Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
7:33 | While on a training mission in Greenland, Wing Commander Max Della Pia had to rush to respond when a popular crew member suffered a heart attack. The man was out on the ice for a training exercise. Could they get there in time? Part 1 of 2.
Keywords : Max Della Pia Wing Commander 109th Airlift Wing aircraft commander Greenland Distant Early Warning (DEW) Maintenance Recovery School heart attack Sondrestrom Air Base Pituffik Space Base Nuuk Joe Butler
After the Gulf War, C-130 pilot Max Della Pia went to the Reserves while practicing law but then he was offered a position in Washington as a military legislative assistant to Senator Carl Levin. This led to other assignments in the Capital, including one where his efforts led to an important veteran health care reform.
Max Della Pia was at a retirement ceremony for a friend when someone asked, why does the General talk about you like a favorite son? He then heard the tale of a complicated air drop training mission which was plagued by problems but was still successful.
Max Della Pia held a number of positions in his Air Force career but the most surprising may have been when he lucked into a job as commander of the 109th Airlift Wing. This is the only unit that operates the heavy cargo aircraft equipped with skis.
Everyone was devastated. They had rushed to a remote site in Greenland to evacuate a crew member who had suffered a heart attack but they were too late. Wing Commander Max Della Pia was determined to bend regulations to get the deceased man home quickly. Part 2 of 2.
After decades of great effort by the military to keep us safe from the new dangers in the world, long time Air Force officer and pilot Max Della Pia has become very disillusioned with the current leadership in Washington.
When Max Della Pia retired as a full Colonel, the governor of his state gave him a brevet promotion to Brigadier General in the Air National Guard. It didn't mean much but at least it was better than being kicked out! He was very fond of the Air Force Band and he recalls the time they played a request for him.
Max Della Pia was sixteen years old and speaking at a Rotary luncheon about his desire to attend the Air Force Academy. A man came up to him afterward and ridiculed his speech. He never forgot that guy but he did go to the Academy and have a long career as a pilot and commander.
He nearly left the Air Force Academy to go to law school but an instructor talked him out of it. Max Della Pia graduated and became a C-130 pilot but he left the service after five years and became an attorney. He was practicing his new profession when the Gulf War broke out and he felt the call back to service.
Kandahar Airfield was a huge facility that hosted NATO member forces and the newest US drone aircraft. During his time as the Air Expeditionary Group Commander in charge there, Max Della Pia had to contend with regular attacks on the base.
As the Air Force officer in charge of Kandahar Airfield, Max Della Pia had to deal with a big problem when a B-1 bomber with a full bomb load had to make an emergency landing. As anticipated, the runway was too short and the huge aircraft went right off the end and got stuck there.
One of his maintenance supervisors came to Max Della Pia and told him about a young ground crew member who was having a personal crisis because his wife was leaving him. The man had spoken of suicide, and the supervisor asked if he could speak to him.
