e4gleeye's post, "Hey Dad, Is That You?", has inspired me to share this story.
My 7D is the most recent in the lineage of Canon cameras that started with one that save my life in war time.
I was in Vietnam in the 101st Airborne Infantry and had saved my money for that exciting day that had been planned for weeks to travel in a Chinook helicopter with a buddy to the big PX store in Da Nang. The store had a huge stereo and camera department. We had been given permission to travel to the PX, but we only had a short time.., fly down, pick up what we wanted, and catch the only flight back to my base at Camp Eagle near Phu Bai or be AWOL. Being AWOL in a war zone is not good!
I'm not sure what heaven is like, but at the time it was being engulfed by so much camera gear. Time seemed to vanish due to all the "warm fuzzies" I was experiencing.
Well, my buddy and I lost track of time. I had my new Canon FTQL film camera under my arm with the accessories, waiting in line to pay, when we heard that unmistakable "wop, wop, wop" of the helicopter blades being made by the Chinook that was our only ticket back to the base. I just couldn't bring myself to put the camera down, leave it behind, and catch the flight. Neither could my buddy.
My buddy begged the guy in front of the line to let us cut in front of him so we could make the flight. He was a nice guy, and he agreed. We ran as fast as we could to the heli-pad just as the helicopter lifted off the ground and we could see the Warrant Officer (pilot) wave us off. TOO LATE! WE ARE AWOL!!!
It took some doing, but we were finally able to get back to the base several hours later. Man, I was nervous about the consequences I was about to face! I had thought up some amazing stories, but realized none of them were even close to being believable.
When we reported in to the Captain, he had this astonished look on his face and asked us how got back. We didn't understand until he went on to tell use that the pilot reported being under fire and forced down, but contact had been lost. Later we learned that the helicopter had been shot down in the high mountains but was able to auto-rotate to a hard but survivable landing, and all 30 soldiers on-board were captured by the Viet Cong, brutally tortured, and then killed at the crash site.
Needless to say, that first Canon camera is a very special item in my life. It has been the reason why I have always bought Canon. My middle daughter, when I told her this story, asked if she could have the camera. She was just getting interested in photography and wanted to learn how to shoot film. It is now hers. I hope it will remain a family heirloom and continue generations of photographers that buy Canon.
