|
|
Post by sader81 on Jan 26, 2021 13:16:50 GMT -5
Every now and then, you run across an remarkable obit. Given Bill’s HC connection, I think some may find it interesting, especially his landing a plane on the football fields. I didn’t know him or his prominent family from a town over. Perhaps some here remember him. www.rep-am.com/obituaries/2021/01/23/william-danaher/ |
|
|
|
Post by rgs318 on Jan 26, 2021 13:32:46 GMT -5
Quite a life. Thank you for that link.
|
|
|
|
Post by newfieguy74 on Jan 26, 2021 13:47:52 GMT -5
I wasn't familiar with Danaher before reading this obituary but I was very moved by his story. I've known some alcoholics and it is a cruel disease. Any person who has had a successful recovery is likely to be a person of real character. Of course, the recovery never stops. As an alcoholic once said to me, it's alcohol-is-m, not alcohol-was-m. BTW Worcester has a very strong and supportive AA community.
|
|
|
|
RIP Bill
Jan 26, 2021 14:03:29 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by sader1970 on Jan 26, 2021 14:03:29 GMT -5
Landing atop Mt. St. James was thought to have been first and only by my classmate, Kern Buck, but guess this gentleman beat him to it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Chu Chu on Jan 26, 2021 19:26:50 GMT -5
Every now and then, you run across an remarkable obit. Given Bill’s HC connection, I think some may find it interesting, especially his landing a plane on the football fields. I didn’t know him or his prominent family from a town over. Perhaps some here remember him. www.rep-am.com/obituaries/2021/01/23/william-danaher/I was really touched by this. Sounds like a truly great man. His experience brings up the danger of the alcohol culture in college, where many people are first exposed to drink, without knowing if they are one of the people who will be uniquely susceptible to becoming an alcoholic. |
|
|
|
RIP Bill
Jan 26, 2021 22:24:24 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by HC92 on Jan 26, 2021 22:24:24 GMT -5
Amazing story. Alcoholism is indeed a very difficult challenge and I have great respect for those who are able to overcome it. RIP.
|
|
|
|
Post by KY Crusader 75 on Jan 26, 2021 23:11:24 GMT -5
That was an amazing life and a very well-written obituary, R.I.P.
|
|
|
|
Post by HCFC45 on Jan 27, 2021 9:09:26 GMT -5
Amazing story! May he Rest in Peace! Thoughts and prayers for him and his family!
|
|
|
|
RIP Bill
Jan 27, 2021 10:16:22 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by purplehaze on Jan 27, 2021 10:16:22 GMT -5
Yes indeed, a wonderful story of his life and interesting that one of his children is a minister - a great HC man for others
|
|
|
|
Post by hc6774 on Jan 27, 2021 11:34:18 GMT -5
very interesting guy
A couple thoughts… Bill would have entered Holy Cross during the Korean War, when the AFROTC was new on campus, spring established 1951. He may have become known to Air Force officers then who facilitated his entry into flight school. The AF needed pilots for Korea. [As did the Navy I am aware of one HC student who dropped out to enter Navy flight school; he was KIA by a MiG off the Korean coast]
Re campus landings... I believe Fr Dunn was taking flying lessons in the mid/late 60’s. It’s possible that he knows something about Bill’s landing. I’m sure he knows about the photo in the ‘67 yearbook that documents a ‘Touch & Go’ landing on the top of the hill by my classmate. It’s likely that Bill’s landing is a T&G. In my experience T&G’s are recorded as landing in log books; the Navy logs ‘arrested landings’ as well for fixed wing aircraft.
Re crash landing ‘66; I believe a crash count as a landing … an HC AFROTC cadet, class of ‘66, crashed a Beechcraft or Cessna, short of the runway at Worcester airport; he flew in Vietnam and was awarded several air medals.
|
|
|
|
RIP Bill
Jan 27, 2021 14:04:47 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by sader1970 on Jan 27, 2021 14:04:47 GMT -5
Landing at the Worcester airport is like landing on a flattop. Not sure what the altitude of the airport is but on top of one of Worcester’s 7 hills and while it’s been more than 50 years since taking a Northeast “Yellowbird” (anyone remember Andrea Dromm and “is this anyway to run an airline? You bet it is!”) out of there, I recall the pilot making an almost flat trajectory takeoff while the ground disappeared under the wings.
Landing atop Mt. St. James had to be tougher though. Believe my classmate did it in a biplane.
|
|
|
|
Post by hc6774 on Jan 27, 2021 15:25:47 GMT -5
Landing at the Worcester airport is like landing on a flattop. Not sure what the altitude of the airport is but on top of one of Worcester’s 7 hills and while it’s been more than 50 years since taking a Northeast “Yellowbird” (anyone remember Andrea Dromm and “is this anyway to run an airline? You bet it is!”) out of there, I recall the pilot making an almost flat trajectory takeoff while the ground disappeared under the wings. Landing atop Mt. St. James had to be tougher though. Believe my classmate did it in a biplane. I have landed on both; 3/4 flattops, last time in 1971 & ORH last in 1973. I arrived back on campus in summer of 1971; I have flown students over the campus in a small Navy trainer; the ORH tower control zone encompasses the campus; the airport is 1009 ft above sea-level Hadn't heard about the biplane; please PM if you have more At the initiative of a Navy alum, I & others tried to arrange a pre game fly over for the 2019 vets day/Lafayette game. We had a willing Navy flight crew in Virginia. The flight would need to depart from & return from their base. The crew would be responsible for getting permission from ORH tower for the low pass over Fitton, preferably from the open end. We planned to use to use cell phone contact with the aircraft from the field to time the pass.... ultimately not workable. |
|
