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Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2005 13:36:10 -0400
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From: "THORN, ALLYSON A. (JSC-OD) (NASA)" <allyson.a.thorn@nasa.gov>
Subject: FW: Inflight breakup of an SR-71 at Mach 3.18
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Coincidentally, a guy I work with went to school with the son of the
cowboy-pilot who helped Bill Weaver.  See below.  Allyson

-----Original Message-----
From: KREGEL, JEFFREY R. (JSC-OD3) (USA) 
Sent: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 12:07 PM
To: cberland@systems3.net
Cc: THORN, ALLYSON A. (JSC-OD) (NASA)
Subject: FW: Inflight breakup of an SR-71 at Mach 3.18

Allyson Thorn, who I work with and owns a Lancair, just sent me this
message.  As I started reading, I began to wonder if this was the same story
I heard about many years ago from a friend back in 1981 at Texas A&M
University.  Sure enough it was, just as I remember hearing it from Tom
Mitchell.  He was about 7 years old when the family heard the boom and
rushed outside to see the aircraft broken in two falling like a leaf to the
ground.  His father got into his helo and landed before the pilot hit the
ground.

I believe back then it may still have been a classified project, i.e. 1966.
In a matter of hours there was no less than a LtCol at the ranch.  The Air
Force was so appreciative of their hospitality (bunk houses & meals with the
ranch hands), they invited the family out to Edwards to see the aircraft
first hand.  Tom indicated he got to keep the pilot's pressure suit.  They
continued to find pieces of the aircraft for many years.  They'd store them
in a barn and the Air Force would come by every once in awhile to retrieve
the parts.

I recall Tom's father, Albert, died a number of years ago while flying home
in bad weather (fixed wing).  Either Tom or his brother Terry are now
running the Ranch.

Jeff Kregel
Reno Air Guard, High Rollers, RF-4