On 23 Jan 2004 04:49:40 GMT, nt (Krztalizer) wrote:

aah, shoot. That was one hell of a River Rat and an all around great guy.

For those of you wondering what VN was like from the cockpit of an F-105, GI's
book "Pak Six" has to be the standard.

My neighbor (LtCol Tom Murch) introduced me to Mr. Basel in the late 1970s and
he was my idea of just too cool. What I remember was his monumentally positive
attitude toward life, and the way he shrugged off anything negative about the
war - at least to me; I was just a kid at the time, extremely pesky and
interested with what he did in the war. I really wish I could have known him
later in life, after I grew up.

V/R
Gordon

G.I. Basel was laid to rest in Florida last Tuesday. His daughter Tina
was present as well as a lot of River Rats. Full military honors were
rendered on a bright, sunny, FL day. A number of fighter pilot
traditions were carried out, including songs and a lot of "nickles on
the grass."

We lost a great warrier, a patriot, and an outstanding human being.



Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8