“I am one of thousands who owe their lives to your ejection seat. I ejected out of an F-8 Crusader following a night carrier ramp strike on the USS Bon Homme Richard in the Gulf of Tonkin on April 27, 1969. Obviously your seat saved my life, and it goes without saying I will be forever grateful… as will my wife, my two sons and my two grandkids; the sons and grandkids would not be here were it not for your seat”