On The Fly

The 2018 Golf season has officially begun, Tiger Woods is back in the field! I know the 2017/2018 professional tour schedule technically began in October with the Safeway Open. But talk to any Golf aficionado and you will quickly see the “Tiger” effect on professional golf at Torrey Pines in San Diego.  Google queries for Tiger Woods, specifically “Did Tiger make the Cut,” (at the Farmers Insurance Open) is in the top 10 trending searches on Google. The Golf Channel, golf promoters, golf courses, driving ranges, golf merchandise sales, and television ratings are way up. Attendance this weekend (Jan. 27 & 28th) at Torrey Pines will soar. Try it, do a Google search for Tiger Woods and see what turns up. Profits.  Yesterday, after months of procrastination, I got off my duff and made the trip to the Carlsbad Golf Center to have a new grip installed on my TaylorMade three wood. While shopping I eves dropped on the conversations in the golf shop. And yes...

In this episode, Mr. GIA . . . Can you name one person who, during your lifetime, changed the course of your life in an extraordinary way? Was it a parent, a teacher, a historical figure, or maybe a serendipitous acquaintance? One person stands out among all others -  Richard T. Liddicoat .  Sunday, March 2, 2025, would have been Mr. Liddicoat’s 107th birthday. Although he passed away in 2002, his memory lives on in me. In 1985, as a resident student at The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in Santa Monica, CA, I was invited by Richard T. Liddicoat Jr. (then Chairman of the Board) to his office. As a student of human nature, lover of gems, and lifetime GIA advocate, he would visit every Resident (on campus) Colored Stone/Gem Identification classroom just before each class was to graduate. He would often bring samples of unique gem materials submitted to the GIA Gem Trade Laboratory for the students to see. Or he would simply stop by a classroom to discuss industry tren...

Memories or is it traditions that make the holidays special? If it’s memories, today I experienced a flood of them. How you ask? Well, today, for the first time in years, as I entered Joes Hardware in Fallbrook, California I was surprised to see front and center a W. R. Case and Sons Cutlery Co. knife display. This took me back . . .  Christmas shopping at Marshall’s TrueValue Hardware store in Cuba, Illinois. You see, when you walked in the front door, just to your left was a special display of Case knives. I had to stop and look at the wide selection thinking someday I’ll be old enough to buy myself one . Why Case? Because that’s what Dad always used. You see, my Dad was a traditional outdoorsman. A hunter. He loved to hunt; rabbits, squirrels, quail, pheasant, raccoons (coons), whatever was in season. His spare time was spent in the woods hunting or on a river fishing with his children. No, not for sport. It supplemented his income. As a boy it was my job to hold the ...

Try Social Media! The Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation would like to invite each of our valued members and supporters to follow us on social media. Social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube , are the best way to stay updated on events at the Museum and with the Foundation’s activities. Social media is fun and is, generally, quite easy to use. People can communicate with their friends, family and former squadron mates worldwide on a variety of devices. A cellphone, laptop computer, tablet, smartphone, or even a television connected to your home WiFi network. Social media, via the internet, provides a much broader range of options. In today’s world, thousands communicate daily from a visit to a museum, a video segment from an airshow, or to post a compelling story shared with a veteran. For our patrons , it all begins at the Foundation’s website . This is the launch point for all our public activities, educational outreach, military events...