Monday, October 26, 2026
this is a good idea
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1607084887577996&set=gm.29078290531783082&idorvanity=413414438697407
ever heard of Radatron gauges? I've never seen one until just now
the medical evac in a C9 after the Marine Barracks in Beirut were blown up by Hezbollah (with findings also tying the attack to Iran and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) Oct 23rd, 1983
Unusual, because crew rest was 12 hrs and I wasn't scheduled for alert. I asked what was going on and was told, "its classified, but turn on the news".
Ten minutes later, I was alerted for a C-141 AE mission to Beirut to pick up injured Marine from the USMC Peacekeeping Force barracks bombing.
Tom Fisher, Susan Rothfuss, Joe Bunker, and others were already there picking up the first 24 injured.
We loaded the Starlifter with as much IV fluids and bandages and supplies and equipment, closed the doors and headed to the active runway at Frankfurt IAP (FRF) in Germany with priority for take off.
With the jet lined up for take off, the sound of the spun up engines cut back and my C-9A crew (2 Flight Nurses and 3 aeromedical evacuation technicians) were taken off the 141, with our bags and medications
That 141 went on to return another 24 patients and a number of KIA in body bags.
Our commander, Colonel Tony Trezza had been a USMC Embassy Guard at Rome Italy when he was a young Marine. This mission held a spot deep in his heart and he made sure we had enough crew and supplies to help the Marines. I went back and remained on alert for any other activity. later I did get some of the Marines back to the States on my scheduled C-141 missions.
These photos are the only photo documentation of that mission, taken by then Captain Sue Rothfuss and the one of Col Trezza was taken by me on a routine C-9A mission. Semper Fi, Marines.
Lest we forget ( I had to wait after the anniversary (when I typically post about the Beirut bombing) for these photos, I bet you understand why it was worth the wait)
Sunday, October 25, 2026
it's remarkable how life can change directions
Dr. Carl Allamby, 53, is an emergency medicine doctor at the Cleveland Clinic, which is especially inspiring once you learn that he only became a doctor when he was 51.
For 25 years, Allamby worked as an automotive technician and a small business owner, a career he tells PEOPLE began out of “desperation," but led to a lot of success.
Still, even after building two additional locations and creating other related business, including a towing service and a used car company, Allamby realized he was searching for a more fulfilling career.
1990 Renault Alpine V6 Turbo, Grand Tourisme Alpine, or GTA (rear mounted engine)
The car debuted in 1985 as Alpine’s first model under Renault ownership, conceived to push avant garde technology into Porsche’s face. It rides on a central backbone chassis derived from Lotus, with a fiberglass and polyester body keeping weight near 1,200 kilograms.
The turbocharged version was named the Grand Tourisme Alpine, or GTA, and glass C pillars cured the old car’s blind spots, and a drag coefficient under .30 helped the 200 HP V6 Turbo reach 60 mph in 6.3 seconds, and hit 150 mph.
Hand assembly limited output to about three cars a day, under 7,500 in total.
https://petrolicious.com/blogs/articles/the-renault-alpine-gta-was-france-s-answer-to-porsches-in-the-80s
