I went to dinner last night at the house very old friend's friend. In the course of the evening I learned that they both went to the same high school. Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn. I guess that it was inevitable that the conversation would turn to Barbra Streisand. She also went to Erasmus High. And graduated in the same year as my friend's friend, 1959. After a couple of drinks, the host brought out a picture. Taken on the set of a movie titled The Way We Were. It was of the two primary actors, Barbara Streisand and Robert Redford. And it was signed by both of them. With a special notation from Barbara remembering their high school years. Wow!

I have only two autographs.  Steve Coonts gave me a copy of Flight of the Intruder and signed the fly leave, "Hope all your Landings are 3 wire."  He was the next door neighbor of a friend who lived in Evergreen Colorado.

Then at an air show in Midland Texas Joe Foss signed the centerfold of the show program, a Corsair.  He signed it "To a fellow Marine.  God Bless.  26 confirmed."  Though the aircraft he scored those kills in was an F3F.  I have the centerfold framed and hanging on the wall in my office.  He later became the governor of South Dakota.

Had a couple of celebrity encounters in my time though.

When Jesse Callahan sponsored me for membership in the Confederate Air Force I was sworn in by General Tibbets, pilot of the Ebola Gay.

When stationed at Camp Fuji Japan Debbie Reynolds was part of a USO show.  After the performance three of us were walking back to the barracks.  On the other side of the street Debbie Reynolds was walking with a couple of officers.  One of the guys whistled at her.  She turned around and flipped us the bird.

When  was stationed at Twentynine Palms one Sunday afternoon four of us drove into Palm Springs to have a few beers.  We were in uniform and we walked into a place I think was called the Chi-Chi Club...but I'm not sure.  The place was almost empty.  We sat at a table near the door and there was a guy standing at the bar talking to the bartender.  After a while the bar tender brought us four more beers and said, "Compliments of Mr. Sinatra."  A few minutes later Frank Sinatra came by and spoke with us for a couple of minutes before leaving.  He just asked us where we were from and where we were stationed.

By the way, I like that movie too.  And Funny Girl.  And Nuts.  Favorite song...Second Hand Rose.

Noel

17 hours ago, birdguy said:

I have only two autographs.

 

I have zero autographs. But I have been in convection on Twitter with Lawrence Krauss, twice and once with Sylvester Stallone on Instagram. beat that! 😀 

It looks like I'm depriving myself Martin.  I'm on neither Twitter or Instagram or FaceBook either.  Hangar Chat is the only social media I need.

Noel 

18 hours ago, birdguy said:

I have only two autographs.  Steve Coonts gave me a copy of Flight of the Intruder and signed the fly leave, "Hope all your Landings are 3 wire."  He was the next door neighbor of a friend who lived in Evergreen Colorado.

Then at an air show in Midland Texas Joe Foss signed the centerfold of the show program, a Corsair.  He signed it "To a fellow Marine.  God Bless.  26 confirmed."  Though the aircraft he scored those kills in was an F3F.  I have the centerfold framed and hanging on the wall in my office.  He later became the governor of South Dakota.

Had a couple of celebrity encounters in my time though.

When Jesse Callahan sponsored me for membership in the Confederate Air Force I was sworn in by General Tibbets, pilot of the Ebola Gay.

When stationed at Camp Fuji Japan Debbie Reynolds was part of a USO show.  After the performance three of us were walking back to the barracks.  On the other side of the street Debbie Reynolds was walking with a couple of officers.  One of the guys whistled at her.  She turned around and flipped us the bird.

When  was stationed at Twentynine Palms one Sunday afternoon four of us drove into Palm Springs to have a few beers.  We were in uniform and we walked into a place I think was called the Chi-Chi Club...but I'm not sure.  The place was almost empty.  We sat at a table near the door and there was a guy standing at the bar talking to the bartender.  After a while the bar tender brought us four more beers and said, "Compliments of Mr. Sinatra."  A few minutes later Frank Sinatra came by and spoke with us for a couple of minutes before leaving.  He just asked us where we were from and where we were stationed.

By the way, I like that movie too.  And Funny Girl.  And Nuts.  Favorite song...Second Hand Rose.

Noel

That's really excellent. Meeting Foss, General Tibbets, and Ol Blue Eyes. Frankie was a real class act and that generation respected the Military. Thank you for your service. BT³ USN here '83 to '90.

Semper Fi Brother.

The only celebrity I've ever been near was Bob Hope during his 1998 USO tour in Korea.

An alas story:  Joltin Joe Dimaggio came to my high school around 1963 in upstate New York, and meet with a bunch of HS kids on the athletic field - I managed to get his autograph (which was quite legible).  Then after HS grad, I moved to Manhattan with my parents.  Of course, what do you think got lost in the move?   

 

I'll see your Ace and raise you one of the Moonwalkers, Charlie Duke, a gent indeed (also a couple of International Space Station astronauts and a cosmonaut.

All very interesting and 'down-to-earth' people.

 

Regards.

4 hours ago, birdguy said:

It looks like I'm depriving myself Martin.  I'm on neither Twitter or Instagram or FaceBook either.  Hangar Chat is the only social media I need.

Noel 

 

You aren't missing much. Ive abandoned Twitter, I used to pay attention to it to check out people like Krauss, Shaun Carroll etc. Don't bother with it now. Not too interested in Instagram either. For some reason the most idiotic people congregate in the comments section on Instagram.