Remembering Tom Landry On Memorial Day Weekend

[Fadingpain]

Perhaps this is more "Off the Wall" fare, but...

 

We all know Tom Landry, legendary coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

 

Did you know that Landry was a B-17 co-pilot in the US 8th Air Force during World War II?

 

He volunteered after his brother Robert had been killed when his plane went down over the North Atlantic. From November 1944 to April 1945, Tom Landry completed a combat tour of 30 missions, and survived a crash landing in Belgium after his flying fortress ran out of fuel.

 

I don't care much for the Dallas Cowboys, but I like Tom Landry! RIP Tom.

 

September 11, 1924 – February 12, 2000

 

 

[CowgirlsFan]

No way this is Off the Wall!

 

It's off the chart!

 

What a top notch thread!

 

Few realize this about Landy and this Cowboys fan appreciates your acknowledgement.

[mitchmurraydowntown]

Wow I had no idea probably because it's Dallas related.

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

I loved the Cowboys - they were my "other" team - until they replaced Landry with Jimmie Johnson. Nothing but respect for Tom Landry.

[26CornerBlitz]

@JohnMurphyShow

Complete audio: Todd Tobias: Remembering Bob Kalsu and the AFL http://ow.ly/2YX80T

 

 

Tales From the AFL Todd Tobias joined The John Murphy Show to discuss his website that chronicles the AFL. He also looked back at former Bill Bob Kalsu who died in action over in Vietnam.

Edited May 22, 2015 by 26CornerBlitz

[The Real Buffalo Joe]

Nothing but respect for Landry and Staubach. It's the Jerruh era Cowboys I can't stand.

[Jim Gehman]

Coach Landry, Roger Staubach and another former Cowboy, Chad Hennings, also deserves recognition. I did this Q&A with him a few years ago.

 

 

Coming out of high school, what led you to enroll in the Air Force Academy instead of accepting one of several college football scholarships?

 

“I wanted a challenge. I wanted an experience that was unique and something that would kind of push me to limits that I hadn’t experienced previously.”

 

As a senior at Air Force, you were an All-America defensive tackle and received the Outland Trophy for being the country’s top lineman. And you were also selected in the 11^th round of the 1988 NFL draft by the Cowboys.

 

“I watched the first couple rounds knowing that it’d be very unrealistic that I would ever get drafted there because of my commitment, and no one really knowing what to do with me, per say. But I was very pleased that the Cowboys drafted me, and very honored to be even selected.

 

“(Dallas’ player personnel director) Gil Brandt, from all the different [post-season] bowl games, the Senior Bowl, etc, I’d see him and we’d always have a conversation. He said, ‘We’re going to take you.’ And I said, ‘OK. That’d be great! It’d be an honor.’ Myself, like Roger Staubach (who was drafted in the 10^th round out of the Naval Academy in 1964), we were unique in that most teams didn’t know how to handle (the service commitment). But the Cowboys had the previous experience with Roger so they took a chance.”

 

Before anyone could see if their gamble would pay off as well as it did with Staubach, you went into the Euro-NATO program. Tell me about your job.

 

“Well, my job was to learn to fly jets. My first active duty assignment was to go through pilot training. And what the Euro-NATO joint jet pilot training program was was our standard U.S. pilot training, where we train with our NATO allies. So I had Germans, Dutch, Danes, Italians, Turkish, Greek instructor pilots as well as students that were there going through the program. So it was a great cross-cultural exchange.”

 

Were you able to follow the team while you were doing that? Or did you try to put football out of your mind?

 

“The pilot training in the Euro-NATO program was in Wichita Falls, so I’m just two hours away (from Dallas). I came down to a couple games while I was stationed there. But then the majority of my time was spent overseas and it’s difficult to follow because of the eight-hour time change. I did follow as best I could, but my job was to be a fighter pilot for the U.S. Air Force. We had our hands full doing that.

 

“My commitment was supposed to be eight years after pilot training. But due to the reduction in force after the first Gulf war, our armed forces were downsizing. They were waiving commitments across the board for all officers as well as enlisted. So I volunteered at that time to go play for the Cowboys.”

 

Considering that Dallas won three Super Bowls in four years after you joined the team in 1992, your timing could not have been much better.

 

“Yeah, I wish I could take credit for that timing. But, in my opinion, that was a pure God thing that I was able to do that. I got spoiled. It set an expectation that we’re going to win every football game when we take the field. And that includes regular-season, playoffs, all the way up through the Super Bowl.”

 

What does it mean to you to have been a Cowboy?

 

“As I said when I represented the Cowboys in the (2012 NFL) draft (while announcing their second-round selection), it truly is America’s Team. And I was able to witness that being overseas either in England or in Turkey and Southwest Asia. That Dallas star, everybody knew what it was, what it meant, what it stood for. The American west, Dallas Cowboys, cowboys, it just exemplifies Americana. Thus, America’s Team.”

 

And what does it mean to you to be an Air Force veteran?

 

“Right up there, if not higher. That to me exemplifies service, sacrifice, leadership. That’s kind of who I am at my core. I identify with both very readily, but that also holds a special place in my heart.”

 

Now making your home with your family in suburban Dallas, what are you doing these days?

 

“I do a lot of public speaking regarding character training ever since I retired from the Cowboys. I also am in business development (as the chief operating officer) with a venture capital company, Colt Ventures, in Dallas. I’ve been doing that for a couple years.

 

“Whether it’s public speaking, whether it’s representing the Cowboys as an ambassador, or whether it’s in business, it’s all about relationships. It’s just out there meeting people, learning about people, connecting people together, and communicating a message. Whatever that message might be.”

[CowgirlsFan]

Coach Landry, Roger Staubach and another former Cowboy, Chad Hennings, also deserves recognition. I did this Q&A with him a few years ago.

 

 

Coming out of high school, what led you to enroll in the Air Force Academy instead of accepting one of several college football scholarships?

 

“I wanted a challenge. I wanted an experience that was unique and something that would kind of push me to limits that I hadn’t experienced previously.”

 

As a senior at Air Force, you were an All-America defensive tackle and received the Outland Trophy for being the country’s top lineman. And you were also selected in the 11^th round of the 1988 NFL draft by the Cowboys.

 

“I watched the first couple rounds knowing that it’d be very unrealistic that I would ever get drafted there because of my commitment, and no one really knowing what to do with me, per say. But I was very pleased that the Cowboys drafted me, and very honored to be even selected.

 

“(Dallas’ player personnel director) Gil Brandt, from all the different [post-season] bowl games, the Senior Bowl, etc, I’d see him and we’d always have a conversation. He said, ‘We’re going to take you.’ And I said, ‘OK. That’d be great! It’d be an honor.’ Myself, like Roger Staubach (who was drafted in the 10^th round out of the Naval Academy in 1964), we were unique in that most teams didn’t know how to handle (the service commitment). But the Cowboys had the previous experience with Roger so they took a chance.”

 

Before anyone could see if their gamble would pay off as well as it did with Staubach, you went into the Euro-NATO program. Tell me about your job.

 

“Well, my job was to learn to fly jets. My first active duty assignment was to go through pilot training. And what the Euro-NATO joint jet pilot training program was was our standard U.S. pilot training, where we train with our NATO allies. So I had Germans, Dutch, Danes, Italians, Turkish, Greek instructor pilots as well as students that were there going through the program. So it was a great cross-cultural exchange.”

 

Were you able to follow the team while you were doing that? Or did you try to put football out of your mind?

 

“The pilot training in the Euro-NATO program was in Wichita Falls, so I’m just two hours away (from Dallas). I came down to a couple games while I was stationed there. But then the majority of my time was spent overseas and it’s difficult to follow because of the eight-hour time change. I did follow as best I could, but my job was to be a fighter pilot for the U.S. Air Force. We had our hands full doing that.

 

“My commitment was supposed to be eight years after pilot training. But due to the reduction in force after the first Gulf war, our armed forces were downsizing. They were waiving commitments across the board for all officers as well as enlisted. So I volunteered at that time to go play for the Cowboys.”

 

Considering that Dallas won three Super Bowls in four years after you joined the team in 1992, your timing could not have been much better.

 

“Yeah, I wish I could take credit for that timing. But, in my opinion, that was a pure God thing that I was able to do that. I got spoiled. It set an expectation that we’re going to win every football game when we take the field. And that includes regular-season, playoffs, all the way up through the Super Bowl.”

 

What does it mean to you to have been a Cowboy?

 

“As I said when I represented the Cowboys in the (2012 NFL) draft (while announcing their second-round selection), it truly is America’s Team. And I was able to witness that being overseas either in England or in Turkey and Southwest Asia. That Dallas star, everybody knew what it was, what it meant, what it stood for. The American west, Dallas Cowboys, cowboys, it just exemplifies Americana. Thus, America’s Team.”

 

And what does it mean to you to be an Air Force veteran?

 

“Right up there, if not higher. That to me exemplifies service, sacrifice, leadership. That’s kind of who I am at my core. I identify with both very readily, but that also holds a special place in my heart.”

 

Now making your home with your family in suburban Dallas, what are you doing these days?

 

“I do a lot of public speaking regarding character training ever since I retired from the Cowboys. I also am in business development (as the chief operating officer) with a venture capital company, Colt Ventures, in Dallas. I’ve been doing that for a couple years.

 

“Whether it’s public speaking, whether it’s representing the Cowboys as an ambassador, or whether it’s in business, it’s all about relationships. It’s just out there meeting people, learning about people, connecting people together, and communicating a message. Whatever that message might be.”

What a classy post!

 

It still amazes me with Chad's height and build he was even able to fit in those jets and accomplish the things that he did.

 

He was amazing on the field and even more amazing now off the field.

[vorpma]

Great posts! Tom Laundry, a dues paying member of the "Greatest Generation!"

[reddogblitz]

I hate to be a buzz kill on this, but actually none of the guys deserve to be honored on Memorial Day.

 

Memorial Day is the holiday for people killed in the line of duty. Tom' s brothers, yeah, but luckily not Tom or the two other mentioned. Pat Tillman and Bob Kalsu qualify.

 

Tom, Roger, and Chad should be properly honored on Veterans Day.

 

https://dictionary.search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0SO8xUGVWJVJTYA9JBx.9w4;_ylu=X3oDMTByNWU4cGh1BGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?p=Memorial%20Day&fr=yfp-hrmob-900

[CowgirlsFan]

Excellent point red.

[seq004]

I agree the old school Cowboys had some class and respectability unlike the current owner.

[Fadingpain]

I hate to be a buzz kill on this, but actually none of the guys deserve to be honored on Memorial Day.

 

Memorial Day is the holiday for people killed in the line of duty. Tom' s brothers, yeah, but luckily not Tom or the two other mentioned. Pat Tillman and Bob Kalsu qualify.

 

Tom, Roger, and Chad should be properly honored on Veterans Day.

 

https://dictionary.search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0SO8xUGVWJVJTYA9JBx.9w4;_ylu=X3oDMTByNWU4cGh1BGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?p=Memorial%20Day&fr=yfp-hrmob-900

No need to be pedantic here.

 

I'm willing to share Memorial Day with those lucky enough to have survived combat. How about you Reddogblitz?

[reddogblitz]

No need to be pedantic here.

 

I'm willing to share Memorial Day with those lucky enough to have survived combat. How about you Reddogblitz?

 

Nope. That's what Veterans Day is for. I think the ones that died in the line of duty deserve their own holiday. How about you Stopthepain?

 

But then again, Veterans Day has now morphed into something like Armed Forces Day (which there already is another holiday for). At least that's the way it looks at the Bills Veteran's Day game. They used to let all vets down on the field at half time for a parade. Now, they have the NY State Guard re dong their oath and a bunch of other current troops.

 

Honoring current troops is great. Hopefully one day they will be honored on Veterans Day and not Memorial Day. They should be honored on Armed Forces Day and all of the other "Salute to Service" games.

 

Otherwise why have all these separate holidays?

Edited May 26, 2015 by reddogblitz

[BobbyC81]

I loved the Cowboys - they were my "other" team - until they replaced Landry with Jimmie Johnson. Nothing but respect for Tom Landry.

Ditto. It was hard not to become a fan of the Cowboys back then. They were on TV every week.

[eball]

 

Nope. That's what Veterans Day is for. I think the ones that died in the line of duty deserve their own holiday. How about you Stopthepain?

 

But then again, Veterans Day has now morphed into something like Armed Forces Day (which there already is another holiday for). At least that's the way it looks at the Bills Veteran's Day game. They used to let all vets down on the field at half time for a parade. Now, they have the NY State Guard re dong their oath and a bunch of other current troops.

 

Honoring current troops is great. Hopefully one day they will be honored on Veterans Day and not Memorial Day. They should be honored on Armed Forces Day and all of the other "Salute to Service" games.

 

Otherwise why have all these separate holidays?

 

In my house we hide Easter baskets on Christmas morning. Because we can.

[vorpma]

 

Nope. That's what Veterans Day is for. I think the ones that died in the line of duty deserve their own holiday. How about you Stopthepain?

 

But then again, Veterans Day has now morphed into something like Armed Forces Day (which there already is another holiday for). At least that's the way it looks at the Bills Veteran's Day game. They used to let all vets down on the field at half time for a parade. Now, they have the NY State Guard re dong their oath and a bunch of other current troops.

 

Honoring current troops is great. Hopefully one day they will be honored on Veterans Day and not Memorial Day. They should be honored on Armed Forces Day and all of the other "Salute to Service" games.

 

Otherwise why have all these separate holidays?

I have to agree.

[Luxy312]

 

Nope. That's what Veterans Day is for. I think the ones that died in the line of duty deserve their own holiday. How about you Stopthepain?

 

But then again, Veterans Day has now morphed into something like Armed Forces Day (which there already is another holiday for). At least that's the way it looks at the Bills Veteran's Day game. They used to let all vets down on the field at half time for a parade. Now, they have the NY State Guard re dong their oath and a bunch of other current troops.

 

Honoring current troops is great. Hopefully one day they will be honored on Veterans Day and not Memorial Day. They should be honored on Armed Forces Day and all of the other "Salute to Service" games.

 

Otherwise why have all these separate holidays?

 

You captured my sentiment on the subject perfectly. Be damned if I "remember Tom Landry" on Memorial Day. He did not die in the line of duty for our country. While you're at it, should we honor him on Easter Sunday as well? Just because Jesus sees his shadow and we get six more weeks of winter doesn't mean we have to pay a kudo to Landry. I digress.....

[reddogblitz]

In my house we hide Easter baskets on Christmas morning. Because we can.

Sounds like a fun house.

[Rob's House]

No need to be pedantic here.

 

I'm willing to share Memorial Day with those lucky enough to have survived combat. How about you Reddogblitz?

How can you share something that was never yours to begin with?