0
skypuppy

Most memorable meeting

Recommended Posts

Anybody remember Joe Smith??
The old Parachutist ads "Would you buy a parachute from this man?"
I met and made a bunch of demos with Joe several years back...Great jumper and Fantastic stories!!
This was not long after that C130 took fire and was shot down in Central America...only survivor a CIA operative and long time sport jumper named Hasenfus...Joe Smith was concerned about the ramifications surrounding his name being in Hasenfus's address book, that was made public upon his capture. Seems Joe's "business" ventures included more that just sell parachutes!
Cool Guy!










~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Joe was my best friend. He passed away 5/13/90. About that hasenfus thing. Joe bought and sold those parachutes in the USA, They were totally legal and the transacxtion was on an invoice and taxes etc were paid. Joe was for sure no dummy. They left the stuff in his shipping boxes, which was how they found out about him.They tried to pin something on Joe, but when everything he did was legal, he pissed off a lot of FEDS. Joe said that if he were in charge of that shipment, the plane would not have been shot down.
Blue Skies Dave DeWolf

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Joe may actually qualify for one of my most memorable meetings! I was actually grounded at the Herd (not a common occurrence in the 70's) for just hanging around with him! I had the privilege of being on some of his many SCS attempts (he fell like a fire hydrant) and generally consider myself lucky that I was around in the days when you could hear the stories from Joe himself....wish I could remember all of them, but senility is setting in here too![:)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
The twin beech pilot ( one of em ) was Gary "Otis Elevator" Olson. He later flew the westwind at Molalla for skydive oregon, then John "Mad Dog" Holmes came over to fly it after Ted went to jail. John previously flew for Ted. Two really nice people, John is retired from teaching high school math and Gary owns a aircraft maintenance shop in McMinville Or.


Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
long time ago -- might have been the second summer after starting to jump -- i wandered into a hanger of a small dropzone in PA and there was this short round bearded lil guy -- working diligently with a hammer and chisel -- removing a cast from his leg -- seems a bit of pea gravel got inside and was irrating as all hell -- twas none other than joe smith

and yes as a matter of fact -- i bought most of my gear from him -- in fact my lil sister went to work for him (early 80s) -- but then she was a Navy rigger.


hello dave -- long time no see

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Joe was my best friend. He passed away 5/13/90. About that hasenfus thing. Joe bought and sold those parachutes in the USA, They were totally legal and the transacxtion was on an invoice and taxes etc were paid. Joe was for sure no dummy. They left the stuff in his shipping boxes, which was how they found out about him.They tried to pin something on Joe, but when everything he did was legal, he pissed off a lot of FEDS. Joe said that if he were in charge of that shipment, the plane would not have been shot down.
Blue Skies Dave DeWolf


Hi Dave! We've met a time or two over the years...
Joe jumped with us ( Liberty Parachute Team) up in OshKosh a couple of years...
A really neat guy, he, 'lizzard' and I sat and talked for hours on end. Made some memorable demos with him...I've got some funny pics I'll have to look for and forward to you...you'll get a kick










~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

The twin beech pilot ( one of em ) was Gary "Otis Elevator" Olson. He later flew the westwind at Molalla for skydive oregon, then John "Mad Dog" Holmes came over to fly it after Ted went to jail. John previously flew for Ted. Two really nice people, John is retired from teaching high school math and Gary owns a aircraft maintenance shop in McMinville Or.



I was just wondering what happened to Ted Mayfield. (Is that the same Ted you mentioned?) I remember watching a special on national TV about him after several people went in at his DZ in Oregon. I jumped a few times at his DZ in the early 70's. Ted seemed like a great guy. I also recall a pilot named "Elevator" who flew for Ted and he looked like he was 16 (back then). There was also a bearded, long haired guy at Ted's D.Z. who was named Jack. I made quite a few jumps with him out of a twin beech. He had big black stars all over his white jump suit. At any rate it would be interesting to get an update on these guys. Steve1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I too would have to say Airspeed, but especially Craig Girard. It was my first trip to Eloy when I was 16. My dad and I went during the school week so I could really pile on the jumps. Every load I was on, Airspeed team Vertical and team Zulu were on. As we traveled to the end of the run way in that old bus, I sat right across from Craig and we began to talk. He asked me, "how long have you been jumping?"
I told him, "since I was fifteen," and he was like "me too!!!!!" He thought it was cool that me and my dad skydive together because that is what he use to do with his father.

Anyway, at the end of their training day, he came up to me and asked if I wanted to go up on a jump with them. I sayed hell yeah and we began the dirt dive. It turned out to be a 13 pt. 6-way with team Vertical. Added to it being one of the best jumps of my life, their camera man Stein filmed it without us even knowing. It was great.

Nowadays, every time we go to Eloy, Craig always goes out of his way to make us feel welcome. He is just a great guy. A real champion of the sport. Literally.

John D-24352



Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I met Dan Brodski Chenfeld at Eloy a few weeks ago. I've always considered him a great ambassador for our sport, but had never met him. One morning I said "Hello Dave" and then appologized for calling him the wrong name. He then went out of his way to introduce himself and shake my hand, even showed us the proper way to exit a new aircraft. I asked him if his neck still bothered him, and he said "every day, you just learn to deal with it". It's inspiring to meet people as famous as that, who are still down to earth and willing to talk to you. Actually all the Air Speed people I met were super friendly. It's amazing the number of jumps they make each day. They actually jog off the DZ. Gear up quickly and then get on another load. If you've never been to Eloy it's fun just to see all the famous jumpers, all in one place, doing their stuff.....Steve1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I'm spoiled I guess "growing up" (skydiving wise) at Eloy i've met an amazing number of cool people, all the while not realizing these were some of the champions of the new world i had just been thrown into..


Craig Girard i got to wear TWO of his old suits, i bought one and hope to someday have as many jumps as that suit does

Eliana Rodriquez who along with my room mate threw me into my first train and watched me spin like a top on my very first sitfly

Arizona Freeflight Omar, Curtis, and Tim always took the time to say "hello" in the otter, "glad to see your back" while i was on student status and have been privileged enough to jump with fairly often since..

Mike Ortiz, Sean Mac Cormac, and Dusty Smith who invited me out to track and showed me the joy of "hopscotch" particularly Sean, whos excellent coaching has helped me make leaps and bounds as a freeflier.

recently ive met Andy and Jesse Farrington, more world class divers whos accomplishments i have been reading about as i continue to learn more about the sport.

and i was just lucky enough to get into a tracking dive with Eli and Franz of the FlyBoyz at Perris last weekend..

one of the things i love about this sport is the people, everywhere i go the best and brightest are willing to extend a hand in friendship and comradere as well as sharing their knowledge of the sky..

love & blue skies forever....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Meeting Russ Gunby & jumping with Cheryl Stearns t a meet in Seagoville, TX in 1980. Also, later on that day, going four rounds of accuracy tied with Cheryl Stearns until we got weathered out. Never got to finish the event.
The older I get the less I care who I piss off.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I met Tiny Broadwick about 1976. She was in her early 80's and had suffered a heart attack a few years earlier.
She was the guest of honor at an airshow in Chino, CA.
She believe that jumpers should be paid to jump. ;)

She was still fiesty and full of life and got around with a walker.
The demo jump that day was with Cunning Stunts an all women team and she met with all of them later in the day and shared her experiences with them.

I have a copy of a picture of them as well as a signature in my logbook.


Red, White and Blue Skies,

John T. Brasher D-5166

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Joe packed military rigs for the Navy, ejection seats & all. Of course he didn't appreciate that. But It's hard to keep a low profile with a profile like that.

Perfect speed is being there at the goat roast. B|

Perfect speed is being there at the goat roast.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Hi Handsome Dave

You & Joe are still my #1 heroes. I miss you both.

I'm the one who stole your clothes after jump 5,000...
and the one who was in charge of the mission to the farmer's market to buy 23 assorted custard pies that sent you to the showers in the first place.
The one who threw the bat out of the window that was flying around in your house...

And I can tell you why your horn was beeping for several months whenever you drove it on that DZ. It was a mercury switch, and I didn't do that one. I avoid cars.

from Sky Lizard.

My other broom is a 27 speed racing bike.
Perfect speed is being there at the goat roast.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Rocky Charmet reminds me of a guy I jumped with a few years ago. Everyone called him Frenchy. He was in his 70's and was a para-trooper in World War 2

I meet frenchie over here in New Zealand at the 6th World POPs meet. Didn't talk much, selpt in a lttle shack off to the side where he didn't have to pay, and was well known to all the old hands.
There were to many famous old timers ther to mention but it was great to see them all. I highly recomend a POPs meet as a great place to go, leave your ego behind, and just enjoy the happining

Watch my video Fat Women
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRWkEky8GoI

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

Rocky Charmet reminds me of a guy I jumped with a few years ago. Everyone called him Frenchy. He was in his 70's and was a para-trooper in World War 2 (believe it or not). He had a heavy French accent and often jumped in Florida during the winter. I can't recall his real name. About his only possessions were his jump gear. He usually traveled by bus and stayed with jump buddies all over the States while traveling from DZ to DZ. When he wore out his welcome in one place, he'd move on to the next. As far as I know he's still jumping. Anyone ever heard of this guy? Steve1



Yeah. His name is Robert Rouvreau AKA "Frenchy".

In the winter, he goes to Lake Wales, where he's the "fire chief".

Most of the time, he jumps at least once a day while he's in Florida.

;)

Yves.

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.

Guest
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.

0