[Vhfcn-l] Earl Gregory's final flight west

[Steven Lewis]

Slow hand salute may he rest in peace

On 17-Mar-21 01:29, Trey Gregory via Vhfcn-l wrote:
> Gentlemen -
> I hope this message gets through to the list members here:  my Dad, Earl Gregory, Jr., was a pilot at HC-4 from 65-69.
> Dad received his final mission briefing & took off headed west on 27-Feb-2021, right about sunset.  My kids & I went & caught the final rays over Airman Beach @ Okaloosa Island to remember him -- fitting in a lot of ways.  While Dad loved the Navy, loved Pensacola, and of course he never met a stranger, I always knew that his days in the ready room with his brothers at HC-4 were some of his finest, and most treasured.
> I found the thread online re: Matty Gache's passing two years ago, and saw in the list a lot of names that Dad used to mention.  In fact, my Mom, Anita, still recognizes some of your names like it was yesterday... and all the memories seem to be pretty good ones, so that's a bonus.  I think some of you were in or at their wedding, June '68 in Lakehurst.  Your reunion down here a "few" years ago (17-Apr-12) was a huge highlight for both him and Mom -- so thank you, Mike Stock & all reunion coordinators, if you get this.
> Dad never logged any more airtime after his DD-214 was issued in Jul-71, but I really think he flew every day in his mind, and every night in his dreams.  He could still tell us kids & our kids how to pilot the UH-2 from his chair at the dinner table, complete with full body motions.
> His faith for a smooth landing on this hop was in the saving grace of Jesus Christ as his controller, and I'm thankful.  We'll miss him down here, though.
> If anyone has any memories or pictures, please email me back, eag at bellsouth.net.
> Keep the blue side up, y'all...
>   -- Trey Gregory
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-- 
SFC Steven R Lewis USA Ret