Bomber Pilot Lands in Hosby

American Denver D. Robinson knows his B-52 bomber's manual in his sleep. Through 22 years he flew the airspace over the whole world. Today he has landed in Hosby, where he has lived for eight years.

By Jesper Werge, Journalist

In 1975 Denver D. Robinson sat in his B-52 bomber ready to drop bombs over Vietnam — today he has lived in Hosby for eight years.

At first glance there is nothing especially military about Denver D. Robinson. His weight is clearly over a "little too much" to fit into an average military uniform. And, his long beard would hardly last half an hour in an American barracks.

[Noted during translation to English: The reporter constantly used my full name in his article. I've shortened it in the remainder of this translated version. DDR]

The 56 year old American that today lives in Hosby has, however, more than 22 years in the Air Force behind him.

-It was while attending the University in Memphis, where I was born, that we had the chance to take a test to qualify for the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Course taught at the university — the only reason I took the test was because I got a day free from school, as Denver explained over a cup of hot, black coffee.

[Noted during translation to English: The original article incorrectly reported that the above event occurred during High School. In fact, it was during my sophomore year at Memphis University. I must say, however, that Jesper did an amazing reporting job using neither a tape recorder nor taking extensive notes. We talked well over an hour and not once did he ask me to slow down or repeat anything so he could make a note. When the paper came out, I was astonished at the length of the article, and the number of facts he got absolutely right. (I've done tape recorded interviews in Danish, for school, and still turned in homework with glaring errors — obviously, Jesper is much better at English than I will ever be at Danish. That said, I try in this translated version to correct all misstatements or misunderstandings I find in his original article. DDR]

The pleasant American had still not gotten complete control over the whole Danish vocabulary, which is why the interview took place in English. Denver said he lacked the motivation to master the language.

-I have, you see, a full pension from the USAF, so I won't use Danish to earn a living like so many others at Horsen's Language School must. It is simply the result of nothing to push me. And, it is a fact that it is a very difficult language, reckoned the American.

Got his wings

The test for military officer training was followed up by still two more, and suddenly Denver could see himself as a small piece of the very large military system in the USA.

-At the same time I was the University I was trained to be an Air Force officer. After graduation from Memphis University I went to the Air Force and in April 1970 had graduated from pilot training and earned my "wings" - born to fly, he explained with a dream look in his eye.

-I had always dreamed of flying. I remember laying on the grass as a little boy, watching the birds fly and wishing I could also.

-With wings on his chest he had the privilege to become an instructor pilot in the T-38, a flight training aircraft. The same aircraft that Danish fighter pilots train in today during their flying training in the USA.

It is a little exaggerated how difficult it is to fly. In my opinion a good (car) driver can be a good pilot. It is just a matter of training, and more training — acknowledged the American.

	Denver got his Air Force wings in 1970. Since then he has instructed many hundreds - in the supersonic T-38 (above) and in the worlds biggest bomber, the B-52 (below):

Historic Bomber

After instructing in the T-38 for three years Denver was transferred to the B-52.

-It is an extremely capable aircraft in every possible way. The wing tips are 185 feet (56.4) meters apart and it has eight powerful jet engines. The first B-52 flew in the early 1950's and today it is still unsurpassed in distant payload delivery capability. The Air Force currently plans to operate the aircraft for at least the next 30 years, and engineering analyses show the life span to extend beyond the year 2045, explained Denver who was a flight instructor in the bomber.

Many times he had engine failures and other emergency situations while in flight — but the B-52 was specifically designed to allow the mission to continue even with battle damage. For example, late in a mission when the aircraft is light (after most of the fuel has been burned off, and bombs dropped) it would usually be possible to fly to a landing field with less than half of the engines operating. So, there are lots of things that can go wrong, and the aircraft still be able to continue its mission.

For two months in the spring of 1975 Denver and his crew sat in Thailand waiting to be called to fly into battle over Vietnam.

[Noted during translation to English: The next paragraph, as published in Danish indicated that we sat ready to be airborne within ten minutes while in Thailand. Actually, I told Jesper about two different "alert" conditions: one in Thailand, which required us to be airborne in three hours, and another in the USA when we had to be airborne in about 10 minutes. My crew and I had many one week long tours on strategic alert in the States with that very quick reaction requirement. Our requirement to be airborne from Thailand in about three hours lasted only about two weeks in April of 1975 as it became more and more apparent that Saigon was in eminent danger of falling to the North Vietnamese Army. Jesper, transposed the time requirements of the two different conditions in his report — I tried to rewrite the paragraph to be true to what actually was said during the interview:]

-For weeks we sat and waited. In three hours, day or night, we had to be airborne and on our way to break the North Vietnamese advance via high altitude bombing. Three hours is very little time to study the weather and target, review formation procedures, check the aircraft for obvious defects and leap off into the air. (When on strategic alert in the USA, his crew had to be airborne, on their way to the USSR within ten minutes. It takes him longer to tell about it, than it actually takes to get the bomber started and on takeoff roll.)

In April 1975 the USA backed away from that impossible war.

Afterwards the pilot continued his service as an instructor and evaluator pilot. And, as a staff officer he was the Command and Control Division Chief at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas.

In 1988 he was transferred to Thule Air Base Greenland, where he met Mette, a Danish nurse working in the hospital on the American base.

From Texas to Hosby

Three years later the pilot opted out of the Air Force.

-Within the American military there is a completely different pension arrangement than for the Danish military. Denver explained: I earned a good retired pay after 22 years, which I receive from the USA government.

Through the many years in the military there is one event that stands alone in importance.

-When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 I felt some pride in knowing that my crew and I, and others in the military of many nations had directly helped bring that wall, and the "Cold War" to an end.

-For so many years during the "Cold War" we had been on "stand by" constantly ready to go to war. I am happy that we never had to take off, because if we had had that order there was no doubt about the outcome. When the Berlin Wall fell, it was such a visible reaction to our efforts, we so long had hoped to force the USSR and Warsaw Pact forces up into a corner — and avoid war.

In 1994 he and Mette moved from Greenland to Hosby, where he passed the time renovating an old brick house.

In 1998 the American started learning the Danish in the language school in Horsens, where he still goes.

Indescribable Pain

The entire pilot training was almost down the drain before he got started.

-I had forgotten about some speeding tickets when I filled out my pre-enlistment paperwork. Later an officer told me if they had known about them they would have never let me in — he said with a grin.

-Today I have a different view of speed — once you fly a jet, driving a car fast is boring, and dangerous.

Last January Denver's wife Mette died after a difficult illness — but for now he has decided to live in Denmark.

-I enjoy it here in Denmark, but I have two sons in the USA from my first marriage — and now I have one granddaughter. So, you never know said Denver, who has many good friends in Denmark.

-There were many difficult times in my life. Flight training for example. But there was nothing as difficult as Mette's death . Denver ended, "It causes pain every day."