JOIN US and VOTE For Bill on AUGUST 24, 2010!
Fellow Patriots,
Bill Patterson was the IO on the AC130A that got hit on Number 3 engine gear box which knocked out number 4 (Nov 71). The crew barely had enough altitude to nurse the gunship back to Ubon, on the two left engines, for an eventful landing.
On 11 June 72, Bill Patterson was the IO on AC130A that got hit in the wing and number 3 engine which caused the wing to come off. The gunship went into a spin which ripped the tail off at the paratroop doors and threw out Patterson, FCO Capt Bocher and the TV Lt Reid. Patterson had his chest parachute in his arms when he was thrown out and succeeded in fastening one snap of the chute to his parachute harness (without loosing the chute to the airstream), pulled the "D" ring and landed soon thereafter. WOW, I do not think I could have done that!
With the echo of duty, honor, country in his head, Bill retired to Fort Walton Beach, Fl. where he had been stationed when the C-130 gun ships came home to roost. Raising his family and working on the scenic Gulf coast Bill began to sense that things were not all square in paradise. Despite the presence of municipal, county and state law enforcement the neighborhoods and schools were over-run with drug dealers administering to the children. The illegal aliens, so much in the national news, were not only invading the border states but they were in his piece of paradise bringing with them collateral damage from organized gang members. The call to arms in his spirit drove him to get a degree in criminal science and law enforcement to add to his management degree and Air Force training and figure out a way to meet the enemy head on. He got elected to the Fort Walton Beach City Council by appealing to his fellow concerned citizens but served with members unwilling to take on the risk associated with fighting to defend their homes. He is now engaged in the pursuit of the Office of Okaloosa County Sheriff where he will have the authority and be able to muster the manpower to do the job. Since 9/11/2001, the problem has gotten more complicated because the flow of illegal aliens are being used as a port of entry for those who have more malicious aims in mind than destroying the children. Fort Walton Beach is home to Hurlburt Field, Duke Field, Eglin AFB and numerous other assets critical to the defense of the nation as well as family members left behind, assumed safe, by members deployed against the enemy.
Bill has put together a coalition of people that are the foundations of a grass root corps and has gotten on the ballot for Sheriff of Okaloosa County by getting petition signatures from over 1000 concerned signatures while the incumbent sheriff scoots about the state furthering his political career leaving the fort undefended. To make matters worse, the politicians in Washington are moving more families into the threat area. He needs your help to get his message to the people.
Patterson now desires to fly his last mission by being elected to the office of Okaloosa County Sheriff and he needs your financial help. Go to www.BillPattersonForSheriff.com for more info and his biography. Click on CONTACT for a mailing address or DONATE NOW for a credit card donation. Donations are needed to fund Bill’s campaign.
VOTE FOR BILL PATTERSON on AUGUST 24, 2010!
