Dinner with the Mafia - Commentary Published Feb. 1, 2012 By Capt. Dear Beloved 505th Test Squadron NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- When my wife suggested that we go to The Club for a special event, "An Invitation You Can't Refuse," I immediately jumped at the opportunity to have a nice Friday dinner to kickoff the weekend. Little did I know what a great night was in store for us. By the end of the night, I did not know whether to think of our experience as "Dinner with the Mafia," "Dinner with a General," or just "A Walk Down History Lane." My wife and I arrived that evening to a paparazzi-style welcome, complete with a red carpet, and a couple immaculate antique mob cars flanking the entrance to The Club. We had a few minutes to spare prior to the start of the dinner, so we headed over to Robin's Roost for a couple beverages. Amidst the crowd was a small group of older gentlemen who struck up a conversation with my wife as I ordered drinks. I greeted the group by saying, "Aren't you guys a little too young to be in here?" One of the guys then pointed and said, "That's Ike. He could tell you a lot of stories about when he was young." Well, it turns out that Ira 'Ike' Schab had been aboard the USS Dobbin destroyer on Dec. 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. 91 years old and still going strong, Ike recalled that fateful day and humbly pointed out that another of the gentlemen in the group was one of four survivors of the B-52/KC-135 midair collision over southern Spain in 1966. As we left Robin's Roost to walk over for our dinner engagement, we were in awe at the presence of so much history in one place. And the night was only beginning. We made it past the armed mafia enforcers at the dining hall entrance and searched for a table. I instinctively headed for a table with an elderly and distinguished couple sitting alone. When I was young, my father told me, "Find the older folks and talk to them. They know what's going on." After sitting down and talking for a few minutes, my wife and I quickly became acquainted with the married couple of 52 years, Bob and Joyce Jones. Bob talked about his old fighter pilot days and flying during the Vietnam War, including the somber story of his brother being fatally shot down. An hour into the dinner, Joyce revealed that Bob was retired Brig. Gen. Robert Jones, the last pilot selected to fly the F-104 Starfighter - a high-performance interceptor with a dubious safety record. While still stunned from this revelation, I asked him what the secret was to his success. He said that 90 percent was just showing up and the other 10 percent was luck. He added that as long as you have morals and integrity, someone will need you. He went on to recount the story of how he was selected to fly the F-104 as a second lieutenant, which was during a time when normally only captains and above were picked. He had reported into a lieutenant colonel's office, after completing officer training school, and immediately recognized the officer as World War II Ace Lt. Col. Claude J. Crenshaw. Crenshaw was so impressed by the young lieutenant's knowledge, that he immediately selected him and his wingman for the final two F-104 flying slots. A stroke of luck had landed him in the Air Force's hottest fighter squadron at the time. And if retired General Jones' story was not enough to leave a lasting impression on my wife and me, the rest of the night made up the difference. After eating a delicious Italian-style dinner, a mafia panel composed of former mobster Frank Cullotta, Gambino enforcer Andrew DiDonata and author Dennis Griffin provided the rest of the night's entertainment. They regaled us with stories of chop shops, burglary, shakedowns, bank robberies and the tightening noose of FBI surveillance. DiDonata recalled a high speed car chase where he raced through the streets of Brooklyn in a Mercedes Benz with no steering wheel, using a vice grip wrench to steer the car, while the FBI chased after him. Cullotta and DiDonata explained that, after a life of crime and betrayal, they both entered the Witness Protection Program. Years later, they emerged from the protection program to go public with their message that mafia life was an empty and cutthroat life, unlike the glamorized version sometimes portrayed by Hollywood or the media. Needless to say, my wife and I had an extraordinary evening. I learned that night that you never know what living part of history awaits discovery or what fascinating person may be sitting at your table. So I encourage everyone to attend any special event put on at The Club or around Nellis, you may just be surprised at how your evening turns out.
