I just returned from Houston, TX where myself and two other retired USSS agents worked as security advisors for the ABB Automation World 2005 Conference and Exhibition. One of the week's highlights was a trip to the George Ranch Historical Park where they presented conference attendees with a rodeo and other oldwest attractions. One attraction was an opportunity to have your photo taken with a longhorn steer. You could either sit on or stand beside it. I did both. First, I sat on it for my photo, then the 3 of us posed with a longhorn. They had 4 different longhorns in all and they each had horns of 6 feet in width or longer. Below I have posted both photos. I was going to caption the first one (of me only), "Hey, look at the "*#!&^#" on this longhorn steer?" But it just didn't convey the professionalism I wish to maintain on this website. So I didn't use it. The second photo, of me, and my two buddies, I was going to caption, "Only 2 things come out of Texas, steers and queers." But still it did not convey the high degree of professionalism that I hope to keep on this website. So again I decided against using it. So take a look at the photos and judge for yourselves.

I arose this morning at 4AM to watch the funeral for Pope John Paul II. It was a great tribute to a great man. He was charismatic and a wonderful communicator who could spread
his message equally well to people of all ages. My Secret Service career was highlighted twice with assignments to work with Pope John Paul II. The first was during his very first visit to Chicago in 1979 and later when he revisited the US and held Mass in New York City's Central Park.

When he visited Chicago, his schedule called for him to stay overnight. On the day of his arrival the city held a parade for him on the northside of Chicago which was known as "Little Warsaw" or "Little Poland". It was called this because Chicago has the second largest concentration of people of Polish decent outside of Warsaw, Poland. On the 2nd day of his visit a parade was held in his honor on the southside of town. Each parade route was divided into sections consisting of several city blocks with an agent and Chicago PD officer teamed up to survey and set up security for each section.

We surveyed every building/home on the route and cataloged who worked or lived in each building along with names and contact phone numbers. At intersections, we went up to six
buildings off the main parade route or any building where a sniper could have a good vantage point. On the day of each parade the crowds were enormous.

It was a miracle we didn't have any spectators run over by police or Secret Service vehicles in the Pope's motorcade. This was because as the Pontiff's armored limo would pass them,
people would bolt from the curb and run up to the limo and try to give the Pope flowers, a note or try to touch him. We tried to keep everyone on the sidewalks, but some became
so mesmerized by the sight of him they completely lost all awareness of their surroundings and acted spontaneously. I thanked God each time a pedestrian survived dodging the police motorcycles and Secret Service cars without a scratch.

During his Central Park Mass, I was assigned to security behind the stage and again was astonished at the size of the crowd who had come to see him. Among my many cherished
mementos are a small trinket with the Pope's likeness and a certificate from the Pope thanking me for my service during his visits.

I searched my photos and slides for the past 3 days looking for photos from his Chicago visit. But I could not find them. Finally, I asked my daughter Heather if she had any? She had some she had taken on the Pope's arrival at O'Hare Airport for the 1979 visit when she was 11 years old.
When we had dignitaries arriving for a Chicago visit, we always had them arrive on the military side of O'Hare where the Air National Guard had a secure location. There we set up an area where the families of Secret Service agents could come and view his arrival, but from a distance.

My wife told me that when she and our children arrived at O'Hare people wanting to get into the facility where actually begging for rides or offering to pay for a ride into the area to see the Pope. Well the only pictures Heather had were taken from such a far distance that you could not distinguish the Pope from anyone else, but it was still a once-in-a-lifetime treat for my family. And this is coming from a family of Protestants. It was an honor to be around such a great man. It was exciting just to be in his presence. Amen.