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My wife and I just returned from attending Captain Con Jaburg’s funeral in Pensacola. It was a very dignified service, delivered by a pastor who seemed to know Con very well. There were only a few of us from HA(L)-3 in attendance. I thought there would have been more but I am sure age, time, distance, and illness were factors. I did have a chance to speak to his wife and son for a few minutes after the service.
Forty-eight years ago as I write, I was and ensign and one of twenty navy pilots going through helicopter gunship transition training at Ft. Banning, GA. Commander Bob Spencer, our PCO, and Commander Con Jaburg, our PXO, led the assault on Ft. Benning. Several of us were fresh out of navy flight school; shock and awe come to mind.
Con wrote a memoir a few years ago. I stumbled upon it by chance last week. The title: “Con Trails - A Memoir of a Flying Dutchman”. If you haven’t read it, it is a fascinating account of his life. For example, after HA(L)-3, he was CO of HT-8, which I knew about. But what I didn’t know was that following HT-8, he went directly back to Vietnam for another year as CO or OIC of a FASO (Fleet Aviation Support Organization) down in the Delta.
MOST of what is in his memoirs, I did not know. The account of his life is incredible. No bravado, just facts, and insights.
He and I stayed in touch through the years (since the proliferation of email) up until a few months ago when his illness precluded much communication.
May Captain Con Jaburg rest in peace!
Morrie Steen
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