I must admit I learnt from the comments section on the Bravo November article, something I never knew about the very first ever Chinook, the Operational Prototype, it was a life saver and I bet not many are aware of the types debut, something it would carry on doing through its future career.
Eddie Smith
5 April, 2022
I use to work with a woman whose life was saved by the very first C-47 ever made. The test pilot for the first operational prototype was watching the new and a story was aired about how a small elementary school full of children was about to be washed away by flash flooding and their was no way to save the children. The pilot immediately talked to his boss and received the OK to use the aircraft try and get the children out. That day the CH-47 made its first recue mission and saved all of the children. About 18 yrs later a woman I worked with took a tour of the manufacturing plant as a Gov't intern with others and they went into to pilots office but he wasnt there as he was out processing for retirement. She saw a picture of the rescued children with the aircraft and pilot and told the tour guide "Hey thats me". She pointed herself out and told them how she and her friends were saved, The guide sent people all over the facility to find the pilot. Whats the chance that someone he saved would end up there on the exact last day of work. BTW the pilot didnt save those children for PR purposes. He did it because it was the right thing to do and he had the means to do it.