It has been my honor for almost twenty years now to have known B/Gen Bob "Earthquake" Titus. It was my good fortune to have met him after both of us were retired because frankly I would have been terrified of the man if I'd worked for him. He speaks with authority and demands of those around him that they meet the same standards he sets for himself. He also has a puckish sense of humor that only gets revealed when the relationship becomes less structured than one within the military protocols.
I knew he had flown the F-105 and that he had commanded the first deployment of the F-5A to Vietnam as "Skoshi Tiger" in 1965/66. I also knew he had flown the F-4 out of Danang over North Vietnam and had three confirmed MiG kills. I learned later that he had been a test pilot at Edwards both for airplanes and for parachutes! Among his accomplishments in that role, he has some time doing this:
Putting an F-100 on a truck bed and tying a rocket to the tail is a "special" talent!
Here is some video of some other friends of mine along with some meaningful words on Robin Olds and those who went North so long ago. The other folks in the video are also long term friends and I am a very privileged individual to find myself in the company of those and dozens more like them.
Consider yourself fortunate if you ever enounter any of these people. They are the best of the best.
1 comment:
I had the honor and the previlege to fly with Bob Pardo and Robin Olds. Memories I will cherish forever. Robin was the greatest leader and warrior that I ever met. I doubt if any like him will be seen in the future. The man,the character,the warrior spirt,the love he had for his men all came together in one place at one time for one short moment.. We were so previledged.
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