Bobby Frierson

I will never forget Bobby. I got to Ft. Gordon, GA in 1976 and sometime after that became president of the parachute club. I was a jumpmaster and was allowed to instruct the first jump course under the supervision of an instructor. Bobby came to my first first jump course and told me I could teach under him. I would train the new students and we would go to Barnwell to jump. We had so many great weekends jumping there. On one of our jumps from the Lockheed Bobby flew around for a long time. I was sitting behind the pilot's seat and had no idea what was going on. Finally we jumped out for an RW jump. When I opened my PC I had no idea where we were. Another guy on a PC and I landed and walked a long way through a couple of fields. When I finally got to a road we got a ride. I asked the driver where is Barnwell. He said about 16 miles from there. I said where are we? He said Blackville. I asked if he knew Bobby, he said no so I asked if he knew a guy who had a runway in his back yard. He said he did and took us there. All the guys with squares were waiting for us there. I told my son about that story (he's now a tandem and AFF instructor). When I looked up Bobby I learned that he had died. I called Gene  Paul Thacker, who I flew for in Raeford, and told him I was so sorry to hear about Bobby. I said that at least he died doing what he loved. Gene Paul was very upset that he had been jumping after his stroke. When Gene Paul died I called Tony to tell him how sorry I was to hear about Gene Paul. He told me that Gene Paul had suffered for two years with COPD. If it was me, I prefer to go skydiving.

Doug Moriarity D-10758

Some old pictures of Bobby and the Lockheed from 1977-1978 time frame.

We used to drink beer and eat hard boiled eggs Friday evenings at the farm. On Saturday at about 5000 this stomach wrenching boiled egg and beer fog wafted through the cabin. Bobby was flying. Greg was sitting in the door and looked back and smiled real big. Bobby pulled a zero G, reached over, opened the door, swung around and kicked Greg out, closed the door and we went on up to altitude.

Greg landed in the center of the airport. The only thing that grew there were sand spurs. Greg spent the rest of the day cleaning those from his canopy. Serves him right.

Another time Chris Elmore and myself were both out on the strut. We had Bobby pull a zero G and we got a 2 man above the plane.

Bobby was one of a kind. Woody was close behind.

G.