Author: sothereiwas

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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. […]

In this episode, Howie Franklin, the only flight steward to serve five U.S. Presidents aboard Air Force One, joins us with jaw-dropping stories from a life lived at the center of American history. It kicks off with a story with former Marine Commandant General Krulak and quickly dives into Howie’s early days — from rubbing elbows with celebs on Fire Island to working in elite kitchens as a teenager. Drafted […]

In this high-speed, low-altitude ride of So There I Was, the guest—a decorated WSO in both the F-111 Aardvark and F-15E Strike Eagle—shares some of the most intense moments of his flying career. He takes us over the Nevada desert at Mach 1.3 and just 100 feet above ground level. He recalls near-misses, like narrowly avoiding an A-10 while threading a ridge line. The thrill of tactical aviation comes through […]

In August 2017, about 100 miles west of Key West, a Yort found himself in a tense moment during what was supposed to be a routine intercept mission. After being redirected to the Phantom airspace, he learned an aircraft might have gone down—a chilling way for any aviation story to turn serious.  That moment of uncertainty launched a gripping tale that unfolds with career-spanning insights into military aviation. From childhood […]