Driller from Mississippi who cut pulpwood on days off from offshore, and 4 other men who I worked with on that rig as a young "worm" breaking out in the oilfield on that rig..... killed in blowout in 1979 Gulf of Mexico, ODECO Ocean King...
Boy hood friend - decapitated in car wreck right after graduation....
Derrick Man - killed in 1978 when a Relief Valve blew up all over his head....DRT before he hit the ground..... the rest of story.... police knocked on door to tell young widow with kids that her husband was dead and to sign right here.....company $10K policy and release ......true story.......
Drilling Crew killed by H2S in West Texas.....early 80's....
14 year old kid....afew years later about 20 year old....101st Airborne Iraq.... killed in IED ~ one week before going home.....
Relatives going back as far as the Civil War on the Southern side.....WW 1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam.....even though I never met most of them in life, they are with me thru eternity.....
Lots more killed in the oil patch....and many Near Misses that would have been me - but by the Grace of God....
I can say that my life has been impacted by the chancse meetings of people and of family going back years and years.....
Here's to you all..... To my Great Grandfather who fought for the Stars and Bars....and many other kin...., WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam and the Sandbox....
Ms. Gamboolgals father....101st Airborne all the way thru from Toccoa, parachuting into Normandy, A Bridge Too Far, Hell's Highway, Bastogne...... thru the end of WW2, all battles, never wounded, had a pencil and his pack shot off of him, was on Eisenhowers honor guard at Nuremberg....gtook Nazi's to and from there cells to trial and to the Gallows........Mr. Beam had the utmost respect for the German Soldier as they were excellent .....soldiers and killers.....I miss him to this day..... Mr. Beam, Lower Right pic.....he was and always will be my father.
gah\\\\