Some days live in your memory forever. This was one of them. Back just before I finally got the courage to bail out of my old life and end up here in Los Angeles, I gave a bunch of models to the museum at then-Mather Air Force Base in Sacramento. The museum director asked me what they could give me in return. Nonchalant, I pointed up at a pair of T-37s that had just taken off and said, “How about a ride in one of those?” He replied, “I’ll see.” I put no stock in that, the Air Force doesn’t give away rides, and promptly forgot about it for six weeks until I got a call one day at work from the Mather Public Affairs Office. “We have you scheduled for a T-37 flight next Wednesday, but you need to come out and go through training. Could you be out here tomorrow afternoon?” Could I!? “Yes!” I hung up and went and told my boss I was taking the afternoon off tomorrow. Fortunately, I’d done a bunch of overtime recently and had a bunch of compensatory time off available. I also told him I wouldn’t be in next Wednesday.
Delightful "Down Memory Lane" article. I have a Down Memory Lane column in our Senior Living community newspaper. I have such fun tracking down folks with spectacular stories never published before. I am working with one resident who has stories about how he grew up with wild skunks as pets. I worked with another resident who told his story about the time he went with his buddies to investigate a cave they had not been to. Trained and avid spelunkers, it was interesting for everyone that he told his story about being stuck in a vertical drop which landed him on a ledge where he could not get back up even with the help of his other two friends. So, they called in a 10 man rescue crew who arrived and pulled him out by a rope with tug of war tactics.
Old folks like we are do have some interesting stories to tell. Thank you, TC for your story.
The entire Yosemite Valley "from God's point of view" 🦅- that's worth the price of admission, er subscription. What a great story of a great day! Thank you for sharing.
TC, what a wonderful story from your personal archive. Those photos are absolutely incredible.
What a ride that must have been to capture such amazing moments in flight. Thank so much for sharing the story and photos. I love your personal stories!
What a rush. I don't want to think about this T-37 ride TC took us on. It was all about the rush; the excitement of being up there getting "God's View". I took a few flying lessons years ago and would never make it to pilot status; it's not in my genes, but I love to fly. Thank you, TC.
I've never seen Yosemite from the air. But, I remember rounding the bend in the road and being astonished by its majesty from the ground. Thanks for the aerial photos and wonderful story. xo
Burl wrote up about his ride in the back seat of a HANG F-4C, I think back in the 80s sometime. He said it was a blast and a half, and over way too soon. He had to go the same preflight stuff, getting in a suit and helmet plus how to punch out in case of an emergency. Lucky stiff…
I've never seen Yosemite from the air. From the ground, it was a jaw-dropping moment to round the bend and be confronted with such majesty. Thanks for the aerial shots. xo
I always wanted to take such a ride, in fairy-tale land though. When I worked at Langley AFB as a young pup, T-33’s took off right over the building where I worked. Used to daydream about such. Your tale is about as good, thank you!
Just saw news video of the space craft splashing down in the Pacific upon returning from the Moon. Dejavú all over again! Saw this exact same splash in 1968! BFD!
Yep! As kids we were paid extra to be airplane or even better, helo pilots. Back in the day we said jets were for kids. Just try to hover in a Phantom!
Delightful "Down Memory Lane" article. I have a Down Memory Lane column in our Senior Living community newspaper. I have such fun tracking down folks with spectacular stories never published before. I am working with one resident who has stories about how he grew up with wild skunks as pets. I worked with another resident who told his story about the time he went with his buddies to investigate a cave they had not been to. Trained and avid spelunkers, it was interesting for everyone that he told his story about being stuck in a vertical drop which landed him on a ledge where he could not get back up even with the help of his other two friends. So, they called in a 10 man rescue crew who arrived and pulled him out by a rope with tug of war tactics.
Old folks like we are do have some interesting stories to tell. Thank you, TC for your story.
The entire Yosemite Valley "from God's point of view" 🦅- that's worth the price of admission, er subscription. What a great story of a great day! Thank you for sharing.
Wow!! What fantastic memories!! Can you explain the phrase "back up to the pay window" please?
TC, what a wonderful story from your personal archive. Those photos are absolutely incredible.
What a ride that must have been to capture such amazing moments in flight. Thank so much for sharing the story and photos. I love your personal stories!
What a rush. I don't want to think about this T-37 ride TC took us on. It was all about the rush; the excitement of being up there getting "God's View". I took a few flying lessons years ago and would never make it to pilot status; it's not in my genes, but I love to fly. Thank you, TC.
I've never seen Yosemite from the air. But, I remember rounding the bend in the road and being astonished by its majesty from the ground. Thanks for the aerial photos and wonderful story. xo
Boy I'm envious. I drag husband to every air show around and have such a desire to hitch a ride in a "go fast"! How cool you had these opportunities!
What a ride that must have been - pictures are fantastic, TC
Burl wrote up about his ride in the back seat of a HANG F-4C, I think back in the 80s sometime. He said it was a blast and a half, and over way too soon. He had to go the same preflight stuff, getting in a suit and helmet plus how to punch out in case of an emergency. Lucky stiff…
Are you *sure* the foreground isn't Half Dome? Question from my husband who spent a summer working in the high country of Yosemite.
Just...WOW! I know I'd have been terrified but I'm still green with envy (or nausea at the thought of rolling in one of those)!
I've never seen Yosemite from the air. From the ground, it was a jaw-dropping moment to round the bend and be confronted with such majesty. Thanks for the aerial shots. xo
Yikes! The pics. The narrative.
Sizzlin’, TC, sizzlin’.
🗽💜
Holy cow, what a ride…
I always wanted to take such a ride, in fairy-tale land though. When I worked at Langley AFB as a young pup, T-33’s took off right over the building where I worked. Used to daydream about such. Your tale is about as good, thank you!
Just saw news video of the space craft splashing down in the Pacific upon returning from the Moon. Dejavú all over again! Saw this exact same splash in 1968! BFD!
Yep! As kids we were paid extra to be airplane or even better, helo pilots. Back in the day we said jets were for kids. Just try to hover in a Phantom!