Thanks be to God

[Big John]

33 years ago at about 13:00 Greenland Standard Time , with good
training, excellent equipment and the Grace of God, I ejected over
Sonderstrom Greenland, in the middle of a snow storm and survived,

This day after Pearl Harbor Day, I celebrate, with my troops, this
episode in time.

Big John

[pix]

"Big John" > wrote in message
...
> 33 years ago at about 13:00 Greenland Standard Time , with good
> training, excellent equipment and the Grace of God, I ejected over
> Sonderstrom Greenland, in the middle of a snow storm and survived,
>
> This day after Pearl Harbor Day, I celebrate, with my troops, this
> episode in time.
>
> Big John

Well don't leave us hanging here, Big John - tell us the story! ;-)

cheers...pix

[vincent p. norris]

>33 years ago at about 13:00 Greenland Standard Time , with good
>training, excellent equipment and the Grace of God, I ejected over
>Sonderstrom Greenland, in the middle of a snow storm and survived,

How about some details?

vince norris

[Bush]

Same here: Ejected and excellent equipment usually don't
go in the same sentence. Greenland is ice, Iceland is green.
Do you walk to school, or carry your lunch?

Have a great one!

Bush

On Mon, 08 Dec 2003 11:37:28 -0600, Big John >
wrote:

>33 years ago at about 13:00 Greenland Standard Time , with good
>training, excellent equipment and the Grace of God, I ejected over
>Sonderstrom Greenland, in the middle of a snow storm and survived,
>
>This day after Pearl Harbor Day, I celebrate, with my troops, this
>episode in time.
>
>Big John

[Brad Z]

> Same here: Ejected and excellent equipment usually don't
> go in the same sentence.

Shot down, maybe?

[Big John]

All right you'se guys. Told the whole story last year but a short
version.

Ferrying three T-33's out of over haul to Iceland and going to bring
the war weary birds back.

Launched, CAVU and forecast and to remain, from Goose Bay along with 9
F-5's going to Jordan. En route, Wx at Sonderstrom went to 1K and
three miles in snow. F-5's were faster and passed us and started
landing (GCA) before us. We arrived at Sonderstrom and listened to the
problems the F-5's were having while circuling for an hour.

Finally given clearance to make an approach to GCA for landing. Gave
us a 360 to burn off altitude and ran us behind a mountain and we lost
radio contact. I climbed a little and went to Guard and got contact
and we were on base leg and they forgot I was on Guard and let us over
shoot final talking on descrete freq not Guard. Sent us around with 12
gallons on totalizer. Pulled up and punched.

Civilian chopper picked three of us up and 4th landed outside their
local TV station and walked in on camera :O)

Lots of errata but that is basic story.

Monday morning quarter back. If I had declared emergency fuel 10-15
minutes earlier they might have lost one or two F-5's but my three
birds would have landed ok. Isn't hindsight wonderful.

Big John

Msc>

The F-5's had a price tag of over a million dollars ea.

The T-33's were on the books at $65K ea.



On Mon, 08 Dec 2003 11:37:28 -0600, Big John >
wrote:

>33 years ago at about 13:00 Greenland Standard Time , with good
>training, excellent equipment and the Grace of God, I ejected over
>Sonderstrom Greenland, in the middle of a snow storm and survived,
>
>This day after Pearl Harbor Day, I celebrate, with my troops, this
>episode in time.
>
>Big John

[Rick Durden]

Big John,

I join you in your celebration of survival and tip one for you.

However, I wonder what God or Allah or Odin or Zeus has to do with it.
If God allowed your airplane to go south on you and the weather to be
awful, why would you give Him or Her credit for your survival. After
all, didn't He or She screw you to start with?

Again, congratulations on surviving a horrible experience and using
your skill, experience, judgment and knolwedge in selecting when and
where to leave the aircraft. Let's give credit where it's due. You
just plain did it right.

All the best,
Rick

Big John > wrote in message >...
> 33 years ago at about 13:00 Greenland Standard Time , with good
> training, excellent equipment and the Grace of God, I ejected over
> Sonderstrom Greenland, in the middle of a snow storm and survived,
>
> This day after Pearl Harbor Day, I celebrate, with my troops, this
> episode in time.
>
> Big John

[Rob Perkins]

On 8 Dec 2003 21:33:10 -0800, (Rick Durden)
wrote:

>However, I wonder what God or Allah or Odin or Zeus has to do with it.
> If God allowed your airplane to go south on you and the weather to be
>awful, why would you give Him or Her credit for your survival. After
>all, didn't He or She screw you to start with?

Oh, brother. Here we go again.

Rob

[Pat Thronson]

On Mon, 08 Dec 2003 11:37:28 -0600, Big John >
wrote:

>33 years ago at about 13:00 Greenland Standard Time , with good
>training, excellent equipment and the Grace of God, I ejected over
>Sonderstrom Greenland, in the middle of a snow storm and survived,
>
>This day after Pearl Harbor Day, I celebrate, with my troops, this
>episode in time.
>
>Big John


Big John,

You have some amazing stories, do you post to other places I could follow,
write a book... You and the other fantastic posters are the reason I am
spending too much/not enough time on the computer instead of venturing
outside. Some day we will be simulated to cyborgs and not miss a thing
except simple living?

Best wishes for the holidays

Pat Thronson

[Big John]

Pat

I basically just post to rah and rap.

I liken the give and take to what we called "Hanger Flying" in the old
days. You heard stories of what happened, good and bad, which helped
to build your body of knowledge.

I have been building my family history (genealogy) for many years and
kick myself that I didn't start earlier and talk to the old ones who
passed away before I got into the business.

On my 'War Stories', some are just stories and others hold good basic
information that pilots can use in their flying. Hope that us old
timers can pass some of the information we learned the hard way to the
current generations.

In some of the subsequent posts following my 'story' my use of "Grace
of God" seems to start being taken to task. I could have use the word
"luck" which can extrapolate directly into 'Grace of God' if anyone
has heart burn about thanking my deity.

Bottom line. Made it and glad to be here today with all you good (and
bad) folks. G>

16 days and counting............

Big John


On Tue, 09 Dec 2003 13:49:56 GMT, "Pat Thronson"
> wrote:

>On Mon, 08 Dec 2003 11:37:28 -0600, Big John >
>wrote:
>
>>33 years ago at about 13:00 Greenland Standard Time , with good
>>training, excellent equipment and the Grace of God, I ejected over
>>Sonderstrom Greenland, in the middle of a snow storm and survived,
>>
>>This day after Pearl Harbor Day, I celebrate, with my troops, this
>>episode in time.
>>
>>Big John
>
>
>Big John,
>
>You have some amazing stories, do you post to other places I could follow,
>write a book... You and the other fantastic posters are the reason I am
>spending too much/not enough time on the computer instead of venturing
>outside. Some day we will be simulated to cyborgs and not miss a thing
>except simple living?
>
>Best wishes for the holidays
>
>Pat Thronson
>
>

[R. Hubbell]

On 8 Dec 2003 21:33:10 -0800 (Rick Durden) wrote:

> Big John,
>
> I join you in your celebration of survival and tip one for you.
>
> However, I wonder what God or Allah or Odin or Zeus has to do with it.
> If God allowed your airplane to go south on you and the weather to be
> awful, why would you give Him or Her credit for your survival. After
> all, didn't He or She screw you to start with?


It's a figure of speech for crying out loud. If he had said "lady luck
was on my side" you wouldn't have said anything.


R. Hubbell

>
> Again, congratulations on surviving a horrible experience and using
> your skill, experience, judgment and knolwedge in selecting when and
> where to leave the aircraft. Let's give credit where it's due. You
> just plain did it right.
>
> All the best,
> Rick
>
> Big John > wrote in message >...
> > 33 years ago at about 13:00 Greenland Standard Time , with good
> > training, excellent equipment and the Grace of God, I ejected over
> > Sonderstrom Greenland, in the middle of a snow storm and survived,
> >
> > This day after Pearl Harbor Day, I celebrate, with my troops, this
> > episode in time.
> >
> > Big John

[John T]

"R. Hubbell" > wrote in message
news:CQmBb.29324$ZE1.26292@fed1read04
>
> It's a figure of speech for crying out loud. If he had said "lady
> luck
> was on my side" you wouldn't have said anything.

....except to complain that he believes in little "luck" fairies. :)

Face it: Some folks just want to argue and nothing you say will avoid
angering/insulting/annoying *somebody*.

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/tknoFlyer
__________

[TripFarmer]

Rick,

I think you're a vocal minority in the world. Please keep your religion
bashing to yourself. No need to reply. This is my only post on the subject.
But I'm sure you'll try to get in the last word, so go ahead.


Trip

In article >,
says...
>
>Big John,
>
>I join you in your celebration of survival and tip one for you.
>
>However, I wonder what God or Allah or Odin or Zeus has to do with it.
> If God allowed your airplane to go south on you and the weather to be
>awful, why would you give Him or Her credit for your survival. After
>all, didn't He or She screw you to start with?
>
>Again, congratulations on surviving a horrible experience and using
>your skill, experience, judgment and knolwedge in selecting when and
>where to leave the aircraft. Let's give credit where it's due. You
>just plain did it right.
>
>All the best,
>Rick
>
>Big John > wrote in message
>...
>> 33 years ago at about 13:00 Greenland Standard Time , with good
>> training, excellent equipment and the Grace of God, I ejected over
>> Sonderstrom Greenland, in the middle of a snow storm and survived,
>>
>> This day after Pearl Harbor Day, I celebrate, with my troops, this
>> episode in time.
>>
>> Big John

[Corky Scott]

On 9 Dec 2003 19:14:08 GMT, (TripFarmer) wrote:

>Rick,
>
>I think you're a vocal minority in the world. Please keep your religion
>bashing to yourself. No need to reply. This is my only post on the subject.
>But I'm sure you'll try to get in the last word, so go ahead.
>
>
>Trip

I'll stand by Rick. I also feel it's regretable to ascribe to god
that which in fact is usually the result of good training and
considerable skill. Let's give credit where credit is due.

Corky Scott

[Rob Perkins]

On Tue, 09 Dec 2003 20:29:13 GMT,
(Corky Scott) wrote:

>I'll stand by Rick. I also feel it's regretable to ascribe to god
>that which in fact is usually the result of good training and
>considerable skill. Let's give credit where credit is due.

Very well, since I'm feeling punchy today, I'll say that the good
training and considerable skill is founded on natural talent (not
everyone can be a pilot!), given to a person by God.

;-)

Rob

[Mike Beede]

In article m>, John T > wrote:

> Face it: Some folks just want to argue and nothing you say will avoid
> angering/insulting/annoying *somebody*.

That's a lie, dammit!

Mike Beede

P.S., Just a joke folks....

[R. Hubbell]

On Mon, 08 Dec 2003 21:54:49 -0600 Big John > wrote:

> All right you'se guys. Told the whole story last year but a short
> version.
>
> Ferrying three T-33's out of over haul to Iceland and going to bring
> the war weary birds back.
>
> Launched, CAVU and forecast and to remain, from Goose Bay along with 9
> F-5's going to Jordan. En route, Wx at Sonderstrom went to 1K and
> three miles in snow. F-5's were faster and passed us and started
> landing (GCA) before us. We arrived at Sonderstrom and listened to the
> problems the F-5's were having while circuling for an hour.
>
> Finally given clearance to make an approach to GCA for landing. Gave
> us a 360 to burn off altitude and ran us behind a mountain and we lost
> radio contact. I climbed a little and went to Guard and got contact
> and we were on base leg and they forgot I was on Guard and let us over
> shoot final talking on descrete freq not Guard. Sent us around with 12
> gallons on totalizer. Pulled up and punched.
>
> Civilian chopper picked three of us up and 4th landed outside their
> local TV station and walked in on camera :O)
>
> Lots of errata but that is basic story.
>
> Monday morning quarter back. If I had declared emergency fuel 10-15
> minutes earlier they might have lost one or two F-5's but my three
> birds would have landed ok. Isn't hindsight wonderful.
>
> Big John

Great story here, you owe to your self to gather this up, add a little
more detail and send it off to a few of your favorite plane mags for
submission, not as a letter to the editor. This deserves it's own
space.

R. Hubbell

>
> Msc>
>
> The F-5's had a price tag of over a million dollars ea.
>
> The T-33's were on the books at $65K ea.
>
>
>
> On Mon, 08 Dec 2003 11:37:28 -0600, Big John >
> wrote:
>
> >33 years ago at about 13:00 Greenland Standard Time , with good
> >training, excellent equipment and the Grace of God, I ejected over
> >Sonderstrom Greenland, in the middle of a snow storm and survived,
> >
> >This day after Pearl Harbor Day, I celebrate, with my troops, this
> >episode in time.
> >
> >Big John
>

[Wizard of Draws]

Big John wrote:
>
> Monday morning quarter back. If I had declared emergency fuel 10-15
> minutes earlier they might have lost one or two F-5's but my three
> birds would have landed ok. Isn't hindsight wonderful.
>
> Big John
>
> Msc>
>
> The F-5's had a price tag of over a million dollars ea.
>
> The T-33's were on the books at $65K ea.
>

Cool story. Glad you're still around to tell it.
--
Jeff 'The Wizard of Draws' Bucchino

"Cartoons with a Touch of Magic"
http://www.wizardofdraws.com
http://www.cartoonclipart.com

[Thomas Borchert]

Rob,

> given to a person by God.
>

Nice god you have yourself, with all those quite skillful murderers out there.

<sorry, you made it too easy>

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

[Dylan Smith]

In article >, TripFarmer wrote:
> Rick,
>
> I think you're a vocal minority in the world. Please keep your religion
> bashing to yourself. No need to reply. This is my only post on the subject.

In my country, the religious are the minority.

--
Dylan Smith, Castletown, Isle of Man
Flying: http://www.dylansmith.net
Frontier Elite Universe: http://www.alioth.net
"Maintain thine airspeed, lest the ground come up and smite thee"

[Rick Durden]

John,


Bottom line. Made it and glad to be here today with all you good (and
> bad) folks. G>


Well put.

Cheers,
Rick

[G.R. Patterson III]

Mike Beede wrote:
>
> P.S., Just a joke folks....

Well, *I* find it in *very* poor taste. Quite insulting, in fact.
:-)

George Patterson
Some people think they hear a call to the priesthood when what they really
hear is a tiny voice whispering "It's indoor work with no heavy lifting".

[Rob Perkins]

On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 12:41:09 -0000, Dylan Smith
> wrote:

>In article >, TripFarmer wrote:
>> Rick,
>>
>> I think you're a vocal minority in the world. Please keep your religion
>> bashing to yourself. No need to reply. This is my only post on the subject.
>
>In my country, the religious are the minority.

Which country is that? Great Britain? Or are you referring only to
Isle of Man?

Rob

[Rob Perkins]

On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 11:00:49 +0100, Thomas Borchert
> wrote:

>Rob,
>
>> given to a person by God.
>>
>
>Nice god you have yourself, with all those quite skillful murderers out there.
>
><sorry, you made it too easy>

Oooo, Thomas! You got me! My Faith is shattered and my whole
metaphysical world is collapsing around me!

I'm cast adrift in a philosophical swamp of fetid ideas and metaphor.
What to do? What to do??? Augh!

I think I'll try to go flying! :-D

Rob, who's gonna pray for safety before making that first radio call

[Corky Scott]

On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 17:39:31 GMT, Rob Perkins
> wrote:


>I think I'll try to go flying! :-D
>
>Rob, who's gonna pray for safety before making that first radio call

Oooohhhh bad move Rob. Better fly the airplane first, emergency
procedures second, praying last. You might run out of time to fly if
you pray first. Then you might discover the answer to the big
QUESTION personally. ;-)

Corky Scott

[David Dyer-Bennet]

Big John > writes:

> In some of the subsequent posts following my 'story' my use of "Grace
> of God" seems to start being taken to task. I could have use the word
> "luck" which can extrapolate directly into 'Grace of God' if anyone
> has heart burn about thanking my deity.

As one of the people with the biggest alergic reactions to religious
stuff -- when you're talking about your own *very* fortunate and by no
means guaranteed happy outcome, you may attribute it to whatever seems
proper to you without my getting heartburn. (Not that you need my
permission even if I *did* object, of course :-)).
--
David Dyer-Bennet, >, <www.dd-b.net/dd-b/>
RKBA: <noguns-nomoney.com> <www.dd-b.net/carry/>
Photos: <dd-b.lighthunters.net> Snapshots: <www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/>
Dragaera/Steven Brust: <dragaera.info/>

[Rob Perkins]

On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 18:31:29 GMT,
(Corky Scott) wrote:

>On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 17:39:31 GMT, Rob Perkins
> wrote:
>
>
>>I think I'll try to go flying! :-D
>>
>>Rob, who's gonna pray for safety before making that first radio call
>
>Oooohhhh bad move Rob. Better fly the airplane first, emergency
>procedures second, praying last.

Uh, my first radio call on a flight these days is, "Portland Tower,
Cessna XXXXX ready at Pearson runway 8 for takeoff."

> You might run out of time to fly if
>you pray first. Then you might discover the answer to the big
>QUESTION personally. ;-)

So you think I ought to take off into Class D airspace before making
radio calls? Won't I need God's help even more for the inevitable FAA
action?

Rob, who will pray before making that first radio call. Yeesh!

[Corky Scott]

On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 00:44:53 GMT, Rob Perkins
> wrote:


>So you think I ought to take off into Class D airspace before making
>radio calls? Won't I need God's help even more for the inevitable FAA
>action?
>
>Rob, who will pray before making that first radio call. Yeesh!

Sorry, my bad. I was thinking of a situation where you were having an
in-flight emergency and were planning to pray before "making that
first radio call."

It hadn't occured to me you might be on the ground thinking about
praying before flying.

Corky Scott