Post your favorite memories about Major Culver

[Rick the Librarian]

I never met the Major in person, nor have I ever had a personal conversation with him. I do have fond memories of reading his posts and stories through the years, and of reading the numerous stories about him and his accomplishments and contributions. I am forever grateful to both him and Gloria for starting this forum because this is where I "cut my teeth" when I started collecting milsurps. I knew almost nothing when I started as there was very little information out there and in the early days of home computers and dial up internet, this website helped change that. I learned an awful lot here and it has provided me with the knowledge to really enjoy this hobby for many years. It saw me through my divorce and through the problems of being a single parent. It was my outlet, my escape, this is where spent a lot of my "me" time. We've had our problems here, had to move to another host for awhile, but we are still here and to me this is home. I may not post as much as I used to but I always try stop in daily to check up on things. Today I almost wish I hadn't. Today, our country lost a Great American.

Almost word for word what my experiences were. I thought I was a "1903 expert" when I started using Jouster, but I soon found out how ignorant I was! I especially appreciated Gloria's job keeping the "peanut gallery" in line (and boy, we NEEDED it!!) Both Dick and Gloria were unfailing friendly and polite to me in posts, PMs and emails. I deeply regret, living in the same part of country I was always "too busy" to stop and see them.

Although Gloria had the reputation of being "the enforcer", Dick wasn't above doing the same thing, as well. I remember one unnamed individual who tended to be a pain to anyone he disagreed with. With this guy, you weren't just wrong, you were an idiot! One day, Dick got on him and set him straight!! I wish I could recall what Dick said, but this "lion" turned into a lamb - he did everything but call Dick "sir" and, as I recall, he was never any trouble again, and eventually slipped away.

[RED]

Me too... When I first started posting here I ran afoul of Major Culver over the JFK killing. I was (and still am) convinced that Oswald committed the crime and just couldn't understand why he was so vehement in his conclusion otherwise. After thinking about it for weeks, it finally occurred to me that the Major so loved the USA and in particular the USMC that he just could not accept the fact that one of his Marines could even possible done such a dastardly deed. I would doubtlessly adopt the same attitude had someone I loved done something similar.

After that I regained a huge amount of respect for the Major, and his service to the country via both the Marine Corps and the shooting community in general. Rest well Major you will be remembered with love and respect.

[Dan Shapiro]

Many years ago someone began a discussion on the old M1 board about hitting a moving target. It was a lively discussion and someone even posted old training manual photos, showing the sight picture taken to demonstrate the concept of "leading" when the target was walking vs running at various distances. There were even photos of taking a lead on horses at the trot and at the gallop. Several comments followed. IIRC, Dick dropped in and said something to the effect "Gloria better not find out you guys are talking about shooting horses!"

[Brad in Idaho]

I started on CSP while I still lived in Kalifornia. My wife and I met Dick and Gloria at the GCA convention in 2001 in Reno. After we moved to Idaho in 2002, we met up with them at a gun show in Spokane and we went to dinner with them after. We ate at a Mexican restaurant in Spokane that was very busy. After dinner was over we sat at the table for probably 2 more hours talking about politics, guns, whatever. We decided we should let the restaurant have the table and went outside to say goodbyes. Well, Dick broke out a couple of cigars and we stood outside the place for another bull session and a smoke. I can't think of anyone else I'd met that I felt more comfortable around. Enjoyed his humor, his storytelling, and his demeanor. We had occasion to visit with them a couple of other times, once at a restaurant in Post Falls, and at another GCA convention in Reno, but our first meeting with the Culvers stands out in my memory. We never got to visit with them at their place in Post Falls. Seemed like both of us couldn't be available at the same time. Dick was an unforgettable character who will be missed by many, but especially by his wife, friend, partner, and soul mate Gloria.

Major Culver at the GCA convention in Reno in 2001

[Kurt]

I never met Dick but this was the first sight I joined when getting into the 1903's and was duly impressed at the knowledge and fine people that are always more than willing to help a newbie. I looked into who put it together and once on the trail of Dick Culver, couldn't stop reading everything I could find, down to the many old sea tales. One can't help but love the story telling ability of this fine man, the book you can never put down. I don't think one could leave a finer legacy.

With utmost Respect

Kurt

[Jefferson Adams]

My favorite memory of Dick Culver is actually a conglomeration of several memories: Dick and Gloria and I met many times for lunch, in a couple of local restaurants which still allowed cigar smoking. We would have lunch and literally sit there for 4 or 5 hours talking, most of which was Dick telling sea stories, camel tales, and the like. I have never - NEVER - laughed so hard or so long in my entire life. Dick had an incredibly rich history of things that he'd either been a part of or that had happened to him, and they way he told most of them they were simply hysterical. If you didn't actually know him, you'd swear that all of those things could not possibly have happened to one man, but I have no doubt that they did. And many of them are here on this website, in his Camel Tales or Jouster Tales.

My absolute favorite - and one which I tried for years, unsuccessfully, to get him to write down - was the story of his being accosted by an airport security guard in the Spokane airport as he and Gloria were headed for a flight. Dick, as was customary, had a cigar in his mouth - unlit - and this very large (they found out later he was a retired state patrolman) security guard approached them and told Dick to take the cigar out of his mouth, there was no smoking in the airport. Dick replied - and I quote - "I will NOT!" (it wasn't lit, after all), and the situation deteriorated from there. Suffice to say that the security guard had NO idea who he was messing with, and he was WAY out of his league

I grin ear to ear every time I think about that story, and I really, really wish Dick had written it down.

[da gimp]

I'm like Jefferson ,Kurt & Brad....... I flat out love the Major's stories posted here... & the ones he used to post on the crackerbarrel/guntalk........... he used to regale us with stories of him & Gloria at gunshows, with her 1903 Pederson device in hand trolling for crooked dealers........

[Brad in Idaho]

My absolute favorite - and one which I tried for years, unsuccessfully, to get him to write down - was the story of his being accosted by an airport security guard in the Spokane airport as he and Gloria were headed for a flight. Dick, as was customary, had a cigar in his mouth - unlit - and this very large (they found out later he was a retired state patrolman) security guard approached them and told Dick to take the cigar out of his mouth, there was no smoking in the airport. Dick replied - and I quote - "I will NOT!" (it wasn't lit, after all), and the situation deteriorated from there. Suffice to say that the security guard had NO idea who he was messing with, and he was WAY out of his league

I grin ear to ear every time I think about that story, and I really, really wish Dick had written it down.

That was one of my favorite stories too. I think they were on the way to a GCA convention that time. I remember Gloria rolling her eyes when he started telling that tale.

BTW da gimp, I followed Gloria around once at the Big Reno Gun Show when she trolled with the Pedersen Device equipped rifle. I had to stay close enough to hear what was being said, but far enough away to keep the dealers from seeing or hearing me laugh while they tried to con Gloria out of the rifle. What a hoot!

[da gimp]

When I was trying to recover from my first bout with lung cancer in late 1999 & early 2000............ I know in my heart that our Lord sent me here to Jousters'.......... The Major's stories & all the posts from the very many good people I met here, helped me to regain my interest in living & to rekindle my love for fine old firearms & good people in general..........


Here's one for the Major & the Swede, ... I wish there was one of someone smoking a good cigar..........................but the good ale lifted in tribute to two good people will do just fine.

[Richard Turner/Turner Saddlery]

I remember the event where Dick was accosted by airport security at the Spokane, WA airport. Dick and Gloria were on their way to the NRA Convention in Charlotte, NC, I believe it was 2001. Dick had told me to meet him at the show, that he would be at the Soldier of Fortune booth. He said if he wasn't at the booth when I arrived, just tell Col. Bob Brown I was a friend of Dick Culver. Boy, did that go a long way with the Colonel, he said "Hey Gunny, good to meet you, Dick said you would be stopping by, pull up a chair." So I sat down waiting for Dick and Gloria, passing the time talking to the Colonel. Hours went by, no sign of Dick, so I walked the show (had a young nephew with me, he was getting restless), walked the entire show, still no sign of Dick and Gloria. We stayed at the show until almost closing time and decided there must have been a delay with the flight, little did I know it was Dick and his cigar that delayed his boarding the flight. We decided since we had already seen all the exhibits we would head back to Alabama, (since we had not checked into the hotel yet). We were half way back home when Gloria called and said "Hey, where are you at", I told her we had been at the show all day and thought they were not coming. Gloria told me what had happened with the cigar and Dick standing his ground. Once the security guard had Dick in an interview room, he told Dick "Sit Down" Dick replied "No thank you, I'll stand" it went down hill from there. Not only was Dick pulled from the flight, the FBI was called in. When Dick told the FBI agents the story, they thought it was the funniest thing they had heard in a long time. The airport security guard embarrassed, just kind of disappeared in the distance, though got the upper hand, Dick and Gloria missed their flight.

When Dick was relating the story he commenced to tell me about the time Lou Costello was driving in Northern California at a time smoking was banned while driving during the dry season of the year. He said Lou was chewing on his cigar and was pulled over for smoking. Lou said "My cigar is not lit" the trooper said, "But you were going to smoke it" Lou said, "I've got shoes on, but I'm not walking" Dick had a few choice words of ill will toward the security guard for making him miss the first day of the show.

I always enjoyed how Dick would tie a good story into a character in history or a good movie, such as "Hey, do you remember the time Tom Mix and his horse Tony--------fill in the blank as you may. There will never be another like him.