elaine_simmons@bellsouth.net
Subject: 444th Fighter Interceptor Squadron
Date:June 19, 2006
Hi,
I am looking for any information regarding my Dad, John David Brownlee. He was a GE engineer at the AFB in Charleston, SC in 1959 when he was killed in an auto accident on Rifle Range Rd. Among his belongings was a ceramic beer stein with the squadron insignia, the year & his last name.
My mom died last year & we've just laid my grandmother to rest last week. Both women were tragically affected by his death & never recovered from the loss. At the time of his death, unbeknownst to my mother, she was 3 weeks pregnant with me. Neither of these women could bear to speak about my dad without completely losing it, so I am desperate for information about my dad. He is a myth & a legend that I am trying to make real. Any information would be so greatly appreciated
Most sincerely,
Elaine Simmons
Realtor, ABR, GRI
386-801-7821
Aeroconbk@aol.com
Subject: Sabre Piloits Assn
Date: Saturday, May 27, 2006 2:46 PM
The pictures below are pictures taken in the summer of 1955 at Itazuke AB,
Japan. The formations are F-86F's of the 36th and 36th FBS, 8th FBW during a
flyby for a Group or Wing Commanders departure. I flew in the formation and
believe it might be the last formation that big (40 ship) since WWII and the
only formation that large of the Sabre.
Pictures of me taken in Suwon (K-13) Korea in July 1954 prior to Wg move to Itazuke. Scarf of 36th FBS "Flying Fiends" (Again now at Osan AB, Korea as 36th TFS)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PICTURES
georgiam@tampabay.rr.com
Subject: Joe Lynch-test pilot
Date: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 5:42 PM
It was very meaningful to me today to read a story published in 1993 by
Neil Fossum titled " The Ramp Went Silent..." For you see, the pilot,
Joe Lynch was my Father. It happened so many years ago, and yet it only
seems like yesterday. My Father had been very upset about the
construction of the tail of the plane and had spoken to my Mother about
it alot before the air show. He told her it just did not feel right and
she said she realized in thinking about it later, how very worried he
was. North American attributed the accident to "pilot error", but none
of the pilots thought that. We were coming home from the market that
evening about 6:00 P.M. and my Mother mentioned that the car behind us
looked familiar, but it passed our house. Then a little later, the
doorbell rang, and the executives from North American were at the door.
I may be wrong, but I think George Welch was killed 6 months later. My
Father was very good friends with Bob Hoover, and Dan Darnell and the
list goes on. Ironically, my Father was going to stop testing planes
after this tour throughout the U.S.
After he died, his friends put together a book of pictures of my Father
and all of the planes he flew or tested throughout his life. Also,
framed pictures of him and the other pilots and models of all of the
fighter planes.
My Mother never got over his death. She just died in January. I wish she
could have read this story. Daddy became very religious before he was
killed. Maybe he knew something. He was only 33.
Sincerely,
Georgia Lynch McClure
RobertGrosz@msn.com
Subject: member picture
Date: Monday, April 24, 2006
My father was George Robert Grosz Jr, passed in 2002.
I have a photograph attached, poster sized of Sabres over San Francisco I believe. Tail Numbers 23761, 23736, 23678, 23692. I dont know who the other pilots are nor the group all though they all have striped tails and bulls snorting on the side.
I'd like to get it to someone who might appreciate it, perhaps one of the other pilots or ??? well I don't know, but there has to be a better solution than the garbage.
Let me know what you think might be best.
Sincerely,
G. Robert Grosz III
From: John.Helbing@bunge.com
Subject: 1st Fighter 27th Squadron Rome, N.Y. 1950-51
Date: Friday, March 31, 2006
I would like to locate and contact members of the 1st Fighter 27th Squadron
Rome, NY - 1950-51 era. I have just recently learned of an autobiography
written by Lt. Col Robert W. Smith, titled, "NF104.com" and my dad George
"Buster" Helbing, was pictured with Lt. Joe Moore. students Joe Krumerine,
Charlie Roby, Bob Smith, John McCulloch and Lloyd White. Other possible
members could be John Honaker, Flight Commander Bill Wisner, Maj Robin
Olds,and Maj Clayton Peterson. If you happen to know any of these
gentleman or are one of these gentleman, please drop me an email or a phone
call, I would like to talk with you regarding my dad. When I saw the
picture from Lt Col Smiths book you couldn't believe how excited I was,
perhaps there are other memories you could share. Look forward to hearing
from you.
Sincerely,
John Helbing
636 527 4213
Saint Louis, Mo
From: Trey Taylor treytaylor281@hotmail.com
Subject: Giger Tiger Video
Date: Thursday, March 16, 2006
Howdy,
My grandfather served with the Giger Tigers unit, and we were recently
trying to locate the video that the squadron produced, and from what I read,
gained some amount of popularity for. We have applied him for the Wright
Brother's Master Pilot Award recently, and for the ceremony would like to
play this video. We were unable to locate it, although he is trying to
contact some of his former squadronmates for copies of it. Is there any
place I can purchase this video, or is there someone that has a copy of it
that you would know of? If you could help me out with this, I would greatly
appreciate it.
Thanks,
Trey Taylor
From: TWimbo@aol.com
Subject: Sabre stuff
Date: Sunday, February 19, 2006 11:56 PM
It was my great pleasure to get to fly the F-86H at China Lake, California
about 1972-75. We were converting them to "full-scale maneuvering targets" --
QF-86Hs. I love to tell about flying it. I tell that after making my first
touch-and-go landing, I said "There's no need to practice any more; I'll never
make a better landing than that." It was that easy to fly. I tell people that
it was the sweetest flying plane I ever flew. (In the Navy I flew Banshees,
Skyrays, Demons and Phantoms in carrier based squadrons, and numerous other
jets during a 31-year career.)
I am planning on joining. I would like to see if I can locate anyone who
flew with Henry A. Sibley, Jr. in 1951-52. He was a high school classmate. He
went through F-86 training at Willie and then went to K-14 in Korea. Crash
landed a Sabre at Kimpo about June 1952. Broke both ankles as well as his back.
Medically retired. He was best man at my wedding in 1953. Died of lung cancer 8
April 1994; buried at Ft Sam Houston.
Tom Wimberly, Captain, USN Retired
Corpus Christi, Texas
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