Sons of the American Revolution, Tuskegee, Ronald Regan, and Air Force One

"What is important is to keep learning, to enjoy challenge, and to tolerate ambiguity. In the end there are no certain answers."– Matina Horner

This past weekend, while  Secretariat was running wild in the Malibu Mountains, I was in the desert.  I attended a Sons of the American Revolution(SAR) meeting with Jack  and Joan Sholl and my 100 mile ride and tie partner and friend Jonathan Jordan. Incidentally, Jack is the president of the Coachella SAR chapter.  Attending that meeting and staying with Jack and Joan gave me further insight and more depth about this rowing legend and American patriot.  In his house, there are numerous pictures of his rowing experiences over the many years.  Also, there are historical paintings, guns, sabers and other artifacts associated with the American Revolution and the Civil War. I asked him if I did him justice in my chapter about him.  He was gracious and told me that I did it well.  I could have easily written two chapters about this terrific individual.  Would that have sufficed, probably not?

Attending the meeting, I met other SAR members.  When it comes to American history, they know their stuff.  They are informed about presidents, battles, geographical locations, and much more not found in school history books.  If anyone can preserve the founding of this country and the details associated with it, it falls on this group.  I do not know if their chapter is representative of the group at large, however, this group of men for the most part is no longer middle-aged as they are veterans of World War II.

The meeting started with the Pledge of Allegiance and the SAR Creed.  The officers of this chapter wore medals of historical content.  The main speaker was an Air Force colonel who was Wing Commander of Air Force One.  This aviator gave a talk that covered and ranged from settling the new land to current information about his daughter, who flies helicopters.  The speaker talked about little known facts based upon his research.  There are a number of people not given their due, as far as American history goes.  The Col. was accompanied by a Buffalo Soldier who I briefly chatted with. Unfortunately, I did not have more time and a tape recorder.

The Col.’s father was a member of the Tuskegee group that flew in World War II.  He talked about the development and the history of these pilots and gave credit to Eleanor Roosevelt for facilitating their entry into World War II.  He told the story of her flight with a black pilot, and his helping her depart from the plane.  There was a hullabaloo about the picture showing a black man touching the white First Lady.  The accomplishments of these pilots were unsurpassed, and they eventually earned the respect of the Air Force based upon their brave and successful missions.  He even told of German pilots, who avoided these aviators when they saw their red tail insignia.  He also told story of a group of American bomber pilots who would not fly unless they were accompanied by these gifted airmen.

The Col. talked about his selection to the Air Force Academy, in part upon the recommendation of Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, and the process he went through to be chosen Wing Commander of Air Force One.  He was not at liberty to reveal secrets about Ronald Reagan, but did comment on the Harrison Ford movie depicting the president fighting a terrorist.  He added that plane in the movie did not resemble Air Force One.

Saturday morning, prior to the meeting, we went to breakfast, and who did we run into, but none other than Steve Garvey the ex-baseball player. Early in the morning before breakfast, Jonathan and I ran to a nearby 18 hole golf course and then proceeded by running up and down bunkers and through sand traps.