Touching tribute, Jack. When the sad news of Ernie's passing was posted I immediately thought of you. You two were like the left and right hands of COSL analysis and intel; always there, always stalwart. Images of Ernie at his desk going over reports and you spinning tapes at 0-dark-thirty are forever type memories. Good to see your name on here, best regards to you and MA.
I was so deeply saddened to hear of Ernie's passing. He was a friend and mentor; I worked with Ernie and the boys in the 33 shop from 79-83; then to Kef for my 1st tour there. I think back to days when getting ready for the morning briefs and spinning FTA tapes, you could hear Ernie thru the wall venting at bean-counters, COSL, SUBLANT...lol. Love when he and Joe Guilfoyle (??) would go at it... I loved going over to his office and trying to "get him going"...lol. In 85, at Kef, we were running a "pool" of what the last case number would be for the year; one of those $10/square type thing. I won, but then Ernie gave his friends across the pond a case on something we had watched and was a POS. That new addition cost me close to $700, I seem to recall. Anyway, I took the initiative and sent a data pack to Ernie - my best representative "gram cut" was a picture of a pile of dogcrap...I modified it to put a pole and pennant, and labeled it as L...-85. It was awesome. He loved it. Peace, Ernie.
p.s. I just uploaded it, but don't know if it will get posted.
Jack - I was so happy to see your e-mail, and hope you are well. I can only imagine your hurt with Ernie's passing; your friendship for each other was so apparent and so very real. BTW - Carrie and I are now in year 35, 3 kids, 3 grandkids. Thanks for being my Best Man, and for holding the 9mm Glock in my back to make sure I went thru with it...lol. Take care, my friend.
