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patmoore

Photo Album 1966 - 1976

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With the limitations this site puts on posting photos I thought it would be easier just to create a Picasa Album and submit a [url http://picasaweb.google.com/gymnast46/SkyDivingTheEarlyYears]link to it[/URL]. Once there, just click on the Slideshow button. These pictures were taken at Manassas, Zephyrhills, Marana, Talequah, Riverview, and Indiantown. Odds are you'll recognize one or two of the subjects. All these were scanned from shots folks gave me over the years. Back then I shot exclusively slides and unfortunately haven't had the time to scan them. Hence, no shots of Hooper, Tuna, Ron Schott, Ron Brissey, Phil Smith, Mike Patterson, Roger Ramjet, Larry Gossler, Steve Noonan, and so many more. I need to retire so I can bring to life shots of so many great times a few decades ago.
DZGone.com
B-4600, C-3615, D-1814, Gold Wings #326, Diamond Wings #152.

If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room!

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I met Ottley at Manassas, VA where the Pelicans were jumping in the summer of 1966. I was a pretty active barefoot water skier and my dad had an A-Frame cabin on the Shenandoah River in Front Royal, VA. Ottley and a friend of mine headed for the river where I tried to teach Bill how to barefoot. I had no luck teaching him but he did master it years later.

When I moved to the DC area in 1976 I hooked up with him again and skied behind his boat on the Anacostia River.

When I was a dirt-poor USAF airman, Bill would pay me $2 to pack his rig.
DZGone.com
B-4600, C-3615, D-1814, Gold Wings #326, Diamond Wings #152.

If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room!

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That's exactly what it was. I have very large hands so I would take suspension line and wrap my ripcords in a macrame'-like pattern to produce a larger grip surface.

Glad you liked the photos. As I find and scan more, I'll add them to the album.
DZGone.com
B-4600, C-3615, D-1814, Gold Wings #326, Diamond Wings #152.

If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room!

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Hi John,
Yup, looks like some kinda' cord serving or tape. Back in the day some jumpers would do that to make the R/C more visible, easier to grip and or easy to ID if one of your jump buddies "borrowed" it!! I remember a lot of guys from Louisiana Skydivers from Baton Rouge did that circa early 60's.
SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

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I have a sneaking suspicion that my right shoulder is visible in that same picture...I am headed out to the barn to see if i can find that black jacket full of patches....
Anyone remember the Boquor 8 man patches with the "P" in the middle to designate pilot? I think I may have one on the jacket, if so, i'll snap a pic and post it....lol..
tuna

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Thanks, that was great . . .

NickD :)


Just realized that at least 8 of the folks pictured are no longer with us. Sad.

I have a shot of Ray Duffy playing his guitar that I hope to post tonight. Also, I found a shot of Skeet White. Anyone remember him? I think he was a relative of Georgia Governor Lester Maddux.
DZGone.com
B-4600, C-3615, D-1814, Gold Wings #326, Diamond Wings #152.

If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room!

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Thanks for the memories Pat

I met Doc Fitch at Transpo 72 the worlds biggest air show. Doc was flying the Cessna we used to keep the crowd entertained between bigger shows like the Thunderbirdes and Blue Angels, Golden Knights too.

He had so much to do with the beginning of Sport Parachuting.
I Jumped with the guys who invented Skydiving.

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Great pix.i remeber several of these people. I am sorry to hear about Mac Mcgraw. some old timers may remember, he was the only one to survive the crash of the Howard at united p.c. in 1966.managed to exit the aircraft as it stalled and rolled over to the left(he exited through the door which was straight up at the time, . )at something like 500 feet or less.

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Hi Pop,

I added a few more photos including one of Skeet White. I recall one Nationals qualifying meet at Indiantown where we were experiencing one of those morning inversions - high winds aloft and calm on the surface. No one wanted to do the accuracy competition until the winds had sorted themselves out. Skeet proclaimed loudly, "You bunch of pansies! I'll go!" and he hopped in the plane. He and everyone else on that load backed over the target and landed out. Skeet dragged his canopy all the way back screaming a blue streak and blaming his performance on everything except his own ineptitude. As he walked past us, Pete McGarry deadpanned, "Well, Skeet. I guess that lets you out for the Sportsmanship Award".

If you never met Skeet you've certainly met someone like him in your life. I recall him in a macho contest with Clayton Slaymaker (who died in a mid air collision over Kissimmee). These two guys would hold their arms against each other and rest a lit cigarette between their arms. First to pull away was the loser.
DZGone.com
B-4600, C-3615, D-1814, Gold Wings #326, Diamond Wings #152.

If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room!

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Hi Jav,
Wow!! Sorry to hear about Mac Mcgraw!! I was a student at Parachute Riggers "A" School at Lakehurst in the spring/summer of '67 and a member of the Navy Lakehurst Parachute Team (Club) Mac was with the club and Chuck Seymour too. Here's to Mac, Good times and good jumps remembered!!
SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

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I'm also saddened to hear about Mac. I jumped at Tampa Bay Parachute Ranch both before and after the incident described in the news story, and heard him talk about calling McDill to have the runway foamed.
It was not altogether surprising that the 182 gear gave up. The "airport" was a cow pasture, complete with real cows, which had to be shooed away from the plane in the morning, and with real cow pies.
Among those jumping there at the time was Richard Bach, of "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" fame. He occasionally flew in in a de Havilland Dove, but no one jumped out of it, as far as I know.
A friend who was there at the time remembers his young son asking Bach for an autograph.
"I don't do that," Bach said.
Later, Bach landed in a tree. My friend walked by and heard Bach yelling for help getting down.
"I don't do that,"my friend replied.

HW

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Hi Jav,
Wow!! Sorry to hear about Mac Mcgraw!! I was a student at Parachute Riggers "A" School at Lakehurst in the spring/summer of '67 and a member of the Navy Lakehurst Parachute Team (Club) Mac was with the club and Chuck Seymour too. Here's to Mac, Good times and good jumps remembered!!



Mac was a tremendous pilot and I was privileged to know him. His death was a tragic accident.
DZGone.com
B-4600, C-3615, D-1814, Gold Wings #326, Diamond Wings #152.

If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room!

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I remember richard bach, at the time, i had the only riggers endorsment to pack seat packs in that neck of the woods and he used to show up in his aircraft when his was due, and wait while I packed it for him...
He was usually a pretty self absorbed and generally non conversive while waiting, I knew about his book but never mentioned that or anything else regarding the book and just treated him like any other customer, that is with contempt, ridicule and a holier than thou attitude...worked for me...lol....
And...while i'm on the subject of packing reserves...anyone out there remember my personal "emergency kits" that I used to include in pack jobs, at the owners request, of course?
tuna

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I remember richard bach, at the time, i had the only riggers endorsment to pack seat packs in that neck of the woods and he used to show up in his aircraft when his was due, and wait while I packed it for him...
He was usually a pretty self absorbed and generally non conversive while waiting, I knew about his book but never mentioned that or anything else regarding the book and just treated him like any other customer, that is with contempt, ridicule and a holier than thou attitude...worked for me...lol....
tuna


I liked Richard. He did the awards ceremony when Connie did her Gold Wings jump and I did my Diamond. I jumped his DeHavilland Rapide biplane at an airshow in Florida once. I have a great photo of my little daughter in diapers sitting on the wing (She's now 34 and a mother herself!)
DZGone.com
B-4600, C-3615, D-1814, Gold Wings #326, Diamond Wings #152.

If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room!

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Great album Pat. Really saddened to know we lost Mac. Thanks for sharing.



I second this!! Very enjoyable.

Except for hearing about Mac. I always liked talking to him and Master Chief Bob Kubler. Didn't they own that airplane together?

Keep adding pics!!
Guru312

I am not DB Cooper

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Nice pictures Pat, brought back a slew of memories...I remember Ray Duffy,
Jeff had leased the 196 to Thacker for jumps at the fort bragg civilian dz, mostly en the evenings and on weekends...
It was arranged that I fly it up there and stay in the Golden Knights barracs. Duffy was the sgnt. then and made me feel right at home, showed me my bunk and stated that PT started at 4:30 am and I would be expected to attend, chow at 6 am and back to the gym to work out...lol...i was a sore puppy for a few days as they started a two mile run every day.
the big hullabaloo was that i was the only guy at bragg with a beard....there were so many rumors about what and who and why i was there, in the Goldens barracs it became difficult to go anywhere without guys asking for the real story...(was i special ops, cia, undercover etc etc....more guys bought me beers just to find out....) fun and games for sure...
Anyway, Ray was always helpful and made me feel right at home, was a wicked guitar picker and a good guy...

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Nice pictures Pat, brought back a slew of memories...I remember Ray Duffy,
Jeff had leased the 196 to Thacker for jumps at the fort bragg civilian dz, mostly en the evenings and on weekends...
It was arranged that I fly it up there and stay in the Golden Knights barracs. Duffy was the sgnt. then and made me feel right at home, showed me my bunk and stated that PT started at 4:30 am and I would be expected to attend, chow at 6 am and back to the gym to work out...lol...i was a sore puppy for a few days as they started a two mile run every day.
the big hullabaloo was that i was the only guy at bragg with a beard....there were so many rumors about what and who and why i was there, in the Goldens barracs it became difficult to go anywhere without guys asking for the real story...(was i special ops, cia, undercover etc etc....more guys bought me beers just to find out....) fun and games for sure...
Anyway, Ray was always helpful and made me feel right at home, was a wicked guitar picker and a good guy...



Ray was a terrific guy and highly respected by everyone who met him. Here's his writeup in Golden Knights Alumni Association website.

I added a few more shots to the album including a picture of what became of the wheel strut that broke of Mac's 182. When you launch the slideshow, you might want to change the duration of each picture from 4 seconds to something like 7 or 8 seconds. Otherwise some of the lengthier captions are hard to read.
DZGone.com
B-4600, C-3615, D-1814, Gold Wings #326, Diamond Wings #152.

If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room!

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