[DeTomaso] Veterns Day

[Larry - Ohio Time]

Today I would like to do a different Veterans salute, then my normal.
 
It's still the eleventh month, eleventh day and eleventh hour of Armistice
Day.
 
Today on this day I would like you all to remember and think about one of
our Pantera Brothers we lost this year. Chuck Adkinson from Columbus, Ohio.
Chuck and I became good friends from this list. It must be around 15 years
or so. He took on a rust bucket Pantera, like me, and did 90% of all the
work himself. Kirk and I would lend a hand and advice when needed but Chuck
did it. He did it all from teaching himself to weld, stripping every nut and
bolt off of it, to working on cars in general. He was always a bike guy. He
did some flat track racing in his younger years. Must have had 4 or 5 bikes
the last time I was down there.
 
Chuck served our country in Vet Nam, 9th Cavalry, enlisted December 14,
1967, flying Hueys then later Cobras. He continued his service after the war
in the Ohio Army National Guard. The first time I went to his old house I
past a VFW hall with a Huey on it roof. I asked him how did they get it up
on the roof, "Simple I just landed it there". His love of flying was strong
as he became a corporate jet pilot for the local utility. We would often
talk/email back and forth when he was stuck in some airport in no man land
USA. After his 59th birthday, (I think they retire you from flying at 60 in
the service) he got called in service once again, going to Iraq. Even though
flying helicopters for 40 some years the Army liked his corporate jet
experience. They place him into a small business type turbo-jet plane, to
ferry people and supplies to needed locations. I asked him what type of
armament the plane had. "Flairs". Should his systems show that he is being
tracked by radar he would deploy flairs to trick any missiles that may be on
there way. I asked him how he likes shooting off flairs compared to rockets.
"Oh, its fine till you run out of flairs".
 
A few years ago he retired from work, sold his beautiful home, shop and
Pantera 2113 (something he regretted) to move to Tennessee on a small farm.
He and his wife Sue have a love of animals and needed more then 5 acres. His
plan was to build a new shop and make his dream car, '32 Ford, 5 window hot
rod. He had a poster of the American Graffiti car on the wall. Chuck likes
to work on a project maybe more then finishing. Journey and destination
thing.
 
Unfortunately the plans of man do not outweigh the plans of God. Chuck was
diagnosed with brain cancer one week after selling everything. He fought a
battle like never before against an enemy like never before. After two years
he lost that battle this summer at age 66. He was berried in Arlington
National Cemetery this fall.
 
Reading many of his emails today over many years, the 9/11 email talked
about enemies know and unknown. Truer then we can understand.
 
I am living with the regrets that all friends do, should have stopped down
more often, should have made it to the motorcycle hill climb we talked about
every year, should have, should have, should have. Please learn form my
mistakes.
 
He would tell me "I was shot up, but never shot down". How true that was in
so many ways.
 
So today please remember the people that serve your country, no mater where
it is, and think well of our friend Chuck (Apache 34). God Bless you my
friend.
 
 
Larry (Cleveland) Homolak
 
-------------- next part --------------
   Today I would like to do a different Veterans salute, then my normal.


   It's still the eleventh month, eleventh day and eleventh hour of
   Armistice Day.


   Today on this day I would like you all to remember and think about one
   of our Pantera Brothers we lost this year. Chuck Adkinson from
   Columbus, Ohio. Chuck and I became good friends from this list. It must
   be around 15 years or so. He took on a rust bucket Pantera, like me,
   and did 90% of all the work himself. Kirk and I would lend a hand and
   advice when needed but Chuck did it. He did it all from teaching
   himself to weld, stripping every nut and bolt off of it, to working on
   cars in general. He was always a bike guy. He did some flat track
   racing in his younger years. Must have had 4 or 5 bikes the last time I
   was down there.


   Chuck served our country in Vet Nam, 9^th Cavalry, enlisted December
   14, 1967, flying Hueys then later Cobras. He continued his service
   after the war in the Ohio Army National Guard. The first time I went to
   his old house I past a VFW hall with a Huey on it roof. I asked him how
   did they get it up on the roof, "Simple I just landed it there". His
   love of flying was strong as he became a corporate jet pilot for the
   local utility. We would often talk/email back and forth when he was
   stuck in some airport in no man land USA. After his 59^th birthday, (I
   think they retire you from flying at 60 in the service) he got called
   in service once again, going to Iraq. Even though flying helicopters
   for 40 some years the Army liked his corporate jet experience. They
   place him into a small business type turbo-jet plane, to ferry people
   and supplies to needed locations. I asked him what type of armament the
   plane had. "Flairs"... Should his systems show that he is being tracked
   by radar he would deploy flairs to trick any missiles that may be on
   there way. I asked him how he likes shooting off flairs compared to
   rockets. "Oh, its fine till you run out of flairs".


   A few years ago he retired from work, sold his beautiful home, shop and
   Pantera 2113 (something he regretted) to move to Tennessee on a small
   farm. He and his wife Sue have a love of animals and needed more then 5
   acres. His plan was to build a new shop and make his dream car, '32
   Ford, 5 window hot rod. He had a poster of the American Graffiti car on
   the wall. Chuck likes to work on a project maybe more then finishing.
   Journey and destination thing...


   Unfortunately the plans of man do not outweigh the plans of God. Chuck
   was diagnosed with brain cancer one week after selling everything. He
   fought a battle like never before against an enemy like never before.
   After two years he lost that battle this summer at age 66. He was
   berried in Arlington National Cemetery this fall.


   Reading many of his emails today over many years, the 9/11 email talked
   about enemies know and unknown. Truer then we can understand.


   I am living with the regrets that all friends do, should have stopped
   down more often, should have made it to the motorcycle hill climb we
   talked about every year, should have, should have, should have...
   Please learn form my mistakes.


   He would tell me "I was shot up, but never shot down". How true that
   was in so many ways.


   So today please remember the people that serve your country, no mater
   where it is, and think well of our friend Chuck (Apache 34). God Bless
   you my friend.



   Larry (Cleveland) Homolak
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