I think this was the beginning of Pat Belanger's aerial photography career. I gave him my camera to take a few shots. This was a fantastic shot of me, Aileron in #754 and Fred Beltz in #689 right over the Southern Locks. This one was up on the wall in Ops for a long time

I took a sortie with Col. Boone one afternoon to do some simulated IFR intercepts. We planned to do either an IFR sliceback or pitchback. We took our split to 30nm. and turned back. Col. Boone would always go high so I glommed on to the nice big return I found right away. As I came around in my pitchback I thought, "How nice of him not to do any evasive." I rolled up at about 2nm in his left-stern. When I finally looked out what did I see? A nice big 747. I hope no one was looking out of their window :) Al thought that was funny as hell

The French started work on the canal in 1881 and soon gave up due to construction issues and disease. The U.S. took over and finished it in 1904. Lake Gatun was created in order to lessen construction and excavation labor. It's higher than both of the oceans on either side. The Panamanians took over administration of the Canal in 1977 when the control transition began

A nice shot over some of the mountains in the interior

The next series of pictures are from our tour of north-western Panama. We wandered up to the Bocas Del Toro Islands. Aileron in #754 and Fred Beltz in #689

Cruising over Colon right by the Northern Locks

More Colon

Sorry, this one's out of order. Back over the mountains

I just can't get enough pictures of me!!! :)

I really hated flying this fighter -you can tell by the look on my face - NOT! Just in front of the canopy is the antenna for the AIFF, the bulge on aircraft- right is the antenna for the RAW and a pitot tube in the front side

Here we are out on Lake Gatun heading out for a day of fishing. Ryan "Hawaiian" Orion and our boat driver

"Hoe" Moe and Hawaiian

Our squadron sportsman - Joe Leadingham. He would find a way to go fishing or hunting on any kind of deployment. Up in Alaska he managed to set up a fishing trip in the outback with PC. They came back and smoked a bunch of salmon. It was delicious

Pete Moe waiting for a fish

Snagged a BIG one :)

The hunters return. We caught a bunch of fish and the tour guys cleaned and skinned them for us at 10 cents/fish. We took them back to the Officers Club where the club cooks battered them up so we could cook them up later. Mmmmm good!

Manly men doing manly things

Hawaiian and Spam cooking up the fish for dinner

Ryan, Joe, Paul Gruver and Tony Gaedicke. I don't know the name of the young lady, probably from Maint

Jim McNab and Jack Hower

Doug Wescamp, Joe Leadingham and Jim McNab

Spam telling the tale of how he subdued "The Big One." Doug Wescamp, Paul Gruver, Pete Moe, Jim McNab and Joe Leadingham

The beer is starting to kick in. Ryan, Doug, Joe and Jim

Singing Fighter Pilot Songs. Gruve, Doug and Hoe

Tony Gaedicke pulling SOF duties. Ryan Orion in the front and Spam trying on his new glasses

Once you're a pilot your eyes can go less than 20/20. Joe, with some real coke bottle glasses

Felix Franco holding down Ops. Pat Belanger and there's Tom Westbrook heading off to go fly. Note the programmable flight cartridge

Pee Wee thinking about some snooze time. Linen swapout is on Tuesday

B.O.B. after a nap. Either that or that fiber cereal just isn't getting the job done :) Pete Moe watching something on the tube

Pete Moe again. Some of our health food on the table. We ate like kings in Panama

B.O.B. and Aileron at the Locks. Shortly after this tour Jim and Connie went with Carol and I on a tour and cruise in Greece. We had a ball and were still friends afterwards. :)

We were easily entertained - watching the boats go up and down...

Doug Wescamp

Dougie chillin' out with some tunes

I'd be willing to bet money that something was about to happen

Gruve and Cuda getting warmed up. "We don't need no stinking can openers."

B.O.B., Gruve, Fred and Cuda

Fred and Pete

Fred Beltz looking mellow

Things are starting to get rolling

The smaller male primate shows his submission to the alpha male of the tribe :) B.O.B and Fred

I knew those patch stickers would come in handy

Even active duty guys can have a sense of humor. Jack Hower was a great AF Advisor and a fantastic guy!

I have no idea what't going on here, and don't know if I really want to - but M.C. Hammer wants his pants back

Col. Al Boone chatting with Bill "Curly" Gore

Ron "Aileron" Yelton and Paul "Gruve" Gruver. I used to write Gruve's OERs - and he's the one that makes General :)

Well, our hardship tour is coming to an end. Just before we shipped out to Fresno, the pilots would put on a feed for the rest of our troops in appreciation for all their hard work in keeping us flying. After a few weeks the Falcons started having adverse reactions to all the humidity (electric jets, and all)

Al Boone on the left in the striped shirt, Mr. Maintenance, Marvin (Stoney) Stone and Jack Bolt front and center

Jim Blinn (Maint.) and Johnny Leal (from Supply) chatting up a couple of young ladies

Same guys as before - just add Baggy with a ceeegar

Baggy, J.T., Yonder with Ludwig on the right. Some of our Maint. troops spread throughout

Doug Wescamp lighting up at our last night BBQ

Good way to celebrate another sucessful tour, Two Dogs

The bag drag of 1994. Just hanging around waiting for the Customs guy to come by and inspect the bags. This was in one of the hangers that normally houses the TR-1s. Every once in a while we would lock onto one of these guys while out flying. The things they could do to your radar! WOW!!!

Joe Leadingham and me getting ready for our trip home. Joe was senior so he got the front seat. The perks of rank :)

Spam getting organized

Jim McNab on our wing for takeoff. I don't remember who was in his back seat. Good position, B.O.B

We made a few 360s over the base while everyone got airborne and joined up with the tanker

Spam