Thank You and Congratulations Col McGettrick

[Dan Newcomb]

Thanks to my participation in the CAF I have had several occasions to meet and thank the men and women who serve in our military. A few years ago we took the Zero up to Edwards AFB. One afternoon as I sat under the wing I noticed a young officer standing a few feet from me looking at the Zeke. He asked me if the plane was a real Zero. I told him that it was and as I approached him I noticed his rank. Lieutenant Colonel! I told him he didn’t look old enough to be a 2nd LT. He introduced himself as Junior. He said that he flew Raptors. I realized that I had a wonderful opportunity to pay him back a little for his service so I asked him if he would like to sit in the cockpit. His eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. I couldn’t believe that a pilot who drives Raptors for a living could get excited about a 60 year old airplane but he did. We let him sit in the Zero and then I took him over to our Hellcat and let him sit in that as well. His wife Loni and his children showed up and I got the chance to meet them. After talking to her I found out that they had two kids of their own and were in the process of adopting a third. Not just any baby but a child of a different race that probably wouldn’t have had much of a chance in life without these folks. People like Junior and Loni are special and I am richer for meeting them. The next year I went to Edwards I tried to look them up but found that they had left for another assignment. Just today I found out that Junior had made full Colonel and has recently taken command of the 48th Operations Group at Lakenheath. Here’s to the McGettrick family and all of the families that serve.

[vg-photo]

Very cool, Dan. Knowing he is taking the helm of the 48th is great. I was stationed there from 85-88 as just a lowly comm grunt.

[Dan Newcomb]

You are another guy that doesn't look his age!!!! Geesh! Served in '85?

[vg-photo]

Yep, underneath this youthful exterior, I'm just a crusty old buzzard!

[muddyboots]

Now taht's just awesome! I hope he's got some of those pics up on his office wall, eh?

[Randy Haskin]

He is my boss' boss at Lakenheath....a very good guy to work for. Actually one of the most level-headed Ops Group Commanders I've ever had.

Now taht's just awesome! I hope he's got some of those pics up on his office wall, eh?

Not at Lakenheath...perhaps at home, though.

[JDK]

His eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. I couldn’t believe that a pilot who drives Raptors for a living could get excited about a 60 year old airplane but he did.

Well, there's a guy that knows cool from uncool. Slightly more seriously, the number of Zero (and Hellcat) pilots will be significantly less than Raptor drivers today. Glad to see some USAF guys appreciate rare stuff.

People like Junior and Loni are special and I am richer for meeting them.

Great story, Dan, really pleased to hear it.

[muddyboots]

He is my boss' boss at Lakenheath....a very good guy to work for. Actually one of the most level-headed Ops Group Commanders I've ever had.

Now taht's just awesome! I hope he's got some of those pics up on his office wall, eh?

Not at Lakenheath...perhaps at home, though.

You should ask him if he has any of them--I'm sure a suitable DPI version could be got to him

[Dan Newcomb]

I took the pics in October 2003. He gave me his email address at Edwards and I sent these and several others to him. He sent me a very nice thank you note. I hope he still has them. I remember he told me that he flew F-15s before the F-22s. It looks like he is back with the 15s.

[Randy Haskin]

I took the pics in October 2003. He gave me his email address at Edwards and I sent these and several others to him. He sent me a very nice thank you note. I hope he still has them. I remember he told me that he flew F-15s before the F-22s. It looks like he is back with the 15s.

He was actually an air-to-air (F-15C) pilot before, and now joining the fight in a multirole fighter (F-15E).