I worked at American Airlines Training Corporation instructing on the then brand new S-76A with Jerry Crupper (USAF/LtCol Retired) who had been a "Jolly Green" H-3 and H-53 Pilot during the Vietnam War.
Jerry and his Wife, Fran, were killed in a vehicle collision involving an illegal immigrant who was intoxicated.
Jerry's Daughters gave me a hand drawn version of this now famous drawing and it has since been a treasure to me.
Jerry's Flight Engineer drew the the thing for a going away gift when Jerry finished his tour of duty with the Jolly Greens.
In time I will pass it down to an appropriate person or museum.
The kindness the Crupper Girls showed me during a very trying time for them....speaks so well of their Mom and Dad.
If I could figure out how to post a photo of it here.....I would.
It is roughly framed, has lots of dents, dings, and scratches on it....the plastic sheet protecting it is marred in places....but every time I look at it......or discuss everything it has to say with someone.....the more I value it.
Flying helicopters is not all about the machine, the rules and laws, the pay or perks or even what we do with them...it is all about people and that special bond we share as we go about our daily business.
Some one wrote a short blurb about us....someone else drew up a cartoon....it got published....and a Flight Engineer gave a gift to a friend...his Daughters gave it to me.
There is one example of what I am talking about.
At some point we all begin to look back and ponder our life's travels and question how we got to where we are and try to figure out what the good bits were.
This was one of mine.
Will you be a part of someone's collection of memories?