News from Our Fellow Retirees

  In April 2013, Jim Walker, a retiree from Flight Crew Training wrote in to us:  "...at Douglas I learned the DC-8, DC-9, DC-10, & KC-10.  I simply loved that job, going all over the world teaching ground school systems and performance to airline crews.  When I retired, I had over 15,000 hours of crew flying heavy stuff, but our airline and military world were going to computers.  I was given the choice to learn computer or simply retire!  It took me 5ive years to slowly, mentally retire.  I'm OK, now I read Airline info, Boeing RoundUp, Boeing magazine and attend the Boeing/MDC/DAC retiree luncheons.  I am 86 and have the same loving wife for 66 years, but I miss the fast aviation world that the Boeing people enjoy today.  I think the computer won!"    Jim Walker, Lakewood, Ca.

In June, Joe and Barbara Callaghan received an email from Bill Kreuzers's daughter, Valerie.  She wrote, "she and her Dad enjoyed visiting friends at the October 2012 Luncheon; after which they took a leisurely return trip up the coast to Portland to celebrate his 96th birthday at his favorite restaurant, 'Amadeus'. After dinner he was very content and peaceful sitting beside the fireplace and looking out the window to the Willametter River with a beautiul sunset.  He closed his eyes and never regained consciousness.  He passed away on November 06, 2012.  I flew him home to LA where we held a beautiful Catholic Mass.  He is buried above his Dad, and beside his Mother at Holy Cross Cemetery."   Valerie Williams, Eugene, Oregon.

The next corresponent, Oswaldo E. (Henry) Tappata, formerly with the Sales Dept. and now residing in Banning, Ca., sent me two books he has authored.  The first, "My Three Lives", recounts his early life in Argentina, his exile in Uruguay, and his new life in the United States.  I found this book this book especially interesting as he has lead an exciting life and appears to still be very active in his Banning community.  Besides completion of studies with the Argentine Air Force Academy, working with Northrup, Lockheed-Argentina, Douglas Aircraft, Lockheed-Marietta, Texas Air Corp (today's Continental Air Holdings), Consultant to Eastern, Continental, Aerocar, Intl Air Leases, and Century Assn., he spent years in political exile before coming to the USA and obtaining citizenship in April 1961.  He finished his career at Douglas Aircraft after 21 years.  His final position was Commercial Sales Manager for Latin America and Caribbean for the DC-8/DC-9/MD-80 and DC-10 programs.

The second book he sent was entitled "About Corporate and Government Corruption", authored in September 2007.  It is filled with news articles, personal letters ranging from his contact with the Argentine Government through hi involvement with the group of employees that sued McDonnell Douglas in 1995 over the company walking away from Health Care promises to retirees.  He has done a very thorough job documenting the details of the lawsuit and the eventual ruling favoring MDC and resulting in a one-time award to employees.  The action set up the Retiree Board that this editor is a member of, and I found it of particular interest. I am certain that both books are available from Henry, or just give me a call and I will be glad to lend my copies.

Another writer, Dale Stoner, currently living in Austin, Texas, wrote in to the retiree mailbox and his letter was passed along to me.  I had trouble understanding Dale's true purpose in writing.  He did recall an incident at Douglas in the early 1970's when a team from Kuwaiti Airlines pitched their tents on the flight line in anticipation of the delivery of their aircraft.  It seems they had a tent catch fire while cooking on hibachis. Something I don't recall.  He went on to talk about the exotic autos he owned and a close call with the police over a mistaken identity.  I would like to relate more, but honestly I don't know what to say.  Perhaps Dale will read this an give me another chance.

.