Originally Posted by
oifvet23
The first time I had any interaction with Capt. Hooks our squadron just started its first work ups with the carrier Truman. My shop received a call from maintenance control telling my SSgt to get someone down to the hanger deck. Aircraft 212 just had a hard landing and would be waiting on jacks to have its landing gear stripped for testing. The test needed to be performed to make sure there were to microscopic cracks that could fail in future landings. Its a long tedious process which had to be done by hand, no power tools, because power tools could damage the high strength steel the landing gear are made of. Naturally the lowest of the low rank would be sent down to get it done, me. For a squadron new to the sea, hard landings happened often. I grabbed what I needed and cursed all the way to the hanger. This time there was someone I didn't quite recognize as a maintainer in blue coveralls already at work under the aircraft. It was Capt. Hooks, I asked "Is there something I can do for you Sir" and he said "What can I do to help." "I don't need any help Sir" and then "Listen, why should you guys be the only ones down here fixing MY **** up, what do you need me to do." I was blown overboard, I could not believe what I just heard, no pilot did that, none, never. He helped me, and the other shops run all the tests. He was there the entire time, It had to be close to six hours and that was after a full flight schedule. For him it was a very long day. I still cant believe it today, a pilot getting dirty and not only getting dirty but taking off the Captain's bars and being one of the boys even if it was for a short time, it personally meant a lot to me. He didn't have to do that but thats why the enlisted loved him, because he did do things like that. He wanted us to know he wasn't above us he just had a different job description. He was very humble in the sense that he never had to demand respect from the enlisted personnel. He was someone you could look up to.
The last time a saw/spoke to Capt Hooks was the day he left beaufort for the last time to fly out to the carrier. I was on rear Detachment and was hanging out in the pilot changing room while he suited up. We were talking and he mentioned he hoped his wife was going to make it before he had to take off but it didn't look like she would. When he was done I helped him carry his bags to maintenance control so he could go over the log books. I went outside to take a minute to smoke a cig before I had to be on the flight line to launch the aircraft. I was looking over to our headquarters building and could see a women on the phone looking a little upset. I asked her if she was ok and she said no, that she was looking for her husband and was afraid she missed him. I asked "Who is your husband" and she responded "Captain Franklin Hooks", without a thought I flicked my cig and said " right this way ma'am, he's been expecting you" and showed her they way. I left them alone and got ready to launch his aircraft. I grabbed his bags, me and Capt Hooks walked out to his aircraft. He thanked me for bringing his wife to him before he took off and shook my hand as he ascended the aircraft ladder. I armed him up and gave him a crisp salute and mouthed "have a good flight". I watched him take to the sky that afternoon and never saw him again. Memories like these will live with me forever. They say God takes the good ones first, Capt Hooks Was one of the good ones. He is loved by his family, his friends and his brothers in the Corps.
God Bless his Soul
Lcpl Barto