Originally posted by scout
Who remembers 'bikeman' / 'onebike' ? Freely from memory impression of 'Onebikes' post:
When Voss was 'dying in cancer' (ca 1997) a bizarre post from a BBS newbie figure calling himself 'onebike' or 'bikeman' appeared. 'Onebike' was bewildered and confused about the allegations made against his friend 'Voss' (somehow apparently he'd found out about the BBS where 'Voss' was being discussed):
He had just visited his friend Paul 'Voss' Hinds at his deathbed.
At Voss's private mansion.
With one (or more) Warbirds parked outside.
Somber sad friends coming to visit (maybe some visiters had flown in in private warbirds).
The impression was the visitors were all succesful professionals from the intelligence community, military or gaming industry coming to visit their old friend and colleague 'Voss'.
Tears being shed.
'Onebike' didn't dare suggest the preposterous idea that 'Voss' could be a fraud for fear of dropping dead from the contempteous cold stares (or fists) he would have then received from Voss's multiple loyal friends.
"I spent the night drinking beers with the guys visiting with Paul's family.
I took a lot of notes too. Paul is a legitimate hero whether you care to
accept it or not. The big burly guy I spoke of, "IronMan," was his wingman
in operations all over the world. From what everyone told me Paul was in
violation of security when he spoke with his partner, or Robey, or whoever
got the information first. I don't really know what he said or to who. It
doesn't matter.
No one would tell me why Paul changed his name. Prior to 1992 there was
no 'Paul Hinds' and why he took that name no one would say. I know what his
family names are, now, and none one of them is 'Hinds' so maybe he had some
other reason. We may never know. He is still 'Paul' to me so I'll keep
refering to him by that name.
I spoke to a guy who asked that I pass along a few tidbits, just to put
your minds to rest. This comes from the guy that created Medivac, and
Cooperative Ventures training. He was Paul's fathers' roommate in college,
was Paul's fathers' best man, and Paul's father was his best man. They both
served in Korea and Vietnam as Army officers. He knew Paul as a teenager
and then didn't see him again for years until he popped up in a cooperative
venture session as an F-16 jockey. Happy to see an old friend they got
together and talked shop. Finally, it was decided that Paul would leave his
Air Force position and become part of the cooperative ventures team. He
stayed in that position until the government called upon him for some other
duty. It was this duty that saw him shot down, and hurt. Something happened
there that no one wants to discuss.
It really made Ironman upset to hear it all relayed again, so I have to
guess he was there or is sorry he wasn't.
So, you may never find actual proof that 'Paul Hinds' was ever in the Air
Force. I submit however that it doesn't matter. Maybe he should have kept
his mouth shut who knows. I have found all the proof I need.
You should all know as I didn't that this cannot be discussed further via
any electronic means. After the big blowup of Robey's I can't see you
getting the chance to talk with Paul but that's the only way we'll ever
know more.
I think that's the end of this discussion for me.
I will add though that all of these guys, legitimate military, stated
that any guy that claims he's speaking for the 'honor' of the military
personnel of the world, is full of ****. Most military *******s are scum or
bums. I don't believe the Paul I know fits either category.
John "OneMan" Birkes"
"This will be an abbreviated version of a very long day.
I went to visit with Paul this morning. I couldn't get in to see him.
They're only letting family in so I made yet another visit to his home. To
my surprise there were tons of visitors packing every corner of the house.
There were a lot of warbirds parked outside of his hangar. Some of them I
didn't recognize but most were WWII types I think. I felt very out of place
but Shelley's friend Kathy wouldn't let me leave. She grabbed my arm and
used me like a crutch to get back to the rec. room.
I waited for about an hour while no one showed me any interest and then
went back outside. One really big guy was holding a wall up until I walked
out and then he stopped me and asked how I knew Paul. I told him. He told
me that Paul helped him hunt down his plane and then put him in touch with
someone that could do maintenance on it.
I asked him how many of the people in the house he knew and he said
almost all of them. So, where did Paul meet them?
"From the military. Cooperative ventures (?) most of them." Huh?
So I related the entire story about the events of recent days. He looks
at me like I'm an idiot and says, "Christ!" He looked really mad and I was
getting scared. Finally I worked up the courage to ask him if Paul had been
in the Air Force. He looks at me with wet eyes and says, "You're not Air
Force so I know he didn't tell you that."
Then there's a long pause.
"His family has been flying since World War One. Someone in his family
was the number two ace from that war. He lived in Arkansas too. His
grandfather was a blacksheep after the real blacksheep were gone. Also from
Arkansas. Two or three members of his family flew in Vietnam. None of them
can compare to what he's done. None of them." That's nearly an exact quote.
I was trying to think of a way out of there when he grabbed me and says,
"Have you ever noticed him shake when he gets excited? I mean his hands
really start to tremble. Like when there's nothing there to make him act
that way? It's adrenalin. Makes him shake something fierce. He can even be
smiling and real happy but he shakes like he's scared to death? Gee, I
wonder how come?"
Then he escorts me back into the house and we all sat down and had beers
till there were no more of them. No one talked about the military. No one
talked about death or dying. When we heard about the Oklahoma case decision
nearly every one of them said, "Damn right!" and then moved into the
hangar.
I bet they're all still there polishing the Mustang.
So maybe I'm confused. Maybe he lied to you. Maybe not. I still don't
know for sure.
For some reason he has a lot of very loyal friends.
Until he gets well, or passes on, I don't think I want to ask anymore
questions. He deserves better. I believe that.
JOB"
