Nickel on the Grass for "Jethro"...

I post way more of these than I want to... lost another friend doing what he loved, flying fast jets. Jethro was a fellow Viper & (then he went to the) Eagle pilot from the Fresno ANG and a fellow SWA First Officer. He was well past retirement, but kept flying fighters because he loved it. He was killed during a multinational exercise in Ukraine when he was able to get a fam flight on an SU-27 Flanker. Truly a rare opportunity for US Fighter Pilots. The Flanker crashed and both Jethro and his Ukrainian pilot were killed. Tonight, like many other fighter pilots, I will raise a shot of Weed for each and break some glass.

A sad day for all who knew him, a true loss for his family, friends, and country... and I'm sure the same is true of Colonel Petrenko.

"So here's a nickel on the grass to you, my friend, and your spirit, enthusiasm, sacrifice and courage - but most of all to your friendship. Yours is a dying breed and when you are gone, the world will be a lesser place."

https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article220159545.html

sad... but, sounds like he went the way he wanted to. Still, sorry for your loss.

I know it as

"throw a nickel on the grass, save a fighter pilot's a$$"

my dad used to sing it...

@Peelz
Yep, Oscar Brand was the first to put a lot of the original fighter pilot songs on record. 1Lt William Starr published the Fighter Pilot Hymn Book with a couple hundred songs in it and I believe Brand recorded from there.

The origin of Nickel on the Grass is pretty cool and started well before the song. Growing up in the AF I never questioned it, its just Tradition and Tradition is sacred in the Fighter Squadron! I did search it, curious if the song or toast came first. It was the song...

http://flitetime.net/nickel.html

And yes, Jethro was doing what he loved. He was a Great American who gave more than most and ultimately gave all.

Sorry for the loss of your friend.

My son is at the USNA and just passed med for pilot (specifically jets) last week. He did some training out in SD last summer for the first time - loved it.

I LOVE Oscar Brand stuff... MY dad would hum, or sing all the songs while wed work on cars etc... I never really paid attention. Then My sis gave me a CD during the limewire days. And ALL the songs he would sing are on it.

He was navy, so most were rotten sailor songs though... Naturally My personal favorite is



Enjoyed reading that link, thanks.

@Peelz
Take a listen to Dick Jonas and Dos Gringos. Great fighter pilot troubadours!

jawsf16 said:

@Peelz
Take a listen to Dick Jonas and Dos Gringos. Great fighter pilot troubadours!

Click to expand...

I will.

Sorry for your loss and thank you for your service.

@jawsf16

interesting... not often do forum hobby interests meet up with the real world... this pilot's story came through my fb feed via the few Vets and vets' wives that are my friends. Shared originally by my late godfathers wife, and ID remembered already reading about him. Interesting man, loss to the world.