Tontine Cabinet Part 4

[Gene Howe]

An absolutely fantastic cabinet. You can tell that every piece was cut, fitted and finished with love.
Beautiful job.

[JPG]

An absolutely fantastic cabinet. You can tell that every piece was cut, fitted and finished with love.
Beautiful job.

And a considerable amount of skill!!! And planning!

[WmZiggy]

Very kind comments all. Debated putting glass in the exterior doors, but then where would the plagues go? We didn't want to put them on the wall next to it. The cabinet will get opened on club nights if a WSO wants his shot glass. Just an aside, we got two bottles of the 1975 Hine Cognac. At the dedication one will be opened and all will get a toasting taste. The bottle in the cabinet goes to the last living five. Deceased members shot glasses will be upturned in a ceremony every May reunion. I flew with a lot of these guys and know what hard work it is pulling Gs. They did many intercepts of Russian Bear Bombers at alert dets. Many flrw in Vietnam. I was with the Unit for 30 years. Retired a Colonel and wanted to honor their service to our State and Nation. This project was a good way to do that. Just another note. It was the Happy Hooligans on alert at Langley AFB that flew alert on 9/11 over DC. Scrambled they arrived (F16s) moments after the Pentagon was hit. One of our fighters was then sent to Pennsylvania to shoot down United Flt 90. I have always thanked God that the passengers fought back and our pilot didn't have to pull the trigger. A painting entitled "First Pass" hangs in the Pentagon honoring our Wing that day. For over a year we flew CAPs over DC and for AF One.

[charlese]

Once again, I want to attest to what a dedication and some skill can put together. The first part is emotion and deep dedication to a cause, the second is woodworking skill.

The two together came up with a simply beautiful project. Congratulations Wm!!!!!

[WmZiggy]

Very kind comments,all! Thank you.

I gave some thought to putting glass in the doors, but I needed a place for the plaques. Also, if you think about it part of the appeal of a cabinet is it's mystery - "What's inside"? - they draw you in to want to open it. This is in keeping with the word "cabinet" with origins in France (c1540) meaning a "secret storehouse or treasure chamber". I also had some pause about covering the nice oak flake figure with plaques, but one always make compromises.

My work is going to be hanging on the wall for a long time to come and that, I believe improves one's work. Never once did I think "good enough for government work". I also want to honor the WSOs in our Unit. I took my share of flights in the F4, T33 (usually as target), and F16 (B model) and know what hard work it is pulling Gs. Unlike the pilot, it is even harder in the backseat because you don't have that split second knowledge of where the fighter is going. Many of our members were Vietnam veterans and they among vets often got handed the crap end of the stick. I served 30 years, retired a Colonel,and had a great career that took me all over the world. This was my way of doing pay back.

I can't write this without calling attention to the distinguished history of the Happy Hooligans. During the cold war, on alert on both coasts or in the Arctic circle, many Russian Bear Boomers were intercepted. On 9/11 it was Hooligans scrambled from Langley AFB alert arriving over DC minutes after the Pentagon was hit. From there one of our fighters was dispatched to shoot down United Flight 93 over Pennsylvania. I have often thanked God that passengers on the flight intervened and our pilot didn't have to pull the trigger. There is a painting hanging in the Pentagon entitled "First Pass" honoring the arrival of our fighters over DC. For several years after 9/11 the 119th flew CAPs over DC and coverage for AF One.

My life in the Air Force and Air National Guard gave me a lot of opportunities and made me a better woodworker.

[jsburger]

Beautiful job!!! The Happy Hooligans will cherish it for years to come.

[jsburger]

Very kind comments all. Debated putting glass in the exterior doors, but then where would the plagues go? We didn't want to put them on the wall next to it. The cabinet will get opened on club nights if a WSO wants his shot glass. Just an aside, we got two bottles of the 1975 Hine Cognac. At the dedication one will be opened and all will get a toasting taste. The bottle in the cabinet goes to the last living five. Deceased members shot glasses will be upturned in a ceremony every May reunion. I flew with a lot of these guys and know what hard work it is pulling Gs. They did many intercepts of Russian Bear Bombers at alert dets. Many flrw in Vietnam. I was with the Unit for 30 years. Retired a Colonel and wanted to honor their service to our State and Nation. This project was a good way to do that. Just another note. It was the Happy Hooligans on alert at Langley AFB that flew alert on 9/11 over DC. Scrambled they arrived (F16s) moments after the Pentagon was hit. One of our fighters was then sent to Pennsylvania to shoot down United Flt 90. I have always thanked God that the passengers fought back and our pilot didn't have to pull the trigger. A painting entitled "First Pass" hangs in the Pentagon honoring our Wing that day. For over a year we flew CAPs over DC and for AF One.

What you are describing is the very fabric of what serving in the military means. The camaraderie and dedication to each other and the country is what makes it work and makes it so rewarding. Then giving back after retirement is what it is all about. You never forget those that you served with. I was an armament systems technician. I loaded bombs on airplanes from the F-101 Vodoo to the B-52 with nuclear weapons on hard alert, to the F-16 and a few in between. I was the Weapons Flight Chief for the 388th FW, 421st FS during the first Gulf War. I had 70 weapons troops working for me. We were in the United Arab Emirates and flew on the first night of the war and every night until it ended. We loaded and the pilots doped hundreds of thousands of pounds of bombs successfully during the war. My guys had a plaque made with all the names of everyone in the flight on it. It hung in my office when I was on active duty and they gave it to me when I retired in 1996 with 24 years. I made a shadow box for it and it now hangs in the shop.

I flew in an F-16 also. I got an incentive flight because I graduated #1 in may class (John Levitow award, Medal of Honor in Vietnam) at the NCO Academy at Bergstrom AFB in 1985. We flew in a clean aircraft, no external tanks an no pylons so no G restrictions. After burner take off and then 500 MPH at 500' AGL on the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR). I got to actually fly the airplane doing barrel roles and loops. The pilot finally said " Are you ready to do 9G's?" Yup. Watch the G meter and when you wake up it will say 9. He hit the after burner and did a hard left hand turn. My helmet struck the right side of the canopy and I couldn't move. The G suit blew up until it hurt but I never blacked out. I couldn't see the G meter because it was on the left side of the console. When he finally pulled out of the turn I looked a the G meter and it said 9.3. And this guy was flying the airplane all the time. I gained a new respect for what these guys do. We were just out there playing not trying to put bombs on target. How they do what they do is still unbelievable to me.

You have made a beautiful item and the Happy Hooligans will cherish it for ever. I guarantee it will be there when all the WSO's are gone. What a beautiful tribute. Lots of people appreciate what you have done in the military and I thank them for that appreciation but unless you have been there you can't understand what it really means us. We are all one family like none other.

[WmZiggy]

Thank you for sharing your story, John. I serve at the VA one day a week and two Sundays a month. I also take call. There is a bond among veterans that is a great gift.

[masonsailor2]

Nicely done !
Paul
USN Field Medical Service , USMC 1ST AND 3RD Mar Div
1972-1975