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Memorial ride set to honor fallen NCO

  • Published
  • By Stefan Bocchino
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  On May 19, 2012, motorcyclists will ride from Albuquerque to Angel Fire, N.M., to honor a fallen NCO officer formerly assigned to Kirtland Air Force Base.

Bobbitt, assigned to the 512th Rescue Squadron, was killed during his "finis flight" May 11, 2005, when the HH-60G he was in crashed in Angel Fire. He was scheduled to retire from the Air Force two days later.

"Scotty was a flight engineer here in the 512 RQS and had been an instructor here for three or four years," said Senior Master Sgt. Robert Dinsmore, 512 RQS superintendent. "The flight went up to Angel Fire and they stopped there for fuel. While leaving the airport, they encountered severe wind and impacted the ground. Scotty was killed instantly, but both pilots survived."

Dinsmore said that when the accident occurred, volunteer fire departments in the area were having a mass-casualty exercise at the airport. They saw the accident and were on-scene within five minutes.

"Scotty was a Harley motorcycle rider," said L. D. Willingham, contract flight instructor. "A group of us decided to go up to the accident site two months after the accident. That was the first time we rode there as a group. His wife decided to learn how to ride his motorcycle and went with us."

After the first ride, the whole squadron decided to go there the next year, around the anniversary of Bobbitt's death, said Willingham. The squadron had a marker made to honor Bobbitt and planted a tree there for him.

"There are a lot of riders in the squadron," said Willingham. "It's kind of like our pilgrimage."

In 2011, the event attracted 42 motorcycle riders and 10 cars filled with people.

"This ride has become a tradition," said Willingham. "Scotty's widow has remarried, but she still rides his motorcycle to Angel Fire. She always will be part of the rescue family. Her husband also rides his motorcycle up there. Scotty's mom and dad come up from Texas every year and are waiting for us in Angel Fire. We don't advertise this because it's not a fundraiser, but we welcome anyone who would like to ride. A lot of the guys who ride never met Bobbitt, but it's a way to honor him for his service and his sacrifice. Scotty Bobbitt is a legend in the combat rescue world."