Austin, Texas Chapter
The Association for all Military Officers
Companion Bulletin-November 2007
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Companions, We had a great October meeting with Professor Margaret Baacke, Ph. D.enthralling us with her personal account of prewar Germany as a member of the Hitler Youth and duties during the war while assigned to the Labor Service and War Auxiliary Service. This was a well received program that matched September's 26 members and guests in attendance, even though Mickie and Jim Burrill, Francis and Gus Herzik, Norm Jefferson, Rosia and John Patterson, and Ida and Juste Sanchez were unable to attend and were sorely missed. Major R. B. Rudy will be our speaker at the 8 November meeting at the Holiday Inn Northwest. If you have ever wondered about the career pattern of a post World War II Marine Corps aviator motivated to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Pappy Boyington, you will want to hear what Companion Rudy has to tell us. I can hardly wait.
| Many thanks to Companions Tom Anderson, Leon Holland, Andrew McVeigh and "Rudy" Rudy for their contributions toward the purchase of Junior and Senior Reserve Officers Training Corps certificates and medals. We now have $110 of the Chapter's $300 program costs for 2008. Remember, coordination for this most worthwhile program is in the hands of Colonel Leon Holland and we should consider individual financial contributions to fund this endeavor. Each award set costs approximately $10.00. Ten and twenty dollar checks made out to Austin Chapter MOWW are appreciated. Please do not forget that our December meeting will be at the Austin Club on the second Thursday, which is on 13 December. We have entertainment scheduled and it will be a Holiday treat for all. Please mark your calendar! Ervalyn and I hope to see you at the Holiday Inn Northwest. Come early
and bring a new member. The social gathering is at 1830 hours. |
Schedule:
| Meeting. 8 November
2007 Holiday Inn Northwest (Mopac & Hwy 183) The cost for the evening is $18.00. If you are not called by 6 November, contact COL Andrew McVeigh III at 261-6272 Menu Salad, Meat Loaf, Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes, Assorted Desserts, Coffee/Tea/Water |
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Speaker Quote to Ponder: |
A recent study found the average American walks about 900 miles per year. Another study found Americans drink, on average, 22 gallons of beer a year. That means, on average, Americans get about 41 miles to the gallon. Kind Of Makes You Proud To Be American. |
Staff Meeting |
Chapter Officers
Austin Chapter Website and
Newsletter |
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California Fire Support Six UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and two CH-47's were dispatched from the border duty to the firefighting mission in support of the California Department of Forestry. The aircraft attacking the flames was the most visible of the firefighting mission, and the Guard helicopters were expected to fly water-drop missions all day. A California Guard S-70 Firehawk, specially designed for firefighting missions, was also expected to join the battle against the infernos 1,500 Soldiers from the California Guard's 40th Infantry Brigade Combat Team conducted presence patrols to prevent looting, manning traffic control points and preparing to assist people at the Qualcomm Stadium and the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego. The Guard Soldiers were supporting the San Diego County sheriff's department. |
LEPANTO, 1571 In 1570 the Turks invaded Cyprus, a Venetian territory. The Venetians pleaded for aid from the other Mediterranean Christian states. Although most other kingdoms were reluctant to aid the hated republic of Venice, Pope Pius V seized this opportunity to forge a Holy League to crusade against the Turks. In 1571 a combined fleet of ships from Spain, Venice, and the pope's dominions was placed under the command of Don John of Austria. The allied fleet sailed to the Greek coast, where it met the Turks. Don John commanded 200 galleys and 6 galleasses (ships twice the size of a galley, with much heavier armament). Don John made a tactical change in his galleys' weaponry by removing the heavy iron beaks and placing five guns in the stable bows. The Turkish fleet was numerically larger--290 ships--but many of these were galliots, swift raiding vessels half the size of a galley. The Turkish ships retained their beaks and mounted only three guns in the bows. The Christian fleet also had a total strength of 84,000 men to the Turks' 88,000. The two fleets faced each other in the classic crescent formation. Don John improvised by having his powerful galleasses towed out in front of his three squadrons. | This upset the Turkish commander, Ali Pasha, but the Turks
continued closing with their three squadrons. The superior gunfire of the
Christian fleet swept the advancing Turkish ships, but finally they
reached the allies and engaged in a fierce hand-to-hand struggle.
Three separate actions took place. First, after a seesaw struggle, the Christian left drove the Turks opposing it ashore, annihilating them. The disputed center revolved around a titanic duel between the two flagships. The superior firepower of Don John's ships finally decided the battle, and the Turkish flagship was captured. On the Turkish left, the heavier Turkish squadron won the exchange and captured several galleys. But it was too little too late. The collapse of the center caused a retreat, which turned into a rout as the Christians sank or captured additional vessels. The Turks lost 80 ships and 30,000 men (not including 12,000 Christian galley slaves, who were freed). The allies lost 7,500 men and 17 galleys, but won a victory which heralded the end of Turkish supremacy in the Mediterranean. The most notable figure in the battle was Spanish novelist Miguel de Cervantes, who lost his left hand in the fighting. |
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Standard checklist philosophy requires that pilots read to each other the
actions they perform every flight, and recite from memory those they need
every three years. Experience is a hard teacher. First comes the test, then the lesson | Every one already knows the definition of a
'good' landing is one from which you can walk away. But very few know the
definition of a 'great landing.' It's one after which you can use the airplane another time. |
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Rylen B. "Rudy" RUDY Major USMC Retired Rudy was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1931 and raised on a ranch just NE of Tulsa. He enlisted in the Navy 1949 after finishing high school. During his recruit training, he was offered the opportunity to go to Flight School which he completed in1951 before his 20th birthday. His first job was in N.C. was to transition recalled reserve pilots from prop to jet aircraft. In June 1952, he married Patricia Anne Crook in Austin, Tx. In November 1952, he transferred to VMF 311 in Korea to fly Grumman F9F Panther-jets. He flew for 6 months over Korea (Sen. John Glenn was in the same squadron at the same time), then 4 months as a Forward Air Controller (ground) with 3rd Bn 7th Marine Regt. He returned in late 1953 and taught flight school at Kingsville, Tx for 3 years. He was a Regimental Air Officer, Camp Pendleton, Calif. 1956/57. El Toro 57/59 flying A4 Skyhawks. |
Iwakuni, Japan and aboard aircraft carriers late 59/61. He was an LSO (Landing Signal Officer, waving aircraft aboard carriers) for 6 years. By utilizing the F4 Phantom II in carrier type landings, he was the prime tester and evaluator of the many types of aluminum planks submitted for use by the Seabees and Marine Engineers to build decking for airfields. The winning type plank was later used at Chulai and Monkey Mt. in Vietnam. In 1965 he was Fleet Marine Force, Pacific representative to Mac V staff in Saigon, on a committee that determined the number and locations of airfields required to support the Vietnam War. WestPac tour 1967/68 Iwakuni, Japan and Danang, Vietnam. Back to MCAS Beaufort, S.C. for final 2 years service. Along the way had attended 5 colleges, flew in 2 Wars, off of 10 Aircraft Carriers, been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 5 stars, was XO of two Squadrons, CO of one, was Air Officer of two Marine Brigades and Operations Officer of a third. My last duty was as Operations Officer of a Marine Air Group. Retired May 1, 1970 with 21 years service. |
Do you have a few good stories to tell? Please contact Stan Bullard at 926-8438 or at sgbullard@sbcglobal.net. |