Author Topic: sn1p3r SALUTE!!! A tribute to my wingman. (Read 333 times)

discod · « **on:** February 13, 2001, 02:18:00 PM »

The loss of Sn1p3r is a truly tragic loss of a good friend.

I had wondered why he had not responded to any email I sent him. My worst fear was true

Sniper is the one who got me voted into the Musketeers squad. He taught me how to fly the HOG and his personality always livened up the arena when he was around.

Any time he was online we would join up to wingman for eachother, flying tight formation in CHOG's like a couple of wolves on the prowl. I could always count on him watching my back, clearing my six, and saving my butt in a pinch.

We had some real fun times just messing around too, like the time we spent 2 hours and countless attempts trying to fly inverted through the double fighter hangars, all the while being attacked. He did it first!

Then we spent another hour trying in throught the VH! (Man that killed our stats!)

Sniper loved the Musketeers and he often expressed it on Roger Wilco with comments like "This is the coolest squad!!" and "Man!! I love this squad!!"

Our squad has felt like family to me and Brian felt like a brother to me. I'm glad that I had the privelege to meet with him in person at the Con.

I will miss him.

<S>!!!

Left to right Brian "sn1p3r" Pettingell, Dave "discod" Hales, Randy "rafbader" Macdonald

At the con

[This message has been edited by discod (edited 02-13-2001).]

LePaul · « **Reply #1 on:** February 13, 2001, 02:25:00 PM »

Sad. Seems like a great guy.

I hesitate to ask, but what happened to him?

<Bows head in silence>

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Paul J. Busiere
http://bd5.checksix.net
BD-5 "T" (TurboProp) 90% complete, first flight in 2001 (We hope!)

hblair · « **Reply #2 on:** February 13, 2001, 02:35:00 PM »

Sharp, lively looking young man. Just goes to prove, you never know when it's your time. Hope his family's dealing with this ok. Was he married discod?

Eagler · « **Reply #3 on:** February 13, 2001, 02:51:00 PM »

sn1p3r was a great squad mate. He was always organizing raids and missions. He helped me with the basics of bombing when I first came over to AH from FA. Always ready to lend a hand, never left you in a pinch. Though I never personally met him, through RW I was able to know a side of him which I admired and respected. He will be missed by his squadron and friends.

"One for All & All for One"

Salute Sniper .. rest in peace <S>

Eagler

[This message has been edited by Eagler (edited 02-13-2001).]

F4UDOA · « **Reply #4 on:** February 13, 2001, 03:04:00 PM »

How old was he?

This is a huge tragedy. Even though I did not know him this is a sad day for all.

Here is a little excerpt from Tommy Blackburns auto-biography. It is a quote from Shakespeare's King Henry the V. It is a tribute to the fallen and the fighting.

"He that outlives these days and comes safe home will stand a tip-toe when these days are named. He that sees old age will strip his sleeve and show his scars. This story shall the good man teach his son. And gentlemen who were then abed shall think themselves accurst that they were not there, and hold there manhoods cheap whiles any speak that fought with us".

<S>

Ripsnort · « **Reply #5 on:** February 13, 2001, 03:53:00 PM »

From the "Who are you?" thread:

Quote

Originally posted by Sn1p3r:
Your Aces High call sign? It's significance?
======
Sn1p3r - fascinated with the trade and the weapons

Your Aces High squad?
=======
Musketeer Escadrille (aka. MSKTs, muskets, muketeers)

Your name?
=======
Brian Pettingell

Your age?
=======
26

Your Email?
=======
snipe@indigi.net

Where do you live?
========
Scottsdale, Arizona

Where else have you lived?
=========
Phoenix, Denver, Greenville Tx, Commerce Tx, Atlanta

What do you do for a living?
==========
I design fiber optic networks for the internet. Former employers such as Qwest, GTE, MCI

What is your marital/family status?
==========
Single, cause I am always home flying
Times a wasting ..

What schools have you attended?
==========
East Texas State University (now Texas A&M Commerce)

Arizona State University

What degrees do you have?
=========
School of hard knocks .. thrown out of the house at 16.

What are your hobbies?
========
sniping, weight lifting, beer, flying AH.

What other flight sims have you been involved in? Your call sign and squad in that sim?
=========
No others on-line .. played a lot of Falcon 3 & 4

Do you have any other connection to aviation or WWII?
========
Oh Yeah .. My grandfather on my Dad's side flew B-25's in the CBI theater. Whole site dedicated to his bomber wing and squad here:
http://www.geocities.com:0080/Pentagon/9669/home.htm

He flew in the 491'st bomb squad (Robert C. Pettingell)

My grandmother was also in the American Red Cross and she met my grandfather in China. She has a site dedicated to her work as well:
http://www.geocities.com:0080/Pentagon/9669/resort/home.htm

Here name at that time was Barbara "boots" Vatter.

-Sn1p3r

discod · « **Reply #6 on:** February 13, 2001, 04:48:00 PM »

Thanks for the info post Ripsnort.

discod · « **Reply #7 on:** February 13, 2001, 06:19:00 PM »

The Musketeer emblem in honour of a lost friend.

[This message has been edited by discod (edited 02-13-2001).]

Sundog · « **Reply #8 on:** February 13, 2001, 07:18:00 PM »

I'm truly sorry to hear about your loss. My condolensces go out to his family and friends. Having flown with the Devildogs for years now, I know the bonds of which you speak. <S!> Sn1p3r. You'll be missed.

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Sundog
VMF-111 Devildogs
'Criticism is always easier then craftmanship.'

Dinger · « **Reply #9 on:** February 13, 2001, 08:20:00 PM »

Back when my squad was rook, I flew some sorties with Sn1p3r. When I found out he joined the Musketeers, that decision gave me respect for the squad. In this world, there are few people I can say have, by their personal comportment, made me respect the persons with whom they associated themselves.

DRILL · « **Reply #10 on:** February 13, 2001, 08:50:00 PM »

MUSKETEERS the 457th regrets your loss of SNIPR3 (BRIAN PETTINGEL)our condolensces to his family, he will be missed by friend n foe alike (S)

ANGELS DO FLY

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DRILL CO 457TH

Sky Viper · « **Reply #11 on:** February 13, 2001, 09:16:00 PM »

<S> Sn1p3r

SkViper
No. 54 Sq

jato757 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 13, 2001, 09:21:00 PM »

man, its hard to think the guy is gone, it was fun to fly with him, and he was realy a funny guy to talk to on roger wilco, he will be missed, <SALUTE> TO SNIPER, jato

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[This message has been edited by jato757 (edited 02-13-2001).]

Crazyhorse · « **Reply #13 on:** February 14, 2001, 01:58:00 AM »

There's a hole in the sky
Where the light shines through
Sn1p3r has dropped his load
Accelerated to light speed
And passed on through.

Salute M8
You will always have a place on our flightline

NineZ · « **Reply #14 on:** February 14, 2001, 06:16:00 AM »

When I met S1p3r we were flying in the early stages of AH, and we (Musketeers) recognized the fact that this guy was a class act and a heck of a good bomber pilot.

He was invited into the squadron and became our designated bomber group coordinator. He was always proud of the fact that his grandfather flew bombers in WWII, and he transfered that pride into one heck of a feared opponent within AH.

Brian was also the guy who invited Cobra into our squad. He will be missed by all of us. Life is such a fragile thing.

In regards to what exactly happened to Brian. Well we were able to go back and look at some of his posts within our BB and we could see a subtle hint of some illness, but at the time it just looked like a minor thing.

We can only surmise that Brian had a terminal disease and did not want to share that knowledge with his cyber buddies. Perhaps this was the one place he could escape within and be treated like he was healthy again. I dont know, for sure. All I can say is that this is a shock even to those on the squadron that were closest to him.

I have learned a very important lesson in this loss, dont take these cyber friendships for granted, they are truly bonds beyond the casual.

I want to thank all of the AH community for sharing your thoughts and condolences for our friend Brian.

NineZ

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[This message has been edited by NineZ (edited 02-14-2001).]