For you guys that knew him personally, sorry for your loss of a truly great friend. I read of his passing on Arfcom last week, I had interacted with him on here some. I suspected he was from my part of the country by some of his postings and knew of his travels and Army service. I never met him, but had a pretty good connection with him.
Last night I was told that my oldest brothers wife's son had passed away. After searching for the obituary I located it and soon realized that he was Aviator on here. He grew up about 30 miles from me, graduated High School a year after me from a rival school. Both of us were small town Iowa boys, fished the same waters, hunted over the same ground, even served in the Army. stranger yet, many years later my oldest brother and his mother married. They traveled to Kuwait to see him once, and to Alaska. He visited here but I never met him. She and Ed spoke very highly of him, Military service is strong in our families. one of Aviators step brothers is still a Marine Raider in NC.
I was shocked to hear of his untimely death. Even more so when I discovered he is nearly family. Actually, in far NE Iowa, we are family. This week i will be visiting his Mother and my Brother. I will share the condolences of Arfcom with them. I won't post up his Obituary, but I do have it to IM it to some.