john wayne
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 66,678
Likes: 86
From: Santa Cruz CA
St. Jude Donor '15
I met the Duke once. I was working for Caterpillar in LA just after getting out of the navy. Duke had an old navy minesweeper that he had converted into his private yacht named "Wild Goose". It had a pair of Cat diesel generators onboard that needed servicing at the time. He came aboard just as my partner and I were finishing up. He asked how we were doing and was glad to hear we were done as he was planning on taking some friends out for a cruise later. He thanked us for our work and offered to have the steward fetch us a beer before we hit the road which we gladly accepted. I will never forget that day. He passed away about a year and half later. A true American that loved his county and one hell of a guy in my books.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 10,777
Likes: 5
From: Wichita Ks
The Duke was just a regular guy and for a Hollywood actor that is pretty rare. I've seen most of movies,some of them numerous times. When I see one now they look pretty funny and kind of cheesy but in the day they were golden. I guess every generation needs that bigger than life, can do anything kind of guy. For a lot of years that guy was John Wayne later Chuck Norris was that guy. I know this thread wasn't meant to be serous but the Duke brings back a lot of good memories. I can't say that about very many people from Hollywood.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,305
Likes: 1
From: Red city in deep blue Oregon
St. Jude Donor '17
My sis used to live around the corner from the Duke's home. This is after he passed, but his ex-wife still lives in the home.
Apparently it's not a big secret that this used to be his place, but the tour busses don't haunt it. It's on the end of a dead-end street.
Not being a secret means that on occasion a car will take that turn and slip down the road to peep his home. If you were lucky, and one of his staff were outside and in the mood, they'd hustle out a life-size cutout of the Duke, and let ya take a pic standing next to it, in front of the house.
Apparently it's not a big secret that this used to be his place, but the tour busses don't haunt it. It's on the end of a dead-end street.
Not being a secret means that on occasion a car will take that turn and slip down the road to peep his home. If you were lucky, and one of his staff were outside and in the mood, they'd hustle out a life-size cutout of the Duke, and let ya take a pic standing next to it, in front of the house.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,283
Likes: 153
From: Antioch Ca
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
I would be one of those people. I have been a member since March 2006. Until 4 months ago I did not own a Vette, but came here and even posted a question or two when I did not own the Vette. Corvette Forum is second to none for the sheer amount of information you can get and the commraderie from fellow Vette owners is the best as well. The C4 was not the Vette I originally wanted (wanted a C5Z06) but my dad had back surgery and needed to sell the Vette. I was always a fan of the digital dashboard when I was a youngster and so with a great low entry price ( and it will remind me of my father when he passes away) I became a member of the Vette community. Save the wave!
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Michael S. Palmer
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 10,777
Likes: 5
From: Wichita Ks
Glad to hear that after some waiting you have your vette now . I don't know how long it's been since you lost your Dad but sorry to hear about that. I hope you have a lot of good memories of the times you and your Dad had together. Glad you were a member and part of the group of people that feel so strongly about these cars. I agree save the wave. 
. I don't know how long it's been since you lost your Dad but sorry to hear about that. I hope you have a lot of good memories of the times you and your Dad had together. Glad you were a member and part of the group of people that feel so strongly about these cars. I agree save the wave.