So There I Was

Helicopter search and rescue takes center stage as DPS pilot Darrell Detty walks us through hair-raising missions, near-misses and small-town chases that feel like action movies with rotor wash. From a 50-foot hovering autorotation, governor failures and a frantic stolen-car pursuit that ends in a live carjacking rescue, to talcum-dust LZs and a barbed-wire fence that almost kissed the skid, this episode blends gritty rotor-head detail with absurd human moments. Expect clear lessons on the dead-man’s curve, manual-throttle saves, crew decision-making, and the weird mentorships that keep pilots sane. Laugh, cringe, and learn as we walk the thin line between heroics and hubris. Strap in, grab the collective, and hold on for rotor-powered storytelling. And here's a link that will raise your heart rate just sitting on the floor - you'll STILL feel too high up! - TERRIFYING Hoist Rescue!

When a 21-year-old warrant officer thinks he’s bulletproof, fate (and a very determined round of enemy fire) impolitely disagrees. In this episode we ride shotgun with Cobra 3-1 — from Duluth misadventures and Playboy Clubs to flight school horrors, hovering triumphs, and the day a bullet turned a routine racetrack into a near-fatal last stand. He survives being shredded through his legs, gets stitched up by a miraculous surgeon, and later closes loops with the medic and chaplain who kept him breathing and believing. It’s equal parts grotesque, hilarious, and deeply human: the gallows humor of helicopter crews, the absurdity of military bureaucracy, reunion epiphanies, and the weird grace of Honor Flights. If you like flying-too-close-to-death stories served with dry wit, irreverent banter, and surprising moments of spiritual closure — buckle in! This isn’t just a war story; it’s a life told with profanity, humility, and a pilot’s stubborn joy.

Two Marines-turned-airline-pilots go full hangar-talk: first solo flight stories (equal parts terror and triumph), Harrier hover witchcraft, and why unstable approaches demand the magic words “unable” and “go-around.” We compare squadron life to airline ops, decode FOQA, MD-11 bounce-landings, porpoising, and laugh through “death-by-go-around” sim rides. We hit auto-lands, HUD/AOA, guarding the controls, and why seniority rules your calendar—and your soul. We even tiptoe across the third rail: raising pilot retirement age (opinion: individual fitness and cognition should matter more than a blunt number). Come for the aviation stories; stay for the checklist discipline and humor. It’s fast, funny, a little absurd—but always remember - it's better to die and look good than live and look stupid! RePete & Fig Recording the Show

Welcome to Hangout #2 of So There I Was—a gloriously unfiltered romp of Harrier stories and V-22 tales. Expect FAA side-eye and concussion-grade comedy. RePete and a very lightly concussed Fig corral Sticks, Bago, Lawman, Deuce, Mike Evans, and Col. Jim Schaefer for pure airshow mayhem. We relive Gallo’s rain-soaked Harrier demo that made the FAA clutch pearls. We bust a few Blue Angels myths. We even ask if a Harrier could land on I-93 without leaving a “Harrier kiss.” Then we dive into Osprey translation. Why does the MV-22 fly like a dream—and sometimes like a rumor? Add 53 downwash that can relocate outhouses. Toss in a dolphin mega-pod trying to outpace a Coast Guard helo. Plus, a CH-53K “towing” an F-35 (because why not), the VMA-223 sundown, and a salute to Marines, families, and the legends who keep these stories alive. Come for the aviation nerdery. Stay for the trophy shaped like… well, you’ll hear it. Subscribe, laugh, and check six.

NOTICE***There is going to be a Zoom 'Hangout' With the "Numbskulls" on 24 September. If you are a Patreon member or Direct Donor you should get an invitation. If not - check back here on the 24th. I will keep the link from being public until the 24th to prevent trolls from trying to ruin it.***NOTICE So there I was… strapping into a seven-ton “dirt bike with wings.” The Marine Corps OV-10 Bronco was tough, noisy, and sometimes terrifying. It had no autopilot, a canopy down to your thighs, and a relief tube that occasionally worked like a fountain. In this episode, Marine aviators Felix and Pigpen share unforgettable OV-10 Bronco pilot stories from Desert Storm. Flying what they called a “missile magnet,” they marked targets with rockets, juggled five radios, and trusted a GPS that only worked part-time. Humor mixes with danger. You’ll hear about clogged piss tubes, aerobatic joyrides at 100 feet, and even Marines being launched out of the back of the Bronco. But you’ll also learn how these pilots survived night missions without mutual support and earned the deep gratitude of every grunt on the ground. If you thought Harrier tales were wild, wait until you saddle up with the Bronco crowd. This is a mix of absurd humor, combat grit, and aviation history you won’t forget. Screenshot Screenshot Flare - Goin' back to Cali!

Student pilot judgment takes center stage in this absurdly true tale of near-misses, smart calls, and the mysterious power of the “E-word.” We welcome Chock as he fights through weather, maintenance gremlins, and schedule chaos on the winding road to his private pilot check ride. From an RV-12 with opinions to a Cirrus with a parachute and sparrows doing formation work on the runway, he keeps choosing discretion over disaster—and lives to laugh about it. We unpack why declaring an emergency is free (and wise), how to beat get-there-itis, and why a plastic credit card might be your best safety tool when the forecast lies. Chock’s now at Embry-Riddle, cruising through ground school, logging real-world Aeronautical Decision Making, and proving that repetition builds a rock-solid foundation. Come for the pretty lights and seven welcome wagons; stay to hear how not killing yourself is a habit you can practice.

Booz, a freshly-minted CFI, New Hampshirite, and RePete's daughter—whose glider-to-airline path includes a first solo at 15, a daddy-daughter cross-country in a Grumman Tiger, and a commercial check ride where a simulated engine roughness forced a wrong-side pattern call (good judgment > dogma). We talk density altitude (rude), VMC demos (also leg fatigue), and why hypoxia makes your alphabet wander off the page — thanks, hyperbaric chamber! An alternator gremlin in Texas led to a fateful diversion and meeting CFI legend Mary Latimer (GIFT) [Episode 162], proving aviation serendipity is real. Booz shares practical advice: take a discovery flight, consider scholarships and ANG paths, and remember progress isn’t linear—more like porpoising on a hot day. Come for the thunderstorm-dodging check ride, stay for the cactus awe, checklist Sharpie art, and donuts for the Feds. Listen, laugh, and maybe plot your own glider to CFI journey. Screenshot Screenshot Screenshot

Tito brought stories that will make you laugh, wince, and wonder why anyone gives gunners ANY spare time! Kool-Aid boots and hot-sauce toilets are savage reminders that no one is safe in a combat zone! Tito’s journey took him from slinging bombs as a “Load Toad,” to fighting fires in baked-potato suits, to strapping into the legendary AC-130 Spectre gunship—where 105mm recoil could literally make the airplane flinch. He survived dunkers, duct tape wars, pink-mist firefights, and kept Nair on hand as a weapon of revenge. And when he wasn’t flattening bad guys in Afghanistan and Iraq, he was saving lives in HH-60 Pave Hawks. Tito also wrote Moonchild, a raw memoir about combat, camaraderie, and finding humor in the absurd. If you like war stories spiked with ridiculous pranks, blunt honesty, and a side of absurdity, buckle up. This one will shake the walls. Order his excellent memoir here! Moon Child Book CoverVersion 1.0.0

This special mid week episode of So There I Was takes a slight detour from our usual lineup of aviators and aircrew—but it’s still all about aviation at heart. Our guest, Mark, from Long Island Watch Co., joined us to share the story behind a limited-run Harrier commemorative watch designed in collaboration with the folks at Patuxent River Naval Air Station (PAX River). PAX, the Navy’s legendary flight test center, was the perfect place for the Harrier community to dream up a way to honor their jet as it heads into retirement. Mark walked us through the design cycle, the hoops of Boeing approvals, and the cool details built into the watch. And yes—Mark is a pilot himself, with a story about learning to fly in some of the busiest airspace around. Aviation, watches, and Harriers—you’ll find it all here. You can see more about the watch here You Can Order the watch here

Retired Marine AV-8B Harrier pilot, “Cutter,” brings stories that are equal parts funny and awe-inspiring. He kicks off with the 2005 twelve-ship departure from al-Asad—skimming the Saudi desert on fumes, praying the tankers showed up—before pushing through a 10.5-hour odyssey to Rota, Spain. He rewinds to OCS at Camp Upshur with 300 candidates lined up for a cold gamma-globulin shot, then to flight school in T-2s that needed a literal bicycle pump to make the radio work. Cutter recounts the logging cable in Japan that shredded his wing at 480 knots, and the engine fire in Yuma that ended in an ejection so violent it still rattles him. He explains how smart fixes and blade blending saved Harrier engines, why “Hobbitville” became a deployment, and how commanding MCAS Yuma eventually led to teaching in Vermont. It’s fast, funny, and human: Marine brotherhood, cockpit chaos, and leadership lessons from a Colonel who’s seen it all. Stick around for the Extra—Cutter at Mach .99 over on Patreon!

IIn this wild, laugh-until-your-ribs-hurt episode of So There I Was, we dive into Marine Corps Harrier pilot stories that blur the line between combat history and barroom legend. We round up a squadron of Harrier pilots — including Spiko, who joins mid-flight — for tales of 8.5-G nozzle breaks in the Philippines, midair collisions, midnight carrier deck landings, and questionable uses for government-issued canteens. “Mongoose” lets the squadron run wild, “Woody” wakes up surrounded by boots, and one Marine’s coffee ritual nearly sparks an international hygiene incident. Between the absurd tales, these Marine Corps Harrier pilot stories also carry moments of respect for fallen brothers like LZ and Trey, memorials in their honor, and the unshakable loyalty forged only in the cockpit and combat zone. If you enjoy this chaos in the cockpit, you’ll also love Episode 170 for even more Harrier tales and high-speed mishaps. Equal parts irreverent and heartfelt, this is Marine aviation storytelling at its most unfiltered. Strap in, hold on, and prepare for impact. If you love authentic Marine Corps Harrier pilot stories, this episode delivers them with humor, heart, and the thrill of high-speed flight. 542 Pilot in a Harrier

Strap in and try not to twist your balls. This week’s episode goes full afterburner with the “Young Guns” of VMA-542: Auto, Disco, Pisser, Spiko, Strut, and Vapor join Fig and RePete to recount the wild, the ridiculous, and the occasionally flammable moments of Marine Harrier squadron glory. There’s a missile shoot that nearly ends in a self-induced jet barbecue, poker games that could fund small countries, and bar fights with women who can deadlift your Harley. You’ll hear how napalm delivery tactics were invented on the fly (literally), how morale was fueled by Scope bottle cocktails, and how the infamous “Deadbeat Club” probably violated several Geneva Conventions. This isn’t just war stories—it’s Marine aviation mythology, told by the guys who lived it, built it, and occasionally broke it. Oh—and “Olo Polo”? We don’t know either. Just scream it into the void and roll tape.

This week, we flip the script—Fig and RePete aren’t hosting, we’re the guests on The Flying Dutchman Show. Dutch dives into the stories, chaos, and camaraderie that define life as a Marine Harrier pilot, pulling out unforgettable tales from our years in the cockpit. From flight school struggles and first carrier landings to NATOPS checkride drama and mid-air close calls, no part of Marine aviation is off limits. You’ll hear how Fig got his call sign, how RePete nearly lost his flight contract, and how both of us beat the odds to fly the legendary AV-8B. We talk about our time in VMA-223, what makes the Harrier such a beast to fly, and why landing on a postage stamp at sea isn’t just a figure of speech. Whether you’re a pilot, veteran, or aviation junkie—if you’ve ever wondered what it takes to survive a nozzle-flop or why a death equation matters at 50 feet—this one’s for you. https://youtu.be/v0KBqE97e5I

So there he was…35 feet above the water, at night, trying to airlift survivors. What happens next involves a suitcase, a shrug, and one hell of a throw. Join So There I Was as Coast Guard helo pilot “Sticks” returns to recount harrowing rescues during the Texas floods—where flying into chaos is just another Tuesday. From medevacs that look more like belly-flop contests to triaging 170 people solo in rising waters, Sticks paints a vivid—and frequently absurd—picture of what real-world Coast Guard rescues look like. We talk dynamic rollovers, helicopter dogfights (yep), shared controls (don’t try this at home), and why some paramedics apparently prefer jumping out of perfectly good aircraft with their shoes still on. This one’s funny, terrifying, and humbling. Spoiler: someone ends up soaking wet, and it’s not just the patient. 🎧 Strap in. You’ll laugh, you’ll gasp, and you’ll come away thanking your local Coastie.

From screw-up recruit to revered drill instructor, First Sergeant John Crouch takes us deep into the crucible of Marine Corps transformation. In this gripping episode, Crouch recalls his early days at bootcamp, his infamous misstep during the Laws of Land Warfare class, and the brutal but formative experience of Drill Instructor School at Parris Island. He shares harrowing tales of PT punishment, spit-shined leadership, and the unwavering standards that mold raw recruits into Marines. Whether he’s talking about the origin of “YUT!” or the moment he lost all attraction to a stunning Staff Sergeant mid-drip, Crouch delivers humor, humility, and hard-earned wisdom. You’ll hear how tradition, stress, and shared adversity forge the kind of leaders America needs. This one’s got everything: embarrassment, endurance, and the emotional gravity that only the Corps can provide. Don’t miss this raw, hilarious, and unforgettable ride through the making of a DI.

So there I was… with $174 in loose change, one Garande rifle, and a sandpit full of regret. In this unforgettable episode, retired Marine First Sergeant John Crouch returns to So There I Was to share a story so absurd, it should be fiction—but it’s 100% real! From psychological stress at Officer Candidate School to creative punishments involving unsecured wallets and rifles. And you’ll hear how a Medal of Honor dog tag program gave candidates something bigger than themselves to fight for—and how a quiet act of remembrance, years later, brought that message full circle. This one has it all. You’ll laugh, wince, and maybe reconsider ever presetting a lock again. Plus: the mystery of the disappearing platoon, and the officer candidate who DOR’d mid-leg lift (spoiler: she made captain). Whether you’re a vet, a pilot, or someone who just likes your wallets where you left them, this episode is a wild ride through discipline, leadership, and 34 pounds of copper and nickel-based motivation.

We’re honored to be joined by retired USCG Chief Claude Morrissey—a veteran rescue swimmer with decades of gripping search and rescue tales. From cliffside hoists in Kodiak to extracting F-18 pilots from the Atlantic, Claude brings raw stories, grit, humor, and humility. He shares what it takes to make it through the brutal Rescue Swimmer A-School, the harrowing rescues that shaped his career, and what it’s like to fly missions from the Bering Sea to Hurricane Katrina. This one’s packed with adrenaline, emotion, and classic “so there I was” storytelling you won’t find anywhere else. Stick around as we tease Fig for slacking, honor Claude’s incredible service, and try not to get kicked off our recording platform again.

Stealth takes us straight into the Cold War cockpit on a Navy E-2 Hawkeye as he stood the watch during some of America’s most tense moments. From scrambling on alert after Reagan was shot, to deploying over the North Atlantic in DEFCON 2, to narrowly avoiding catastrophe when a 'friendly' dropped a bomb on a U.S. cruiser—this episode is packed with edge-of-your-seat stories. Stealth shares what it was like controlling the airspace above the fleet, even spotting submarines that were 'never there' from 15,000 feet, and managing chaos (and comedy) from the radar station. It’s a mix of Cold War intensity, humor, and reverent remembrance for shipmates lost. Don’t miss this look into the flying saucer dome of naval aviation.

🎙️ No New Episode This Week – But Wait… It’s a Good Thing! 🎙️ Last week’s So There I Was with Dos Gringos clocked in at over 2 hours and 15 minutes — a wild ride packed with laughs, songs, and unforgettable stories. Add in some tech gremlins this week, and we figured: let’s give you a little more time to soak it all in. If you haven’t heard it yet (or just want to hear it again), now’s your chance to dive back into the mayhem: 👉 https://sothereiwas.us/episode/163 Trust us — it’s one of our most epic episodes yet. We’ll be back next week with a brand-new show. Until then… crank up the volume and enjoy more Dos Gringos! — RePete & Fig ✈️🎧

This very long—but hilarious and heartfelt—episode dives deep into fighter pilot culture; think less dogfights, more Dos Gringos. We sat down with the irreverent band, their musical wingmen from Los Gringos, and the founders of Winglore Spirits to talk whiskey, war stories, squadron bars, and the art of laughing at yourself. You’ll hear about bad rides that birthed great songs, the origin of Two’s Blind, near-death ejections, the mythos of Shaved Dog’s Ass, and a whiskey label that offers a conservative joker and generous bingo! This isn’t just an episode—it’s a celebration of camaraderie, chaos, and culture that spans generations of pilots, crew dogs, and hanger-flying heroes. Note: We left this extra-long for a reason—trimming it would’ve felt like cutting verses from a fighter pilot anthem. Strap in and enjoy this episode for a couple of weeks!