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TEN ROMEO NEWSLETTER
Report 65
September 1, 1998
Dear Friends:
TEN ROMEO is operational, and my life has returned to normal!!!!
Today's report has three objectives: to report repairs required by TEN ROMEO to become flyable after confiscation by CUSTOMS for ten months, a list of accomplishments over the last dozen years, and a request for support of the PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM for Ambassador
Frasure's services in Sarajevo.
* * * * *
Thirty seconds after the CUSTOMS' "Do Not Touch" sign came off of TEN ROMEO, Crew Chief Bob Willett changed the alternator gasket which Caribbean A&Es believed caused the oil leak requiring my emergency landing in Havana; the oil leak remained.
The crankshaft seal was replaced; the leak remained.
Further inspection revealed a trace of red dye, so the prop was sent to American Propeller Service for review.
When opened, half the prop had to be replaced due to corrosion. It took six months to correct that oil leak.
My misunderstanding with the government focused attention on the unknown fact that HELMS-BURTON prohibited medicines from being delivered to Cuban children in hospitals 90 miles from our shores.
When word of my punishment for delivering medicines to Havana reached the public, Congress, and His
Holiness the Pope, public outrage brought a change in US policy.
Accomplishments follow, as I continue to be "On Business For The King".
TEN ROMEO IS A 1969 BEECHCRAFT-36 PURCHASED NEW BY DR. MILLARD HARMON
HARMON AND TEN ROMEO'S PARTIAL ACCOMPLISHMENT LIST
1. TEN ROMEO was purchased new to keep five Harmon children acquainted with two sets of grandparents, each living over 1000 miles away.
2. Humanitarian commitment began as "on call" search pilot for Civil Air Patrol.
TEN ROMEO and crew flew hundreds of hours of search missions and terminated a RED CAP mission in early 1970s by locating a downed aircraft.
3. TEN ROMEO became known as the KING MAKER in 1978 by providing rapid
transportation for a "dark horse" candidate, James Emery, enabling him to
become the Republican Leader of the NYS Assembly.
4. TEN ROMEO flew in the 1983 GRAND PRIX AIR RACE, 2100 miles of US flying.
Harmon chose to fly the route at full throttle
at heights of 50-to-200 feet (when possible) to use full horsepower. He
finished first, but handicaps prevented placing.
5. In the early 1980s general aviation entered a disastrous business "down" cycle.
Harmon determined to find a way to give TEN ROMEO highly visible activity to prove reliability and practicality of light aircraft.
Hundreds of newspaper feature articles and dozens of TV interviews provided public excitement about aviation during the darkest years of low-level GA activity.
6. Early retirement in 1983 allowed Harmon to focus intellect and resources on increasing understanding between Americans and Soviets to lessen world tension.
TEN ROMEO became a tool of detente.
7. In 1984 Harmon appeared in his flight uniform as a stockholder at the RAYTHEON annual meeting in Lexington, Massachusetts.
As corporate business matters wound down, Harmon took the floor with the following comments: "I own the finest single engine aircraft manufactured in the world, a Beech-36 called TEN ROMEO.
I intend to use TEN ROMEO to open Soviet skies and increase understanding between Soviets and Americans.
This should be a small step toward making the world a safer place." Following a short pause, he
continued, "I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate RAYTHEON leadership for your insight and shrewd business sense.
You have purchased a company which has been a leader in aviation since the 1930s.
Under wise guidance of RAYTHEON that leadership is assured for
many decades ahead."
8. In 1985 TEN ROMEO opened Soviet skies by flying from Dayton, Ohio, to the USSR and landing at Sheremetyevo International Airport serving Moscow.
Soviet colleagues later said the unexpected approval came as Gorbachev's first indication to the West that his leadership would be different.
9. Harmon returned from Moscow with the first sample to reach the West of Soviet "100 octane" aviation fuel which tested as 72 octane.
This confirmed
that 1984 pre-detonation problems in Europe, researched by "Bud" Clark of Teledyne-Continental Motors, were caused by poor Soviet fuel.
10. TEN ROMEO's flight opened Soviet skies to light Western aircraft. Soviet media dubbed Harmon
"US AMBASSADOR OF FRIENDSHIP WITHOUT PORTFOLIO".
11. Harmon made 50 trips to Moscow, three of them in TEN ROMEO.
12. TEN ROMEO became a highly visible PR platform to focus attention upon
efforts to create understanding between Soviets and Americans. For these
efforts he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 and 1991.
13. On TEN ROMEO's 1986 record flight to the NORTH POLE, Harmon made arrangements with Soviet MARSAT leadership to monitor and confirm his presence over the Pole.
Since that epic cooperative venture, all North Pole efforts -- skiing, sledding,
ski-mobiling, etc. -- have been partnered with MARSAT for safety.
14. On August 8, 1986, the NATIONAL AERONAUTIC ASSOCIATION awarded Harmon a US National Record for the "First Officially
Recorded use of COSPAS/SARSAT for location verification in support of World
Aviation Record Attempts, Beech Bonanza, N7710R, NARCO ELT - 10/CARRIER
BURST".
15. On August 8, 1986, the NATIONAL AERONAUTIC ASSOCIATION awarded Harmon a US National Record for the "First Officially Documented Flight to the
North Pole using GPS as primary navigation. Beech Bonanza, N7710R, Collins NAVCORE I GPS".
16. In 1990 TEN ROMEO led a flight of Western light aircraft from the US to Moscow as the first half of an American/Soviet circumnavigation of the
globe. Soviets flew from Moscow to the US to complete the circle as the first flight of multiple general aviation aircraft to arrive in the
US.
17. Harmon has 156 flight speed records in TEN ROMEO.
18. TEN ROMEO's flight records through the BERMUDA TRIANGLE (Albany to Bermuda, Bermuda to St. Thomas) received extensive world press due to the mystique surrounding that dangerous area.
19. Due to an emergency over Cuba on a flight from Washington to Grand Cayman on March 30, 1997, Harmon landed at
José Marti International Airport.
While there a sample of Cuban fuel was obtained. PHOENIX CHEMICAL LABORATORY INC. in Chicago indicated the fuel registered at 104.4 octane, eliminating all concern of Cuban fuel being flawed as was Soviet fuel.
When sanctions are lifted, light US aircraft flying to Havana will not be at risk.
While in
Havana Harmon and TEN ROMEO delivered $50,000.00 of medicines to CARITAS CUBANA for hospitalized children.
* * * * *
In preparation for the Moscow flight, TEN ROMEO's
US flights received unexpected press interest.
Americans seemed tired of the Cold War and were
delighted with Harmon's individual effort to make the world safer. Many TV
programs and 124 feature news stories appeared throughout the US.
Before TEN ROMEO's successful flight to Sheremetyevo, there was little expectation on either side of the Atlantic that such an unusual "dream" could be accomplished.
Once Soviet skies were opened, Harmon mounted a new long-term dream: to link with TEN ROMEO speed records the
US capital with the three major Communist capitals of the world in a symbolic representation of the constant effort by the United States to bring democracy and freedom to all people of the world, and prove that individual citizens can have a supporting role in this dream.
Special speed records include:
1. FRIENDSHIP FLIGHT - Washington DC to Moscow, USSR, June 18, 1987
2. WINGS OF FRIENDSHIP - Washington DC to Havana, Cuba, March 30, 1997
The final dream is to connect Washington and Beijing with a speed record:
3. WINGS TO BEIJING - Washington DC to Beijing, China, ??????????????
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AMBASSADOR ROBERT C. FRASURE - SPECIAL ENVOY OF PRESIDENT CLINTON
Distribution of this report is extended to selected members of Congress and political leaders with the hope of gaining support for Ambassador Frasure to be awarded posthumously the PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM.
It was disappointing that he was not on the list of recipients presented on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr.'s birthday earlier this year.
* * * * *
On August 19th, 1995, America lost one of its most effective diplomats when Ambassador Robert C. Frasure was killed on his way into Sarajevo.
TEN ROMEO NEWSLETTER #59 was titled "TRIBUTE TO AN AMERICAN HERO". Writing that report was a painful task.
I recounted the close working relationship I had had with Bob as he became the
US Ambassador to Estonia where I had served mutual US and Estonian interests over a period of several years.
Ambassador Frasure's work with Estonian leadership resulted in remarkable rapport and subsequent progress toward
US goals.
Bob had a quick mind, and was insightful, gentle, and positive in his dealings.
My Estonian friends and I watched Bob's departure from Tallinn with regret as he returned to Washington as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State.
Those of us who knew Bob, and were frustrated by the three years of world inactivity on the Serbian-announced POGROM and subsequent deaths, were delighted when it was announced that Ambassador Robert C. Frasure would go to the former Yugoslavia as "SPECIAL ENVOY" of President Clinton.
The rest is history.
Ambassador Frasure brought President Slobodan Milosevic to a new viewpoint of what could be gained by changing his tactics and cooperating with the
US.
The peace in Sarajevo, tenuous as it is, was built on Bob's success in convincing President Milosevic to alter his methods.
Bob's death was a terrible loss to his family, friends, and all those who are committed to bringing lasting peace to the
former Yugoslavia. Indeed, what a shame Ambassador Frasure is not here
to focus his skills on the problems of Kosovo.
A number of us have suggested to President Clinton that Ambassador Robert C. Frasure be honored by being posthumously awarded the
PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM.
Those of you who knew and worked with Ambassador Frasure recognize his outstanding service to our country.
We live in a time when many heroes have given their lives in service to their country.
Bob holds a special place among such heroes because of his dynamic skill in bringing about the unique breakthrough in accomplishing President
Milosevic's turnaround.
If you knew Ambassador Frasure or worked with him please add your request to President Clinton that Bob receives the recognition his unique service deserves.
FIAT VOLUNTAS DEI!
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