Ann's husband asked me about all the planes Ken flew.  What were they?  I have no idea, but there were a bunch of them.  SN-J, T28, Corsiar, F-9, F-4D (Skyray), A-4, F-8, are all that I remember.  But I know he flew every plane that the Navy or Marine Corps had from 1947 to 1969.

He flew them all because he was a Landing Signal Officer.  LSO.  He brought the planes on board the carriers with his paddles.  Flags.  And as a result, before he could wave somebody aboard, he had to land that plane on the carrier himself--that was the reason he flew everything they had.  So that he would be familiar with the characteristics of any particular plane that the Navy or Marines flew.

Now, carriers have lighted mirrors to tell the pilot if he is in the slot, or too high or low.  Too fast or too slow.  But back then, they depended on the LSO.  Fighter pilots are cocky and sometimes felt the LSO didn't know what he was doing, and they would end up hitting the carrier as it was coming up in the water.  It is dangerous.  You have to trust the LSO or you won't get on board, or you might come on board in a fireball.  Which is not pretty.

It all depends on where you are in the groove if you are going to get a landing.  If you need to add power, the LSO gives a signal with the paddle.  If you need to wave off and go around, the LSO signals you.  It all depends on a million factors because the front of the ship is always coming up or going down.  And your plane is either in the groove, or too low or too high.  It has to be perfect.


The LSO stood on the very edge of the ship next to a net that he would fall into, backwards, when someone didn't do what he told them to and crashed.  The net was like a shoot that took him to the bottom of the ship. But there came a day when carriers shifted to mirrors and the LSO was phased out.  I kept his Micky Mouse ears, (sound buffers) and the glo-stripes from his suit. But I didn't keep his paddles, which I sorely regret.  Being an LSO wasn't his first job.  His first job was being a fighter pilot.  Single seat, supersonic.  He had such an interesting life.

I spoke yesterday of the people I had lost; however Ken is still with me.  He lives in my mind.  He lives in my heart.  He is the love of my life.  I was honored to be his wife for 57 years.