Nostalgia and The Monkees

I took a trip down memory lane, early yesterday morning as we visited Patrick's house to examine their vintage stereo system, a recent acquisition.

Patrick and Tina had asked us to bring over some vinyl records that we had in a closet to check out the stereo system. These were records--yes, really 33 and a third stereo records made of vinyl for the distant decades of the 60's and 70's. A veritable time machine.

The old console stereo was much as I remember. An AM/FM tuner and a mechanical turntable. The total programmable memory of the entire system is exactly zero!

I demonstrated to Patrick how to hang a vinyl record on the spindle and explained how the mechanical system should work--and it did! Rummaging through the box of ancient records we chose the 1972 Ithaca High School Choirs in which both Chris and I performed, and listened to the complete 17 minutes of the Song of Democracy. I am glad that high schools don't perform that music anymore--because it brought back great memories of working to memorize music and perform in front of crowds of bored parents.

The real treats in the box of vinyl records were a Jim Morrison and The Doors album and a couple of Monkees albums. It was nostalgic to see the record turning on the table with the stylus making music come alive. I made the video when a Monkees tune was turning.

It was a long was from the digital music we listen to today with storage in the cloud and tunes appearing as if by magic on demand--if we have an internet connection.

--Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Memorial Weekend 2015

They call Memorial Day Weekend the unofficial start to summer. Of course by now you know that I have already proclaimed a number of days to be the unofficial start to summer. These days include:

MLB Opening Day
Pool Opening Day
Cinco de Mayo
And any day where the temperature gets above 80 degrees.

Face it, I love summer!

For all of the excitement of Memorial Day and the weekend parked strategically at the end of May brings, the real meaning of the day is often lost in my revelry. 

I offer the following paragraph, lifted from Wikipedia, regarding Memorial Day:

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country's armed forces.^[1] The holiday, which is observed every year on the last Monday of May,^[2] originated as Decoration Day after the American Civil War in 1868, when the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of Union veterans — established it as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers.^[3] By the 20th century, competing Union and Confederate holiday traditions, celebrated on different days, had merged, and Memorial Day eventually extended to honor all Americans who died while in the military service.^[1] It typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.

Take a moment during this weekend to remember those who have died in service to our country and to preserve our freedoms and our lifestyle. Their sacrifice is too often lost in the frenetic pace that has become our lives.

If you want to know more, I urge you to read the Memorial Day article from 2014, The Oath of the Soldier, which is a speech given on May 25, 2014. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Day at the Pentagon

I had the opportunity to spend most of yesterday at the Pentagon. Because I was there for the whole day, I was able to explore more of the venerable old building than I have been able to do on my many other visits. 

I was able to visit the America Hero's Memorial to the 184 men, women, and children who died in the attack on September 11, 2001. It was sobering to stand at the precise location where American Airlines Flight 77 impacted the Pentagon on that September morning.

It was an emotional moment for me to stand there and think about that day. Although I was out of the country, the memory of the fear and the realization of the complexity of the attack washed over me as I remembered those who could not be with us today.

I wonder if we have begun to forget that day and our call to duty that the memory is those who perished at the Pentagon, in the field in Pennsylvania, and in the World Trade Center calls us to remember. The memorials seemed more subdued this year on 9-11.

The new threat in the world is ISIL (a/k/a ISIS and IS). They are the new players on the stage of worldwide terrorism and oppression that needs to be stopped. I believe that if anyone thinks that terrorism will ever be defeated, they are living in a dream world. There will always be those who desire anarchy and chaos and support death and the destruction of the mechanisms of society that result in culture, peace, and prosperity.

We must never forget and we must never rest in our quest to rid the world of those who foment terror and chaos!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Last Enola Gay Crew Member Dies

Enola Gay Landing at Tinian after Dropping Atomic Bomb

According to CBS News, Theodore VanKirk, also known as "Dutch," died Monday, July 28, 2014, of natural causes at the retirement home where he lived in Stone Mountain, Georgia, his son Tom VanKirk said. He was 93.

Why was this man significant? 

Theodore VanKirk was the navigator of the Enola Gay, the B-29 Superfortress aircraft that dropped "Little Boy" - the world's first atomic bomb - over the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The bomb killed 140,000 in Hiroshima. VanKirk was 24 years old at the time of the mission. He was the last surviving crew member of the 12 men who flew the Enola Gay mission over Hiroshima that day.

Enola Gay on Display at the
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

Theodore VanKirk was a hero. A man who was in a place in time and did his duty as he was asked to do. The discussions which have ensued in the 69 years since the bomb was dropped do not diminish what was done which saved millions of Japanese and American lives because an invasion of Japan was not required. The impact of the bombs dropped by his crew and the crew of the B-29, Bockscar, which dropped another atomic bomb on Nagasaki three days later, have so far spared the world from the destruction associated the use of these weapons of mass destruction in the decades since their first and only employment.

Thank you for your service and your life Theodore VanKirk.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

USS Oregon, BB-3, Bulldog of the Navy

USS Oregon Tower

Walking around downtown Portland, along the river, I discovered some history with which I was unfamiliar. The story of the USS Oregon, BB-3.  

Turns out, the USS Oregon was one of the heroes of the Spanish American war when it sailed from California to Key West in 66 days--a record for the time. 

The ship was immediately pressed into action after war had been declared and was instrumental in the defeat of the Spanish Fleet. 

All that remains of this naval veteran is the main mast near the Portland Seawall with a small memorial. I was pleased to learn about the USS Oregon and its role in a war which usually begins with Remember the Maine and ends with Teddy Roosevelt and his Roughriders.

Only three ships have been named Oregon. The Battleship Oregon being the most recent. The battleship's nickname was Bulldog of the Navy!

And I found out about her in Portland. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Does a 747 Belong There?

After spending a hard day of driving and wine tasting yesterday--which while it sounds like as much fun as it is, is really hard work to stay focused and to not actually consume too much wine; imagine my surprise as the car rounded a corner on the highway and was greeted by a Boeing 747 sitting atop a small building near a winery named Spruce Goose.

Call it unbelievable! We actually departed the highway to get a closer look and found, although closed, the current home of Howard Hughes' famous Spruce Goose along with a number of venerable old aircraft.

MiG-29 Fulcrum with Spruce Goose visible in the Hangar

What we stumbled upon was the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. Although the museum was closed, we were able to drive around and view some of the exhibits, including a MiG-29 Fulcrum, and a MiG-15, Fagot. It was while I was photographing the Fulcrum that I discovered the premier aircraft in the collection, the Spruce Goose. It is not outside, but is in the huge hangar display area. Looking behind the Fulcrum in the image, the Spruce Goose is partially visible. There I was, looking at a piece of aviation history that I never seriously thought I would see--no it was not on my bucket list, but it was something special none-the-less. 

I would have visited the museum, but it had already closed. I do not believe that I will have time today to return. I was also intrigued about the winery. I would love to have a bottle of wine from this vineyard, but in researching the vineyard I discovered that it does not yet have a liquor license for sale of wine from the premises, Snooth, July 17. I believe it may be because the winery recently changed its name from Evergreen Vineyards. 

747 Waterslide

So let's return to the Boeing 747 sitting atop the small building. I was truly shocked, when I discovered what old 747's are good for: serving as a water park. That is what this sophisticated aerospace machine has been reduced to--providing enjoyment for many children and people. I guess that is not a bad thing. 

What a great find in the middle of Oregon wine country!

-- Bob Doan, writing from Carlton, Oregon

Reflections of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center -- A Review

Udvay-Hazy Center Main Floor

For an aerospace person, like myself, what could be better than spending a day at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum. Well frankly, almost nothing except sampling some very fine wines. 

Trevar with the SR-71 and
Discovery in the Background

It is about an hour drive from the house to the center, but on this Saturday morning it was a fine drive with light traffic. And we had one of those moments along the way that we all hope for. A motorcyclist zoomed by at an incredible speed and we wondered why the police were never around to catch these flagrant speed limit violators. Aha, there was one around and we saw the lights come from behind us and zoom by to shortly race down the motorcycle and pull the offender over. Yay, one for the good guys. 

Shuttle Discovery

I was impressed and the lack of cars in the parking lot. I remember the lot is usually crammed with other aerospace lovers who want to view the artifacts of relating to the achievements of the past. I was amazed when I checked and found that it had been more than two years since I last visited the Center. My blog about the fastest plane details my last visit. 

Standing under the Shuttle Discovery Looking Forward

The biggest change in the museum is the arrival of a real, flew in space shuttle--the workhorse shuttle Discovery. It was my first up close and personal encounter with a real space shuttle. Although I had seen shuttles from the distance, and seen the Enterprise in the same spaces before, there is something really special about viewing an actual shuttle and knowing that it had flow in space on multiple occasions. The display is fantastic and the ability to actually stand underneath the shuttle, at the rear, drives home the size and beauty of there marvelous machines. 

Shuttle Discovery

I remember when the SR-71 was by far the premier exhibit in the museum--but now it has clearly been supplanted by the shuttle. I was able to take an image of the SR-71 with almost no one around it--something that I never remember being able to do before. 

In the Fighter Simulator

In addition to viewing the exhibits on display, I had two other fantastic experiences. I got to get into a simulator with my nephew Trevar and fly a naval fighter combat mission. I was the weapons officer and he was the pilot. After a short training introduction, we climbed into the simulator and took off from the carrier into combat. Although we only recorded one kill, Trevar demonstrated the ability to execute high G turns and fly inverted with the nose down on more than one occasion. Yes, it does go completely upside down! We had fun as Trevar stretched his legs trying to become a fighter pilot. 

Enola Gay

I also broke off from the group for over an hour to listen to a lecture about the Enola Gay and the atomic bomb drops on Japan which ended World War 2. The lecture covered many aspect of the training and development of the techniques to deliver the bombs and some of the men involved in the operation. What went well and what didn't. I also learned that the B-29s that delivered the bombs were not standard production aircraft, but modified aircraft for the missions due to the post release maneuver that needed to be accomplished. The scheduled 45 minute presentation went 1 hour and 15 minutes--maybe I asked a few questions. It is usually hard for me to stand still, but I stood there the entire time and the time literally flew by.

Business End of an F-14

It was another fantastic day in the museum. We also viewed an Imax movie--The Dream is Alive, narrated by Walter Cronkite. The tour of the tower was nice--a good diversion. The 360 degree view is fantastic. The second stop, the mock control center, needs a lot of work to make it a viable exhibit. They could do so much more with the exhibit. Making it more interactive would be one idea.

SR-71

RECOMMENDATION: This museum is a must visit. The history of aerospace on displace cannot be found anywhere else. There is something for everyone and the supporting exhibits on engines, armaments, coupled with the diversity of civil aircraft and combat aircraft on display cannot be matched.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Street Names

Wandering around Schenectady yesterday, I became aware of street names which are often used but probably not well understood by our history deprived society.

For instance, we dined in an establishment on Jay Street. Walked by an alley named Bradley, and walked along a street named Clinton; while also traversing more well known names such as State Street, Franklin Street, Broadway, and even Liberty Street. 

Why do so many upstate NY cities have a State Street instead of or in addition to a Main Street?

Jay street was very interesting. John Jay was a great revolutionary leader, who, admittedly made a bad decision to retire from Congress rather than sign the Declaration of Independence, but he became governor of New York, worked with Hamilton on the Federalist Papers, and helped establish the government of the State of New York. 

I do not see many Jay Streets in my travels and it was this street which began to get my mind turning about how many people even have a small understanding of the people whose names are remembered on our streets. 

DeWitt Clinton

Some are easy--Franklin for instance. Although there is confusion by at least one candidate for Congress about his contributions to the United States.

Others can be confusing. Clinton would be an example. No, this street was not named for President William Jefferson Clinton, but rather another famous Clinton named DeWitt Clinton. He was instrumental in the development of the New York and the nation. He was a US Senator, a governor of NY, and was instrumental in the development of the Erie Canal.

Bradley Alley was interesting. Surely, it must have been named for the great General of the Army, Omar Bradley--but it seemed a bit out of place given the other names surrounding the area. I like the Omar Bradley thought though.

What is my take away? We need to look at the street names we cross every day and, unless living in Columbia, Maryland, where they don't make any sense anyway, try to remember the history and the people associated with the names on the signs. We need to remember more than just the Kennedy's and Martin Luther King Jr. names, but people like Charles Carroll, a signer of the Declaration of Independence from Maryland, and the industrialist of early Maryland, Richard Snowden. 

I will remember Richard now every day when I drive Snowden River Parkway. 

-- Bob Doan, writing from Schenectady, NY

The World Wars - History Channel

Who am I to cast aspersions on the History Channel for one of their mini-series?

OK, I'm a nobody, but I'm gonna make a judgement here.

I watched all three evenings of  The World Wars mini-series and I question the historical accuracy of the effort.

First, I liked it--it was well produced and had the glitz to connect with today's viewing public.

But, I question many of the historical "facts" presented.

Did Patton and McArthur ever really meet on the battlefield during WW1? History says they actually did meet, but Patton was shortly after during the US campaign during WW1 and the war ended while he was recovering rather than he and McArthur being the heroes that overthrew the tyranny of the Germans and single-handedly won WW1. The images of Patton riding a tank into battle like some calvary trooper almost akin to Custer were just a bit too much to be believed.

I felt the series had a distinctly US slant and was not a balanced representation of the efforts of the allies during the two wars.  I saw no mention of Field Marshal Montgomery, precious little about Eisenhower, and no mention of George Marshall.

The series indicated that the Sicily Campaign during WW2 was almost all Patton--when in fact Eisenhower had overall command and Patton was only one force moving through Sicily with British General Montgomery commanding the other.

And the historical inaccuracies go on and on. It seemed every time a four engine bomber was pictured--regardless of which side the bomber was assigned to, it was a B-17. I love the B-17, but it was not active in the European theater during 1940. 

Overall, I thought the series perpetuated the myths that have persisted for so many years. Myths like that the US forces won WW1. Likewise, it was an allied effort that won WW2--not a sole US effort as the series would suggest. They say the victors write history, but in this case the revisionist history is almost too much to bear.

Another writer also agrees with my view of the mini-series and points out more historical inaccuracies in rant against the mini-series. 

I was, therefore, disappointed by the historical interpretations presented by the mini-series.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

When Cultures Collide

Grocers in Seville Eating Lunch

Some of my family recently returned from a week in Spain--well actually it was Barcelona, which it seems if you ask the residents in not really Spain but Catalonia. 

As they were telling the tales of their travel, including a sobering view of the Spanish Civil War, not well taught in U.S. schools, one of the customs they noted was the long afternoon siesta time and the late dinners (except on Mondays). It sounds like the perfect place to live. I love afternoon naps and we usually do not eat dinner until later--sometimes after 8PM.

Now for the weird part. This morning's New York Times has an article about how business forces in Europe are causing the Spanish to reevaluate their fundamental approach to life--the afternoon nap and dinners that begin while much of the rest of Europe is thinking about going to bed. 

Interestingly, as I read the article, there is a great deal of resistance to the idea of change, but the truly fascinating part is that some of the changes the Spanish are resisting were instituted by the not well loved dictator Francisco Franco. I would have thought that the people would have been anxious to reverse anything that Franco implemented during his almost four decades of iron-fisted dictatorship. 

On the other hand, I also feel bad, because I am sure that it is the American global business model of 9 to 5 workdays which is colliding with the slower Spanish lifestyle. We continue to force this model onto the world and local lifestyle and traditions are lost in the quest for finance and productivity.

I also find it interesting, just a short week ago I would not have read the article in the Times, nor would I have had any background in the culture, but now after hearing stories of the region from first-hand travelers, I have both an interest and a perspective.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

EC-121T: Aircraft History Lesson of the Day

EC-121T at Peterson AFB, CO

I find aircraft intriguing, perhaps that is why I joined the Air Force when I was younger. The other day I ran across a venerable old reconnaissance aircraft on display at the Peterson AFB, Colorado, museum. It is an EC-121T. 

I have been especially lucky on previous visits the museum to receive a personal tour of the interior of this Cold War warrior. Not on this trip however. 

This aircraft is impressive and is the largest on display at the museum. She has an impressive history and I even know at least one person who admits to being a crew member on the aircraft. 

This aircraft is one of only 22 of this model that were built and coincidently, it carried a crew of 22. I took a pretty good image of the information placard to capture at least some of the history.

But what about the deeper history of this aircraft and the men who manned the stations in its interior. I enjoy thinking about the missions that this aircraft flew--recovering safely after every one with its precious cargo of brave airmen. They were on the front lines of the Cold War between Russian and the United States. They were also on the front lines of the Viet Nam conflict. I am sure there were some very impressive or even downright scary missions completed by this aircraft and its crew.

Although my favorite aircraft of all time are the B-17G and B-52G aircraft, I really appreciate all of the different aircraft I see, and I remember their names and missions. During this trip I had the opportunity to see some other old favorites, an F-102 Delta Dagger and an F-104 Starfighter. Seeing these fighters reminded me of times gone by during the Cold War. I wonder how many missions each of them flew before retiring to be permanent displays stirring the yearning for jet flight in the hearts of little boys and old men?

They certainly stirred memories in me. I remembered being a young Second Lieutenant some decades ago and supporting the 49th Fighter Interceptor Squadron equipped with F-106 Delta Darts while at my first duty assignment of Griffiss AFB in upstate NY. They were fast and they were loud.

During November 2012, I wrote about a KB-50 refueling aircraft that I ran across during a visit to MacDill AFB, Florida. Another old Cold War warrior on display. I received a really great input form the Tanker Association which provided a lot of additional information about the specific aircraft and how it was one of only two remaining out of 112 which were converted.

It is good to pause for a moment and remember. So many men and women have gone before us it is easy to forget the sacrifices they both they and their families made to bring us to where we are today.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Denver, CO
   (Home of the next Super Bowl Champions!)