| Born & raised in Canton, Ohio, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I was drafted after dropping out of college.
During basic training I extended my term of active duty to become a Chinook crew chief because I always wanted to fly. At Fort Eustis, I could not read the numbers on the colored cards and was told I was
color-blind and could not get into crew chief training. To get into aviation I agreed to train in power train & rotor repair. I was sent to Fort Campbell to the 570th TC Detachment and helped raise hell at the clubs.
Late in June 1968, we flew by C-141 directly to Chu Lai via Alaska & Japan. After rebuilding bunkers & hooches on the hill and alot of rat patrol, we began to work on the Blue Ghost aircraft. I
worked on slicks & guns, progressing to maintenance team leader and technical inspector. I was so glad the C-models were replaced by Cobras.
I
almost extended my tour but decided to return to CONUS. I became an
instructor at Fort Eustis then was sent to Fort Meade to help teach ROTC at
Indiantown Gap in the summer of 1970. I returned to college and joined the
Hoover Company after graduation in 1973.
I retired in 2003 after 30 years at
Hoover, my last position being a Corporate Staff Specialist in Information
Technology. I
never limited myself to one woman.
Post Adjutant of the American Legion
Post in Malvern, OH for 11 years.
I am proud to have served and even more proud to have been associated with
Blue Ghosts.
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