORDER. I MUST HAVE LOOKED LIKE THE FOOL I WAS WITH TWO SUITCASES, WALKING OVER THE BRIDGE. "CHICLETS, CHICLETS, MISTER, JUST ONE NICKEL," THE STREET CHILDREN, MOSTLY BOYS, HAWKED THEIR PRODUCT. ONCE AT THE END OF THE BRIDGE I FELT LIKE I HAD MADE A SERIOUS FOREIGN JOURNEY. FINALLY, ANOTHER COUNTRY. JAMES BALDWIN TURNED THAT INTO A BESTSELLER IN THE 60S. IT WAS GOOD. I UNDERSTOOD HIS SPIRIT OR THOUGHT I DID.
Friday, January 1, 2010
GRANDFATHER WITH LITTLE FRANK, JR.
ESSAY ON OLD VINTAGE PHOTOGRAPHS
This is one of many vintage photographs I have saved from our family albums. It has taken some doing, but through the years, whenever I saw a box of our old photos that seemed to be destined for attic storage or out of the way in some remote location, I have saved them in special places for just such times as these. I knew the time would come when I would want to review them once again.
Having been to some old estate sales as a young lad in Missouri, I saw tons of boxes of old photos being sold in odd lots by relatives eager to rid themselves of all the memories of beloved relatives. At the time, it seemed very odd and confused me. Why would one get rid of old photos of people who were dear to them I asked myself. I would have purchased those boxes had I had the money, but I will never forget the sadness. Will we all end up in old boxes at estate sales someday? Hopefully, we have taught our children better; hopefully, the memories they have of us will spare us such fate.
Robert L. Huffstutter
GRANDFATHER WITH LITTLE FRANK, JR.
Uploaded by roberthuffstutter on 12 Jun 09, 9.33AM PST
This is one of many vintage photographs I have saved from our family albums. It has taken some doing, but through the years, whenever I saw a box of our old photos that seemed to be destined for attic storage or out of the way in some remote location, I have saved them in special places for just such times as these. I knew the time would come when I would want to review them once again.
Having been to some old estate sales as a young lad in Missouri, I saw tons of boxes of old photos being sold in odd lots by relatives eager to rid themselves of all the memories of beloved relatives. At the time, it seemed very odd and confused me. Why would one get rid of old photos of people who were dear to them I asked myself. I would have purchased those boxes had I had the money, but I will never forget the sadness. Will we all end up in old boxes at estate sales someday? Hopefully, we have taught our children better; hopefully, the memories they have of us will spare us such fate.
Robert L. Huffstutter
GRANDFATHER WITH LITTLE FRANK, JR.
Uploaded by roberthuffstutter on 12 Jun 09, 9.33AM PST
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