Frode Jespersen, Part VIII

     During Frode's military flight training he had opted for multi-engine aircraft thinking that would equip him for flying for airlines after the war. He was sent to Dodge City, Kansas to learn to fly the B-26. After extensive training on this plane by the time he was finished there was a surplus of pilots for that aircraft. He then volunteered to fly a different plane.

  He wrote "We were all thrilled to think that we would soon be flying the A-20. This airplane was an attack bomber. It had two Wright R-2600 engines, each producing 1600 hp. The maximum speed was 317 mph and the cruising speed 230. It had eight 50 caliber machine guns and could carry 2000 lbs. of bombs externally, and 2000 bombs internally. It was a single piloted aircraft and the total crew complement was 3. The two gunners were behind a bulkhead and there was no way they could get to the pilot's compartment. The only communication was by radio and if the pilot became disabled, their only recourse was to bail out. One gunner operated the top turret which contained two 50 caliber machine guns, and the other gunner fired two 50 caliber guns through a bottom hatch."  Frode doesn't say it but there were 4, 50 caliber guns in the nose of the plane controlled by the pilot.

   Frode liked this plane very much. It was much easier to fly and more nimble.  The difficulty of flying the B-26, caused it to be nicknamed "The Widow Maker." Frode wrote it was also called "The Flying Prostitute"..."no visible means of support." He wrote "There was a training base close to Tampa, Florida, from there came a saying, to wit 'A plane a day in Tampa Bay.'"  Flying the smaller, nimble A-20 was very satisfying for Frode.

Takk for alt,

Al

     This is a picture I took of an A-20, for Frode, in the Air Force Museum, Dayton, Ohio. He knew it was there so I sought it out.

Brief

     Successful cataract surgery today on second eye, so this about all I can write.

Takk for alt,

Al

Blank!

   Staring at a blan computer screen this one of those time to keep quiet and thought a fool than write and prove one!

   With that said I want you both to know that I'm OKAY, if a bit vacuous. Perhaps a random photo will suffice for the day.

Takk for alt,

Al

 

  A labor intensive sawmill in the Philippines, 1962. 

Frode Jespersen, Part VII

     A few years ago Frode, and his wife Lillian, left their house in the suburb of New Hope and moved into an OFH in Minnetonka. That home is operated by Ebenezer Society. As Frode and I compared notes it seems we had similar situations.

   Frode, one day, met a new resident who's name is Marilyn. In conversation Frode mentioned that he was originally from North Dakota. That prompted Marilyn to say she grew up in South Dakota. Frode, "I only know one person from South Dakota, Al Negstad." Marilyn, "I know him." 😁

   Out of the Marines and back at Augustana College in the early sixties I was part of a young adult group in First Lutheran, the College and Career Club. Marilyn, a recent Augustana grad was teaching in Sioux Falls and also active in that group. Gene, her husband to be, also was in the group and he was a pastor in central South Dakota. So that's how Marilyn could say "I know him." It's a small world if you're a Lutheran in Minnesota.

Takk for alt,

Al

While we were anchored in Hong Kong Harbor boys would row out to the ship and dive for coins we threw in the water.

My excuse

 

  

There's a Pickleball court in the OFH, and now I have a good excuse for not playing. 😁

Frode Jespersen, Part VI

   There's a veterans group in the OFH which I attend. One of the participants, Terry, told the group about his posting to Johnston Island when he was in the Army. The Island is a tiny atoll some distance from Hawaii. Johnston is a U.S. military base with an airfield and a few barracks. The U.S. Army has long used it as place to store weapons. While Terry was there, during the Vietnam War, the army stored barrels of Agent Orange on the beach. Agent Orange is highly corrosive and consequently the barrels leaked Orange into the sea. Terry regularly scuba dived in the bay by the Island. Today he's on full disability from the effects of  Agent Orange poisoning.

   Hearing Terry talk of Johnston Island rang a bell with me. I thought, "I know someone else who was there."  The Island is a high security facility so the chances of  knowing two who had been there is very coincidental. Who else? Frode told about his experience there.

   After leaving active military service Frode spent a couple of years in his North Dakota hometown giving flying lessons. After that he was hired by the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA), from which he retired after 34 years of service. During his first two years with the FAA he was stationed in Hawaii. While he was there he flew aircraft around Asia inspecting navigational equipment at various airports.

   Returning to Hawaii from an inspection trip to Asia he was piloting a four-motor Lockheed Airplane. (Parenthetically, it was a plane he liked to pilot although there was no auto-pilot. the manufacture thought the pilot should always have hands on the controls.) Realizing that he did not have enough fuel to reach Hawaii he landed at Johnston. The plane was immediately surrounded by security vehicles. No one on the plane was allowed to leave it. The Army refueled the Lockheed and Frode and crew were sent on their way to Hawaii.

   Terry was not at all surprised about the reception Frode received on the Island when I told him this story. 

Takk for alt,

Al

This is Lockheed Constellation like the one Frode was piloting.

Johnston Island

Diamond Anniversary

    She was 15 when it began, now 90, though looks 70, it continues. Thankfully, it was publicly recognized. Yesterday, over lunch with another cousin she recounted the experience. It's been on Facebook, radio and by her report an article by a curmudgeon in the Minnesota Star/Tribune. That article entitled Gophers Sink To The Level Of  A Bad Foe,  author Patrick Ruesse, gave half of the space in the column to her. "She was a sophomore at Murray High School in St Paul when she was moved to buy one season ticket a few rows up at midcourt to watch the gophers." Ruesse

   Louise (Hammer) Quam has had season tickets to the University of Minnesota men's basketball team since 1949, 75 years! She still has the original tickets and she still attends. Louise was honored at center court at a recent game. Among the gifts she received were two stadium seats with the number of  the seat she sits in for games. In her living room she sits in it watch road games. She also received a team jersey numbered 75. The team, referees and press corps shook her hand. When she returned to her seat after the award ceremony the crowd gave her a standing ovation. She's the longest season ticket holder of any University of Minnesota Sport.  Now, a widow who has given up driving, her grandchildren have a spread-sheet tracking who will escort her to home games.

   It's not that she's always lived in the Twin Cities. No she attended St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN., lived in New Haven, CT., Henning and Marshall, MN., Manchester, IA, back to Northfield and now in St. Louis Park, MN. Accolades to the U of MN to go all out honoring her.

Takk for alt,

Al