What was your favorite piece of military equipment – firearm, apparel, vehicle, aircraft, boat, etc. – and why? What was your least favorite?:

It’s difficult to pick a single favorite piece of equipment. The SH3 SeaKing and the USS America are two of my favorites. I enjoyed flying in that helicopter. I was an AE and Aircrew SAR. Stationed in Quonset Point, RI and having been on the Intrepid before it became a museum, it was impressive to see the differences on the USS America. During flight ops, one of the ships’ officers exclaimed “That is one big mother”. That moniker soon became the unofficial name in several squadrons henceforth. On one occasion, our bird landed on the angle deck. Rotors were still turning, and I was troubleshooting with a shipmate. I reached the island to retrieve an item when there was an accidental catapult launch that tore away the right pylon and landing gear and the bird simply keeled over sideways like it was a cow tipping event. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries. My shipmate made a smart decision to stay put by the open cargo door as the bird angled over on top of him! Years later, every time I watch the Pixar movie “Cars” and see tractor tipping with Mater and Lightning McQueen, I just laugh and think about that time. Perhaps because the America met an early fate and didn’t become a museum, the memories are that much more significant.