Passing of a Big Blue friend
#1
Please allow me to bring sad news of the passing of a Big Blue member and my friend.

Bob Hollowell aka Iron Goat passed away March 1. Bob was one of the very first guys I started regularly conversing with on this forum. He was instrumental in helping me get back into this hobby with my boys when they were younger. Always offering advice and lending his help, Bob was a HO modeler but found time to send on news or support for whatever I was doing on my NScale layout. He worked on his HO layout as long as his back would allow, until finally making the change to HOn3 due to mobility limitations. Yet he still found the time to build Nscale buildings for my layout as well as sending me all sorts of layout planning books, information, videos, and tools.

But what most people here didn't know was Bob's "back story" which I don't think he ever shared. He was too modest a guy. Bob Hollowell was one of the very first who volunteered and was selected for the Air Commandos. A very secret component of the USAF, his group did some amazing things - shaping the world as we know it today. The work those guys did changed the strategic and geo-political landscape, that furthered our nation's objectives all around the world. He served multiple tours in Viet Nam in a Air Commando unit that had over a 80% accident/incident rate. Many of their missions remain classified even today. But that unit grew in scope and became the USAF Special Operations Command. He served the USAF faithfully, then went back to military service in the Marines for a few more years until retirement. His life was full of exciting stories, most he couldn't discuss except to close military friends who had the proper security clearance. One of the highlights of his Air Force career was coordinating the airdrops at Pope AFB for John Wayne during filming of "The Green Berets". There's a picture I saw of Bob shaking hands with the "Duke" after a days film shooting. When Wayne appeared in the NCO Club bellowing "where can a guy get a drink around here?", John singled out Bob and elbowed his way to the bar next to him so they could share a few glasses and swap stories.

To me, Bob was my friend of almost 15 years. We regularly emailed, called when we could, and visited once in a while. When my squadron friends died in a C-130 crash, he was the guy I needed to call to help me deal with the loss. I knew Bob would understand, because years prior, he too had lost his crew to the side of a mountain in Nam and carried the pain and regret that he wasn't with them, always. His wisdom and advice, compassion and caring, made Bob more like a father to me than just a friend in the hobby. I will miss him very much.

So allow me to ask that a kind prayer be said for a fellow modeler and member of Big Blue... an man who had an interesting and productive life, a father, decorated veteran, a friend.

Thank you
Mark

Citation Latitude Captain
--and--
Lt Colonel, USAF (Retired)
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#2
Prayers go out to his family and to you in this time of sorrow. Thank you for posting.

Tom
Life is simple - Eat, Drink, Play with trains

Occupation: Professional Old Guy (The government pays me to be old.)
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#3
Mark---a beautiful tribute to a true friend and hero.May God bless Bob and provide peace and comfort to his family and many friends.His spirit will live on through the memories of your friendship.
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#4
My condolences to Bob's family on his passing and to you, Mark, on the loss of your friend.

Wayne
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#5
It's very sad to lose a friend, but one with such outstanding credentials, that says that you, Big Blue and the country has lost a friend and a hero. Prayers and condolences are in order, and thank you Mark for such a fitting tribute.
Don (ezdays) Day
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD
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#6
Many thanks to all of you for your kind thoughts and prayers for his family.

One story to pass on... Bob was a Loadmaster on several aircraft, including the C-130, like the one I flew. We talked about our Air Force experiences a lot, who we served with, and how the military has changed over time, and how some things stay the same. Well one day a few years back, I flew a private jet to an airport near Bob's home in Missouri on a company trip. He came out to see me, taking pictures (he was a published photographer as well) and asking about the airplane's performance. He was in obvious back pain and could barely straighten his back or arms after taking a bad fall several months prior. We talked for a while before I had to depart, then my copilot and I started engines, and we started our taxi to the runway. Standing nearby a hangar, as we made our turn out of parking, Bob - make that MSGT Hollowell - stood straight, came to attention, and smartly saluted, just like he had years before to the officers and crews flying USAF aircraft departing on missions. I saluted back as I would have as an Aircraft Commander so many times before when I was in the Air Force. Anyone watching would understood the significance immediately... Bob was sending off "his crew and airplane" into the blue as only a true professional could. And no salute ever meant more.
Mark

Citation Latitude Captain
--and--
Lt Colonel, USAF (Retired)
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#7
Mark, I am so sorry you lost such a wonderful friend and mentor. There are so many great guys that have made sacrifices that are model railroaders and members of Big Blue. Thanks for letting us know about this awesome veteran. My condolences to his family, and to you too for this great loss.
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#8
Mark:

Thanks so much for letting us know some of the great things that Bob has done.
Condolences and prayers for you & his family.
~~ Mikey KB3VBR (Admin)
~~ NARA Member # 75    
~~ Baldwin Eddystone Unofficial Website

~~ I wonder what that would look like in 1:20.3???
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#9
A remarkable man and a true loss. My deepest condolences.
Mike

Sent from my pocket calculator using two tin cans and a string
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#10
Thank you all so very much.
Mark

Citation Latitude Captain
--and--
Lt Colonel, USAF (Retired)
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