S3 Series

Gentlemen,

It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my dear friend, Roger "dewolf" Smith. He was far too young at 73 and will be sorely missed by more than I think he would expect. If it weren't for him and his dedication to the group, the 352ND would not be where it is today.

I will post more later, but for now...

Blue skies my friend.

Roger (pictured on the right) with his uncle Wayne Stock, crew chief in the 352nd along with his cousin at the Gathering of Mustangs and Legends in 2007:

It was always an honor working with him and his dedication to the S3's. Although I did not ever meet him, He will be missed like a brother.

Blue Skies <S>

This is awful news. Very sorry to hear this. <S> Dewolf. God bless him and the family he leaves behind. He will be missed.

<S>
Dave K.

This is tragic news for us all! Roger was one that always helped others out. I enjoyed our phone call conversations.

He will deeply be missed!

Blue skies my friend!

High Flight

"Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air....

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace.
Where never lark, or even eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
– Put out my hand, and touched the face of God."

John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

dewolf was always a class act from my perspective. He will be truly missed by many, including me, as others have stated.

<S> Blue Skies forever.

Dewolf will be missed greatly. Always going the extra mile making maps plans and good suggestions to the frame CO. He was also a class act. On behalf of the RCAF, Blue Skies.

RIP and Blue Skies. Rock.

I read this with disbelief. I expected a debrief and report in my inbox from this great man and class act. Always concerned with how the game was playing out, not if he and his squad had the best rides or even chance. His critiques were timely and helpful and he always did his best to provide information that would improve the S3s and WBs in general. He encouraged my missions and goals often when they were hard to see or poorly written. You could not challenge him too much and I think that goes a long way to explaining the success of his squad for all the years it has thrived when others have left the game or died away.

A sad day, another great gone west. At least he will find friends there, fellow WarBirders that he can share drinks with, draw images in the sky with their hands and laugh at the folly of youth.

With deepest respect,

<SALUTE>

Blue Skies!

<SALUTE>

Salute!

Wow! And bad news on this day of honoring our fallen

Waiting to hear more from Todd, but this had to be quick and Wolf and I talked frequently, even when flying on opposite sides. No indication of long term illness or whatever just a few weeks ago.

Many of us are moving along, and I am older than Wolf and most others flying the S3.

I offer a toast from my C-flight tradition ....

"So hold your goblet steady,
For we come from a brotherhood that flies,
Here's a toast to the dead already,
and a low, fast pass for the next man that dies!!"

So I walk out now and throw a nickel on the grass. The world is a lesser place when we lose such folks.

Gums sends....

Todd - I am so sad to hear of Roger's death. He is one of the good guys in the game who will be missed.

We shared in many PM and email conversations about the game, the Axis, and his penchant for remembering my Luftwobble roots. Roger also forwarded to me some avatars (the latest one):



Blue Skies, my friend!

~S~ Okami-san.