Campgottagopee
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2020
Very coolOK, here’s the story.
Despite having humble beginnings my dad and uncle worked hard and did well from themselves. My dad worked for IBM and my uncle was a veterinarian. They both had adventurous spirits and developed a passion for aviation. They became pilots and shared a private airplane. In 1985 they decided to go big and took off in their single engine Mooney in the New York to Paris Transatlantic Air Rally. They flew the northern route over the Arctic so they could make the necessary fuel stops. During the rally at a bar in Scotland my dad heard someone tell the story of the Lost Squadron in Greenland and that people were looking for them. When my dad returned home he told the story of his adventure to interested friends. Among them were the Pizzagalis from Vermont. They had a large construction company that did a lot of work for IBM that my dad project managed. In telling the story of the Air Rally he mentioned the Lost Squadron. A couple years passed and they called to say remember that story you told us about those WWII planes? They found them and we won the bid to get them out! We need you to come with us!
So, in 1989 my dad and uncle went up to join the expedition. They couldn’t stay the whole summer because of work commitments and after a couple weeks came home with plans to return later. When it was time to go back my uncle couldn’t make it. He was invited to speak at a veterinarian conference in Las Lenas, Argentina. Since the tickets were already booked and there was an empty seat I was invited to join. It was an opportunity of a lifetime. An experience that changed my life forever.
They will always be my biggest heroes.
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Chance of a lifetime for sure!!