Hillenkoetter was a remarkable man. Did he tell you any other gems of wisdom? He was quite prominent in the early days of the UFO phenomenon.
Unfortunately not really. I was still young (around 12) the last time we visited them at their home in Weehawken NJ in the mid-70s, though he and Madame never failed to keep in touch, send B-Day and Christmas gifts, etc. I had not yet developed a full understanding of his amazing accomplishments until much older, and by the time I did he had passed away.
One of those great lost opportunities. But then, he was highly secretive too (by oath I’m sure) and unlikely to share much beyond his personal opinions. He destroyed all of his personal papers prior to his passing. Understandable, but still heart-breaking.
Everything I’ve learned about his life since has been a combination of my mother’s recollections and what I can find online.
So that’s probably more than anyone wants to know, but he was a great man with more major accomplishments than anyone I’ve ever known. But to my siblings and me he was simply “The Admiral”.