F-4 Phantom Crew Chief
Oct 10, 2015 11:11:21 #
Howdy friends! Just wanted to let you know I finally completed my book titled "F-4 Phantom Crew Chief - Sam Lassiter's Vietnam Saga". It is my autobiography with focus on the Vietnam tour as an F-4 crew chief. If any wish to read it, I would recommend getting it from LuLu.com as they have the best price. It is a little costly as I have over 100 color images in it, and several are probably the only ones in existence today, but oh well. I thoroughly enjoyed writing it and I'm glad I got it done before I go to meet my maker someday - hee hee. See today's post under photos for images of my bird in 1972. Pleasant wishes for all of you! Sam
Oct 10, 2015 11:34:43 #
Oct 10, 2015 14:19:59 #
Congratulations Sam, that is quite an accomplishment.
Chris
USN - '81-'87.
Chris
USN - '81-'87.
sammywoody wrote:
Howdy friends! Just wanted to let you know I fina... (show quote)
Oct 10, 2015 15:31:33 #
Oct 10, 2015 20:03:51 #
sammywoody wrote:
Howdy friends! Just wanted to let you know I fina... (show quote)
I was with the 12th Tac Fighter Wing (mostly F4's) - Cam Rahn. 2 tours in '68 & '69. We lost some great men. Best of success on you book! Thanks for the memories...
Oct 11, 2015 00:04:37 #
Oct 11, 2015 06:56:46 #
Excellent Sammy. In the spring of 1966 I was a senior in high school and we were on a field trip to St Louis that included a visit to Lambert Field. We were in the control tower and it was dusk and they were just turning the lights on. The phone rang and, after the man in charge hung up he turned all the lights off and said nothing. We then saw an unusual looking aircraft (for the time) painted completely flat black creeping from the McDonald Douglas hanger on the opposite side of the airport. When it reached the end of the runway it started it's takeoff. When it reached the midpoint of the runway directly in front of us it was airborne and the landing gear was retracted. The pilot then rotated the plane to vertical and fired the afterburners. The plane disappeared into the clouds straight up! The roar was like nothing we had ever heard short of an Atlas booster rocket. When they turned the lights back on, there were two huge black burn marks on the runway. That was the first time I ever saw a F4 Phantom.
Oct 11, 2015 07:38:39 #
GeorgeO
Loc: Waukesha, WI
Congratulations, Sam, and thanks for your service.
All the best to you,
George
All the best to you,
George
Oct 11, 2015 07:52:49 #
Oct 11, 2015 08:11:12 #
Oct 11, 2015 09:31:40 #
FM
Loc: near Syracuse, NY
Sam, that's great you got your book done. I will definitely buy a copy! I have bought a number of "fighter pilot" books over the last year, and will have a Winter
of good reading ahead. I went to my first air show in Rochester NY in May and saw the Blue Angels in action..I am now hooked on the roar of a Jet engine and the smell of Jet fuel!!! lol. with my D7000 and sigma 18-250, I got some so-so photos-all hand held with sharpness issues, because so many were at the long end. Next year I hope to do better- and may even post! I would love to go to the Oceana show in Va. Beach..Good luck with your book!!
FM
of good reading ahead. I went to my first air show in Rochester NY in May and saw the Blue Angels in action..I am now hooked on the roar of a Jet engine and the smell of Jet fuel!!! lol. with my D7000 and sigma 18-250, I got some so-so photos-all hand held with sharpness issues, because so many were at the long end. Next year I hope to do better- and may even post! I would love to go to the Oceana show in Va. Beach..Good luck with your book!!
FM
Oct 11, 2015 10:45:34 #
Sam,
Good job!
We met at the Udorn Reunion at Weatherford in July.
Best Wishes,
Bruce
432 AMS, INS/FLR
Aug 70-Jul 71.
Good job!
We met at the Udorn Reunion at Weatherford in July.
Best Wishes,
Bruce
432 AMS, INS/FLR
Aug 70-Jul 71.
Oct 11, 2015 12:15:45 #
Thanks Sam, I was in Udorn in 71-72 as well, 7accs, C-130. I watched many of them F-4 take off and quite a few crash land. I also worked for BAE and modified many of them into QF-4's. Great A/C.
Oct 11, 2015 13:01:44 #
sammywoody wrote:
Howdy friends! Just wanted to let you know I fina... (show quote)
Looking forward to reading your book. Does the Ebook version include the photos?
Oct 11, 2015 13:24:40 #
Los-Angeles-Shooter
Loc: Los Angeles
There's an F-4 on static display outside the main building at Mojave Air and Space Port in CA. I believe the test pilot school there, also does some training in the F-4.
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