Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: Alpo on February 28, 2012, 08:25:38 PM
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It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform the community that SKDenny, a longtime member of the SkyKnights Bomber Group, lost his fight with lung cancer on February 20th.
Denny was one of the original members of the SkyKnights dating back to 1995 in AirWarrior, if my memory serves me correctly. In those days, he was known for loading a B17 with a full crew of gunners and tormenting the Az and Bz with wild maneuvers which nearly made crew members nauseous. With a southern baritone voice that was unmistakable, he would just laugh all the while. There was rarely a time time when you could come across Denny without SKColt being in the gunner position and together they made quite the formidable duo. He could often be found flying his B17s (and eventually the B24s) until the early light of dawn, bombing and causing mischief while making friends of several of the overseas squadrons along the way.
Denny hung up his wings a few years ago when the pain of post polio syndrome got the best of him, but I know he missed it. Aces High was always a fun place to be with him around.
I had the honor of meeting Denny, his wife Anne, and sons Denny Jr. (SKTazz) and Joe (SKRoll20) several times in Atlantic City, Las Vegas, and lastly at his home in Virginia. That man made you feel like family every time you saw him. He will truly be missed.
The SkyKnights are planning a memorial flight for SKDenny on Sunday (March 04, 2012) at 7:00pm EST in the Training Arena and all are requested and invited to attend.
(http://www.lafvb.com/Images/rick/SKDenny.jpg)
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:salute
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Fair winds and a clear bombsight Denny. :salute
Alpo I will be there let me know if ya need anything sir.
HEELER
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When it rains it pours
I remember SKDenny and the SkyKnights squadron very well.......... have flown with them for many a year
<S> Denny and GodSpeed my friend!
thoughts and prayers for SKDenny's family and to the SkyKnights as well,
SKDenny is up there laughing it up with ol Damned Buzzard, Damned KGann, Damned Niffers as well as many other longtime WWII online flight sim addicts all having a beer and laughing at all us lemmings down here, may his sun shine on us forever more
<S>
thanks for letting us know Alpo........ I will try and be there March 4th..... let me know if you need any help in the TA
TC
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I'll be there God speed :salute
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R.I.P. Him and Cheech are up there flying together now.
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I'd be there if I could.
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I fondly remember SKDenny and his Deathstar, those were fun flights back in AW. I know he had stopped playing years ago but I thought it was from burn out and not from bad health. He did make the game fun when he was around. :salute
ack-ack
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I first met Denny in AW in 95.That is when I found a home in The SkyKnights. He taught me most everything I know about bombing. He would ware the other side down for so long until their base was taken if it took all night. He would not give up. That is the way he was to the last. A first rate leader. Fun guy to be around. I will always call Denny a friend and I miss him. :salute
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:angel: :pray :salute SKDenny
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:salute will be there.
semp
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Denny still flies with me, in my heart and soul. :salute old friend. How I remember the AW deathstars, and Denny's amazing B-17 vs fighter dogfights. I cannot recall how many missions we flew together through the years. I am blessed to have known him as a friend :)
Here is Denny and I in Vegas in 2007.
(http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa391/SKColt/ColtandDenny.jpg)
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Prayers for Denny's family. I'll be there Sunday.
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:salute, will try to be there
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Denny goes back a long ways to the Airwarrior years. Sad to see he's gone :(
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My best to his family and friends. <<S>>
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I met Denny in AW and was often one of his gunners. We had some great times that I will always remember. I will definitely be there on Sunday. :salute
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I remember SKDenny from back in the AW4W days. Very sorry to hear about his passing. :salute
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What truly wonderful memories this loss has returned to me. I remember him well, but I had never seen a picture of him that I can recall. He's laughing in one, and looks snockered in the other. :lol Thank you. I miss you Denny.
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My condolences to the Sky Knights for their the loss of SKDenny and to his family and sons SKTazman and SKRoll, I have been on many a mission with all three. I've never seen anyone fly and use their guns as SKDenny would when flying his B24's in this game taking down town buildings. He always had a way of putting a smile on your face when he talked to you. You will be surely missed sir. I'm sure you and hgCeech are looking down on us all as I know how good friends you both were in this game.
Alpo whatever help you need sir the 365th FBG Hell Hawks are here to support the Sky Knights in whatever we can do to help.
R.I.P. SKDenny you are free to fly again
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My condolences SK's... :salute
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I'd been flying with Denny since Air Warrior. I remember meeting him for the first time in person in Atlantic City. I was shocked to see him in a motorized scooter. I thought to myself somebody as full of life and fun as he sounded on the radio couldn't possibly have trouble getting around.
I thought that for maybe 5 minutes.
If anything, flying online might have toned Denny down. In person he was bursting with life and good humor. He seemed to know everyone at Trump Taj Mahal and would be just getting started in the casino when all my energy (and money) were gone.
I also had the pleasure of meeting his wife, a great lady who seemed to worship the man she'd married. It was nice seeing the two of them together.
Denny was a man who made friends easily and worked hard to keep them. There aren't many around like him.
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A little history on Denny... or I should say his father, who I believe was some of Denny's inspiration. Ray Ford, a member of the Hell's Angels (303rd Bomb Group) was a member of 1Lt Carl Fyler's crew.
Several of the Fyler crew made it to that magic 25th mission on November 29, 1943... mission #84
(http://www.303rdbg.com/na-darkhorse.jpg)
29 Nov 43 mission #84 to Bremen, Germany - In B-17F (With Nose Turret) #42-29498 Dark Horse (PU-O). Several of the Crewmen were on their 25th and last combat mission (Fyler, Molnar, Addison and Ford). The Fyler Crew was flying as second flight leader of the group's High Squadron. The B-17 of the High Squadron leader, 1Lt Pharis C. Brinkley, lost an engine as it was approaching the target. When Lt Brinkley was unable to keep up with the formation, he turned over the lead to his Deputy Squadron Leader. Dark Horse was hit by flak just after "Bombs Away" with the bomb bay doors still open. The right horizontal stabilizer, part of the right wing and two engines were lost. A third engine caught fire. The B-17 was also under attack by FW-190 German fighters.
The crew is most well known for the brave act of Joseph Sawicki, the plane's tail gunner during that fateful mission. Sawicki, who had lost an arm due to the flak blast, could no longer fire his guns, crawled to the waist and put parachutes on S/Sgt George C. Fisher (RWG)(POW) and Sgt Martin G. Stachowiak (LWG)(POW). Both had broken arms and were badly wounded. He then pushed them out of the B-17 waist door, hoping that they could open their parachutes with their one good arm. They became POWs. S/Sgt Fisher (RWG) was in German hospitals was repatriated on 01 October 1944. S/Sgt Sawicki was unable to exit the B-17 and died in the crash 25 Km southwest of Bremen. An attempt has been made to obtain the Medal of Honor Award for Sgt Sawicki for his Heroism on the 29 Nov 43 mission.
KIA-POW-WIA Crewmen 29 November 1943 - Nine Purple Hearts
* 1Lt Carl J. Fyler (P)(POW) - Wounds in left forearm, left thigh and on both hands
* 2Lt Robert C. Ward (CP)(POW) - Facial wounds. Lost an eye.
* 1Lt George Molnar (N)(POW) - Hit in Back.
* T/Sgt Bill Addison (E)(POW) - Hurled from his top turret tearing his leg apart.
* Lt James S. Petrolino (B)(POW) - Was the only crewmen who was not wounded. Lt's Ward, Molnar and Petrolino and T/Sgt Addison parachuted from the nose hatch followed by Lt Fyler.
* S/Sgt Ray D. Ford (BT)(KIA) - Was killed in his Ball Turret and was in the crashed B-17.
* S/Sgt Joseph R. Sawicki (TG)(KIA)
* Sgt Raymond B. O'Connell (R)(KIA) and Sgt Nellings P.S. Egge (Photo)(KIA) both were wounded. They were believed to have been killed by German civilians after they had safely parachuted to the ground.
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The ~~~DEVIL DOGS~~~ mourn the loss of SKDenny and pass along our condolences to the members of the SkyKnights Squadron, our frequent brothers in arms.
<S>
EZRhino
CO ~~~DEVIL DOGS~~~
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<S>
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Thank you everyone. :salute
If you are available, we would like to invite you to the Memorial flight tonight (March 04) at 7:00pm Eastern in the Training Arena.
We will launch NE from Bishops A116, take a quick flight landing at A112 from the east, assembling on both sides of the E-W runway.
B17s will take 50%, eject ordnance on A116 runway, skin = 303rd BG, 359 BS
P51s will take 50% plus drop tanks (for photo purposes), skin = 325th FG, 318 FS
SKColt and/or Seadog will lead the bombers, HGDan will lead the fighters. Bombers will land and assemble followed by the fighters. Tribute will commense after all planes are parked.
Hope to see you there. :salute
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:salute Denny
Godspeed my friend :pray
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:salute SKDenny