K6VGP Richard W. 'Dick' Mc Kay Rancho Palos Verdes, CA QCWA # 16154 Chapter 7

I was born in Hollywood, California, and attended and graduated from Black Foxe Military Academy. I then attended and graduated from Claremont McKenna College.

After relaxing for a summer, I entered the Army as a Corps of Engineers Second Lieutenant.I then attended Rotary Wing Training at Camp Wolters Texas, and nine months later graduated Helicopter school at Ft. Rucker Alabama. I was then assigned to Ft. Benning Georgia flying the UH-1D Huey for C Company, 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 11th Air Assault Division, which was transferred to An Khe Viet Nam 1 year later and renamed the 1st Calalry Division. After a year flying "slicks" in Viet Nam I rotated to Ft Hood Texas as a Captain and standardization Instructor Pilot for 3rd Army, and flew test hops for NASA while they were trying to evaluate landing Apollo Capsules on land rather than on the ocean. After a year they wanted to give me an Aviation Platoon and send me back to Viet Nam, so I examed my options (I had enough being shot at) and interviewed with L.A. Airways (a helicopter outfit), Pan Am and United Airlines ...

I was accepted by all three, and chose United. I was with United for 34 years, based in LAX and flew the DC-6, Boeing 720, 727, the Douglas DC-8 (50, 61, 62, & 71 series), and "graduated" in December 2001 as a 747-400 Captain flying to Hong Kong, Narita (Tokyo), Sydney and Auckland. It was fun.

Now in retirement I maintain my DARN repeater system (DARN.org), look after rental properties I have, travel, cruise, ski, keep in touch with all the friends I have made throughout the years and fly my Staggerwing Beech. I am a member of several Aviation organizations, among them the QBs (SNA Hanger), and the Red Barons, where I head the San Pedro lodge as Staffel Baron. Retirement is good!

December 10, 2015