byrsch

When I first got to Pope in 73 we had TSgt Rickels in charge of minor maintenace, he sent a young troop to supply for some prop wash so we sat back waiting for the kid to come back red faced or laughing. After about 1/2 hour Rick started to get worried about the kid when the phone rang and we heard Rick say it is usually in a plain aluminum can and doing everything he could to keep from laughing. He hung up and almost fell out of his chair the kid was at supply alright but they were looking for the prop wash. Apparently the guys on duty there had never heard of the joke anymore than the kid. He finally came back about 15 minutes later unsuccessful in his quest for prop wash. Rick told him the joke but I never did find out when the guys at supply found out. It still makes me laugh to think and write about it.

I know I am getting old, left Jones of Morris Jones last name. If he sees this I will never live it down.

Congratulations on the promotion. I remember when I took the test for Staff back in 76 and made the grade. I was lucky and got a good score and line number so I sewed it on before I got out in 77. I saw guys that were great at their jobs but hated testing and didn't get promoted because of that. Have they taken that into account over the years? We had one guy that made master in 12 years but could not do what was required of a master. He was great with books, an almost photographic memory, and tested extremely well. The senior in charge of the branch gave him a bad eval for not being able to handle the responsibilities of a master and guaranteed he'd have to come up to speed before his next promotion. We had a guy in the shop that could tear down any piece of equipment, had to respect of the people that worked for him, but wasn't good with book learning nor testing. Practical learning he excelled at but the bad testing hurt him. I often wondered if they fixed that.

Sent you an email.

These are three guys I knew at Pope and haven't hear from, this would have been between Oct 73 to Feb 77. SSgt then - Jimmy Noell Sgt then - Sam Mitchell MSgt then - Morris from Altoona, Pa originally.

Your right about 74 but we were TDY to Germany in the fall when it happened, don't know what happen but they were taxing and my roommate, who was in sheet metal, told me they managed to sheer the wing off. I don't remember which wing. That is all my old memory has left or it could be all the German beer we drank effected my memory.