The Great, Constantly Changing Picture Gallery...part DEUX

[brownshoe]

Especially nice/fun for the Fallon/Reno area gambling 'dens of iniquity'!

Old Timers will remember Ma's Roadside Inn Restaurant/Mini-Casino in Fallon NV. Epic photo of "Ma's Mob", a VA-125 FRS Wpns Det. Class 1-A at NAAS Fallon circa 1965. Casino owner 80-y/o 'Ma' in A-4 cockpit top center. IP BzB - next to Ma on right.

BzB

It's a shame that posts like this describing "past" naval aviation life have dwindled here on AW. Oh the fun we had! For us enlisted guys around JAX, 'specially Cecil, we had the "Happy Hour Lounge". Shit back in my day there were drive-up windows at bars where you could actually order a mixed drink to go. 'Course none of us ever did that. Come to think of it... the EM club at JAX was actually a great place on the weekends.

 

[BusyBee604]

It's a shame that posts like this describing "past" naval aviation life have dwindled here on AW.

Mostly cause most of 'us'n ol' farts' are dwindling as well!

Oh the fun we had! For us enlisted guys around JAX, 'specially Cecil, we had the "Happy Hour Lounge". Shit back in my day there were drive-up windows at bars where you could actually order a mixed drink to go. 'Course none of us ever did that. Come to think of it... the EM club at JAX was actually a great place on the weekends.

Fortunately, or unfortunately... depending on your experience & point of view, not better nor worse, just a different World, Country, and Navy today. Most accept it and live with it, there is no other choice.
BzB

 

[BusyBee604]

Plus this site sucks now...and there is little to talk about.

Although terse and whining, I respect your opinion, but disagree that this site sucks. The AW site, like so many other things in life, is cyclical in participation. I've been posting here for near five years, and seen about 6 complete cycles of low/high participation. Despite the fact that a fair number of long-time members who took their show on the road for whatever/reasons last year, I think AW is just experiencing a post-holiday cyclic slump at present. Participation is brisk on the 'wannabee' forums, and I for one, get great satisfaction in providing opinions, fielding questions, and motivating our future Naval Officers of the coming decade(s). I'd be interested in WebSan's, and other long-term member's opinions on "The State Of The AW Site"?
BzB

 

[A7Dave]

It's a shame that posts like this describing "past" naval aviation life have dwindled here on AW. Oh the fun we had! For us enlisted guys around JAX, 'specially Cecil, we had the "Happy Hour Lounge". Shit back in my day there were drive-up windows at bars where you could actually order a mixed drink to go. 'Course none of us ever did that. Come to think of it... the EM club at JAX was actually a great place on the weekends.

Right! I knew of no one who bought a 6-pack on base and someone else cracked it open once past the main gate since it was legal to drink and drive in Fla - just not be drunk.

I hear the stories of what's going on these days. Hard to believe. The civilian world is legalizing pot and happy hour is banned at the O'Club. Friday night at the O'Club was MANDATORY.

 

[Pags]

Sorry...was drinking. But participation and conversation diversity has dwindled. ...imho.

I've been posting on here for over 10yrs (really?!) and the website has changed. Some folks come and go, others stick around. One interesting thing that I've noticed is that the webpage used to be pretty much all JOPA, at least in terms of active participation, and the discussions mirrored that group's interests. These days, a lot of folks who have been active for a long time have grown up on this site; guys have screened for command, promoted, retired, and gotten out. As some core members have aged/matured/withered the topics being discussed have changed. In '03 it seemed to be all about flying, fart jokes, and flight school. These days there's a lot more discussion about "grown up" issues than they're used to be. There's also a more diverse group: aviators across the board, retirees, SWOs and their ilk, SC, RL, etc than there used to be. I tend to think the discussion these days is a bit more "fair and balanced" than "rage against the machine." There seems to be a lot less "shouting" than a few years ago and more discussion. I think what we've lost in "bread and circus" seems to have been made up in useful discourse.

Oh, and you share your pictures. That's certainly a welcome addition to the sight. I'm sure they're providing a lot of motivation to young lurkers who think that flying grey or orange airplanes is some impossible dream.

 

[Fallonflyr]

Especially nice/fun for the Fallon/Reno area gambling 'dens of iniquity'!

Old Timers will remember Ma's Roadside Inn Restaurant/Mini-Casino in Fallon NV. Epic photo of "Ma's Mob", a VA-125 FRS Wpns Det. Class 1-A at NAAS Fallon circa 1965. Casino owner 80-y/o 'Ma' in A-4 cockpit top center. IP BzB - next to Ma on right.
View attachment 13357
BzB

The building is still there.

 

[Renegade One]

It's a shame that posts like this describing "past" naval aviation life have dwindled here on AW.

Well, when told "no one cares"…what would you expect?

Mostly cause most of 'us'n ol' farts' are dwindling as well!
Fortunately, or unfortunately... depending on your experience & point of view, not better nor worse, just a different World, Country, and Navy today. Most accept it and live with it, there is no other choice.
BzB

BzB said it better…

Plus this site sucks now...and there is little to talk about.

Then…there's that…and this:

...participation and conversation diversity has dwindled. ...imho.

But then…a glimmer…

I've been posting on here for over 10yrs (really?!) and the website has changed. Some folks come and go, others stick around. One interesting thing that I've noticed is that the webpage used to be pretty much all JOPA, at least in terms of active participation, and the discussions mirrored that group's interests. These days, a lot of folks who have been active for a long time have grown up on this site; guys have screened for command, promoted, retired, and gotten out. As some core members have aged/matured/withered the topics being discussed have changed. In '03 it seemed to be all about flying, fart jokes, and flight school. These days there's a lot more discussion about "grown up" issues than they're used to be. There's also a more diverse group: aviators across the board, retirees, SWOs and their ilk, SC, RL, etc than there used to be. I tend to think the discussion these days is a bit more "fair and balanced" than "rage against the machine." There seems to be a lot less "shouting" than a few years ago and more discussion. I think what we've lost in "bread and circus" seems to have been made up in useful discourse.

Oh, and you share your pictures. That's certainly a welcome addition to the sight. I'm sure they're providing a lot of motivation to young lurkers who think that flying grey or orange airplanes is some impossible dream.

Which is nice. Much truth-telling. If "flying, fart jokes and flight school" and "rage against the machine" is your thing…there's probably room for you HERE and on another site whose URL I do not know.

I hope I'm in the "useful discourse" cadre. That was really only ever my intention, having, to an extent, "been there and done that"…and ONLY in the rear cockpit.

 

[KODAK]

 

[Malo83]

Ho Chi Minh trail, Present.
http://www.laosgpsmap.com/ho-chi-minh-trail-laos/

 

[BusyBee604]

Ho Chi Minh trail, Present.
http://www.laosgpsmap.com/ho-chi-minh-trail-laos/

Wow, does that bring back memories. Played lots of 'hit'n run' in that ball park some 47 yars ago.

Souvenir from Uncle Ho on his own trail - '66!
BTW, BzB 611 made it's next scheduled launch..
BzB

 

[KODAK]

 

[KODAK]

What airfield are you at?

Knoxville (KTYS) for the first one and Nashville (KBNA) for the other two.

 

[KODAK]

Nice shots.

Thanks - wish I had your knack for getting published, you have the special sauce!!

What do you shoot with?

I shoot with a Canon 5D MkIII and either a 100-400mm or 24-105mm. Not the cheapest gear for a college kid, but as a 'pilot first' I just want to document my time up there in the air as best as possible. Also have a GoPro Hero 2 plus civil/ helo audio wires in my helmet bag for video.

 

[BusyBee604]

A mini-reunion coming up tomorrow, my old combat "Wingie" is in town from Nevada City, CA with his wife, to tour the USS Midway Museum. We served together in VA-146 "Blue Diamonds", on the Ranger '66, and Constellation '67 "Rolling Thunder" deployments.

Former LT Jeff Greenwood, retired Delta Captain, and Kathy, will be joining my three children & I, for lunch and mucho recollections at our downtown San Dogg Olive Garden.

Jeff is the only wingman ever, that I didn't bring back from a strike. On a Sunny day in May '66, he went to the target in an A-4C Skyhawk, and made the return to Danang safely, in a USAF HU-16 Albatross aka Dumbo (so far north in the gulf - out of Helo range). Will post that interesting tale at a later date, when I get it written. This photo was taken at our last mini-get together at the same Olive Garden in Oct. '12.

(L to R) LT Bill Douglas, Ret NWA B-747 Capt.; LT Jeff "Leprechaun" Greenwood, Ret. Delta A/L B-767 Capt.; Ret. RADM Bill Harris, CO VA-146 '64-'65; BusyBee604, '65-'67


LT Bill Douglas & LT Jeff "Leprechaun" Greenwood


EDIT: "Elderly Warriors" Reunite. "Leprechaun" & "BusyBee" 02-15-2014

BzB

 

[Hozer]

^^^good to see some of the Old Guard living the good life...