Ed McMahon Dies of Cancer

[427TJ]

About a year ago I was flying a Los Angeles to Seattle flight, 9 p.m. departure, when the A flight attendant walked into the cockpit and said that Ed McMahon was in First Class and wanted to say hi to the pilots. The captain was out getting the flight paperwork so I went back and said hello to Ed. I knew he had been a Marine F4U Corsair pilot in the Korean War so I walked back and said, "Hello Mr. McMahon" and we shook hands. He asked what the ride would be like and I told him and then I said, "You're an old Corsair man, how about I sit in your nice First Class seat and you take us to Seattle." He got a surprised look and said "How did you know I flew Corsairs?" I told him that I had read that in an aviation history magazine years ago. He was as nice as could be and I am sure he appreciated the fraternal acknowledgement of his aviation experience.