GRAND FATHER

Notes from Dave "Grandfather" Scheuer, sent in by his grand daughter...

I remember......Butch Voris reorganizing the Team again fron scratch in 1951 Corpus Christi. The long months of grounding due to engine problems in the F9F-5 panthers. Then finally the first show for the Midsouth Festival in memphis. I also remember getting Butch and the rest of the guys out of bed at 2 o'clock one morning at Moffet Field to go out and get some ham and eggs, and they did.

I remember the golden voice of 'Blab' Graham narrating the air shows, and how he moaned like a grounded AP the time he pranged his TV-2 at Corpus.

Bud Rich serving cold pizza at his wetting down party, and his midnight "social calls" with both arms full of groceries.

I remember how every time Whitey Feightner rolled his F7U Cutlass, he would lose the landing gear doors, and the day he and "Tappy Toes" MacKnight left both Cutlasses at Memphis never again to fly.

I remember picking up Ray Hawkins one midnight in Jackson, Mississippi after he ejected thru the canapy, inverted and going like hell from his brand new F9F-6 on the way home to Corpus from the Grumman "ironworks'. We brought him back to Memphis, got him a BOQ room, stuffed him with booze, and put him to bed. During his descent in the chute from 40,000 feet, he puked all over the State of Mississipi due to the lack of oxygen, there was no bail-out bottle in the seatpan.

I remember the song and dance team of Zeke Cormier and Nello Pierozzi winning a talent contest with the Thunderbirds before a stag audience of 1,000 in Oklahoma City.

I remember "Growly" Sooner saying to Zeke Cormier, "Boss", we've got six airplanes, why don't you build a show around all six". Zeke did just that.

I remember the Great left handed One Schwartz putting a stink bomb in a room at the Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln, Nebraska, then calling the "House dick' and telling him that there must be a fire somplace, as it smelled like a mattress burning.

I remember Ed Holley smoking his little cigars, sipping his drink, and listening to his favorite song "Witchcraft'. Also Ed proclaiming Dave Scheuer Day at a morning muster, presenting a beautiful .45 caliber nickel plated six-shooter to me, then turning the Team over to me. That was a mistake. I called the Team to attention and secured them to the Esquire House for a party on Grumman. I never again had that opportunity. it was great to have such power, if only for a short time.

Zeb Knott and his Team driving their brand new blue Thunderbirds down Navy Boulevard in echelon formation, and all the great parties we had at the BOQ.

Mark Perrault narrating the show in French for the benefit of a group of French pilots in New Orleans.

Duke Ventimiglia aka Vincent, showing all his white teeth and laughing every time he looked at me.

Stoney Mayock clocking his F11 over the Eglin Radar Course at 1200 mph.

Bill Rennie, the Terror of Trader Jon's.

The demolition Team of Moseman and Reavis going to work on an Air Force BOQ.

Lew Chatham doing the first dirty roll after take-off an F11 one morning at Winter Training at Litchfield Park, Arizona.

Dan Macintyre doing his morning exercise in his Motel room while at Winter Training. It was time to get up when we heard Danny running in place.

John Kretsinger taping his hand to the stick so he could fly a show with a broken thumb.

Dick Langford flying home from Nellis with his head all bandaged. The guts from his helmet had to be removed so it would fit over everything.

Ken Wallace accused of tinting his hair grey when he first joined the team as a young JG, then years later putting some black in to look younger.

Ken Wallace making the first six plane landing, and inaugurating the Farvel in jet aircraft.

Scott Ross landing his R5D very hard at Keflavik, iceland, in order to knock off the heavy accumulation of ice that formed on the aircraft during the flight from Goose Bay, Labrador. Scotty normally landed like he was touching down on a runway of fresh eggs.

Bob Aumack's highly successful tour of Europe in 1965, the famous six plane landing in Paris, and the infamous shot of the Team flying around the Eiffel Tower.

Red Hubbard and Norm Gandia running a mile each morning, then jumping into the ice cold Motel pool while at Winter Training.

I remember the courage of Bill Wheat and his Team transitioning from the F11 to a more sophisticated F4, with very little support. What a guy!

I remember Harley Hall for all the new things that he brought to the Team, new spaces, new benefits for the men, and most of all a new image to the Team.

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