So There I Was

We Declined to Apologize for Returning Fire Episode 217

Marine Cobra pilot X-Man flew combat in both Grenada and Beirut — in the same month. He walks RePete and Fig through his path from a test pilot neighbor in Northern Virginia to the cockpit of an AH-1, the Grand Anse campus rescue operation, and a Beirut rules-of-engagement situation where the pilot in command was asked to apologize for returning fire. He declined. At 69, X-Man is still logging AH-1 time with the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation. This one's got range.

Crossing the Pond: No, Really! Episode 216

This week’s episode was recorded live at King Mackerel’s Beach Tavern Bar & Grill in Moorehead City, NC, right after the historic Harrier Sundown Ceremony at Cherry Point. In Segment 1, call sign Ag—a Texas Aggie and former Harrier XO—takes you on an unforgettable journey crossing the Atlantic to Desert Storm. From a midnight “Casablanca” goodbye at Cherry Point to dangerous night tanking with KC‑10s, metal-to-metal probe contact, a thunderstorm with St. Elmo’s fire, and a tense close ID with an Israeli E‑2, Ag’s story is a masterclass in nerve, precision, and naval aviation under pressure.Segment 2 shifts to DC-style storytelling with Derek from dcartworks.net, the artist behind stunning 3D metal squadron patches, Harrier bottle openers, and custom whiskey glasses. He shares a heart-stopping Afghanistan emergency airdrop in the Korangal Valley—jumping over 16 bundles to fix a ramp/door issue, realizing he’s three feet from the edge with no tether, and facing Taliban fire below. Plus, we uncover how D.C. drove updated tactics and seeker-equipped bombs that prevent the guesswork Harrier pilots endured. Tune in—for service, art, and stories that will stop your heart.

Scrape a Hole and Hang On: Buggsy's on Welded Wing Episode 215

Buggsy joins us to talk Flight school, Joining the Navy, Flying Harriers, Sundown Ceremony and more!

Trainwreck Episode 214

A near mid-ground collision by Strecken and

Don't Bother Logging It Episode 213

Col Bill Wehrung - Horny sits with us to talk Naval Academy, Marine Aviation - including 235 combat missions in Vietnam, getting hit twice and an amazing career spanning 3 decades... starting before Safety Standards were a 'thing!'

Belly Up on Lead: The Growler Midair Episode 212

Fig & RePete go over several aviation topics - including the F/A-18 Growler Mid Air collision in Mountain Home Idaho, last week.

I Can't Run That Far Episode 211

Brain joins us to talk Flight School, Harriers, Drones and F-35s! Funny, touching... Don't miss this Great American!

I Flew Through the Afterburner Plume 'cuz I Heard It Episode 210

Bonk, Top Gun, Marine MAWTS-1 and Test Pilot Stories kick off with him bobbing in the Pacific after less than 500 flight hours in total flight time! Actually, that’s just the warmup. This week on So There I Was, Fig and RePete sit down with Bonk, a former Test Pilot School graduate, Top Gun instructor, and MAWTS pilot whose career somehow became more insane every decade. One minute he’s failing eye exams. Consequently, he almost misses aviation entirely. The next minute he’s disconnecting A-4 flight controls in flight and wondering if this was really the best career choice. Then things get weird. Bonk talks about ending up in the water early in his career. Furthermore, he explains what happens when you suddenly discover the ocean is now your office. There are stories about VMFA-531, absurd amounts of flight time, and the strange reality of becoming “the old guy” while still doing incredibly dumb fighter pilot things. Wait, what? At one point, Bonk casually explains flying through an afterburner plume because he heard it. Heard it. Not saw it. Heard it. Naturally, that turns into a discussion about air combat maneuvering, test flying, and the tiny margin between “legendary story” and “aviation mishap report.” The episode also dives into: Top Gun and MAWTS culture Test Pilot School insanity Zero-G flights Engine testing Why Boards of Inquiry can ruin your week The origin of the callsign “Bonk” The strange process of translating fighter pilot language into something normal humans understand This episode feels like sitting at the bar after a squadron reunion while somebody keeps saying, “No seriously… this actually happened.” And somehow, every story gets crazier. Sponsor Spotlight - DCArtworks creates custom CNC-cut aviation and military artwork that honestly belongs in a ready room or squadron bar. Their handcrafted steel work is ridiculously good, and nearly every piece is custom-built to tell your story. Check out DCArtworks.net and talk to Derrick about building something unique for your office, hangar, or home. Sponsor Spotlight - We’re excited to partner with OneSkin, a company founded by PhD scientists dedicated to skin longevity. Rather than just masking the signs of aging, OneSkin’s proprietary OS-01 peptide targets the biological root causes of skin aging at the molecular level. It’s a simple, science-backed addition to your daily routine that helps your skin stay resilient and healthy, no matter how much time you’ve spent in the cockpit or out on the water. It’s dermatologist-tested and even has the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance, so it’s safe for the most sensitive skin. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code STIW at oneskin.co/STIW#oneskinpod

Get Out of Burner, Bro! Episode 209

This week kicks off with Kemo back in the saddle, and it goes sideways immediately! Actually, this one starts fast. No warmup. No easing in. Just straight into stories that make you stop and go, wait… what? Kemo’s back. And if you’ve heard him before, you already know this is going to be ridiculous. If you haven’t—well, buckle up. This is one of those episodes where the stories don’t just escalate… they stack. First, we get into how his name came to be. Sounds simple, right? It’s not. Then somehow we’re talking about Marine Corps commandants, open bars, and a story that absolutely should not exist—but does. Furthermore, things pivot hard into airline life. Boeing vs Airbus logic. MD-11 decisions. The kind of stuff that sounds boring—until it isn’t. Because the real question becomes: what happens when automation replaces instinct? And then… carrier ops. Night landings. Yellow shirts. That moment where you’re taxiing and thinking, “this feels wrong,” but also knowing it’s exactly right. Consequently, the conversation shifts into something deeper—manual flying skills vs modern systems. Then comes the F-35 discussion. This is where it gets interesting. Helmet tech. Sensor fusion. Seeing through the jet. It sounds like science fiction, but it’s not. The real debate? Whether pilots are gaining capability… or losing something critical. Meanwhile, Kemo’s stories keep landing like punches. Red trucks. Target talk-ons. Situations where you’re listening and thinking, “there’s no way this ends well…” But it does. Somehow. Eventually. And just when you think it’s wrapping up, we detour into three-eyed turtles, legacy, and a closing stretch that feels like the perfect bar story ending—half reflection, half chaos. So yeah… this one’s a ride.

New Life for YL-37 Episode 208

Doober comes back to tell of his acquisition of former US Marine Corps H-34 helicopter, YL-37. The helicopter restoration story starts with a mission that sounds simple. It is not. Actually, it quickly turns into a “wait, what?” situation. This episode picks up with Doober and the ongoing saga of bringing YL-37 back from the brink. The aircraft is not just old. It is stubborn. Furthermore, every step forward seems to uncover two new problems. At first, it looks manageable. Then reality shows up. Parts are rare. Systems are tired. And the deeper you go, the more you realize this is not just a restoration. It is a resurrection. Consequently, the team has to make decisions that are equal parts engineering and gut instinct. Do you rebuild? Replace? Or walk away? (Spoiler: nobody walks away.) Meanwhile, the human side of this story becomes the real hook. The persistence. The frustration. The small wins that feel huge. Actually, those moments are what keep the whole thing moving. Then comes the turning point. A breakthrough that shifts everything. But does it stick? Or is this just another setup for the next problem? By the end, YL-37 is more than a machine. It represents effort, risk, and a refusal to quit. And yeah… you will absolutely wonder if you would have stuck with it this long.YL-37 helicopter restoration story starts with a mission that sounds simple. It is not. Actually, it quickly turns into a “wait, what?” situation. This episode picks up with Doober and the ongoing saga of bringing YL-37 back from the brink. The aircraft is not just old. It is stubborn. Furthermore, every step forward seems to uncover two new problems. At first, it looks manageable. Then reality shows up. Parts are rare. Systems are tired. And the deeper you go, the more you realize this is not just a restoration. It is a resurrection. Consequently, the team has to make decisions that are equal parts engineering and gut instinct. Do you rebuild? Replace? Or walk away? (Spoiler: nobody walks away.) Meanwhile, the human side of this story becomes the real hook. The persistence. The frustration. The small wins that feel huge. Actually, those moments are what keep the whole thing moving. Then comes the turning point. A breakthrough that shifts everything. But does it stick? Or is this just another setup for the next problem? By the end, YL-37 is more than a machine. It represents effort, risk, and a refusal to quit. And yeah… you will absolutely wonder if you would have stuck with it this long. This episode proudly sponsored by DCArtworks.net and OneSkin at https://www.oneskin.co/SoThereIWas #oneskinpod #sponsored #ad YL-37 helicopter restoration story engine and mechanical rebuild workScreenshot YL-37 helicopter restoration story nearly completed aircraft on ground

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The Boy on the Fence Became the Boss Episode 207

This is part two with Al Cisneros, and this time, it opens in a hurry. No notice. Grab the jet. Haul critical intel. Get it to Saigon—fast. Actually, what starts as a straightforward courier mission quickly takes on weight. The tasking is urgent, the stakes are real, and the realization hits that this flight matters far beyond just flying from point A to point B. Furthermore, that opening story sets the tone for the entire episode. From there, the conversation expands into a full career arc. Early uncertainty. Lessons learned the hard way. Moments of pressure that shape judgment and confidence. Consequently, the stories build into something bigger than individual flights. You hear how experience stacks over time. How decisions compound. And how leadership isn’t assigned—it’s earned. Anf of course, what a small world Aviation in general is, and Naval Aviation in particular. By the end, the through-line is clear. The guy flying that mission becomes the one others look to for direction. And yeah… the path between those two points is anything but predictable.

You're Marginally in Control & in Charge of Nothing Episode 206

This episode drops you straight into one of those situations pilots train for—but hope never happens. A routine mission turns serious fast when the fuel state stops being a number and starts becoming a problem. Not a “tight on gas” problem. A zero fuel over hostile territory problem. And now the math matters. Range, burn rate, options… none of them look good. As the situation unfolds, you’ll hear how quickly cockpit priorities shift. There’s no room for denial. Gauges are questioned. Assumptions get challenged. And the reality sets in: this might end with an ejection into a very bad place. Then comes the sliver of hope—a tanker. But even that isn’t simple. Different aircraft, mismatched speeds, and a setup that doesn’t quite work on paper. What follows is a tense, improvised attempt to make something possible out of something that really shouldn’t be. The story walks through the decision-making, the physics, and the human side of being right on the edge. There are moments of calm, flashes of clarity, and a few “this is really happening” realizations that hit hard. By the end, it’s not just about how it worked out—it’s about what it took to get there, and what sticks with you long after a flight like that is over. Tune in to this week’s show for the build up and amazing stories – and next week, we close the loop!

That's Not Our Runway! Episode 205

Fig & RePete kick back for a raw hangar-talk session unpacking aviation’s razor edge: LaGuardia runway crash layers failing Swiss-cheese style, sim freezes hiding ghost jets, and C-130 crews lining up on the wrong damn strip packed with paratrooper Chinooks. Lessons learned? Night viz traps, CRM meltdowns, bozo announcements, and “shut up, navigator” tricks that nearly sparked war’s biggest fireball—plus hand-on-head foul-deck signals and trainee controller fumbles. Irreverent, technically sharp close-call confessions that’ll have pilots nodding and laughing darkly.

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Untethered Episode 204

The C-130 flight engineer is a disappearing breed. However, the stories remain. In this episode of So There I Was, DC pulls back the curtain on high-stakes aircrew life. We explore the Air National Guard culture and the “routine” moments that turn sideways. Why is the Flight Engineer being phased out? We discuss what is lost when a computer replaces a human eye. We also spend some time chatting about DCArtworks – Online at DCArtworks.Net – DC is a sponsor of our show and – Go check out his amazing work – you will want SOMETHING either for yourself or as a gift. These are AMAZING pieces for the person who has everything… cuz they don’t got one of these! From crew dynamics to the reality of flying with “Fig,” DC shares the grit of a career spent in a Herc. Beyond the cockpit, we are also supporting our airmen downrange in Operation Old Spice by providing necessities they can’t access while deployed. This is a wandering hangar story where “normal” is only a temporary state of mind. … C130 #FlightEngineer #AirNational Guard Click the Photo to Donate