Sorry folks, I gotta unload on ya. An old truck driving buddy of mine passed away tonight. Don Hook, as he was known, died of respiratory failure in a hospital at Ponca City, Oklahoma. He was 67.
Most knew Don as the screwy old truck driver who refused to retire and slow down. Very few knew that in his past he not only had earned a Masters degree in Aeronautical Engineering, he was also a B52 crew chief during the Vietnam War. For the record, a crew chief on a B52 is a flying position. Don never would tell me what medals he received on the fateful night over Hanoi when the bomb bay doors were stuck closed and he had to strap on an O2 bottle and a parachute to go down into the bomb bay and crank open the doors by hand during the bombing run. I have read that when something like that happened, the bombardier would toggle the bombs as soon as he saw a "Bomb Bay Doors Open" light. This meant that whomever was in the bomb bay on the 12" wide catwalk had to hang on for dear life as multiple 2000 pound bombs went whooshing past on either side!
Don and I became friends when we were driving Hot Oil Tanker trucks for the same company in Oklahoma back in 1997. When my first marriage ended in disaster, I was living in my truck at the time. Don asked me what I was doing for the weekend and I told him I was staying in my truck and busting my butt so I could earn enough money to buy an old pickup truck and get back into aviation. He said to me, "No. You're coming home with me!" The man opened the doors of his house to me, introduced me to his friends (the ones I didn't already know), and introduced me to his grown children and his girlfriend. I ended up staying with him on the weekends off and on for close to three years before I finally got out of the Trucking business and settled into aviation for good.
Don did meet my wife when she was pregnant with our daughter, but he never met either of my children. A fine gentleman, he will be missed by me and many others.
Happy Trails, Don.
Auld Lang Syne needs to be sung here. Don enjoyed his whiskey, but they do not carry Rich and Rare brand in the San Diego stores, or Runnin' and Rapin' as he called it. I am having to make do with Jack Daniels tonight. I am normally a beer drinker, but tonight I make an exception. Cheers to all.
