[CaptainGyro]

Some of you may know the story of Michael Blassie. USAA recently sponsored this short video which tells his tale.

I won't say much by way of introduction, except that Michael was a senior at the Academy when I was a freshman. If I ever encountered him, I'm not aware of it. He died flying an airplane that I later flew, the A-37.

https://www.youtube.com/usaa?x=us-en_showcase_377_11&sf13195637=1

 

[Ratfink2u]

Some of you may know the story of Michael Blassie. USAA recently sponsored this short video which tells his tale.

I won't say much by way of introduction, except that Michael was a senior at the Academy when I was a freshman. If I ever encountered him, I'm not aware of it. He died flying an airplane that I later flew, the A-37.

https://www.youtube.com/usaa?x=us-en_showcase_377_11&sf13195637=1

Thank you Captain! Thank you for your service and for bringing that to light. What a great story, what a great sacrifice, what a great country & POTUS was President Regan.

 

[Charlie Petty]

Thanks for the reminder Mike. I knew the story but not some of the details.

I got to visit the American cemetery near Liege, Belgium ( Henri Chappel) and just walked along the seemingly endless rows of white marble stones until I came across one that said

" Here in honored glory lies and American soldier known but to God."

That's when I lost it...

 

[stand watie]

CharliePetty,

Want to REALLY "lose it"? - Go with me next year to the walk of CROSS OF HONOR near "The Belgian Bulge" & you will see HUNDREDS of the same among "the many crosses stand silent, row on row, among where blood red poppies grow & where legions of heroes lie below".

The walkers shed numerous tears. - It's a really "wet" trip for all of us.

yours, sw

 

[Diamondback]

Don't mean to pry, amigo, so my apologies in advance if I'm out of place, but just was wondering something out of curiosity as a fellow member of the aviation community. (Mainly as a historian, but if it's possible for an autistic with light-sensitive eyes and 20/400 pre-correction vision to pass the physical, a license is on my Bucket List.)

Anyway, I saw you mention the Academy, and was wondering which class--a prof who I think of as "the father I never had" was class of '65, and went on to command the 318th FIS as one of its last CO's in the F-106 era.

 

[CaptainGyro]

No problem. I was in '73. Blassie was in '70.