Tribute to the founder of Holiday Inns - Beyond Tiki

BK Basement Kahuna Tiki Socialite Jawja Province, Isle of North America Joined: Oct 14, 2002 Posts: 3618	BK Basement Kahuna Posted posted on Sat, Feb 15, 2003 1:27 AM My uncle by marriage was an F-86 Sabre fighter pilot during the Korean War. He flew over 50 close combat support missions and was later put in charge of all target selection in his third of the Korean theatre. When he finally got home (despite "'getting shot up and shot at by every 20mm, .50 cal, rifle, and spitball that the Chinese and North Koreans had") his first cousin back in the States talked him into investing his accumilated hazardous duty pay in two franchises of "this great new motor hotel idea that just can't lose" . I believe he told me the franchise fee was something akin to $5,000 matched. By 1969, he owned six of these Holiday Inns and was worth $12,000,00. Gould Barrett, the merry old soul of whom I speak, knew Mr. Wilson personally....A toast, to the great American Motor Hotel, and the men who foresaw it! Below is a picture of Gould at what we believe to be the Kon Tiki Ports....he is the handsome guy on the left. There is a big mural on the wall in the background behind the bar of native girls picking fruit and warriors in leis paddling outrigger canoes! [ Edited by: Basement Kahuna on 2003-02-15 01:28 ]

My uncle by marriage was an F-86 Sabre fighter pilot during the Korean War. He flew over 50 close combat support missions and was later put in charge of all target selection in his third of the Korean theatre. When he finally got home (despite "'getting shot up and shot at by every 20mm, .50 cal, rifle, and spitball that the Chinese and North Koreans had") his first cousin back in the States talked him into investing his accumilated hazardous duty pay in two franchises of "this great new motor hotel idea that just can't lose" . I believe he told me the franchise fee was something akin to $5,000 matched. By 1969, he owned six of these Holiday Inns and was worth $12,000,00. Gould Barrett, the merry old soul of whom I speak, knew Mr. Wilson personally....A toast, to the great American Motor Hotel, and the men who foresaw it! Below is a picture of Gould at what we believe to be the Kon Tiki Ports....he is the handsome guy on the left. There is a big mural on the wall in the background behind the bar of native girls picking fruit and warriors in leis paddling outrigger canoes!

[ Edited by: Basement Kahuna on 2003-02-15 01:28 ]

Post #23128 by Basement Kahuna on Sat, Feb 15, 2003 1:27 AM