Jack Joerns

[OleSmoke 0]

This is for username howardwhite. I noticed an entry dated June 2008 where you referred to Jack's Peru trip. Jack was a long time personal friend of mine stemming from my father, who was Jack's age and one of Jack's best friends as well as my father's. When my father passed away in 2000, I was unable to find any address for Jack. My father was William E Hofer-1 jump from a burning B-17, circa 1944. If you can give me any information on Jack's status/location thank you. PS I was with Jack at a DZ in the FT Worth area the day he came back from his Peru trip. I have pictures of that day.

Bob Hofer

[BillyVance 34]

Howard White resides in the History and Trivia forum. This thread could be moved there for better response...

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[wmw999 2,155]

According to this, I'm afraid Jack died last July at 92. Others in here can give more information than that; most of them are in the thread I referenced. Just click on the underlined "this" to go there.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[chuckakers 370]

Quote

According to this, I'm afraid Jack died last July at 92. Others in here can give more information than that; most of them are in the thread I referenced. Just click on the underlined "this" to go there.

Wendy P.

I believe Jack's son would be Dana. I saw him in Texas less than a year ago. You may be able to find him down this way. He could catch everyone up on what his dad was doing before his death.

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[faulknerwn 37]

His son's name is packerdana on this website. He's a packer at my dz and I can get in touch with him for you. Check out the thread "What we unpacked Saturday Night" in this forum for some stuff of Jack's we opened last weekend.

[OleSmoke 0]

Thank you for the info on Jack Joerns. He was a real inspiration early on in my life. On the day he came back from Peru I drove my first car-his full midget racer and the my first jump. Jack and my father were very big into hot rods and fast cars as well. I remember riding with Jack in a car he totally built from scratch-sometime in the 50s. We were on our way to the Convair plant (now General Dynamics). There was a big line going into the gate-no problem Jack went in the shoulder, around a long corner at 70+mph in a full 4 wheel drift with the road straightening out just before the gate. The guard appeared to know him as he just waved us right in. I have a picture of this one-off car. His midget was a competitive racer and had not been run in several years. That same day he got back from Peru we uncovered it, put in some nitro-he told me to get in and proceeded to give me a pre flight on how to drive it down the residential street-my dad never protested. In my memory I often think of that day being one hell of a day ! I continued to jump (off and on with Jack) up until I went into the Air Force. Looking back I am sure Jack had some influence on me going into Pararescue. Jack's continual persistance on being precise and methodical stayed with me and probably kept my butt out of a sling more than once.Throughout the 80s he would come by my father's house at least once a year on a cross country motorcycle ride-I was always somewhere else and never managed to catch up with him since before 1969 when i went in the Air Force. One other thing from that one hell of a day-T when he got back from Peru- we went to a local cafeteria for lunch. Again, a long line. Jack said to my father "Bill, I dont have time for lines, Bobby, come with me". We went to the front of the line where Jack cut in front of a very tall cowboy with the largest belt buckle I had ever seen. Jack says to him "Im cutting in front of you, right here, you dont have a problem with that, do you?" The Cowboy replied "NO SIR"... I have often credited my alleged in your face demeanor to Jack, dating back to that day!! Whenever I eat shrimp, people around me gasp, why do you eat the tail? I have always told them because Jack Joerns told me only whimps dont eat the tail !! I am of course sadened to learn of the passing of Jack Joerns. My father's eyes always came alive when he told stories of him and Jack and now mine do the same.

[howardwhite 5]

I've got a bunch of stuff, but it will take a day or so to get it together.
Stay tuned.
The Peru trip was documented in National Geographic. I know at least two other people who were on the same expedition. I'm trying to get them to reprise the event, so far without success.

HW

[OleSmoke 0]

I found a pic from back in the day. The 5 guys standing shows Jack-in the middle with the darker clothing. My father is standing to Jack's left. The back of the pic has printing from my dad- "Eagle Mountain Air Base, Ft Worth". I believe that was an SCAA sports car race, June 1956.The printing on the pic states these were the guys doing the technical/safety inspections.