April 2016 Meeting Photos
On Thursday, 14 April, we held our monthly meeting at the Dobson's Restaurant, Dobson Ranch Golf Course, in Mesa, Arizona. Our speaker was Capt George Burk, USAF Retired. He was the sole survivor of a horrific T-29 crash back in 1970 (see news article below). After a brief video that explained the basics of the accident, George gave us a very interesting talk about all the medical and emotional pain he endured during his recovery, including numerous operations and skin grafts. He praised the super human efforts of his doctors and nurses to save him and help him recover. Perhaps the most striking element of his story was how it affected his life, his outlook on life and his personal idea of what is most important in life. His inspirational story was uplifting to all of us!
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| T-29 Crash, May 1970: Hamilton Air Force Base (AP) -- Capt. GEORGE BURKE, 28, sole survivor of a military plane crash in which 13 persons died, was under intensive care for burns today at Fort Sam Houston Hospital, San Antonio, Tex. Twelve Air Force men and an Army specialist died when the twin-engine transport crashed Monday into a fog-covered hillside shortly after taking off from here. Air base officials said there was no warnings from the pilot that the craft, bound for Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane, Wash., was in trouble. When the plane disappeared from the radar screen, it passed between two hills, skidded along a meadow, for 100 yards and crashed into a cluster of trees. Nearly an hour later, John Davieau, a ranch foreman, found the smoking plane while on a cattle check. Wreckage was scattered. "It was a grisly sight," said a witness.(Press-Telegram, Long Beach, CA, 5 May 1970.) | |
Reprinted with permission from Willie Flight 82, Order of Daedalians