Douggarr 6 #1 May 5, 2011 I just saw a post from The Ranch that mentioned the passing of Ray Finneran, on April 29th. Anyone who has ever been in a jump plane and heard the war cry, "Sha-Wan-Ga, Fly Baby Fly," should appreciate that Ray originated the chant. I jumped with him a lot in the old days -- at Sha-Wan-Ga -- and at Stormville and The Ranch. He was one of the greats in the sport. He once told all his relatives not to have any celebrations on the weekends -- no communions, birthday parties, weddings, etc. -- because he wouldn't be there. RIP, Ray, and condolences to his family.SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bolas 5 #2 May 5, 2011 Quote Anyone who has ever been in a jump plane and heard the war cry, "Sha-Wan-Ga, Fly Baby Fly," should appreciate that Ray originated the chant. I jumped with him a lot in the old days -- at Sha-Wan-Ga -- and at Stormville and The Ranch. You forgot the goat noise, or was that not part of the original chant? Does anyone know the story of how that started? If so, this would be a perfect place to share it. Blue Skies forever... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skyu4ia 0 #3 May 5, 2011 Believe it was related to a plane failing to take off. Fly baby fly! RIP Ray. A true piece of work.Quote Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites kimemerson 7 #4 May 6, 2011 Quote You forgot the goat noise, or was that not part of the original chant? You mean the sheep? Never part of the original, completely separate, and nothing to do with Ray. He'll be missed, that's for sure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites tbrown 26 #5 May 6, 2011 Met Ray once, at the 1977 Z-Hills Easter Boogie. We were a bunch of newbies and we flailed miserably on the one jump Ray made with us. But he was all smiles about it. A truly nice guy, I'm sorry to hear of yet another good one gone. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skr 1 #6 May 8, 2011 Ray was the first guy to sign up for the "tour group" going from Los Angeles to New Zealand for the first world 10-man meet in 1970. Clarice knew a jumper at Elsinore whose mother organized tour groups so he became the tour group leader and we spread the word. I can't think how we did that now since there was no internet yet. Every country who had made a 10-man was invited to send a team. That was Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the U.S. and England. Ray was a really colorful and interesting guy. We crossed paths many times at various boogies and other shindigs over the years. I bet the Great Party in the Sky up yonder just got a lot more interesting :-) :-) Skr Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites howardwhite 3 #7 May 9, 2011 Shawanga was the name of a DZ not so far from the Ranch where the runway went distinctly downhill, so you lost sight of the plane as it was taking off. That's probably where the chant came from.. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Pat_Rogers 0 #8 November 10, 2011 We are diminished... I jumped with Ray at Sha Wan Ga in the 60's and 70's, and later at Stormville and Gardiner. He was unique in many ways. Eat, fuck, skydiveS/F Pat sends www.eagtactical.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites flipper3 3 #9 December 1, 2011 Just saw this, and it kindled a lot of old memories of jumps I made with him in the 70's when I lived in Rhode Island before I moved to Hawaii. I think he made it out here in the late 70's or early 80's to one of our boogies because he got the Sha-Wan-Ga going here for a bit. He was a character and spiced up any party back in the day. Fly on Ray!Flip Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skyplay2xs 0 #10 September 25, 2012 I was looking around, trying to find out where Ray was these days, when I came across this thread. So sorry to hear it - he was definitely one of the good guys. We got our WSCR together at Turkey Meet in '75. I first met him when I was jumping at ShaWanGa in the fall of '74. Two 182's...Curt and Rudy, I believe, were the pilots of that downhill-takeoff dropzone In fact, that winter and that drop zone is why I moved and have always lived in the southern latitudes of the US since then!! RIP, Ray...fly free!! Dana (Morrison then) Handbury Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
kimemerson 7 #4 May 6, 2011 Quote You forgot the goat noise, or was that not part of the original chant? You mean the sheep? Never part of the original, completely separate, and nothing to do with Ray. He'll be missed, that's for sure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbrown 26 #5 May 6, 2011 Met Ray once, at the 1977 Z-Hills Easter Boogie. We were a bunch of newbies and we flailed miserably on the one jump Ray made with us. But he was all smiles about it. A truly nice guy, I'm sorry to hear of yet another good one gone. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skr 1 #6 May 8, 2011 Ray was the first guy to sign up for the "tour group" going from Los Angeles to New Zealand for the first world 10-man meet in 1970. Clarice knew a jumper at Elsinore whose mother organized tour groups so he became the tour group leader and we spread the word. I can't think how we did that now since there was no internet yet. Every country who had made a 10-man was invited to send a team. That was Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the U.S. and England. Ray was a really colorful and interesting guy. We crossed paths many times at various boogies and other shindigs over the years. I bet the Great Party in the Sky up yonder just got a lot more interesting :-) :-) Skr Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 3 #7 May 9, 2011 Shawanga was the name of a DZ not so far from the Ranch where the runway went distinctly downhill, so you lost sight of the plane as it was taking off. That's probably where the chant came from.. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pat_Rogers 0 #8 November 10, 2011 We are diminished... I jumped with Ray at Sha Wan Ga in the 60's and 70's, and later at Stormville and Gardiner. He was unique in many ways. Eat, fuck, skydiveS/F Pat sends www.eagtactical.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flipper3 3 #9 December 1, 2011 Just saw this, and it kindled a lot of old memories of jumps I made with him in the 70's when I lived in Rhode Island before I moved to Hawaii. I think he made it out here in the late 70's or early 80's to one of our boogies because he got the Sha-Wan-Ga going here for a bit. He was a character and spiced up any party back in the day. Fly on Ray!Flip Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyplay2xs 0 #10 September 25, 2012 I was looking around, trying to find out where Ray was these days, when I came across this thread. So sorry to hear it - he was definitely one of the good guys. We got our WSCR together at Turkey Meet in '75. I first met him when I was jumping at ShaWanGa in the fall of '74. Two 182's...Curt and Rudy, I believe, were the pilots of that downhill-takeoff dropzone In fact, that winter and that drop zone is why I moved and have always lived in the southern latitudes of the US since then!! RIP, Ray...fly free!! Dana (Morrison then) Handbury Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
