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ohn Standley reached two milestones this winter. In January, it was 50 years since he first joined the US Army. Then, on February 10th, John turned 70.

A toast to John Standley, from 8 time zones away.

John marked both events in Iraq, where he is still flying, as part of his assignment in the war there.

But back in Oriental, his friends held a surprise party. (It was such a surprise, that the honoree wasn’t aware that it was going on.)

Blowing out the candles — 70 of them — on John Standley’s cake.

More than two dozen friends gathered at M&M’s on Friday February 5. Though John wasn’t there, they had a cake, blew out candles, raised a toast to, and told stories about, their friend. Several spoke about John’s humility. More than one mentioned that John would not want all the attention on himself.

Larry Walker at John Standley’s party.

If he was in Oriental, instead of Iraq, Larry Walker told the party, “we’d be having to drag him in here.”

John first came to Oriental a few years ago to attend one of Larry’s captain’s license classes. Then he stayed. Except for those flight missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

John Standley, a few years back… .

John was born on February 10th, 1940 in Galveston, Texas and grew up near San Francisco. After high school – and a few years of working on his family’s Arkansas farm – he enlisted in the US Army in 1960. He did not become a pilot right away, but rather, spent his first few years in the service as a dental assistant. He left the Army in late 1962, attended college as a pre-dental student, and then re-upped in 1965, serving as a helicopter mechanic before attending flight school. John served in Vietnam, and over a five decade career, earned 60 combat medals.

The party featured a display of photos of John (and his cat, Max.)

John first retired from the military in 1982 but went on to fly missions for the US government, all over the world. He is one of the most veteran of the pilots still in the air. At 69, John flew missions in Afghanistan last year.

He went to Iraq in December, earlier than originally scheduled. That way, Cindy Ellis told the party, another pilot could be home for Christmas.

Cindy Ellis, who masterminded the surprise party that remained a surprise for days afterward… .

Cindy says that John’s assignment — which ends in March — will be his last. She says that the only way he’s leaving Oriental again, will be by sea. To do that, he has his boat, the Bounty, an Ingrid that waits for him at Oriental Harbor Marina.

The Bounty.

Other friends told stories of John bestowing kindnesses on them, sometimes very quietly.

Saving some cake for John.

In that same spirit, the party for John, a few days before his birthday, was to be a surprise til he’d see a photo on TownDock on his birthday. (Cindy Ellis said that John checks in regularly, which she found out when he told her he bought a dinghy he saw on the site, while overseas.)

More photos from the party, just ahead.

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More photos from the party:

Regina Dubiel leads a laugh.

Billy Creech, who led the toast.

Judy from West Marine was among the team lighting the 70 candles.

Joe Wakefield and, behind the hands, Cindy Ellis.

Repurposing the balloons….

Candles on the cake.

When John returns, he hope to be doing more of this aboard Bounty. The photo is of Bounty under sail at the Jan 1 2008 “Instead Of Football Regatta”. (Ryan Honnoll photo)

Posted Wednesday February 10, 2010 by Melinda Penkava