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From: Jim and Terri Tait <>
Subject: [DALELIST] Fort Rucker/area farmers
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2000 10:07:27 -0500 (CDT)


For a more lighthearted subject...

Wondering if anyone else has any Fort Rucker stories on how farming was
affected in the area.

Also, does anyone know when the first helicopters
arrived at Fort Rucker? My grandmother does not remember the exact date
she saw her first, but it was before she was married in 1936.

My grandmother, Ruth Long (nee SPEARS) was stoking peanuts in a Dale
county field with her family c. 1933-35 when she saw her first
helicopter. She was so surprised and amazed at the incredible sight that
she forgot what she was doing, and while staring up, she pushed the
pitchfork she was using into her foot, causing a terrible wound. After an
unsuccessful turpentine treatment to the wound, she had to be taken to
the doctor on the wagon - a big deal in those days, and I think she was in
more than a little trouble with her father for being so "careless".

According to this next story, I guess Fort Rucker still has an impact on
farming in Dale county.

Source: portions extracted from a Prisms Spectrum, Vol 7, No 2., March-May
2000 article on Lourie N. FORMBY III. Prisms Spectrum is a publication of
the Program Control Office/Prisms Support Contract/NASA/Marshall Space
Flight Center

... [Lourie] began helicopter training in August 1987 and graduated from the
United States Army Initial Entry Rotary Course (IERW) Flight School at Fort
Rucker, AL in August 1988.... Not personally experiencing military combat,
Lourie has seen "hostile intent". "During training at Fort Rucker, chicken
farmers in South Alabama were known to take shots at our 'orange doors' if
we flew too low over their chicken houses. Doors on all training aircraft
at Fort Rucker are painted orange to identify student pilots."

..Lourie experienced another mishap with engine failure during flight school
at Fort Rucker. The crew had to land in a farmer's pigpen because of the
lack of altitude and the large number of trees in the area. "We came down
like a flying rock and watched as the pigs (who were at the moment enjoying
the bright sunshine) scattered in all directions.", Lourie explained. "The
UH-1 'Huey" sunk up to its belly in mud, almost level with the cargo deck.
After we realized we were safe and still breathing, we radioed another
aircraft in the area for assistance and climbed out into the mud to talk
with the stunned farmer. He and his wife took turns taking pictures of us
with his grandchildren standing on the aircraft. We were local celebrities
for an hour or so. At the time, I didn't' understand why the farmer kept
saying "Them are breeder pigs, and they're really shook up!" I found out
later that Uncle Sam would pay for the farmer's losses around Fort Rucker.
I was also sure glad I didn't have the job of recovering that bird!" Lourie
and his crew found out later that the recovery team not only had to remove
the aircraft, but also had to remove the mud due to environmental issues
with fuel leakage. The team also had to cut and rebuild the fence to remove
the helicopter. "We also heard they cursed us for all we were worth ..."

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