Pete McCluskey.
Lifetime Supporter
On June 14th 2007, Robin Olds passed away. Sadly I only heard of this last night when I received an email from a friend of mine who lives in Steamboat Springs, where Robin also lived.
I had the privilege of meeting Robin about 10 years ago when on a skiing trip and I would like to think we became friends.
Certainly we became drinking and skiing buddies and had similar attitudes to red tape, politicians bureaucrats etc.
A great man who achieved much.
Below is the Eulogy written and spoken at his memorial service by another warrior and good friend of mine, Jack "Crow" McEncroe.
We have gathered to pay tribute to a man whose courage, charisma, devotion to duty, and fearlessness when expressing his beliefs have inspired us all. Those of us who fought in the skies over Hanoi , Haiphong , and the remainder of Pack Six are a living testimony to the tactics Robin introduced, and to the leadership and courage he employed in trashing the outdated and misinformed beliefs in Washington .
Unique in every sense of the word, he was a renegade yet a visionary, a warrior yet a poet, an assassin yet an artist, a deep thinker yet a practical joker. He was truly a renaissance man.
When Robin arrived in Ubon , Thailand , the 8th Tac Fighter Wing was in shambles. Commanders flew desks, losses were heavy, successes were rare, morale was low, "go get ‘em" was the policy, and the bar was empty.
Not for long........the deadwood was sent home, tactics were changed, leaders led, and warriors were born. "Follow me" replaced "go get ‘em". That applied in the air, in the maintenance shops, and at the bar. There was a new sheriff in town and morale soared.
Olds was affectionately referred to as "the old man"; he was 45. This July 14th he would have been 85 and, if the "old man" said "saddle up" today, there would be hundreds of old men that would follow.
He was a savior, the closest thing to God-- which I suspect presently might be becoming a bit of a power struggle. He had the look, the finger, the shoulder shrug, the digit, and the million dollar smile. He employed them freely but never all at once, except in the case of Major Phil Combies.
Combies was a Warrior, a Fighter Pilot’s Fighter Pilot, was known to take a sip, and was one of Robin’s favorites. Late one night Col. Olds was summoned to the Ubon O’Club. It seemed Major Combies, after a long night at the bar, had taken exception to the club’s decorating. He was taking it upon himself to rearrange some of the furniture. In the process a few pieces became unusable and were being discarded. Col. Olds arrived and suggested that the Major might want to retire for the evening. He further suggested that the Major be in front of the Col. 's desk at 0800 sharp. Combies was on time and Olds was not.
Robin was having one hell of a time coming up with a strong message for his friend when he really had no interest in delivering it. He thought he would drag his feet and let Combies sweat. About 0815 the Col. arrived, puffed himself up, put on the look, spun around, and was about to speak when the Major, standing at attention, looked up at his boss and said "SIR you’re late". The finger was unholstered but flailed, the shoulders shrugged, the million dollar smile appeared and the Col. had one of his favorite stories.
We lost Col. Phil Combies a number of years ago. I can only imagine that scene in front of the desk was recreated on the night of June 14th, 2007.
This was one of the little things that inspired the legend of Robin Olds. Aerial victories are just part of the story. Most important were the late night visits to the men in the shops, sampling the food his troops were eating, demanding that bureaucrats serve his men well, leading his men in song, the little things. The little things are usually the most important things. Robin believed in the little things and he believed in his men. He inspired devotion because the men knew how much he cared.
He sat at tables of Kings, Queens , Presidents, and in the shops with his men, and the angle was always the same. How do we make better Warriors, be left alone to lead them, kill the enemy, and keep my men alive.
This was a life changing time in a place far from home where loneliness and fear once prevailed. Confidence, pride, and emotion were now on display. That same pride, emotion, and camaraderie will be evident throughout the day today.
For the last 40 years Robin has been a part of our lives. If it had not been for him, some of us would never have known our children, some would never have been a Dad, and others would never have shared our time here with the love of our life.
I loved him like a father, knew him like a brother, we argued like kids, and apologized like friends. We laughed, we cried, we drank, and we had a ball.
Anita and I respected and cherished his friendship, and because of it I had 30 years of watching that terrible back swing and marveling at the outcome, 30 years of chasing him through the trees with snow up above our knees, 30 years of the cross eyed bull, 30 years of road trips to nowhere where I learned about many of you.
The skiing, the laughs, the respect, the ups and downs--- all part of it--- and our friend was the best aerial combat leader who ever lived.
Man, what a ride, and he took all of us with him.
Godspeed old friend, save us all a seat at the bar, and tell Combies we hope to be late.
Semper Fidelis,
30 June 2007
Robin Olds - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I had the privilege of meeting Robin about 10 years ago when on a skiing trip and I would like to think we became friends.
Certainly we became drinking and skiing buddies and had similar attitudes to red tape, politicians bureaucrats etc.
A great man who achieved much.
Below is the Eulogy written and spoken at his memorial service by another warrior and good friend of mine, Jack "Crow" McEncroe.
Robin Olds
14 July 1922 - 14 June 2007We have gathered to pay tribute to a man whose courage, charisma, devotion to duty, and fearlessness when expressing his beliefs have inspired us all. Those of us who fought in the skies over Hanoi , Haiphong , and the remainder of Pack Six are a living testimony to the tactics Robin introduced, and to the leadership and courage he employed in trashing the outdated and misinformed beliefs in Washington .
Unique in every sense of the word, he was a renegade yet a visionary, a warrior yet a poet, an assassin yet an artist, a deep thinker yet a practical joker. He was truly a renaissance man.
When Robin arrived in Ubon , Thailand , the 8th Tac Fighter Wing was in shambles. Commanders flew desks, losses were heavy, successes were rare, morale was low, "go get ‘em" was the policy, and the bar was empty.
Not for long........the deadwood was sent home, tactics were changed, leaders led, and warriors were born. "Follow me" replaced "go get ‘em". That applied in the air, in the maintenance shops, and at the bar. There was a new sheriff in town and morale soared.
Olds was affectionately referred to as "the old man"; he was 45. This July 14th he would have been 85 and, if the "old man" said "saddle up" today, there would be hundreds of old men that would follow.
He was a savior, the closest thing to God-- which I suspect presently might be becoming a bit of a power struggle. He had the look, the finger, the shoulder shrug, the digit, and the million dollar smile. He employed them freely but never all at once, except in the case of Major Phil Combies.
Combies was a Warrior, a Fighter Pilot’s Fighter Pilot, was known to take a sip, and was one of Robin’s favorites. Late one night Col. Olds was summoned to the Ubon O’Club. It seemed Major Combies, after a long night at the bar, had taken exception to the club’s decorating. He was taking it upon himself to rearrange some of the furniture. In the process a few pieces became unusable and were being discarded. Col. Olds arrived and suggested that the Major might want to retire for the evening. He further suggested that the Major be in front of the Col. 's desk at 0800 sharp. Combies was on time and Olds was not.
Robin was having one hell of a time coming up with a strong message for his friend when he really had no interest in delivering it. He thought he would drag his feet and let Combies sweat. About 0815 the Col. arrived, puffed himself up, put on the look, spun around, and was about to speak when the Major, standing at attention, looked up at his boss and said "SIR you’re late". The finger was unholstered but flailed, the shoulders shrugged, the million dollar smile appeared and the Col. had one of his favorite stories.
We lost Col. Phil Combies a number of years ago. I can only imagine that scene in front of the desk was recreated on the night of June 14th, 2007.
This was one of the little things that inspired the legend of Robin Olds. Aerial victories are just part of the story. Most important were the late night visits to the men in the shops, sampling the food his troops were eating, demanding that bureaucrats serve his men well, leading his men in song, the little things. The little things are usually the most important things. Robin believed in the little things and he believed in his men. He inspired devotion because the men knew how much he cared.
He sat at tables of Kings, Queens , Presidents, and in the shops with his men, and the angle was always the same. How do we make better Warriors, be left alone to lead them, kill the enemy, and keep my men alive.
This was a life changing time in a place far from home where loneliness and fear once prevailed. Confidence, pride, and emotion were now on display. That same pride, emotion, and camaraderie will be evident throughout the day today.
For the last 40 years Robin has been a part of our lives. If it had not been for him, some of us would never have known our children, some would never have been a Dad, and others would never have shared our time here with the love of our life.
I loved him like a father, knew him like a brother, we argued like kids, and apologized like friends. We laughed, we cried, we drank, and we had a ball.
Anita and I respected and cherished his friendship, and because of it I had 30 years of watching that terrible back swing and marveling at the outcome, 30 years of chasing him through the trees with snow up above our knees, 30 years of the cross eyed bull, 30 years of road trips to nowhere where I learned about many of you.
The skiing, the laughs, the respect, the ups and downs--- all part of it--- and our friend was the best aerial combat leader who ever lived.
Man, what a ride, and he took all of us with him.
Godspeed old friend, save us all a seat at the bar, and tell Combies we hope to be late.
Semper Fidelis,
-Crow-
Jack McEncroe30 June 2007
Robin Olds - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
