Alan Emil Michel

I just saw this. I was Alan´s legal assistant starting in June 1984.

I am sorry, I only recently saw this.

Shipmates--
I first knew Al when he was the circuit military judge in Subic Bay in the mid-1970s. He was a kind gentleman who mentored those of us young judge advocates who appeared before him. He used to tease us, when a trial was resuming, by quoting "Goodbye Columbus," "Don´t get started without me!" At that time, he was stationed there along with Marilyn and their German Shepard, Baron. Later, he was a judge on the Navy Court of Military Review at the Washington Navy Yard, and I was assigned to the Appellate Review Activity. At that time, he came into zone for Captain. He had received an offer "too good to refuse" to return to Alabama and enter private practice there. He contacted the selection board and asked them to offer someone else the opportunity for promotion since he was going to submit his retirement papers. What a gentleman!! He was a model for us all. Years later, I was visiting family on the gulf coast and had the opportunity to have lunch with him in Mobile. He shared the memory challenges Marilyn was having at that time (and to which I can related as my wife has recently been diagnosed as well). He supported her through the years! I can only rejoice that they are now reunited with their memories intact!
David S. Durbin
Captain, JAGC, USNR (Ret.)

I might be remiss if I did not share the parody poem Al kept on his wall as a Navy Helicopter Pilot (keeping in mind that, in the Navy, you have to qualified in fixed wing aircraft before you move on to helicoters).

LOW FLIGHT

Oh, I've slipped the surly bonds of earth
And hovered out of ground effect on semi-rigid blades;
Earthward I've auto'ed and met the rising brush of
Non-paved terrain;
And done a thousand things you would never care to
Skidded and dropped and flared
Low in the heat-soaked roar.
Confined there, I've chased the earthbound traffic
And lost the race to insignificant headwinds;
Forward and up a little in ground effect
I've topped the General's hedge with drooping turns
Where never Skyhawk or even Phantom flew.
Shaking and pulling collective, I've lumbered
The low untrespassed halls of victor airways,
Put out my hand and touched a tree.

Shipmates--
I first knew Al when he was the circuit military judge in Subic Bay in the mid-1970s. He was a kind gentleman who mentored those of us young judge advocates who appeared before him. He used to tease us, when a trial was resuming, by quoting "Goodbye Columbus," "Don´t get started without me!" At that time, he was stationed there along with Marilyn and their German Shepard, Baron. Later, he was a judge on the Navy Court of Military Review at the Washington Navy Yard, and I was assigned to the Appellate Review Activity. At that time, he came into zone for Captain. He had received an offer "too good to refuse" to return to Alabama and enter private practice there. He contacted the selection board and asked them to offer someone else the opportunity for promotion since he was going to submit his retirement papers. What a gentleman!! He was a model for us all. Years later, I was visiting family on the gulf coast and had the opportunity to have lunch with him in Mobile. He shared the memory challenges Marilyn was having at that time (and to which I can related as my wife has recently been diagnosed as well). He supported her through the years! I can only rejoice that they are now reunited with their memories intact!
David S. Durbin
Captain, JAGC, USNR (Ret.)

I might be remiss if I did not share the parody poem Al kept on his wall as a Navy Helicopter Pilot (keeping in mind that, in the Navy, you have to qualified in fixed wing aircraft before you move on to helicoters).

LOW FLIGHT

Oh, I've slipped the surly bonds of earth
And hovered out of ground effect on semi-rigid blades;
Earthward I've auto'ed and met the rising brush of
Non-paved terrain;
And done a thousand things you would never care to
Skidded and dropped and flared
Low in the heat-soaked roar.
Confined there, I've chased the earthbound traffic
And lost the race to insignificant headwinds;
Forward and up a little in ground effect
I've topped the General's hedge with drooping turns
Where never Skyhawk or even Phantom flew.
Shaking and pulling collective, I've lumbered
The low untrespassed halls of victor airways,
Put out my hand and touched a tree.

Al was my co-pilot on the Navy H-34 helicopter, flying patrol in the Tonkin Gulf in 1964-65.We were also roommates aboard the USS Yorktown. Al would often seek my advice about his relationship with Marilyn. He very much wanted to marry here but she was showing some hesitancy. I made some suggestions , which he followed and they must have worked. They were married for over 50 years. Though we weren't close in the following years, we did occasionally connect by phone. He was a great guy.