Saturday, September 11, 2021
John and I became best friends at the Air Force Academy in 1967 when we were in the same squadron during basic training at Jacks Valley and during the rest of “doolie” year. We were two of 21 quarterbacks recruited for the freshman football team and we spent a lot of time together as doolies and during sophomore year practicing football and learning how to be cadets. John had quick moves and I remember one day when he left me in the dust with a scar over my right eye from his cleat when I tried to tackle him. I still have the scar.
After graduation I visited John in El Paso after riding my motorcycle from Maryland and spent 3 days with John and his family while I recuperated. John took me to the stadium at UTEP and told me all about his dad, Coach Bobby Dobbs. After pilot training I stopped at John’s place again for a couple of days, this time in an old milk truck, with my motorcycle inside, that I was driving to Luke AFB for F-4 training. I broke down about 60 miles out of town and John came to the rescue. We roomed together in an apartment in Glendale, Az while learning how to drop bombs and employ our first fighter, the F-4 Phantom. Learning how to fly the F-4 was great fun and we stayed in shape playing flag football and other sports. One day John loaned me his pride and joy, his 1970 Corvette 454 and I promptly ran it across a concrete lane divider that I couldn’t see over the big hood scoop and scrapped it a little, but I don’t think John ever forgave me for that and I don’t blame him.
After our F-4 training John went to MacDill AFB and I zoomed off to England. During one trip to Tampa I visited John and met Jane and ran up and down the steps of a stadium with Mike at a football game, which I doubt that he remembers. After the F-4 we both spent a lot of time flying F-16s, which we both loved, but we never flew together again.
Lots of good memories with Dobber, and all of us that served with John remember him for his friendship, his wit, his leadership and his love for his family, but most of all for his love of flying. We will all miss him.
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