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PODCAST

So There I Was

Chuck Newton and Pete Harmon

So There I Was” is a weekly aviation podcast and YouTube show featuring true pilot stories from fighter pilots, airline captains, helicopter pilots, and other military and civilian aviators. “So – There I was.” It’s how ALL great aviation tales begin! Join hosts Fig and Repete as they bring in some great aviation raconteurs to relate the glamorous, hilarious, poignant, tragic, and incredible tales of aviation. Fig and Repete met more than 30 years ago as Marine Attack pilots in Marine Attack

leisure aviation

All Episodes

30:04

Time Flies: The Harrier Watch Episode 173

So There I Was ·

2025/08/22

This special mid week episode of So There I Was takes a slight detour from our usual lineup of aviators and aircrew—but it’s still all about aviation at heart. Our guest, Mark, from Long Island Watch Co., joined us to share the story behind a limited-run Harrier commemorative watch designed in collaboration with the folks at Patuxent River Naval Air Station (PAX River). PAX, the Navy’s legendary flight test center, was the perfect place for the Harrier community to dream up a way to honor their jet

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1:37:53

Hunting Tankers In The Desert Episode 172

So There I Was ·

2025/08/21

Retired Marine AV-8B Harrier pilot, “Cutter,” brings stories that are equal parts funny and awe-inspiring. He kicks off with the 2005 twelve-ship departure from al-Asad—skimming the Saudi desert on fumes, praying the tankers showed up—before pushing through a 10.5-hour odyssey to Rota, Spain. He rewinds to OCS at Camp Upshur with 300 candidates lined up for a cold gamma-globulin shot, then to flight school in T-2s that needed a literal bicycle pump to make the radio work. Cutter recounts the logging

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1:14:59

Disco’s Canteen Got a Refill Episode 171

So There I Was ·

2025/08/14

IIn this wild, laugh-until-your-ribs-hurt episode of So There I Was, we dive into Marine Corps Harrier pilot stories that blur the line between combat history and barroom legend. We round up a squadron of Harrier pilots — including Spiko, who joins mid-flight — for tales of 8.5-G nozzle breaks in the Philippines, midair collisions, midnight carrier deck landings, and questionable uses for government-issued canteens.“Mongoose” lets the squadron run wild, “Woody” wakes up surrounded by boots, and

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1:15:19

Twisted Balls & Flaming Intakes Episode 170

So There I Was ·

2025/08/07

Strap in and try not to twist your balls. This week’s episode goes full afterburner with the “Young Guns” of VMA-542: Auto, Disco, Pisser, Spiko, Strut, and Vapor join Fig and RePete to recount the wild, the ridiculous, and the occasionally flammable moments of Marine Harrier squadron glory.There’s a missile shoot that nearly ends in a self-induced jet barbecue, poker games that could fund small countries, and bar fights with women who can deadlift your Harley. You’ll hear how napalm delivery

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1:17:37

Hook Slaps & Nozzle Flops Episode 169

So There I Was ·

2025/07/31

This week, we flip the script—Fig and RePete aren’t hosting, we’re the guests on The Flying Dutchman Show. Dutch dives into the stories, chaos, and camaraderie that define life as a Marine Harrier pilot, pulling out unforgettable tales from our years in the cockpit.From flight school struggles and first carrier landings to NATOPS checkride drama and mid-air close calls, no part of Marine aviation is off limits. You’ll hear how Fig got his call sign, how RePete nearly lost his flight contract,

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1:16:44

They Had Their Shoes On and Everything episode 168

So There I Was ·

2025/07/24

So there he was…35 feet above the water, at night, trying to airlift survivors. What happens next involves a suitcase, a shrug, and one hell of a throw. Join So There I Was as Coast Guard helo pilot “Sticks” returns to recount harrowing rescues during the Texas floods—where flying into chaos is just another Tuesday.From medevacs that look more like belly-flop contests to triaging 170 people solo in rising waters, Sticks paints a vivid—and frequently absurd—picture of what real-world Coast Guard

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58:20

Early Is On Time, Unless You're Too Early Episode 167

So There I Was ·

2025/07/17

From screw-up recruit to revered drill instructor, First Sergeant John Crouch takes us deep into the crucible of Marine Corps transformation. In this gripping episode, Crouch recalls his early days at bootcamp, his infamous misstep during the Laws of Land Warfare class, and the brutal but formative experience of Drill Instructor School at Parris Island. He shares harrowing tales of PT punishment, spit-shined leadership, and the unwavering standards that mold raw recruits into Marines. Whether he’s

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1:06:24

$174 in Pain and Pennies Episode 166

So There I Was ·

2025/07/10

So there I was… with $174 in loose change, one Garande rifle, and a sandpit full of regret. In this unforgettable episode, retired Marine First Sergeant John Crouch returns to So There I Was to share a story so absurd, it should be fiction—but it’s 100% real! From psychological stress at Officer Candidate School to creative punishments involving unsecured wallets and rifles. And you’ll hear how a Medal of Honor dog tag program gave candidates something bigger than themselves to fight for—and how a

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1:25:14

Goat Hunters, Jet Jocks & a $3,000 Rifle Episode 165

So There I Was ·

2025/07/03

We’re honored to be joined by retired USCG Chief Claude Morrissey—a veteran rescue swimmer with decades of gripping search and rescue tales. From cliffside hoists in Kodiak to extracting F-18 pilots from the Atlantic, Claude brings raw stories, grit, humor, and humility. He shares what it takes to make it through the brutal Rescue Swimmer A-School, the harrowing rescues that shaped his career, and what it’s like to fly missions from the Bering Sea to Hurricane Katrina. This one’s packed with

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Just Get Airborne Episode 164

So There I Was ·

2025/06/26

Stealth takes us straight into the Cold War cockpit on a Navy E-2 Hawkeye as he stood the watch during some of America’s most tense moments. From scrambling on alert after Reagan was shot, to deploying over the North Atlantic in DEFCON 2, to narrowly avoiding catastrophe when a 'friendly' dropped a bomb on a U.S. cruiser—this episode is packed with edge-of-your-seat stories. Stealth shares what it was like controlling the airspace above the fleet, even spotting submarines that were 'never there'

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3:00

No Show – 19 June 2025

So There I Was ·

2025/06/19

🎙️ No New Episode This Week – But Wait… It’s a Good Thing! 🎙️Last week’s So There I Was with Dos Gringos clocked in at over 2 hours and 15 minutes — a wild ride packed with laughs, songs, and unforgettable stories. Add in some tech gremlins this week, and we figured: let’s give you a little more time to soak it all in. If you haven’t heard it yet (or just want to hear it again), now’s your chance to dive back into the mayhem: 👉 https://sothereiwas.us/episode/163 Trust us — it’s one

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2:21:58

We're Gonna Piss on That Episode 163

So There I Was ·

2025/06/12

This very long—but hilarious and heartfelt—episode dives deep into fighter pilot culture; think less dogfights, more Dos Gringos. We sat down with the irreverent band, their musical wingmen from Los Gringos, and the founders of Winglore Spirits to talk whiskey, war stories, squadron bars, and the art of laughing at yourself. You’ll hear about bad rides that birthed great songs, the origin of Two’s Blind, near-death ejections, the mythos of Shaved Dog’s Ass, and a whiskey label that offers a

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I Was Only Going to Hit One Episode 162

So There I Was ·

2025/06/05

She’s five feet tall and larger than life! She once grounded an entire A&P school’s ego. Meet Mary Latimer — a pilot, mechanic, controller, examiner, and walking aviation pioneer. In this episode, she narrowly avoids lawn-darting a Cessna 172 from 5,000 feet with no elevator control using trim like a Jedi, and managed a mag failure mid-checkride. She once told an Air Traffic Control manager she was only going to hit one airliner! From launching 2,000 passengers in one night to getting told to “go

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1:30:13

A Case of Scotch the Hard Way Episode 161

So There I Was ·

2025/05/29

Ben Densley joins So There I Was to share his extraordinary journey—opening with a terrifying incident during a night parachute jump on to becoming a Green Beret, then a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. He recalls intense special forces training, covert operations in Laos, and flying for Air America in combat zones. Ben speaks candidly about the dangers he faced, the emotional toll of war, and the resilience needed to navigate PTSD. He also offers a behind-the-scenes look at missions involving rescues,

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Young Guns Episode 160

So There I Was ·

2025/05/22

This week we hand the mic to Pisser — a Marine aviator whose call sign isn’t an insult… it’s a proven skill... Yes, he really can clear a 15-passenger van... LENGTH-WISE! From calling in fast movers to dropping bombs and one-liners, Pisser takes us on a high-speed run through the hilarity and hazards of military aviation. He crushed flight school, built tactical air control programs, and somehow kept a straight face through “murder boards” that were anything but academic. You’ll hear about combat

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1:38:28

Tracer Fire; I Sorta Took That Personally Episode 159

So There I Was ·

2025/05/15

In this riveting episode of So There I Was, we sit down with John “Apache 2-3” Haugen, a Vietnam-era Army aviator with stories that span from the draft line in 1968 to combat flying in the Mekong Delta. John shares how he dodged a ground-pounder fate by heading to Officer Candidate School, ultimately flying slicks and accumulating over 900 hours of combat flight time. With humor, humility, and gripping detail, he recounts narrow escapes, night missions, forced landings, and his close call in a

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1:33:32

The Enigmatic Aviator Episode 158

So There I Was ·

2025/05/08

Dr. David Hamilton, retired surgeon and award-winning historian joins us to to discuss his upcoming book The Enigmatic Aviator: Charles Lindbergh Revisited (out May 21, 2025—on the 98th anniversary of Lindbergh’s legendary flight to Paris). Dr. Hamilton unveils the lesser-known side of Lindbergh—his pivotal contributions to medical science, organ perfusion technology, and even the design of early centrifuges. We explore Lindbergh’s engineering brilliance, his secretive private life, and how his

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2:08:11

The Longest Rescue Episode 157

So There I Was ·

2025/05/01

Bill Robinson recounts the harrowing story of being shot down over North Vietnam in 1965 during a rescue mission gone sideways. What followed was nearly eight years as a prisoner of war — making him the longest-held enlisted POW in American history. From in-flight helicopter refueling with 55-gallon drums to the chaos of capture, jungle survival, torture, and eventual release, Robinson shares vivid memories and razor-sharp insights. His humor, humility, and perspective on service, sacrifice, and

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1:42:40

Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable Episode 156

So There I Was ·

2025/04/24

Former U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer Jason “Quinny” Quinn shares the harrowing story behind the Distinguished Flying Cross he earned after saving five people from a burning ship in the Bering Sea. With only one helicopter and 26 people reported in the water, Quinn was deployed near the vessel Galaxy as it rolled violently in 25-foot seas. Swimming close to massive propellers and through smoke and flames, he rescued survivor after survivor—fighting exhaustion, freezing water, and chaos along the

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1:19:08

He's Guilty, But He's a Nice Guy Episode 155

So There I Was ·

2025/04/17

In this unforgettable episode of So There I Was, Howie Franklin—the only steward to serve five U.S. Presidents aboard Air Force One—joins us for an incredible deep dive into presidential history. With unmatched humor, insight, and warmth, Howie shares behind-the-scenes stories about Presidents Clinton, Reagan, Carter, Bush, and Ford. From rock-and-roll boombox diplomacy to emotional moments following family loss, Howie paints a vivid portrait of the human side of leadership.He details what it

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