Mailing List Archive Mailing List Archive
I cannot comment on the dive accident nor did I know two of the three missing divers well enough to comment on them. I do (did) know Andre quite well and have made numerous dives with him over the years. The last one was just a couple months back. Andre not coming up from a dive was one of the greatest shocks of my life. From my experience diving with him he was about the strongest diver I have ever swam with. As our backgrounds were similar he was US Army Special Forces I 'm ex navy we usually played games with each other in the water and he always smoked me in long distance scuba swims. While I'm not the fastest swimming diver in the world I certainly hold my own with some of the better underwater swimmers, and he always blew me away. There has been speculation on the list about his background as stated he was Army but was an army diver. He went through USN swim school in Key West I think in Feb of 1958 because he enjoyed teasing me that he had been diving longer than me. I did not get into diving until March of 1958. Andre was the first to dive the CCR 1000 in special forces and has been gas diving for more years than most on this list have been scuba diving and perhaps even before many of you were even born. He did multiple tours of duty in Vietnam, was a military instructor in diving, was also qualified in Halo diving, he had completed about every survival school the military has and taught in some of them and was a retired Sergeant Major. As typical of a top sergeant Andrea could be brutal verbally, could push others to excel and make them into survivors under fire when he felt it was needed but he had a heart of gold. He was the mirror of the Atheaian warrior code "come back victorious or come back on your shield" and over the years proved this more than once for God and country as well as individuals. He also would be the image of the gallant as portrayed in the bible 'No greater love has any man than that they would lay down their own life for another" maybe in his last moments on this earth he proved that as his actions in other encounters throughout life had reflected. Andrea filled a pair of shoes that few men can match and I salute his dedication, his undying courage and his willingness to sacrifice for his fellow man. He was one tough son of a gun, who when the going got tough he kept going and gave it his all in everything he did in life. On his qualifications I can not think of anyone more qualified than he was. I'm proud that I had the privilege to have Andrea as personal friend and a friend of my family. We have been greatly upset over his presumed death and will miss him immensely Farewell to my friend Andre may your god bring you peace Tom Mount -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
Navigate by Author:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Subject Search Index]
[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]
[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]