So There I Was

Soaring to New Heights with Scott Perdue of “FlyWire”: An Episode You Can’t Miss! This week we have an electrifying guest: Scott “Gunny” Perdue, the aviation mastermind behind the hit YouTube channel, “FlyWire”. Get ready to strap in and embark on a thrilling ride through the skies of Gunny’s experiences. From nail-biting encounters in the F-4 Phanto...

Have you ever felt the pull of a compelling story? The kind that stays with you, long after it's been told? Meet Gregg LeFevre, a New Yorker whose storytelling is not just a passion, but a compulsion. With over 200 public art projects worldwide, including NYC’s expansive Library Walk, Gregg's work seamlessly blends historical narratives with artistic flair. His bronze reliefs and art pieces narrat...

Doc-Doc joined hosts Fig & RePete for an intriguing episode. A former Navy flight surgeon in a Marine Harrier Squadron, Doc-Doc tells how he became a flight surgeon in spite of not having any previous pull towards aviation. Hear captivating stories of honor from the Black world famous “Black Sheep Squadron.” And in the prologue, Fig talks up a veteran’s outdoor adventure nonp...

Ready to Dive into an Adventure?** 🚁🎤 Hold onto your headphones, folks, because this episode is jam-packed with laughter, twists, and turns! Ever heard of an attorney who flies rescue helicopters and was once a suspect in a sledgehammer & Hello-Kitty-umbrella burglary? 😂🌂🔨 If you’re scratching your head, you’re not alone! 🚁 Deus, with a career more colorful than a Mardi Gras...

Tune in to this week’s episode of “So There I Was” as we navigate the skies with Juan Browne, the mastermind of the Blancolirio Channel on YouTube! Ever marveled at his gift for demystifying intricate topics? Curious about the origins of his channel’s name? Dive into Juan’s riveting tales, including the heart-stopping moment he found himself in an inverted flat spin,...

Intake brings listeners on a thrilling journey through his life. From his time as a squadron commander and Blue Angel solo pilot, to his daring work as a Hollywood stunt pilot for the movie Top Gun Maverick, Intake’s experiences in the cockpit are nothing short of breathtaking. His tales of close calls, shenanigans, and the intense teamwork required to fly the F-18 paint a vivid picture of l...

Onion shares gripping stories from his time as a Marine Fighter / Attack Pilot. He recounts a situation in Iraq where he witnessed the resourcefulness of Marines who called for an air strike in a very unconventional manner when they were surrounded by Iraqi tanks. Onion’s most coincidental story involves helping Vapor (episode 62) who ejected from a Harrier without hydraulics and wound up na...

This week’s description is short and sweet. One-Eye joined us to talk about becoming a Marine and his career… punctuated by one of the most heroic acts ever performed in a helicopter. Nothing more to say. Don’t miss this show!

Lawman returns with an action-packed show. Get ready for intriguing stories, heartfelt tributes, and unforgettable moments. Lawman kicks off the show with a touching tribute to our friend and fellow pilot, Brian Shul, with reflections on their shared experiences. Then, he takes us on a crazy adventure with the 13th MEU, exploring vibrant cities like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Phuket. It wasn’...

This week Vapor Joins us to talk about his remarkable journey from flight school through his extraordinary career. From the Far East to Desert Storm and beyond, Vapor’s stories will keep you hooked, blending humor, tragedy, and spine-chilling moments. Prepare to be transported as Vapor recounts his unbelievable experience; of ejecting from a crippled jet over enemy territory; catapulted back...

Welcome to episode 61 of “So There I Was”! Get ready to be captivated by an extraordinary tale that starts with a group of Vietnam buddies, hunting pheasants and sharing stories on a family farm. Little did they know, these gatherings would ignite a passion in a young boy, propelling him to become a Marine helicopter pilot. But here’s the twist – Doober already had a stagge...

Lieutenant Colonel “Moose” Lutes, a Marine Helicopter, Fighter and Attack pilot with an incredible career spanning over 20 years joins the Fig & RePete to tell about his career spanning from the 50s through the mid 70s. Moose’s journey began with an airplane ride to Memphis. He decided to take the Navy up on an offer of a plane ride because he thought he “probably would...

Join hosts Fig and RePete for a fantastic interview with Blackhawk pilot, KO, as he takes us on a thrilling ride through his remarkable military career. From his enlistment in the Marine Corps to his deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan as an Army H-65 Blackhawk pilot, KO shares challenges and moments of camaraderie, and resilience throughout his service. With heart-pumping stories of intense and d...

In this interview with Navy Fighter pilot and Top Gun Instructor, Kemo, listeners are taken on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Kemos energy is contagious as he shares his experiences of flying and training with the best of the best. He opens with this weeks ‘title story,’ a 1v1 Top Gun fight he won in spite of being in an inferior aircraft.  Sadly, the theme of killing livestock continues t...

In this episode, A Water Buffalo for Tam Ky, Gunny returns to share more incredible tales: Gunny recounts a humorous, yet impactful incident involving a screwed up lieutenant and the practical joke / unusual method used to teach him a lesson. Hear about “One Eye’s Last Mission,” a literal blind flight that testifies to incredible bravery in combat. This week’s title comes f...

Gunny joins Fig and RePete for an extraordinary episode. An H-34 pilot and Vietnam veteran, Gunny comes out of the blocks at full throttle and doesn’t stop for the entire hour. Riveting stories will keep you on the edge of your seat. From intense combat moments to profound reflections, Gunny shares his firsthand experiences. From the very first tale of “That’s My $#(@*# Rockets You Mor...

Imagine this: You’re faced with a heart-wrenching dilemma. Your employer threatens to fire you unless you compromise your own safety and fly without the essential oxygen you need and required by law… This harrowing predicament was a reality for this week’s guest when he was building flight time with the hopes of becoming an airline pilot some day. Retired AA Captain and Author of...

Join us for an exciting episode of So There I Was, as we welcome Brian Shul, “Punchy,”: Fighter Pilot, “Sled Driver,” Author, and Photographer Extraordinaire to the show. He shares with us his incredible story of survival after being shot down in the jungles of Vietnam and how he went on to fly again, defying all odds. Punchy’s journey from the A-7 to the A-10 and then to the fam...

On this episode of So There I Was, Slaf joins Fig and RePete to share some incredible stories from his time as a Marine and Air Guard pilot. From holding a burial at sea for a missing pilot who later turned up, to flying the notoriously challenging Cougar, Slaf’s experiences will keep you on the edge of your seat. He also sheds light on why the F-84 Thunderstreak was nicknamed the “Hog...

This week enjoy a thrilling journey with Slaf (Sr.), NavCad, Marine Corps Aviator who flew the SNJ, T-28 Trojan, TV-2 (t-33) SeaStar, F9F2 Panther, F2H4 Banshee, F9F8 Cougar, F-84F Thunderstreak throughout his career. You may remember Slaf from episode 50 who talked about his father being a Marine aviator. Well, he graciously joins us this week and next. Slaf takes us through his training days, wh...

Marine, Author, American Hero: LtCol. W.R. Spicer USMC (ret) joins Fig & RePete this week. We delve into the extraordinary life of this Marine who has written a memoir that is nothing short of amazing. In his five books, “Sea Stories of a US Marine,” Spicer shares his incredible journey, from the unlikely event that changed the course of his life to his meeting and interactions wit...

Take to the skies with the adrenaline-pumping story of SLAF’s adventures flying the iconic Harrier jump jet. In this gripping show, SLAF shares his journey from aspiring pilot to Harrier Instructor and offers valuable advice on perseverance and overcoming obstacles. SLAF recounts for Fig & RePete some of the most heart-stopping moments of his career, including witnessing a fellow pilot eject f...

Nightmare joins “co-horsts” Fig & RePete and reveals how he got his call sign in flight school. It stuck with him for the rest of his career; which is a good thing! Then he told us how and why he came to want to fly in the Marines and how he “impressed” his LSO when preparing for carrier qualification. Hence this week’s title! Nightmare talks about the challenges of teaching VSTOL...

Buckle up and prepare for takeoff with Carrott, Fig, and RePete as they explore the incredible journey of Carrott becoming a Naval aviator. Carrott shares captivating stories of his time in flight school, instructing in the A-4 at NAS Meridian, and flying the S-3 Viking aboard the Nimitz. Hear how his flight jacket disappeared after a wild night of drinking with F-111 pilots; and yet kept popping...

This is our second show with Kaos. Come along as he tells us about the challenges of owning a Harrier and performing with it in airshows. Spoiler alert: It’s a little more involved than flying to the venue and performing the demo! Up for some special bourbon? 700 Mile per Hour Bourbon raised a nice sum of money for charity, and there may be some left. You have to go get it yourself because i...