Daniel F. O'Donovan - W4DOD
My interest in ham radio originated during my misspent youth with likeminded friends dabbling with Citizens Band radio. It was only after my active duty with the Army circa 1980 that I became licensed as KA2OGD. (See my bio on QRZ.com for more detail).
My current vanity call always draws attention especially on Field Day, during the cross-band MARS event every year and now with the Flyers Club. I assure you that I’m not with the government here to give you help!
I attended Norwich University in Northfield VT and participated in the Army ROTC program. Norwich, a senior military college along with VMI, The Citadel, University of North Georgia, Texas A&M and Virginia Polytechnic Institute, is cited as the founder of ROTC. I graduated in 1970 and as a Distinguished Military Graduate (DMG) I had my choice of US Army Branches.
I chose Military Intelligence. (Some consider this an oxymoron and that’s about the time that the fight will start!) Because I had taken ROTC flight training the Army classified me as “an obligated volunteer”. I was offered a regular Army commission but turned it down because it would have delayed my entry into flight (fright?) school. The Army required commissioned officers in combat support branches such as MI to attend a basic officer combat school either Infantry, Artillery or Armor. I would start my active duty military career at Ft Benning, Ga. home of the US Army Infantry School (aka “The Queen of Battle” and the motto “Follow Me”). My initial though was how about you go ahead and I’ll meet you on the other side. Following my adventures at Ft. Benning, I received orders to report to Ft. Devens, MA and attend the Cryptologic Officers Training Course to initiate me into the inner workings and hidden mechanisms of the US Army Security Agency. My class was small, consisting of only seven students including a Marine CPT along with mostly newly minted Army LT’s. ASA was part of the ARMY on paper but in reality, its master was based at FT Meade, MD and a tenant outfit referred to as “No Such Agency”.
ASA was the Army’s Signals Intelligence Branch from 1945 until 1984. (See Wikipedia for ASA history).
My next TDY assignment was The US Army Primary Helicopter School at Ft Wolters near Mineral Wells, TX. The TH-55 Osage, a piston powered light helicopter built by Hughes Tool Company Aircraft Division, would be our trainer aircraft. (Student pilots called it the “Mattel Messerschmitt”).
At the time, Ft Wolters was the largest heliport in the world. Vietnamese student pilots were also training at the school and English as a second language provided some interesting conversations between tower and student pilot especially during solo flights sans instructor. I could only imagine how difficult it would be to learn how to fly in a foreign country.
After Wolters, it was on to Ft Rucker, AL and transitioning first to the Bell H-13 Sioux (think MASH) for instrument work and then...
...to the workhorse of Air-mobility, the Bell UH-1 Iroquois aka “Huey”. Every one of my classmates received PCS orders to the Republic of Vietnam - everyone except me.
I was to report to Hunter AAF in Hinesville, Ga for fixed wing Q course and then back to Ft Rucker for f/ w multi engine training to be followed by special mission aircraft training in the RU21, essentially a Beach twin turbo prop with acupuncture.
After nearly three years of TDY while in schools, 1973 saw the gradual withdrawal of MI units from Vietnam back to “the world”. My PCS orders were to report to Biggs AAF in El Paso, TX.
Schooling continued after my relocation to the 156th USASA Aviation Company, first to Fairchild AFB where Army Aviators received special attention while attending the SERE school. I managed to survive and return to Texas with honor. Air Force Desert Survival School followed.
Looking back, it might have made more sense to have enrolled in AFROTC!
I left active duty in 1975 and joined an MI reserve unit with a flying slot located at Stewart Field, Newburgh, NY (SWF) for another 10 years. This was essentially a flying cub with many members having real jobs with the airlines. I would always try to find the most experienced pilot to fly with and my favorite was a Chief Warrant Officer who happened to be an FAA Air Carrier Examiner.
Following the drama and trauma of military life, I took a job with Marsh & McLennan Companies at their HQ in NYC. I thought I would try it out for a year or two but ended up staying for thirty years. MMC was at the time, and I believe still is, the world’s largest insurance broker. Some have described brokers as the world’s second oldest profession and others will tell you that brokers are the “unqualified, doing the unnecessary for the ungrateful. “
The initial thinking was that given my aviation background I would be a useful addition to the Aviation Department which looked after the insurance and risk management needs of the major commercial airline clients. It soon became obvious that most of my military aviation skills were not transferable to the private sector so I was given some choices in picking another path. I opted for the “High Tech & Telecommunications” Department whose clients included RCA, AT&T, GE, North American Phillips and Western Electric. I enjoyed working with these companies, often directly with their risk managers, treasurers and CFO’s. I still had my security clearances and would be brought into special government projects including those related to the Camp David Accords (Egypt/Israel Peace Treaty) and Satellite Communications projects. I represented NBC (at the time a Division of RCA) in Moscow in connection with securing insurance for the 1980 Summer Olympics. The Russian invasion of Afghanistan and President Carter’s decision to boycott the games proved very disappointing to many however, NBC was happy to receive the insurance proceeds covering loss of their broadcast rights payment to the Russians. I had secured a policy beforehand from Lloyd’s of London on NBC’s behalf insuring against non-appearance of the US team for any reason beyond the control of NBC.
After about 10 Years working the Hi-Tech accounts, I accepted an opportunity to play in the “Oil Patch” and manage “Property Operations” for the largest of our Fortune 500 Companies.
For the next 15 years I would spend most of my working time outside of the US averaging about 140 days a year overseas securing insurance for clients including Exxon, Mobil, Phillips Petroleum and a handful of foreign oil companies. I visited more than 50 countries and enjoyed the challenge of conducting business while dealing with different cultures and practices.
Following the 9-11 terrorist attacks in 2001, during which our company lost about 350 employees and consultants at the WTC in NY, I decided to take an early retirement in 2005 at age 55. My wife and I relocated first to Naples, Fl and then to Bonita Springs, Fl and finally to TN where we have lived for the past 15 years. We are considering a final move to Bluffton, SC just outside of Hilton Head.
I have been blessed throughout my lifetime starting with wonderful and supportive parents and tremendous opportunities. Hopefully I have taken advantage of every one of them. Someone once said to me that there’s no point in being Irish unless you’re lucky....and that’s when the fight started!
73 - Daniel O'Donovan, W4DOD, AFFC #637