Free Republic

I was in a blockhouse at Test Area 1-42 at the Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory as a young 2nd Lt at Edwards AFB in California preparing for a simulated altitude test of an Air Force rocket system. The days events were momentous so we had the TV on in the control room (normally a no-no), which served as a very good motivator and reminder to us of why we were there.

I got a chance to meet both Gen. Yeager and Gen. Engle while stationed at Edwards in the late 70's. Chuck attended a dinner at the Officers Club in honor of a balloon team that had just crossed the Atlantic for the first time or something like that (Abbruzzo and company?), and I got his autograph on my student pilot license thinking that some of the Right Stuff would rub off (it didn't). Also saw him when he took the Budweiser Rocket Car for a spin on Muroc Dry Lake when they were attempting to break the sound barrier with it. Sorry to hear that this is the last time Chuck will be flying a military aircraft, but I guess when you are just shy of 80 years old maybe it's the right time to hang up the g-suit (God bless you, General Y; fly safe). Also met then-Col. Engle when he knocked on my door at Desert Villa BOQ wearing his orange Space Shuttle zoombag and handed me a dress uniform that he had borrowed from the bird colonel living next door and asked me to hold it for the colonel's return. While he was there, I got him to autograph a color glossy of him and his shuttle crew. Ahh, this posting brings back memories of those good old days at Eddie's Pea Patch ...

Here's the text of the Virginia Tech president's statement on the suspicious package incident we had yesterday: BLACKSBURG, Oct. 12, 2001 -- The bomb-like device found in the Virginia Tech Newman Library yesterday was a well-constructed hoax. University police, state police, and the FBI participated in the investigation yesterday afternoon and evening. This event, in conjunction with recent announcements from state and local authorities, should compel us to have a heightened sense of awareness of our surroundings. Should you see anything suspicious, do not hesitate to immediately contact university officials or the police department. This outrageous and irresponsible interruption has had an impact on the educational and personal lives of Virginia Tech students as well as the rest of the university community. This incident required the combined resources of hundreds of people from law enforcement, specialized technical personnel, university physical plant and many university officials. We condemn this action of the disturbed mind or minds that put our community at risk. Law enforcement will pursue and prosecute the perpetrator(s) to the fullest extent.

We had our own "suspicious package" at Virginia Tech Thursday pm. Here's a link to the story: http://www.vt.edu/2000/headline.phtml?itemid=429. Part of an effort to sow fear among the most fearful, i.e., university towns filled with liberals?