Retired Marine aviator to speak at Grampaw Pettibone Squadron luncheon on Thursday, September 8, 2022

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Let’s get together on Thursday, September 8 at 11:30 a.m., to meet and socialize at the Garden Grove Elks Lodge located at 11551 Trask Avenue, Garden Grove, CA 92843.

Our speaker will be James E. (“Jim”) Markel, former Marine Corps F-8 pilot (Captain, USMC), holder of the Distinguished Flying Cross and five Air Medals for service flying the F-8 over the Republic of Vietnam in 1965-66. Jim will talk about his time in the cockpit of the Crusader. Jim joined the Marine Corps in order to meet his draft obligation, but ended up in flight school: as he says, “From PFC in a Howitzer Battery to Captain in a Fighter Squadron in five years”. After his service, he remained active in the aircraft industry and civil aviation. He is an experienced aviator with over 9,000 hours logged as pilot-in-command who holds an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate with 10 Type Ratings in Transport Category jets ranging from Learjet to Boeing 747.

We will order off of the menu, no buffet available.

Please contact Tim Brown at (562)287-4846 or [email protected] to make reservations. We need to know by 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, the day before our lunch, whether you are going to attend so that we may inform service staff for set up.

The Elks Lodge has a “no mask” policy right now.

We look forward to seeing as many members and old friends as possible.