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Dick Landgraff was one of the first people I ever met online, back in the old Warships1.com days, 20 years ago.
RIP Herr Landgraff
“He was the most prodigious personification of all human inferiorities. He was an utterly incapable, unadapted, irresponsible, psychopathic personality, full of empty, infantile fantasies, but cursed with the keen intuition of a rat or a guttersnipe. He represented the shadow, the inferior part of everybody’s personality, in an overwhelming degree, and this was another reason why they fell for him.”
A great loss, his knowledge was retention of facts was amazing. I am proud to call Richard my friend. I am told that there will be a service, Monday October 23rd in Whittier, Ca but no details as of yet. Will post when I know more. Sue Schmidt, Iowa's volunteer coordinator tells me that Rusty's daughter said everyone is welcome. Craig
Craig, with all that Dick was and did, would the ensign on Iowa be at "half staff"?
It would be appropriate.
We will do a flag raising service for Richard's family, tentatively October 25 where we present the flag to his family. We do this for all staff & volunteers. But I agree, Rusty was an extra special volunteer and a great feeling of loss is felt on-board the Iowa by all. A bronze plaque commemorating Richard and all the founding board members is on permanently display in the wardroom of the USS Iowa. Craig
Very sad, I didn't have a lot of interactions with Rusty but he passed on a couple of wise words via the odd personal message. I hope our condolences are being passed on to his family. It would have been a privilege to met him in person and even more so to count him as friend.
If you are emotionally invested in 'believing' something is true you have lost the ability to tell if it is true.
There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "My ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."- Isaac Asimov
RIP, Mr. L.
My prayers, too, are with his family.
I consider myself honored and blessed to have had the opportunity to converse with him.
I shall miss the anticipation that came with seeing his "Rusty Battleship" under "Last Post", and the smile it always brought, finding he had been here since my last visit.
I live in the same neighborhood, and drive past his house regularly, and I noticed a few weeks ago that his flag pole was now bare. I hoped to come here and find a post of his, explaining the missing flag due to some kids stealing it, but feared that would not be the case.
I too shall miss the anticipation of seeing his posts here, and all the knowledge and wisdom he so graciously shared. They just don't make'em like that anymore...
Sad to hear. But celebrate the lives he touched, the knowledge he imparted and the ships he loved that he was able to save. His legacy will live on for a very long time.
Rusty, I loved to interact with you. You taught me so much about naval architecture and the great battleships. I did enjoy stumping you with the questions on Civil War vessels...always drove you nuts!
And the absolute joy and pride you had "talking" to me about your times in M41s & M48s. I think you were a tanker at heart.
Fair winds and following seas, Dick.
“Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”
Mark Twain
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