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LouB
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 14
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 Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 2:31 am Post subject: John Williamson Autobiography |
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Indeed we have lost a good friend. He was quite a guy. As a reminder
has is a biographic sketch:
Biography
John A. Williamson
I was born August 1, 1949 in Lewiston, ID and grew up in the Northwest.
I call my hometown, Orofino, ID and
enlisted in the U.S. Army for Warrant Officer Flight Training shortly
after graduating from Orofino High School.
I served in the U.S. Army at the ranks of El, E5 and Warrant Officer
(Grades One through Four) from August
1968 until retirement on 1 September 1989 as a CW4. Trained as a pilot,
I got to serve in several capacities:
Pilot, Instructor Pilot and Instrument Flight Examiner flying
Beechcraft U-21A multiengine airplanes.
Flight time: 1,338
Pilot, Instructor Pilot and Instrument Flight Examiner flying Bell
AH-1G, AH-1S(MOD, PROD, ECAS,and
FM), UH-1(A, B, D, H and M) and OH-58A helicopters. Flight time: 4,519
Held positions of Airfield and unit Operations Officer, Flight
Standards Officer, Instructor Pilot, Aviation
Training Officer, and Military Representative to the FAA Southern Region
Headquarters
I completed tours of duty at:
'E' Company 2nd Battalion 1st Training Brigade, Fort Polk, LA: Aug-Oct
1968.
3rd Warrant Officer Candidate Company, Fort Wolters, TX: Oct 1968-Mar
1969. Class 69-19.
4th Warrant Officer Candidate Company, Fort Rucker, AL: Mar-Jul 1969.
Class 69-19
Cobra Hall, Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, GA: Jul-Sep 1969.
'A' Troop 7th Squadron 1st Air Cavalry Regiment 1st Aviation Brigade,
Vinh Long, Republic of Vietnam:
Sep 1969-Sep 1970.
206th Aviation Company (Assault Helicopter), Fort Clayton, Panama
Canal Zone, Panama: Oct- Dec 1970.
Cobra Hall, Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, GA: Jan-Mar 1972.
Troop 'F', 8th Cavalry 1st Aviation Brigade, Da Nang, Republic of
Vietnam: Apr-Oct 1972.
Troop 'F', 8th Cavalry 1st Aviation Brigade, Bien Hoa, Republic of
Vietnam: Oct 1972-Feb 1973.
'D' Troop 3rd Squadron 8th Cavalry Regiment 8th Infantry Division,
Finthen Army Airfield, Mainz,
Germany: Apr 1973-Sep 1976.
Aviation Training Center, Fort Rucker, AL: Oct-Nov 1976.
'D' Troop 4th Squadron 12th Cavalry Regiment 5th Infantry Division,
Fort Polk, LA: Dec 1976-May 1978.
Aviation Training Center. Fort Rucker, AL: May 1978-Mar 1981.
'C' Company (Attack) 3rd Aviation Battalion 3rd Infantry Division,
Schweinfurt Army Airfield, Germany:
Apr 1981-Mar 1984.
Regional Representative to the Federal Aviation Administration,
Southern Region, Atlanta, GA: Apr 1984-
Apr 1988.
Aviation Detachment, Polk Army Airfield, Fort Polk, LA: May 1988-Aug 1989.
I served two combat tours in Vietnam as a Cobra attack helicopter
(AH-1G) pilot flying 1,582 hours of combat
flight time and logging a total of 1,756 hours while in country. Units
of combat zone assignment were 'A' Troop
7th Squadron 1st Air Cavalry 1st Aviation Brigade at Vinh Long,
Callsign: Apache 33 and Apache 38 and Troop 'F',
8th Cavalry 196 Light Infantry Brigade then 1st Aviation Brigade at Da
Nang and Bien Hoa, Callsign: Blue Ghost
22. During my tours in Vietnam, I was able to get my aircraft shot-up
eleven times, get shot-down twice, and crash
twice. I also watched twenty seven of my scout aircraft get shot down or
crash and was able to assist in getting all
of the downed crewmen out without the loss of a single life. I destroyed
innumerable houses, warehouses, and
wheeled vehicles and shot at several North Vietnamese tanks.
Military awards included the Distinguished Flying Cross (5 awards),
Bronze Star Medal (2 awards), Meritorious
Service Medal (3 awards). Air Medal (56 awards, one for Valor), Army
Commendation Medal, National Defense
Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal (5 campaigns), Armed Forces
Reserve Medal, Army Service Ribbon,
Overseas Service Ribbon (4 tours), Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry (2
awards, one with Star one with Palm),
Vietnam Service Medal, Army Aviator Badge, Senior Army Aviator Badge,
and Master Army Aviator Badge.
While on Active Duty, I earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in
Aeronautical Studies from Embry-Riddle
Aeronautical University. I graduated Magna Cum Laude, 13 December 1980.
2
After retirement from the U.S. Army, I flew a Bell Jet Ranger BIII
supporting offshore operations in the Gulf of
Mexico for Petroleum Helicopters for five months while waiting for my
Class date with American Airlines.
Flight time: 201
I hired on with American Airlines in Nov 1989. During this employment I
was based at New York (LGA),
Miami (MIA), Chicago (ORD) and Dallas/ Fort Worth (DFW). I flew several
aircraft and crew positions until I
retired early on 1 February 2002.
Captain on McDonald-Douglas MD-80 and Fokker F-100
First Officer on Boeing 767 & 757, McDonald-Douglas MD-80 and Boeing 727
Flight Engineer on Boeing 727
Flight time: Captain 822, First Officer 6,692, Flight Engineer 413
I currently hold FAA Ratings of:
Airline Transport Pilot
Airplane Multiengine Land, B-757 B-767 DC-9 FK-100
Commercial Privileges Airplane Single Engine Land, Rotorcraft-Helicopter,
Instrument Helicopter
Flight Instructor
Airplane Single and Multiengine
Instrument Airplane
I am currently flying the Kolb Kolbra that I built and finished in Jun
2002. I have also built a Zenith CH701 and
am building two BKFliers model BK1 in my garage at this time. I fly
regularly and have accumulated over 15,485
flight hours. I am an EAA Technical Counselor and EAA Flight Advisor and
member of EAA Chapter 34 at
Arlington, Texas.
Kolbra Pilot N49KK
John Williamson
Arlington, Texas
http://home.tx.rr.com/kolbrapilot
| Quote: |
Time: 10:33:00 PM PST US
From: "Ken Korenek" <kkorenek(at)tx.rr.com>
Subject: Tragedy at Skinner Ranch, Jordan Valley, Oregon
Kolbers,
It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that John Williamson, Kolb
Kolbra, N49KK crashed and was killed just before 10 AM local time, Sunday,
May 25th at the Skinner Ranch Airport (12OR), Jordan Valley, Oregon.
(Skyvector Link: http://skyvector.com/#35-9-3-5601-1393)
>From information relayed from the remote area by the investigating Sherriff,
John was flying with two other airplanes. The other two planes landed and
were going to take pictures as John did a fly-by. As he flew by in a sharp
bank, something happened and he went down.
It is almost certain that he did not suffer.
All this information is very preliminary and the only thing certain is that
we lost a friend.
I am John's flying buddy here in Arlington and am trying my best to help the
family thru this tragedy. I was unaware of who was accompanying John after
the Monument Valley weekend, so if any of you know who the other two planes
and pilots might be, please relay any contact information you may have to
me.
I will keep you all posted as new information presents itself and will
advise you of funeral arrangements when they are final.
John was a really good guy and I am going to miss him.
Ken Korenek
Arlington, Texas
817-657-6500 cell
817-483-8054 home
972-641-5029 work
kkorenek(at)tx.rr.com
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WhiskeyVictor36(at)aol.co
Guest
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| Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 4:46 pm Post subject: John Williamson Autobiography |
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Wow!
What a biography. I only met John once, and that was at last years fathers day picnic at Homer Kolb's farm in Phoenixville, Pa., but I really didn't know him. Just thinking that he flew all the way from Tx to Pa for the picnic impressed me. Now, reading his biography, I am even more impressed. His service to this country is outstanding. May God bless him and keep him. My condolences to all affected.
Bill Varnes
In a message dated 5/26/2008 6:32:07 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, lbuckley122(at)comcast.net writes:
| Quote: | Biography
John A. Williamson
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Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with Tyler Florence" on AOL Food.
[quote][b]
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John H Murphy
Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 78
Location: Henderson, NV
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| Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 7:53 pm Post subject: Re: John Williamson Autobiography |
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I met John for the first time at the Jean airport in Nevada last year (in May?) when I was considering buying his Kolbra. He spent the night in a small tent out at the Jean airport next to his aircraft. We had breakfast together and talked about flying and our experiences in the Army. A very special man. John will be sorely missed by all who new him.
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