National Buccaneers NewsletterNational Buccaneers NewsletterAugust, 2020

Convention Update

Once again, as your president and vice president, we have continued to monitor the saga of the national outbreak of (COVID-19) over the past months. During this time, we received many calls from numerous mem-bers concerning the October date and differ-ent scenarios such as: Will we be required to wear a mask? Will social distancing be applicable? Possible maximum group size, etc.? Will the virus go away after the Novem-ber election? At this point, no one knows...hopefully we have chosen the path of least resistance in order to obtain an outstanding Convention and stay safe.

As previously mentioned, we are commit-ted to the continued safety of our members and are taking additional precautions to pro-tect those same members from the potential spread of this horrendous disease.

Bob contacted the Boca Embassy Suites and was able to change the Convention dates to May 14–16, 2021. Based on current in-formation and a long-term outlook, we both believe this will be our best alternative at this time. The room rate will remain the same at $102 and the hotel staff will change all cur-rent existing reservations on file to the new Convention date.

Thanking you in advance for your under-standing and patience during these tough times.Stan Barfield, President: 352-362-9454 Bob Pierson, Vice President: 770-328-6351

Officers are:President: Capt. Stan Barfield

VP/Convention Chair: Bob Pierson

Bob PiersonStan Barfield

Past President:Capt. John Wentworth and

Linda Wentworth

Past Treasurer:Sharron and Bob Thrasher

Temporary Treasurer:Stan Barfield

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On July 20, Space Coast Daily.com’s “Sit Down with Steve” featured a video interview with former flight attendant Linda Joiner Kolumbus who recounts her harrowing experience during the hijack-ing of Flight 496: https://space coastdaily.com/2020/07/sit-down-with-steve-former-flight-attendant-linda-joiner-kolumbus-talks-about-being-hijacked-in-july-1972/.

Following is an account of the hijacking by Chron.com:In the second week of July 1972, chess kings Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky had just kicked off what was then called the “Match of the Century” in Reykjavík, Iceland.

About the same time, in Miami, Fla., Dem-ocratic presidential candidate George McGov-ern settled on Missouri Sen. Thomas Eagleton as his running mate, a move that soon proved disastrous in his bid to unseat President Richard Nixon.

Amid all that, on an overcast morning in Southeast Texas, a Boeing 727 made an un-scheduled landing at a tiny Lake Jackson airport owned by Dow Chemical.

Eight people were aboard the National Air-lines jet. A co-pilot, a flight engineer, four flight attendants, including Linda Joiner, and two hijackers.••••••On July 12, 1972, National Airlines Flight 496 was en route to New York from Philadelphia when 34-year-old Navy veteran Michael Stanley Green and 22-year-old Lulseged Tesfa bran-dished a 22-caliber handgun and a shotgun.

The two claimed to be carrying a bomb in a typewriter case. The men demanded $600,000 in ransom and a return to Philadelphia.

Upon landing there, the pilot escaped. Eventually, the passengers were released, after which Tesfa and Green took the crew—along with some parachutes and about $500,000—and trans-ferred to a second airplane.

From Philadelphia, the 727 made its way to Texas, flying over Dallas, then southward toward Intercontinental Airport and on to the Gulf of Mexico, in keeping with the hijackers’ apparent plans to go to Jamaica.

That wasn’t going to happen.“We were up there over the Gulf with almost no fuel. We thought about trying to put it down on

the beach but then we noticed Lake Jackson,” flight engineer and Spring resident Gerald Beaver told the Houston Post days after the hijacking. Beaver had received a minor gunshot wound to the leg while in Philadelphia.

Remembering the Hijacking of NAL Flight 496, July 1972

Former National Flight Attendant Linda Joiner Kolumbus, above circa the early 1970s, who detailed being hijacked in 1972. (Image credit: Space Coast Daily.com)

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Boeing 727s aren’t really supposed to land on 5,000-foot runways. But as the jet touched down, the crew hit the brakes, causing the plane to swerve and throwing the hijackers off balance. In the process, two tires blew out.

As the aircraft came to a stop, co-pilot Norman Reagan and Beaver jumped out. Bea-ver was able to flee into some nearby woods, but Reagan was severely injured when he hit the ground.

Federal and local author-ities quickly surrounded the plane and started negotiations. After a few hours, one of the flight attendants was released.

Negotiations went back and forth. The hijackers wanted National to send another jet, but the FBI refused. Plans to have an FBI agent fly the hijackers out of the airport on a Cessna fell through.

But a breakthrough came when the FBI sent in a team from Baltimore, which included agent Louis White.

“We brought White up to talk to them. Green was the less militant of the two, so he was the guy we worked on. He wouldn’t talk to us, but the black agent talked to him like a brother,” Thom-as J. Jordan, the FBI agent-in-charge of the Houston office, told the Post.

After 4 p.m., the hijackers said they would surrender only to the FBI and not to Texas authori-ties. With that, the remaining three flight attendants were released unharmed, the surrender took place and the 24-hour ordeal came to a close.

The only thing left to work out was how to get the 727 off the runway. Maintenance crews re-placed the blown tires and—to keep the aircraft’s weight down for takeoff—put just enough fuel in the plane to get it to Intercontinental on July 14.

As for Tesfa and Green, newspaper reports indicate that FBI agents found plans for hijacking a plane and taking it to Mexico in a Washington, D.C., apartment linked to the two.

Both were later convicted of air piracy. Despite raising competency issues, Tesfa, an Ethiopi-an national and Howard University student, was sentenced to 60 years in prison. Green, a father, received a 50-year sentence.

Despite their lengthy sentences, both men were released from federal prisons in the early 1980s, according to Bureau of Prisons records.

On July 12, 1972, National Airlines Flight 496 was en route to New York from Phil-adelphia when 34-year-old Navy veteran Michael Stanley Green and 22-year-old Lulseged Tesfa brandished a .22-caliber handgun and a shotgun. ABOVE: Hijackers surrender while exiting the 727 at Lake Jackson airport, July 1972. (Image credit: Darrell Davidson, Chronicle file)

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Gone but not forgotten

Herbert “Dusty” Rhode NAL/PAA Flight Engineer DOB May 20, 1927 • DOH March 10, 1951 • DOD July 23, 2020

Herbert “Dusty” W. Rhode, 93, of Dade City, FL peacefully passed away on July 23, 2020. He was born in Charleston, SC on May 20, 1927. Dusty was married to Wilma Mooy in 1967 and they were married for over 52 years.

Dusty joined the Navy in 1942 and was honorably discharged in 1946. The Navy was the beginning of his career in aviation as an aircraft machinist. He went on to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University which launched his career in 1949 as a Flight Engineer. Dusty had a distinguished flying career spanning 39 years and over 35,000

flying hours with National Airlines and Pan American Airways.Dusty enjoyed sailing, auto racing, air shows, and spending time in his family’s cabin in Blue Ridge, Georgia. He

also enjoyed contributing to the Salvation Army. He was recently predeceased by his wife “Willie,” NAL/PAA Flight Attendant on April 13, 2020. Dusty was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather and will be dearly missed, loved, and respected by all. His journey through this life was remarkable.Our thanks to FE Ernie Ohff for notification of Dusty’s passing and Dusty’s son Todd for the obituary and photos. Todd points out that Dusty was proud

to have been born the same day Charles Lindberg took off on his epic flight.

Captain Randal “Randy” L. Porter Mackey/NAL/PAA/DALDOB Nov. 23, 1947 • DOH Aug. 1, 1977 • DOD June 12, 2020

Randal Lewis Porter of Yankeetown, Florida passed June 12, 2020, he was 72 years old. Known as “Randy,” he was born in Miami, Florida, in 1947. Randy went to Florida State University in Tallahassee. He then learned to fly at Opa-Locka Airfield and be-came a pilot for Mackey International Airlines. The Porter brothers were known by all the flight attendants.

In 1977, Randy went to National Airlines as a pilot, then Pan American Airways, then to Delta Airlines. Randy was a Lion’s club member and donor. He was big-

hearted, a stranger to no one, and a friend to many people wherever he lived throughout his life. Randy was loved and will be missed by all.Special thanks to Randy’s wife Sherry and Randy’s friend retired DAL Captain Bob Brown for notice of Randy’s passing, details, and photos.

If anyone learns of the loss of one of our NAL family, please let Steve know at: nalbucs@gmail.com

Obits from Steve Mills

May their final flights West be fair of wind and free from turbulence.

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BUCCANEER MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL, 2020

Dues are $15

Name(s): ___________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________

City, State, Zip: ______________________________________________

Phone Contact: _______________________________

E-mail Contact: _______________________________

Checks should be made to: National Buccaneers

Mail to: NAL Buccaneers Club c/o Stanley Barfield 8850 SE 7th Avenue Road Ocala, FL 34480-7277

The Buccaneers Need a Little Help by Stan Barfield

Over many years the NAL Buccaneers club has held our dues down to an absolute minimum. For the last couple of reunions, fees were set to barely cover costs and on occasion, there have been additional unexpected costs we paid for from the treasury. Keeping dues down and reunion costs low was a conscious effort to prevent residual funds when the Club closes. This being said, with the final reunion only a few months away, and our desire to put on a memorable bash, we are low on cash and need a lit-tle help. We don’t want to raise fees for the reunion which could adversely affect turnout, so we are asking any of you who are able, to send in a donation. We are not going to set any specific amount. Any amount will be appreciated from $5 to whatever you feel comfortable sending. Thanks in advance. Please make dona-tions to the NAL Buccaneers and mail to my address below.

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CONVENTION REGISTRATION BOCA RATON, MAY 14–16, 2021

Number attending: ____

If attending the banquet ONLY, please check here ___

Name(s): _____________________________________________________________

Phone Contact: _______________________________

E-mail Contact: _______________________________

Please indicate meal preference for EACH person:

Chicken ______ Beef ______ Fish ______

Please include a check for $85 PER PERSON if you are attending the entire convention, or $50 PER PERSON if you only attending the banquet. Checks should be made to: National Buccaneers Mail to: NAL Buccaneers Club, c/o Stanley Barfield, 8850 SE 7th Avenue Road, Ocala, FL 34480-7277

Have questions? Call Stan: 352-362-0454 or Bob: 770-328-6351

Final Buccaneer Bash in Boca by Bob Pierson, Convention Chairman

Mark your calendar for May 14-15-16, 2021. The three-day event will be held at the Em-bassy Suites Hotel in Boca Raton, Florida. We have a $102 per night rate for our group. For reservations call the hotel directly at: 561-994-8200 and mention our code NAB or call our gal, Carolyn, at the hotel: 561-989-3966, and she will gladly list you. Since this will be our final Convention, we have planned our Saturday event to take place in the Theater Room within the hotel. This is the same room where we have always held our Sunday morning member meetings. As always, we will have the Hospitality room open throughout the weekend for all to stop by and do a little hanger flying. The Banquet Din-ner will be held on the final evening, Sunday, May 16 after Happy Hour at 7:30 p.m. in the Barbados Room. There will be a flyer with the weekend events given to all at check-in. Looking forward to seeing each and every one of you soon...(Spread the word)