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DISCOVERING THE FUTURE BY REVEALING THE PAST

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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

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