Meeting the 'Blue Angels'

In November, 1996, I had the opportunity to produce a painting for the 1997 Hamilton Sundstrand Company wall calendar. The painting is called “Pass in Review”, and features the United States Navy Blue Angels in their FA-18 Hornets flying past Mount Rushmore. The painting is now on display in the main lobby at the Hamilton Sundstrand Power Systems facility in San Diego, California. Over 7,500 of these calendars were presented to employees and customers of Hamilton Sundstrand. After 1997 had passed, I was able to secure 30 of these Blue Angel wall calendars, and then I wrote a letter to Lt. Tanya Walsh, Public Affairs Officer for the Blue Angels, and told her I had 30 calendars remaining. She was very familiar with the painting, and I asked her if it would be possible for the Blue Angel pilots to sign the 30 pictures, and I would then donate the autographed pictures to the Cancer Center at Children’s Hospital in San Diego. I received a letter from Lt. Walsh, and she said the Blue Angel pilots would be honored to do so. She was also aware that my youngest daughter, Melissa, was being treated for cancer at that time at Children’s Hospital. I trimmed the “Pass in Review” picture out of each calendar, and mailed them off to Lt. Walsh. A few weeks later, I got the calendars back in the mail, all signed by the eight Blue Angel pilots, and the autographed pictures were passed out to some very excited children at the Cancer Center.

After Melissa passed away in July, 1998, I sent a short e-mail message to Lt. Walsh to let her know. I received a very nice letter from her, and she also wanted to know if my son, Andrew, and I would like to come to the Miramar Air Show on August 14, 1998, as VIP guests of the Blue Angels, and have the opportunity to meet the pilots. I informed her we would be honored to do so, and Lt. Walsh took care of all the details. We received tickets in the mail, and were seated in the Blue Angel VIP section, which were front row seats. As always, the Miramar Air Show was excellent, and the Blue Angels were the featured performers. After the Blue Angels had completed their performance and had spent time autographing pictures for the crowd, the Blue Angel VIP members were escorted on to the flight line near FA-18 Blue Angel number 1. Each person or family had their picture taken with the eight Blue Angel pilots in front of the plane by the Blue Angel photographer, and a framed picture was later mailed to their respective home. My son has our picture hanging on the wall in his bedroom.

As our turn to meet the pilots approached, Lt. Walsh stood with Andrew and I, and then she went up to Cmdr. George Dom, Commanding Officer and Flight Leader of the Blue Angels, and after she introduced us to Cmdr. Dom, he introduced us to the team. The pilots knew who we were, remembered the “Pass in Review” painting and the signing of the calendars for the cancer kids at Children’s Hospital, and they remembered our situation with Melissa. The look in their eyes spoke volumes to me, and reminded me that these fine officers not only defend our nation, but they are husbands and fathers as well, and cared about Melissa, Andrew and myself. I will always remember that moment and cannot thank the Blue Angles enough for how special they treated us. Also, a very special “thank you” to Lt. Tanya Walsh, who is a very special person, and was an excellent Public Affair Officer for the Blue Angels. It was a special day.

Blue Angels, left to right, #8 Lt. Kevin Lacasse, #6 Lt. Doug Verissimo, #4 Lt. Mark Dunleavy,
#2 Major Scott Wedemeyer, Lt. Tanya Walsh, (John and Andrew)
#1 Cmdr. George Dom, #3 Lt. Cmdr. David Silkey, #5 Lt. Scott Beare, and #7 Lt. Scott Ind.

The Blue Angels staff has also been very helpful in supplying photographs and research material I need for future painting projects, and they answer any question I may have. They are truly professional and represent what is best about our United States Navy. The pictures seen here were supplied by the Blue Angels.