Rest In Peace Warrior!

[dispatchguy]

General Olds

May you rest in the most peaceful rests possible.

As it has been said before, a fighter pilot's pilot.

Douglas K Snow, SRA, Fmr USAF
310FS, Luke AFB

 

[thepotato232]

I had the honor of attending the General's funeral today. It was truly awe-inspiring to be in the presence of so many people, from sportscasters to five-star Generals, who knew that Robin Olds was the very image of what a fighter pilot should be. My mother and I were there on behalf of my father, a Wolf Pack member from the post-Olds days. There were some genuinely beautiful words said, with the acknowledgment that Gen. Olds was quite possibly the most infamous character in the Air Force. I was relieved to hear that his daughters will be working to complete his book, as that's something all of us should have the chance to read before we go.

After the service in the chapel, the congregation drove out to the cemetery to lay the General to rest. Aerial displays followed the service, with airplanes from a P-51 to a MiG 17 flown by volunteers who wanted to give Gen. Olds a proper send-off. The Vipers who came in formation looked a bit sloppy, to the collective groans of a crowd of extremely accomplished fighter pilots. The image of the late General performing the "single digit salute" came readily to mind. The spectacle concluded with a flight of F-4s performing the Missing Man formation.

Farewell, General. My brother's still a bit broken up that he never got to go on that fishing trip, but it was enough for me to be in your presence today.