Uncle Mike

With St. Patrick’s Day coming up I am reminded of my Uncle Mike…an Irishman of good standing.

Bernard Michael Shea was my mother’s brother.  “Uncle Mike” drifted in and out of your lives as I grew up. It was always an exciting time when he arrived as he brought with him smiles and laughter, a wealth of stories, friends and good humor. His stories were what I always waited for. They were always told with great flourish, I believe he may have shared a “nip” or two with my father that added embellishment to the story being told, but after all he was a true Irishman and had no doubt kissed the Blarney Stone.

Serving in WWII and a pilot in the Korean War he had a variety of flying jobs before hiring on with American Airlines. These were filled with experiences that made excellent material for some of his magical stories.

Here are two examples:

One, while flying in Korea, involved flying a very nervous General. On a flight from Korea to Japan, with an extended crew, the pilots, one by one, went back to use the head (bathroom). The General, taking count, soon deduced that no one was still in the cockpit. Stopping the last pilot (Uncle Mike) he, with panic in his voice, said “whose flying the airplane…seems the crews are all back here?” Without hesitation, and a twinkle in his eyes, Uncle Mike assured him the autopilot was flying, “and doing a dam fine job of it too”. There was actually one pilot still at the controls. Needless to say the General was not impressed and ordered the pilots back up front where they belonged. I’ve often wondered what story the General told about that flight?

Another I also recall told of flying a load of chickens out of a hot and dusty Mexican airport nestled deep in a valley. The surrounding mountains and the overweight load of chickens prevented the tired old DC-3’s engines from producing enough power to climb out of the valley.  Uncle Mike speculated that if the co-pilot would run up and down the aisle and get all the chickens flying it might lighten the load enough to fly over the mountains. Fact or fiction…many have debated this improbable scenario.

As a young boy I was mesmerized by these stories. I could almost hear the roar of the radial engines, smell the fuel and oil and maybe even the chickens. I believed many of them possible, everything is possible, “right?”, until I got into aviation (inspired to do so by Uncle Mike) and questioned a few. I may have even tried a few of them on unsuspecting young co-pilots.

Uncle Mike, pilot, sailor and raconteur went on to a great career with American, where I am sure he regaled many with his stories…though gone now will never be forgotten:

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee

So on St. Patrick’s day I’ll be lifting a pint and be wishing an Irish blessing for Uncle Mike.

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

 

“Adh mor ort” … Good luck to you!"