WIX Archives
Re: Houston, Wildcat, Photo flight, & Guilt
Posted by Ryan Harris on Thu Oct 23, 2003 04:39:21 PM
In reply top Houston, Wildcat, Photo flight, & Guilt posted by Alan Brooks on Wed Oct 22, 2003 09:29:05 PM
Alan I feel ya buddy. You and I must have passed right by each other on the ramp that afternoon. You can't blame yourself though. Like everyone else has stated, you were simply doing your part in sharing the history.
I know this won't make you feel better, but be fortunate is knowing that you didn't see him go in. I did and I'm still dealing with it too. Its weird how it all played out for me. I had been on the ramp standing around the Skyraider waiting for Rick to come back when they started kicking everyone off of the ramp. So I started meandering off as slowly as I could and for a reason I can't explain I just happened to turn around one more time. My eyes didn't fall on an airplane, but instead a man in a tan flight suit and a Mae West. I had no idea who he was but I thought it was cool that he had a Mae West on. From there I walked to the main taxiway fence to watch all you guys taxi past. Out of 7 airplanes (the T-28 included) the only two pilots I really payed attention to were Rick, because I know him, and Mr. Johnson all decked out in his period flight gear. It didn't click with me until Tuesday when I saw a shot of him sitting on the airplane and that Mae West hanging on the tail, that he was the man I had turned around and noticed. Its still strange.
At the after party I was in the tent waiting in line to get my drink when I thought that the drink could wait, because I wanted to see the Wildcat break and land. We all know what happened. However, let me tell you as soon as that little airplane departed, I didn't even think about what was about to happen and for the maybe 2 seconds at the most you feel like the most helpless person in the world. For 5 days straight, that image has been replaying in my head over and over and over again.
Basically Alan I know that what I just wrote will not help you at all. Watching it was just as hard as being in the photo plane but you can not blame yourself for it. Mr. Johnson kind of reminds me of Mark Hanna when people talk about how he was always happy to be doing what he did. Feel good in the fact that he loved every second of it.
Cheer up buddy. We'll all help out.
Ryan