It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

[N4843W]

Most weeks there is at least one accident where members of our armed forces perish on duty, more often than not in training or routine operations. I never know the names, but look at the home towns and force myself to stop, and pray that the families and friends of each one with find peace and strength to persevere to deal with the tragedy and find the will to move on with life in a positive way.

Last week I awoke in Southern California about 4:00 AM as I always do there, and found a text saying the son of good friends of ours was one of three that had perished in an Air Force crash at Clovis, NM. I was simply devastated, as is a good bit of our town. His mother was music director for the high school for around 30 years and also for one of the predominant churches, so virtually everyone knew the family. Captain Andy Becker was as fine a young man you could ever meet. He was the prototypical Air Force Pilot ... tall, strong, good-looking, big smile, ready laugh ... and really cared about everyone. My daughter dated him and they remained good friends. She is heartbroken. Well, we all are.

I am especially close to Andy's big brother Skip, who is a corporate pilot. We have flown together many, many times over the years. He is the kind of guy who will become the rock of the family, but now the worry over his chosen profession will only become greater. So please remember Captain Andy Becker of Novi, Michigan, and his parents, Stacey and Gary, and his brother and sister, Skip and Betsy. And stop for a moment each time we lose a member of our Armed Forces. They paid the ultimate price to serve out country and keep us free.

If on Facebook, click this link to see a brilliant memorial to Andy: #randomactsforandy

https://www.airforcetimes.com/artic...-3-airmen-killed-in-new-mexico-training-crash

 

[Pat]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

So very sad, Scott. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. We are forever grateful for the sacrifice that he and his family have made to keep this country safe and free. God bless all of them. May He give them peace and comfort in their loss. May they always remember what a fine young man he was and that they should be so very proud of him.

 

[CaptKirk]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

Very sorry for your loss Scott. It sounds like Andy was an amazing guy. Becky and I will be praying for Andy's family, you, and the whole town as you all grieve his loss.

Kirk

 

[N295TC]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

Scott my wife and I pray during our morning devotions and evening prayer time for our veterans. We pray for the ones that are currently serving, the ones that have served in the past and the ones that will eventually dedicate their lives to keep us safe & free in this Great Country. We will add Captain Andy, his family and everyone that came in contact with this amazing young man to our prayer list. I pray their lives will forever be changed in a positive way just for having known him.

Prayers and Blessings!

 

[davloose]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

Sorry for the news...

 

[Jamesdub]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

Scott,
Like the others, very sorry for your loss.
Having been a career military pilot and having two active duty sons flying as we speak we appreciate your /all prayers/acknowledgement.

I was very fortunate in 34 yrs active we never experienced a loss in any of my assigned units. Plenty of dings / dents / close-calls though . . .
Again, sorry you had one hit home.

 

[JimParker256]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

Scott, I'm so sorry for your loss. There are no words that can offer comfort in these situations. No one knows exactly what you're going through, because each loss is different, just as each relationship is different.

We had a similar incident on New Year's Eve that profoundly impacted my little town of Farmersville, TX. There was a mid-air collision between a Luscombe and a Piper Arrow at Aero Country airport (T31) in McKinney, TX where I used to base my airplane. Three people were killed in the crash – two of them were father and son from Farmersville. The father was a retired Air Force pilot (the last pilot selected to fly the SR-71 before that program shut down), was a pillar of the local community and his church, and had been the local Scoutmaster for many years, and helped a bunch of local scouts earn their Eagle Scout rank. With him in the Luscombe was his son, a freshman at the Air Force Academy, and an Eagle Scout. They lived on the property right next to mine. Our community was devastated by the loss, and grieved for weeks.

When it's someone you know, the impact is immediate and visceral. My prayers are with you, Scott, and the family and friends of those involved. May God grant peace and comfort to all of you.

 

[Sherman]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

Scott/All: Just heartbreaking. Words can't really express. Having grown up Griffiss AFB (now RME), served at Naha Naval Air Station & Kadena AFB, and as Pilots, we know 'stuff happens'. We a pray if it does----

Sadly, it seems in today's world, the True Reality of these Personal Tragedies just get lost in the 15 sec news blurb.
I am at a loss to to say more. Life is Very Fragile, We must Cherish our Blessings.

 

[N4843W]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

Thanks to all for your kind and supportive comments. They are airing the service from NM live on the base website right now. A very moving tribute. The AirForce Thunderbirds did a 6-plane, Lost Man flyover, with three jets departing upward in three directions. If you click on below, it is 3 or 4 windows down. Pretty remarkable that they would do that. Captain Becker's local service will be in our town Saturday Afternoon. That will be a tough one.


https://www.facebook.com/AFThunderbirds/

 

[nruzic]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

Scott heartfelt condolences on your loss. Scott sounds like a very nice archetypical or posterchild pilot his family must be devastated. I am sure you and your family will comfort his brother Skip and the rest of his family through the sadness ahead.

 

[Jamesdub]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

Thanks to all for your kind and supportive comments. They are airing the service from NM live on the base website right now. A very moving tribute. The AirForce Thunderbirds did a 6-plane, Lost Man flyover, with three jets departing upward in three directions. If you click on below, it is 3 or 4 windows down. Pretty remarkable that they would do that. Captain Becker's local service will be in our town Saturday Afternoon. That will be a tough one.


https://www.facebook.com/AFThunderbirds/

Very impressive (missing men) fly-over.

 

[Tazman]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

Scott,
It is always sad when a pilot, especially one so close, is lost.
Our prayers are with the family.

 

[N4843W]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

Governor Rick Snyder of Michigan today ordered all flags in the staff to half-mast in honor of Captain Andy Becker. A fitting tribute.

 

[Sherman]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

Scott, THANKS for sharing. When I 1st heard the news blurb on TV, what caught my attention was 'Clovis NM' as when I bought the 61 Dodge Lancer in LA area, Fall 2007, I drove back to Virginia via El Paso, Roswell, and spent a night in Clovis Drove by the AFB as I left the area.

Your post brought the country geographically together.
As we have all shared, We feel your loss both personally and as Pilots.

 

[N4843W]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

Thanks all, for the kind and supportive comments. The service Saturday was really remarkable. I would guess about 400 in attendance. First, the military honors, done outside the rain, with a flyover, then the regular service inside the church which was extremely well-done. Andy's many accomplishments were cited -- first in his graduating class at Embry-Riddle, First in his flight school class, given the chance at any one of 10 or 12 assignments flying for the AirForce and ultimately choosing the Commando Squadron due to the nature of the work and the high skill level required, a lot of low-level night flying among other tasks. They use a highly-modified Pilatus are known as "the most secretive squadron in the AirForce" and are always on call for the US State Department. Picture attached.

The moment that really got to everyone was a point in the latter part of the service that up on the screen just said, "special music." At that, more than 50 kids that were scattered all over the church including my oldest son Conor, stood and walked to the front and formed up on the steps right in front of Andy's parents, wife, and extended family. Then they sang two songs that Stacey (the Mom, a noted high school and church choir director) taught them all during their 20+ years of running youth musicals at the local Methodist church. It was a complete surprise and the kids, well, now mostly adults between 25 & 35 (I think Conor was the oldest, at 36) actually got together and rehearsed the night before. It was a total surprise in a very good way and made an incredible impact. Every one of them knew Andy. What an honor. They also gave Captain Becker a posthumous promotion to Major.

So Godspeed, Major Becker. Each Pilatus I see for the rest of my life will remind me of you.

 

[N4843W]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

This will be my last post about Major Andrew Becker. As a memorial, I offer this poem written by my first father who passed when I was 24. He was a P51 Fighter Pilot in a legendary squadron -- the 78th Fighter Group -- flying off Iwo Jima to targets over Japan. He wrote this in memoriam to the many pilot friends he had lost. I have read it at many services, including my big brother's last June:

Blue Angels —from "The Eye of the Beholder" by Malcolm M. Sedam (1975)

And I will rise
on wings of splendid fire
and trace a thousand love poems
for the earth’s desire —
And I will climb
through towers of timeless space
and lift my ardent longing
to the sun’s embrace —
And I will soar
across the endless skies
and seek the precious moment
where the deep heart lies —
And I will glide
down halls of velvet white
and spread the golden morning
with a god’s delight —
Love will I bring to you
life will I sing to you
beauty becoming you
faith to ascend —
You look at me amazed?
I will begin again . . .

 

[JimParker256]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

I really like that, Scott. Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

[nruzic]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

wow Scott that's quite a ceremony.

 

[Sherman]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

Scott - Great Legacy and Inspiration! Solemn Reflections.
Like Jim said - Thanks for Sharing.

Condolences on my loss of your older brother.
Sure he, like Major Becker & Alex are in your heart as joining our Loved Ones who are now of Blessed Memory.

In the spirit of your father's line :"'Love I will bring you":
Think I Finally understand your Commander Legacy (P51 family Heritage) and what you have called 'N4834W'- - - each time you fly being 'Green with Respect"

Sure I can say for many of us 'Looking forward to sharing some refreshments with you soon'!

 

[N4843W]

Re: It's never someone you know ... and then it is.

Scott - Great Legacy and Inspiration! Solemn Reflections.
Like Jim said - Thanks for Sharing.

Condolences on my loss of your older brother.
Sure he, like Major Becker & Alex are in your heart as joining our Loved Ones who are now of Blessed Memory.

In the spirit of your father's line :"'Love I will bring you":
Think I Finally understand your Commander Legacy (P51 family Heritage) and what you have called 'N4834W'- - - each time you fly being 'Green with Respect"

Sure I can say for many of us 'Looking forward to sharing some refreshments with you soon'!

Thank you Sherman and to everyone else for your supportive comments. My First Dad passed when I was 24 and then at age 30 my Mother remarried "Dusty" -- Colonel LJ Donner who flew P51's in the CBI theater in WWII. He went on the run the NY Air Guard base at Niagra Falls and flew 276 missions in one year in Viet Nam in a Super Sabre F100. Amazing man and still going strong at age 95. So have been beyond blessed to have had 2 wonderful fathers, both accomplished P51 pilots. Planning a flight at Stallion 51 just so I can experience a bit of what they did. Nothing like being 21 on the other side of the earth and being shot at almost every day, I know that.

I am going flying this week with Skip Becker, Andy's big brother, who is a corporate pilot flying G-5's out of Detroit Metro. We are just going to go fly, no particular plan, just fly and talk. Should be cathartic. He loves the Commander.