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CHASING GREATNESS
by Jon Sinatra
Meanwhile, in the 1970s we were out there chasing greatness. Don’t know who that is in the pic (right) but “We Salute You!” It was a summer weekend and Evel Knievel had just made a spectacular jump on Wide World of Sports. My friends, John Cattell, Tommy McGovern, Jeff Adams, Bobby Suggs, and others, and I, decided to copycat Evel’s spectacular jump! Our long driveway had a decent grade to it and we set up a long back, vinal-covered, kitchen chair as the ramp.

The fire department had opened the hydrants and a river gushed past the ramp. My Sting Ray bike was polished and performing like a well-oiled machine. As I picked up speed and flew down the driveway my hair was blowing back; like the guy’s hair is blowing back from the powerful speakers on the Maxell Cassette Advertisement, right? I hit the ramp and for ½ a second, I could see stardom across the raging river in front of me! When my pedals slammed into the chair legs and instantly froze the bike in its tracks! I did a face plant on the concrete and chipped my tooth. Just then a car went zooming past as none of us checked for traffic prior to the launch. The car was a Banana Yellow in color, Super Bee Road Runner with a very tall tail fin and a black stripe, I remember cause the grim reaper was driving it. Mr. Wilson was our neighbor and a Pearl Harbor Survivor, I used to mow their lawn for a few bucks every weekend during the summers. He came running over and peeled me off the concrete, as my friends laughed and applauded at the blood and pain pouring from me! He complimented me on my attempt and brushed me off while explaining how at Pearl Harbor as the Japanese were attacking Schofield Barracks, and the planes were strafing the open grounds, a zero came in very low and he began running so fast and while watching the bullet trails approach him he smacked right into a tree! He said had he not hit that tree that he would have crossed the path of bullets. The moral of the story: If you use a chair for a bike ramp remove the
legs before making the jump! And wear a Cross to avoid the grim reaper, I was wearing one that day during Evel Knievel's spectacular jump, and Mr. Wilson was wearing one also during the attack on Pearl Harbor.


Jon Sinatra and Mr. Wilson - 2007 Annual Dinner

Boots John Sinatra Flint
DENVER MILE HIGH CHAPTER #1, PUEBLO STEEL CITY CHAPTER #2, WESTERN SLOPE CHAPTER #3, PIKES PEAK CHAPTER #4
PEARL HARBOR SURVIVORS ASSOCIATION INC.

JON SINATRA DAVID WILSON
Secretary President

JOHN SINATRA - USS Pyro AE-1
Pearl Harbor Survivor

Brig. Gen. SALVATORE VILLANO JR.
USAF / Pearl Harbor Survivors HM

JOSEPH COORS JR.
Pearl Harbor Survivors HM MHC #1

WILMER (BILL) BAILEY
USAAF / Wheeler Field
STATE CHAIRMAN
Denver Mile High Chapter #1

DAVID WILSON
US Army / Schofield Barracks
PRESIDENT
Denver Mile High Chapter #1

GEORGE RICHARD
US Navy / USS Tennessee BB-43
VICE PRESIDENT
Denver Mile High Chapter #1

JON SINATRA
SECRETARY, PHSA
Denver Mile High Chapter #1

GEORGE BLAKE
Fort Kamehameha (Ft. Kam)
Colorado 3rd District Director
Pueblo Steel City Chapter #2

DONALD INSELMAN
USS Arizona BB-39
Denver, MHC #1

CARL GALVIN
Schofield Barracks
Denver, MHC #1

ELMER REESE
USS Detroit CL-8
Denver, MHC #1

WILLIAM JOHNSON
Ford Island
Denver, MHC #1

LUZ VALERIO
Fort Kamehameha (Ft. Kam)
A founding member of Denver Mile High Chapter #1 - PHS

IRVIN OBERMEYER
Ships Company, Sub Base, Pearl Harbor
Denver, MHC #1

FRANK MACK
Hickam Field
Denver, MHC #1

LEW WELTZER
USS Pennsylvania BB-38
Denver, MHC #1

L.T. BILL BROWNING
USS West Virginia
Pikes Peak Chapter #4

WAYNE MARTIN
Schofield Barracks
Denver, MHC #1

Dr. GEORGE DORREY
HQ 98 Field Artillery AA
Denver, MHC #1

WALT MYCKA
USS Maryland BB-46
Denver, MHC #1

DON ARMSTRONG
USS Tennessee BB-43
Denver, MHC #1

JOHN ECK
Scoefield Barracks
Pikes Peak Chapter #4

MILTON SCHACHTERLE
USS Phoenix CL-46
Denver, MHC #1