Obituaries (1 Viewer)

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The sole survivor serving aboard the USS Arizona during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor has died.

Lou Conter, one of the last living ties to that date of infamy, passed away this morning at his home in Grass, Valley, California, Pacific Historic Parks confirmed. He was 102.

Born in Ojibwa, Wisconsin, Conter enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1939 at the age of 18. Two years later, he would bear witness to the attack that finally drew the United States into the Second World War.

Starting his shift as quartermaster at 7:45 a.m. on Dec. 7, 1941, Conter had barely rubbed the sleep from his eyes when the Japanese assault began a mere three minutes later.

At exactly 8:09 a.m., the hull of the USS Arizona was struck by a 1,760-pound Japanese armor-piercing bomb.

[...]

Japanese horizontal bombers swirling overhead continued to cause damage, striking the Arizona's midship areas. The massive explosion that soon followed has never been explained, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command, since the bomb did not pierce Arizona's armored deck. It is believed, however, that the bomb that penetrated her forward turrets struck nearly one million pounds of gunpowder, causing the turrets, conning tower and much of the superstructure to be obliterated.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Conter entered flight school, serving as a pilot with the Navy Squadron dubbed the Black Cats due to black paint adorning the night-flying PBY Catalinas, according to VA News.

Conter survived the war, despite being shot down twice over the Pacific, and went on to serve in Korea as an air intelligence officer. Upon returning home, he worked to establish the Navy's first SERE — Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape — program and served as a military adviser to Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

Conter retired from the Navy as a lieutenant commander after 28 years of military service.


:salute:
 
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Nothing to do with aviation but this guy makes me feel like a three time A grade loser because he was a top performer in three different very difficult professions.

Am I jealous? Too damn right.

 
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Dickey Betts, a guitarist and the co-founder of the Allman Brothers Band, has died, according to a family statement shared with CNN on Thursday by his longtime manager.

Betts was 80.

"It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that the Betts family announce the peaceful passing of Forrest Richard 'Dickey' Betts," the statement reads. "The legendary performer, songwriter, bandleader and family patriarch passed away earlier today at his home in Osprey, FL., surrounded by his family. Dickey was larger than life, and his loss will be felt world-wide. At this difficult time, the family asks for prayers and respect for their privacy in the coming days. More information will be forthcoming at the appropriate time."

Betts' manager David Spero told Rolling Stone the guitarist had cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

A native of West Palm Beach, Florida, Betts' early musical influences included bluegrass, country music and later rock and roll. Credited with helping define the sound and of Southern rock genre of the '60s and '70s, Betts, bass guitarist Berry Oakley, drummers Butch Trucks and Jaimoe joined brothers Gregg and Duane Allman to form the Allman Brothers Band in 1969.

Betts wrote and sang on the group's biggest hit, "Ramblin' Man." Initially, he wrote the song and intended for it to be sung by another artist entirely.

"I was going to send 'Ramblin' Man' to Johnny Cash," Betts said in 2020, later adding that he "thought it was a great song for him."

"But everybody liked that song. Even my dad liked the song, before we recorded it or anything. And I'm thinking I'm going to send this to Johnny Cash and see if he wanted to do it," he continued. "The producer (Johnny Sandlin) said we needed another song for the record and asked if I had anything. I said, 'Well, I got one but I was going to send it to Nashville for Cash to record.' He said, 'Let's hear it.' And then, 'No! we gotta do that.'"

Other big Allman Brothers songs written by Betts were "Blue Sky" and "Jessica."



One of my favorite guitarists and biggest influences, His songs were almost always joyful celebrations. Dickey plays the second solo on this one:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UToUzWgHGyQ

Even his moodier songs were compelling. In this one from LatF, Dickey is in your right-hand earbud, Duane Allman to the left:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rQWh62VUHE

I spent a good time today driving through ranch country, enjoying flower season down here, listening to Eat a Peach.
 
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