You just can't make this stuff up
 

While eating in the terminal today, my crew and I were watching CNN when they broadcasted a story about a crashed F-16. The reporter had this to say: "Only one body has been recovered; it is assumed to be that of the pilot."

It's a good thing CNN told me this, because otherwise I might have thought it was the RIO. :rolleyes:

Morons...what happened to basic journalism skills?

Could have been a 'D' model with 2 seats...good odds on CNN being FUBAR though.

Godspeed Sonny. You will be missed.

http://www.f-16.net/news_article2382.html

June 18, 2007 (by SSgt. LuCelia Ball) - Like many Iraqi families, a traditional Air National Guardsman and F-16 pilot grew up in a farming family. He balanced his love of the farm and working as a commercial airline pilot with his love of the Air Force.

Maj. Kevin Sonnenberg seen after a mission in this 2005 file photo from the Ohio ANG's 112th FS.
Maj. Kevin Sonnenberg, assigned to the 112th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, died June 15 when his F-16 crashed shortly after takeoff. He had just departed on a mission to provide air support to coalition ground forces fighting anti-Iraq forces.

"When I first met him, he had a very business-like demeanor, almost gruff," said Lt. Col. Scott Reed, 112th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron commander. "He seemed to be very gruff. Later, I learned that it was all an act and he was actually a very gentle person."

His opinion changed the first time the major, a fellow Air National Guardsman known as "Sonny" to his co-workers at the 180th Fighter Wing in Toledo, Ohio, attended a group dinner and brought his father along.

"That dinner was the telling point," he said. "After I got to observe him interact with his father, I realized I had it all wrong. He so respected and honored his father and he just struck me as a family man."

The colonel concluded that the major was simply a consummate professional, relaxing only among his family members. As an Airman, he struck his boss as being a very reliable person with a strong work ethic.

"I think it goes back to his background as a farmer," the colonel said. "He was willing to put everything aside until the job was done and done well."

The colonel recalled a trip last year to Alaska. After completing weeks of strenuous duty, the group was finally scheduled for a long weekend. Major Sonnenberg pulled the assignment of weekend mission commander - at the same time his wife [then- fiancé] was scheduled to arrive for a visit. The duty meant twice as many hours of work.

"I remember that I offered to take the job so he could spend some time with her, but he insisted on staying and finishing the job," the colonel said. "I don't know anyone else who gets a chance to go home early and refuses to take it, but that's just the way he was. He grew up working sunup to sunset and that's how he approached all of his responsibilities."

For the colonel, those American values are what he will miss most about the major.

"He believed in God, family and country, and he lived and died by those values," he said. "There are literally only 24 hours in a day, and he sacrificed the most important thing anyone can - his time - to get the job done. 'Sonny' was the best of what we are."

The major will soon return home to his family and his Ohio fields so his family can pay their final respects. The group of Airmen he left behind will not soon forget him.

Courtesy 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

Anyone known if he was a full or part-timer and if he was an airline guy too?

Didn't realize it was in Iraq...been out of the loop on news lately. RIP.

Disregard, I thought of something better.

What does being in Iraq have anything to do with him dying for his country? Would Afganhastan been better? Have some respect man!

Because my original reply mentioned a 'D' model and they would not have been flying one over there. WTF are you talking about? Do you comprehend the English language? You may want to reread the thread. I've flown Vipers in Iraq from that base and knew the previous guy killed over there in one. I've got more respect for that than you'll ever know. So boblowit out your ass.

Once again...checkmate! I see by your last sentence you have to resort to name calling to compensate for your lack of knowledge. Thats too bad! Its almost too easy, kind of like hunting rabbit with grenades.

bob thats pretty low to tell a viper driver he has a lack of knowledge in something that he's been doing for years...sorry. slice dont lower yourself to that...you have my respect. even if i am just viper/hawg maintenance :-p

rip sonny!

What knowledge would that be? And please tell me how I disrespected a fellow Viper driver in my post above?

This goes alittle beyond this thread. I am giving him what he gave me and he can't handle it. BTW, I really don't care if he is a fighter pilot or an RC wannabe. Rattle my cage, you get a response.

I asked you the same style question you asked me. Would it make a difference if he died in Afganhastan as opposed to Iraq? BTW, Arthur Ash's wife did not die from AIDS. Sorry I had to spell it out for you.

what he gave you? he simply said at first it could have been a d model...that is in no way disrespectful to a fellow viper driver. i didnt even hear about the crash because i was having life saving surgery. and what in the hell does afghanistan have to do with all of this?

If you are going to interject, do a previous post on he and I. After doing so, try to keep up and interject as much as you like.

1. You're reply had nothing to do with my post. I never mentioned any country. 2. I never said she had AIDS. 3. You're a tool. Congrats on being only the 2nd guy in 18 months to make my ignore list. See ya.:rolleyes:

Can I guess who's the other guy??? LOL

then this isnt the place to bring up another thread. if anyones being disrespectful its you. who cares what happened prior. show from friggin respect for someone who died doing what they love - serving. im with slice, not going to continue to argue.

Not you...yet.:D

Last time I talked (about a week before he left for the desert) to him he was flying the 88 for Delta. He has been a part timer for quite a while, I think he started flying in our unit back when we had the A-7. He was also a flight commander for our unit. Great Guy!

BOB: I know what slice meant and took no offense to what he said. He was simply stating, to Popa, that there could have been 2 on board if it were a D-model. Since this happened in the desert you can be sure he wasn't in a 2-seater as they don't deploy anymore. I am sure he meant no disrespect to Sonny.

Awwww, you call me an ass and then want to place me on the magic "ignore list." That is the action of a person owned. Nothing else to do but take your ball and go home tail tucked. Now I know you are not a fighter pilot. No self respecting fighter pilot would tuck tail and run.

LOL I would've been really disappointed sir!!;)

Slice has no argument. He has been weighed, measured, and found wanting.

Congrats, you won and internet fight! (more like Slice realized fighting in the internet is pointless) I bet you feel great. BOB you are the one showing disrepect by fighting on this thread.

I do feel great! I gave Slice a taste of his own medicine from another thread and he couldn't handle it. I also see now that he and his supporters are hypocrits. Follow the program, know the issues, and have an intelligent opinion.

My only issue here is I have lost a friend and I really don't appreciate you fighting on this thread. Look at my first post on page 3, that was my intelligent opinion.

Sorry you lost a friend. I lost my flight instructor early in both of our careers, so I know what it is like. My remarks were to show that Slice is a hypocrit, not show disrespect to your friend.

bo BLO blaw: You're an idiot.

Slice just realized he's arguing with a child and decided to go involve himself in something adult rather than 'splain to you that you are being petulant.

You sound like a major league idiot right now. You should follow your own advice.

RIP Sonny.

And you are better than me even though you throw gas on the fire hypocrit.

Guys, stop beating a dead horse.

Same reply too you. You throw gas on the fire by calling me an idiot. You are a world class hypocrit.

The horse died when I apologized to crew. The other guys are fanning the flames.

OK, then stop fanning a dead fire :0

How'd he go? Straight in.

This has been a tough year on my supply of nickels.

Since none of us in my crew were previous/current military, it didn't even occur to us that it could have been a two-seater (although I thought those were used exclusively for training).
After Slice pointed out it could have been a D-model, I searched the internet to see what variants the 332nd flies, but couldn't get specifics other than "F-16." Glad to see I can keep my foot out of my mouth on this one. :D

Currently the 332d doesn't have any D's for a variety of reasons that I won't go into.

In the past, D-models have gone to war and in fact in 1991 a blk 25 D model shot down a Mig-25 over Iraq.

I've flown numerous Southern Watch sorties in a D model.

When I first replied I thought the crash was in the U.S. Sorry for the confusion.