Touched by a Blue Angel II

Macon model Sabrina Sikora and Blue Angel pilot Kevin Davis

Two weeks ago, I wrote a column about Gordon Scarborough, a Perry man who had a chance meeting with Blue Angels pilot Kevin Davis in Pensacoloa, just two days before Davis was killed in a crash at an air show in South Carolina.

This week, Laurie Sikora, of Macon, sent me a note:

“My father, Edward Sikora, was a 32-year Navy veteran -- eight years in active duty and 24 years in the reserves. I have been enamored with this branch of the military and flying in general, due to the strong influence my father had on me. Dad was a pilot stationed on the USS Kearsarge CV-33. Later, he would fly for 28 years with Eastern Airlines. When my father died in 2003, the only material possession I requested was his 1944 issue leather flight jacket that dad wore on his missions. It is prized to this day and my family knows that if there is ever an emergency in our home, the evacuation instructions are to grab two things -- the dog and the bomber jacket.’’

When Edward Sikora was living, he and his family never missed an opportunity to watch the Blue Angels -- or the Air Force’s Thunderbirds -- perform.

“Aviation was dad's lifeblood and he instilled that love in several of his children,’’ Laurie said. Her brother, Edward A. Sikora, is an aeronautical engineer with NASA and has worked on the space shuttle program since it's inception.

Laurie’s daughter, local model Sabrina Sikora, received an invitation last spring to attend commissioning week ceremonies at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. They were invited by friends Mark and Maggie Ward to watch the Blue Angels perform from the deck of the Ward's yacht anchored in Chesapeake Bay.

“One day of our visit, we went to the Naval Academy to watch the companies march on field during presentation,’’ Laurie said. “It was there that we crossed paths with Lt. Commander Kevin Davis, who flew the No. 7 plane at that time. He was also watching the festivities and meeting the public, so we jumped at the chance to meet him. Lt. Cmdr Davis was open, friendly, personable and seemed truly passionate when talking about his current mission.

“He was more than willing to pose for photos with anyone who asked and took time answering any questions that were asked of him. A true gentleman and a fine representative of both the Navy and the Blue Angels. It was an honor and a privilege to meet him. Kevin asked if we would be watching the Blue Angels perform and we told him that we would be anchored in the bay watching their practice session the next day from the boat. He asked what area of the bay we would be in and asked for a description of our vessel. Mark Ward took over at this point and told him the coordinates we planned to drop anchor in and details of his yacht that would help Kevin pick us out from the air. He said he would tip his wings when he spotted us.’’

As promised, Davis flew his plane over the boat so low you could actually see him in the cockpit. He made a return pass and tipped his wings at the boat as they waved.

“Then we settled in and watched the show of a lifetime from a vantage point that can never be equaled,’’ she said. “As the jets passed over the boat time and time again in each formation, you could feel the jetwash from the aircraft. It was incredibly exhilarating and the planes were so close, it seemed like you could just reach out and touch them. Sabrina said you couldn't wipe the smile off my face the rest of the day and my only regret is that my father wasn't there to share the experience with us. Or maybe he was.''

Laurie said when she and Sabrina her news that a Blue Angels jet had crashed, her immediate reaction was "God, please don't let it be Kevin Davis.’’

“Sabrina and I were heartsick as reports the next day identified him as the pilot. Like my father, he was a great man who will be missed by many. And like my father, I'm certain that there is nowhere else Kevin would rather have been that fateful day except sitting in that cockpit doing exactly what he loved doing … flying.’’