| John was a navy veteran of World War II. He enlisted in
the navy at the age of 17. In WWII John served on the destroyer tender, USS Shenandoah
AD-26 from 1945 – 1946. He worked as a technician rebuilding and repairing gyro
compasses. He also had the enviable job of running the movie projector on the fantail of
the Sheanandoan on movie night. That, he says, was good duty. John was being trained as a driver for a LCVP landing craft attack
boat for the land assault on Japan when the bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
If that hadn't happened, and the land assault had happened, John's pretty sure he would
not be here today.
After the war John got his pilot’s
license. He then went on to obtain his Certified Flight Instructor ticket. John is
certified to teach in single and multi-engined aircraft, land and seaplane. He is
also a licensed A and P (airframe and power plant) Mechanic .
John and another Dawn Patrol member, Dave Laur, built the
Dawn Patrol’s Official Crash Truck and WWI ambulance.
|
