Some Pictures Harlan shared while a CAFDFW Member

[painter777]

I caught this thread by Bob Womack late: https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=77621
I replied that Harlan and I were good friends, sometimes talking for hours on the phone covering everything from A-Z. At times he dealt with heavy depression because of family matters. If I could sway his thoughts towards his love of this forum, it's membership and the old planes he was devoted to I could hang up knowing he was doing better. He sent me many detailed pictures with most out of my wheel house of plane knowledge.

This is original nose art someone had the foresight to save when aircraft were being melted down after the end of WWII.
This exhibit is located at the CAF museum at Midland TX.










This one below was Harlan and his unit's pride and joy, a C-47/R4D. Not just a skin but a complete restored bird. They had a offer to appear at a large Air force show for good money with the stipulation the nose art had to be covered because the show was open to the public. They needed the money, so after deliberation they decided to take the offer. After several ideas of how to cover the nose art, Harlan remembered how some air crews covered theirs when it became mandatory. He called it
Defiant compliance and used red duct tape and a sharpie marker.



About 5~ years ago on the Douglas DC 3 web site they did a story about Harlan, the CAFDFW and R4D, I just happened to stumble upon it. All the pictures were taken by Harlan and all information on the planes history is from him.
Harlan is pictured in the 1st, 3rd picture he is the 1st guy on the left in flight suit and in the picture captioned: Rockport Crew July 4th 1999 his young son Tony has the red T shirt on with Harlan over his left shoulder with black hat.. black T shirt with some blue on the front.
Finding this article was a nice surprise. Memories of good people are like a gift.

This Confederate Air Force R4D-6S is "Ready For Duty"

http://www.douglasdc3.com/r4d/r4d.htm

Thanks for looking

[browningautorifle]

In about 2012 I went through Dallas airport and could feel I was close to Harlan, could feel him there. When I came home I messaged him and told him, he said it was about a 20 minute drive to where he was. He was suffering another bout of back problems so it would have been an impossible time anyway...I missed my chance. Tony and I stayed in touch for some time after but, things slide.

Thanks for the pics Charlie...

[painter777]

I should have wrote above: I found that story about Harlan and the CAFDFW on the Douglas site about ~5years ago and bookmarked it. I believe I was searching CAFDFW and it came up. I don't know how old the article is, but surprised Harlan never mentioned it to me. It had to be quite a while back.... seeing how young his son Tony is in the picture. Last picture I received of Tony was of him standing over a Hog he'd shot.... looking like he was about 15-16 years old.

[Bob Womack]

Charlie, you and I seem to have had a parallel relationship with Harlan. I spent many phone calls and emails with him as his family issues compounded and I dealt with family illness. We shared a passion for vintage military aviation, mine from my years in the Civil Air Patrol and his in the CAF. I received that same picture of him with the hog. He had assembled a "care package" of military items (a helmet and some stuff) to send to me when he suddenly died. It was a tremendous shock and loss to me when I got the news.

Bob

[painter777]

Bob, Sounds very familiar, I know he was close with our own Jim-BAR and JimF4M1's also likely others. You may know his Ex Wife 'took care' of his gun collection during one of his stays in the hospital. She sold / pawned them off just for spite and trashed his house. Some of the guns she sold dirt cheap to a scum bag neighbor across the street Harlan had had problems with for years. Acting fast he got a couple back from a nearby pawn shop as soon as he could get a ride (too weak to drive). Jim and I tried to warn him it might happen. So here he was with his usually immaculate home and Display cabinets trashed, without his collection of arms and fighting ill health along with depression. All this and minus your gall bladder and other internals that didn't need to come out, weighing all of about 102 lbs.

We needed a Cheer Harlan Up Plan
I had a number of Underwood W coded Carbines and ran it by Jim Flavin about sending one to Harlan as a gift. That way he'd have one to play with again.. Jim offered up a Inland carbine for Tony but it had a misc stock. I dug out a great / correct Inland stock for it and sent that and a C tip sling to Jim to put on. I thought it was a great idea a pair of Father Son carbines for Xmas would surely cheer him up. Plus Jim put together extra in the wrap magazines, Stock and belt pockets, 2 GI Carbine canvas carry cases plus a spam can of LC ammo. Jim was going to ship the Ammo to Harlan's house but we decided it might spoil the surprise or get stolen and would be best to send it to the FFL / Gunshop Care of Harlan Short just like the labels on the 2 Carbine boxes. My very last phone call with Harlan was a long one.... he sounded old, was missing his son and trying to patch things up with the Ex. A lot of small talk but managed to get the name of the FFL Dealer he used. I sent the complete Underwood W code Carbine, sling, a bolt tool and WWII cleaning kit etc out 12-14-15 a Monday. Jim F sent out the Inland Carbine, Spam can and other extras out same day Monday 12-14-15 in 2 packages. Both of us mailed 'Signature Required' and had notes in the boxes for the Dealer with Harlan's contact info and to contact us upon receipt. Both of us were contacted by Friday or Saturday by the Dealer (via Email) that the package(s) had arrived. Tracking verified it then Jim and I waited to hear from Harlan........ and waited and waited. About the time I was ready to call after Jim told me he'd called the FFL and they said the 3 boxes had been picked up Wednesday 12-23-15 but they couldn't tell him who picked them up (Privacy issue)....... I seen Harlan had posted here on 12-22-15 reply #8: Fate of the "Barn Find" BF-109 aircraft
https://www.milsurps.com/showthread....742#post350742

Both Jim and I tried calling to say Merry Xmas, later for Happy New Year and left messages / texts but never again had any contact with him. Looking at his Post / Thread history shows him last being on 1-04-2016. Neither of us ever heard from him again. It was quite a shock when I seen he had passed away. My first thought was How did he Die ?
I don't think I really want to know the answer to that question. I hope his son Tony ended up with the Carbines.

Lastly September of 2022 I had to give up my trusty Flip phone, now struggling to use these new 5g swipe kinds.
When they set this new phone up they couldn't save or move the pictures and voice messages to it from my old Flip phone. But every now and then I get the Flip phone out and listen to a few messages Harlan and Jim F left for me, I admit it's nice to hear their voices.
I also admit I have some Emails saved from both and it is nice to run across threads here that still show the humor and knowledge both so eagerly shared.

Take Care

[browningautorifle]

You may know his Ex Wife 'took care' of his gun collection during one of his stays in the hospital. She sold / pawned them off just for spite and trashed his house. Some of the guns she sold dirt cheap to a scum bag neighbor across the street Harlan had had problems with for years.

He told me about that too.

My first thought was How did he Die ?

Tony didn't mention that and I too was afraid to ask.