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LarryRB
Guest
Born and raised in Boonton township New Jersey. Was drafted for VN. Went in on volunteer draft, failed eye test for warant officer flight then took, 67N2F flight crew chief school instead. Had basic graduation and never even finished that, was put on bus waiting for Eustis VA, 67N school, then had 10 days off before going over the big pond. A couple of months in a hanger, then crew chief. Liked flying Huey's so much the commanding officer told me how to circumvent the eye problem. So, I reenlisted after finishing first year, for three more, of which an additional 26 months were to be in country.. Go to WOC school after having to reenlist again, was his scheme.. Was going along fine when a few days short of finishing second tour of 3, I was shot up pretty good. This ended the back door to warrant flight trng. Finally was up and walking somewhat and decided to get out in March of 74. No jobs, long gas lines, odd-even plate numbers, well most here probably remember those days. Answered an add, become an owner operator.. I answered, flew to Ft Wayne Indiana and joined North american Van lines. Did new products for Sears and Roebuck a few months, then was shifted to the electronic division.. Changed my tractors every year, gradually getting bigger and better (air ride, Cat engines, bigger sleepers). things were going pretty good. Was shifted to a electronic agent in Framingham Ma. Did military trade shows and hundreds of millions in dollars of computer equip for NSA, CIA, supreme court, FBI and many other gov't agencies. Every winter through out all this when no shows and little electronic freight available, I worked part time for the highway, plowing, sanding, running the loader, backhoe and other equipment now and then. In 91, legs went really bad causing months upon months of hospitalization and had to leave trucking. While home, I ran for town selectman and won, held finance comm, deputy fire chief, part time highway, economic developement and probably 30 other various positions. All were voluntary or near zero pay and part time in nature. During all this time, 91 through later 99, the VA in their infinite wisdom finally decided I should be considered disabled. That was official March of 2000.. In the meantime, my father in law couldn't hay or cut the fields anymore. I started doing this for him. Eventually he passed on and the wife and I sold our home in Mass and bought theirs just a hundred feet over the line into Connecticut.. Got rid of the old Ford 5000 and replaced it with a Mahindra 4110.. I stay pretty close to home and don't travel very far now.. A few times a month, a lot of us TBN members get to see each other, either at a lunch meeting or by visiting each others homes.. Still cut the fields (hog mow them now) at least 7 times each season. Use the backhoe now and then removing stumps or cleaning old ditches that have filled in.. Enjoy reading most sections and am on several other sites, snow plowing, heavy equip, and was heavily involved in many vet type sites, but got away from them.. Tractors are easier to read about then 300 messages each day that never change and always about how the VA system did this or that.
