Claim to Fame ------Anyone
4205raymond
Member Posts: 3,316 ✭✭✭✭
I made many trips to NYC with Westy. I believe General MacArthur was his Mentor. Use to take Westy to see General Bradley at 1 Wall street. He was Bulova watch guy but never saw him there. Did see him at the Point.
Never saw General MacArthur till one day he came outside with Westy. I believe it was called Carnegie (sp) House Apartments. It was on the west side of Central Park. He and Westy had a few words while i held the door open. General MacArthur looked up at the sky and dropped his head and found my name tag. He said to me "Beautiful day M-----" I replied " Yes Sir Gorgeous". I believe this was around time they gave General MacArthur the Sylvanus Thayer Award or before Westy was about to leave for Presidio to learn Vietnamese.
I suppose I was the only E-4 in the US Army hauling all those Stars around at the time. Took Wernher von Braun on a tour of West Point one day before lecture to Cadets at Ordinance Lab. There is much, much more but you fellows/ladies will think I am bragging for sure.
Would you like to share a moment of Fame with the rest of us? Try to be honest and bragging is ok.------Ray
Comments
"No brag, just fact" Quote from The guns of Will Sonnett (Walter Brennan) 1960's
I sat in the barstool reserved for Francis Gary Powers at the O Club at Incerlik Air Base, Turkey. This was after he was shot down over Russia.
My "escort" story is that as part of my job as a NASA spokesman, I was James Michener's personal daily escort and guide around Cape Canaveral for two weeks while he was researching his novel "Space." He was a very quiet guy, almost withdrawn, but he soaked up every detail of the stories and facts I was able to tell him about the Cape and rockets.
It turned out to be one of his worst books - for which I am probably partly to blame, LOL!
I consider this to be my claim to fame.
I built this full-scale replica WWII Spitfire for a client in Arizona. Took 8-1/2 years to finish.
We need a WOW! button. Merlinnv12's post deserves one!
Yup. He wins (if this were a contest.)
Merlin: You built a Spitfire? Good God!
Gee, what engine did you put in it?
It has an Allison engine. Bob had two of them and they were able to take a DC-3 3 bladed prop.
It was built from scratch using Marcel Jurca plans. Steel tube fuselage with metal bulkheads and aluminum skins. The wings and tail feathers were all wood.
Folks, please keep them coming. I started this topic because I am so tired of the gloom and doom in the world that we are living in now.
I spent three days with my daughter Heather, the horse lady up in Delaware County trying to clear my mind. On the way home on Route 23 just past Hunter Mountain is a river next to the highway. A huge adult Bald Eagle was searching the river down close with a eagle eye. First one I ever saw in my life. I thought maybe it is a Omen. If these eagles can come back from almost extinction so can this Country survive.
We need to be strong to survive. When the going gets tough the tough get going.
Lurking and posting with you folks takes some of the pain away. I would probably make a deal with the Devil if I could hug my sweetheart Diane and my little dog Willie one more time. ---------------------------------Ray
Holy bat crap merlinnv12
I would be proud that's not bragging just a fact as stated
That's well beyond amazing
I am truly humbled about your abilities
Thanks for sharing
Very impressive Raymond. To be around great leaders like that is a true honor.
I met Allen Jackson at a bar near my cabin. My wife, myself and cousin, were the only ones in there at 1am, when Allen and his bodyguards came in. He bought us a round and sat at the end of the bar, talking to the bartender and us. He was up there for the county fair with John Michael Montgomery and Barbra Mandrell. He was very gracious. The bands were staying about an hour away, and wanted some place quite to go have a beer. I can honestly say, I was red with embarrassment, to meet such a great singer. I was too embarrassed to ask for a picture or autograph. He autographed my cousins Cowboy hat though.
I think the nearest I've gotten to anything like that is to know Pete Kershaw, founder of Kershaw Knives. Hell of a great guy, a true prince among men.
As a minor league invitee to spring training of 1973 I nailed Pete Rose in the back with a fastball......4 days later Hanks Aaron hit a homer off of me (both were actually accidents 😀). The last 2 games I ever got paid to play, received a check for $400 and a Trailway bus ticket home to farm & college on the GI bill.
"Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee
By the time I was 25 I had run for City Council 3 times, was the President of the Ladies Aux to the VFW and to deliver the remarks on behalf of the VFW for a double funeral mass.
As for meeting famous people... I have a autographed baseball from the San Francisco Giants ❤️ and I met the AG of California Twice! Back when we still had Republicans in office 🇺🇲
"Independence Now, Independence Forever."
John Adams
Yep us small timers got nuthin goin on compared to some of these folks.
As for me, about all I got is I know, and have worked with the nephew of the fella that invented chainsaw chain (as we know it) and founded the Oregon company.
You folks got me beat . Never met anyone famous .Did work on some airplanes a bit but certainly not in Merlinnv12 league . Best I can do is I was / am a volunteer fireman for almost 40 years . Did save a few lives along the way.
Aaaaaaahhhhh
I got nothing to even come close
Some talented and fortunate people on here
I saw evil Knievel attempt to jump snake river canyon. It was in 1974. Very interesting time.
I survived covid without any shots.
Never mind lost my story
Ray, Do you live in PA????? You spoke of Delaware county and Hunter Mountain. Oakie
Around age 10, I played The Grand Prize Game on the Bozo Circus Show. Made it to Bucket Number 3.
Oakie, Monroe, NY ----------------Ray
Merlin that is vastly impressive. The reason I asked the question about the engine is because, the Spitfire in 1940 had, of course, the Merlin engine.
You called General MacArthur "Gorgeous" ? 😮
Joe
I was wondering the same thing...
Can I have the claim to Fame that my great grandfather served under General Pershing?
"Independence Now, Independence Forever."
John Adams
I was pretty young, guessing around 10 or 11 or so but I was out front watering plants at our families retail greenhouse business when this car pulls into the driveway. Out of the car, this lady steps out and walks over to me. She asks for directions to the TV station that was a couple miles up the hill from us. I gave here the directions and she thanked me kindly with a nice smile and left.
As I went back to work I just kept thinking I knew that lady! I suddenly realized who she was. Vivian Vance from the old I Love Lucy Show!! I later read she was in town doing a play at the Cherry County Playhouse.
Nope! Nothing I have ever witnessed even comes close to the interesting stuff some of you folks have experienced!
I'm just a lowly sparrow hanging out with EAGLES!! ☺️
Yep, the weather was Gorgeous that day but you better believe President Truman did not think Gen. Mac was Gorgeous. No love lost between those two. 😀 --------------Ray
Wow! You must be real smart. Good for you.
When I worked for the local Chevrolet dealer I was the assistant parts manager. Then the parts manager left for a better job and I was promoted to parts manager. I was the youngest parts manager in the Cincinnati region. I left after 7 years and didn't miss it one bit.
Joe
I used to teach part time in the Criminal Justice department of a small college in Northern Illinois. A highlight to each semester was trip to either the St. Charles Juvenile Reception Center or Stateville Correctional Center. On the last trip I took to Stateville, I observed Richard Speck walking towards our group. I greeted him and he responded back to me. He asked what we were doing there etc. It was a short and slightly eerie conversation
A few less dark interactions with famous people include Ernie Banks, Stan Musial, Fergie Jenkins, Joe Torre, Ron Santo and several other lesser known Cubs and Cardinals. In the good old days before pro athletes charged for an autograph, there were the Cub and Cardinal Caravans each year in Peoria Illinois. We were lucky enough to get tickets several times in the late 60's and early 70's... Nice meal and then you could interact with the players, get an autograph, a picture with them and actually talk with them.... Not like that anymore
Frank, speaking of Criminal Justice. Right now in this Socialist state of NY I am working with my daughter and lawyer on will/trust. If I did not have a direct descendant would need to make up list for lawyer in duplicate with make, model, caliber/gauge, serial#, valuation. One list to NY State Criminal Justice System in Albany and one to Orange County Surrogates Court. I have a Concealed Carry Unrestricted Permit with one pistol. If my daughter does not sell the pistol to a permit carrier within10 days of my death, she can be convicted of a felony and go to prison. Does not matter that daughter is a direct descendant on pistol.
If you are just starting out the process is like pouring molasses and you must pay $450 for the two stage class of 16hrs and 2hrs of live fire.
I have nothing to hide. Never even had a parking ticket in 80 years. God help us all. -----------------------------Ray
PS: Oh yes, they back pedaled on permit. Has to be renewed every 5 years with State Police.
That is just madness.........I lived in Illinois for 50 years... They are going around the bend too....
I was on "60 Minutes" for less than 60 seconds.
I was quoted speaking about Gunbroker in either Time or Newsweek, I forget which.
I once shook hands with Senator Phil Gramm. And Barry Manilow. And John Schneider. And Bill Engvall. And Crystal Gayle. And Billy Bob Thornton. And Barry Corbin. And Roy Clark. Not all at the same time.
I did forget one....New Years Eve, I979, I was part of B. J. Thomas' security detail in Chicago, IL during a concert. He was a nice enough guy. Signed an autograph for me. It was in a small venue with approximately 4500 attending.
Almost forgot . Classmate in college was Senator Jessie Helms 's son . Got to meet the senator when he gave our commencement address.
I did attend a very small venue dinner theater show in Royal Oak Michigan with my wife and a few friends featuring Chris Kristofferson back in the early 80's. During a break, Chris came over and sat at our table and had a Coke with us. He was very down to earth and cordial. He also bought us all a round and dedicated a song for us when he got back up on stage.
I don't know any famous people but I know a few infamous ones.
🇺🇲 "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." - Thomas Jefferson 🇺🇲
My wife has the best claim to fame. Youngest grandson asked her how old she was. She told him, and he said "No fair!". When she asked him why no fair, he replied, "You saw Jesus."