Posted by Steve Oxner on January 12, 2005:

I worked with Claire at North American Rockwell in mid 1980's. We shared ajoining desks; at the Lakewood, CA facility. One day during lunch 9when Claire was out of the plant), I spotted his WWII Fighter Group "yearbook" in his bookcase and paged thru it over lunch hour. Claire was getting up there in age and I had no idea he had been a WWII fighter pilot in the ETO. Since I had flown in the Vietnam era (34 TFS, Korat, Thailand; F-4E WSO; 70-71), we had somethin in common. I mentioned Robin Olds' name as a famous personality of that era; which brought a wry smile to Claire's face; as he related..."Ah, Robin; he used to get lost and I'd have to take him home on my wing...". Ah, the sparkle of rememberance in Claire's eyes; as he recalled those tough days, years ago. A few years later; at a Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association (River Rats) annual meeting in Las Vegas, I (along with my buddy Rich McCord; of the 196 TFS, March AFB, CA (ANG) ), I approached Robin Olds at the bar and dropped Claire's name; relating the above story. Robin (having had a few Jonnie Walker Black's) said humorously..."Well you can just tell Claire Alphonso Duffie (that) he can kis my ass...". I subsequently introduced my buddy Rich to Gen Olds; who said, "...McCord, McCord...(hum m); any relation to Dick McCord; to which Rich replied that that was his father. Robin's eyes lit up; relating that he and Dick McCord were roommates at West Point (Class of '42 I believe)and played football together. That whenever they could, they'd get together in London for a few beers; during the "Blitz". My buddy Rich told me later that he had never been able to get his dad to tell him anything about being a bomber pilot in the ETO; during WWII and in later years, suffered from Alzheimer's disease; so this few minutes of Robin Olds relating his personal friendship with his dad was a catharasis for Rich. What a small world! And thanks to Claire Duffie, somehow 40 years after WWII, his hand once again, brought a wingman home. God Bless you Claire Duffie. You've reached out your hand and touched the face of God. Ox

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