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[Pterodactyl_imp]

Mine, Pterodactyl, for two reasons that kind of bookend most of my working life. Firstly, as a young lad I spent some time in a South East Asian country. For a part of this highly entertaining interlude I was in the service of one Lyndon Baines Johnson, who, as the 36th President of the United States was my Commanding Officer (Sorry, LBJ, I do you an injustice. You were actually Commander of the Armed Forces and there was a whole heap of brass buttons between us. Nevertheless I served you loyally). During the course of this service "Pterodactyl" was assigned to me, and others of our happy little band, as a radio call sign . It seemed to be eminently suitable, particularly when pronounced by my mates from the 28th state. Sort of like Teerrror - dactyl; with a unique rising cadence on the first syllable to a slight pause, an emphasis on the d and an explosive drawling final syllable. They talked kinda funny, but were brave, reliable and masters of "finding" hard liquor in the most unlikely places. Anyway, I stole that call sign and used it occasionally over the next few years.

Finally (at last you say!), in the twilight of my working life I find "Pterodactyl" once again eminently appropriate. A bloody old dinosaur who used to do a bit of flying!

Cheers