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I am Philip J. Mulligan. Son of Philip J. and Shirley Mulligan, I am married to Toi T. Mulligan and am the father of Shawn P. Mulligan. We have been residing at 4515 N. Addison Street, Spokane, since about October 1988 and at previous Spokane addresses since June 1986.

I retired from the U.S. Air Force, in June 1986, with almost 23 years active duty. At age 59, I've spent almost 26 years in 44 other countries and all except four states in this one. I was at Torrejon Air Base, Spain, just prior to my retirement and have had overseas tours in Great Britain, Okinawa, Bermuda, and Vietnam as well.

My favorite posting was Eielson Air Force Base, twenty-five miles from Fairbanks, Alaska, where I was stationed for three years. My son was born at Bassett Army Hospital at Fort Wainwright Army Base in Fairbanks on April 7, 1977.

My interests are as varied as my background though I don't pursue many all that consistently. I like to write, if I think it serves the community and, as a USAF historian, I wrote 40 books (institutional histories) for organizations I'd served with. Since retiring, I've had about 75 pieces published in various periodicals, most notably the Spokesman-Review and USA Today.

I'm a chess aficianado, and have won chess championships at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, and at Spokane Falls Community College. I'm a language buff and can converse on a basic level in Spanish and Vietnamese with far more trite ability in a number of other languages as well.

I like to fly, too, though I've only done it unofficially at the stick of a Cessna 172, a Vultee BT-13B Valiant, and at the yoke of a KC-135 USAF tanker. I'm fond of music and can crank out some arrangements both on the piano and harmonica, though most would probably be more likely to pay me NOT to play for more than 20 minutes at most. I'm also a member of the Spokane Astronomical Society and helped get the World's largest portable amateur telescope (belonging to the President of our society) up the highest observatory site in the World (the 14,127' above-sea-level parking lot near the 14,264' summit of Mt. Evans, Colorado).

I graduated from Spokane Falls Community College as a library technician but, since the school saturated local opportunities in that field, I've ended up driving a bus for Spokane Transit Authority. The pay and benefits are decent and the scenery is passable as well. A less grand resemblence of Alaska but still pretty appealing.

In deference to my wife's dream, we have a flower shop called The Gilded Lily Florist Shop at 2218 N. Monroe, Spokane, WA 99205. Its on the web at http://pw2.netcom.com/~~wrook/Default.htm

We have our ups and downs like most families but, on the whole, consider that life has been kind to us. Certainly, I feel blessed to have returned from Vietnam alive following a few close calls and I try to stand for my fellow Vietnam veterans, many of whom had far more harrowing experiences than I ever did there.

In general, I hope to pass the rest of my days in service to my family, my community, and others and it is in that spirit that I try to dedicate any subsequent writings.

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Much have I seen and known; cities of men and manners, climates, councils, governments, Myself not least but honour'd of them all... I am a part of all that I have met; Yet all experience is an arch wherethrough gleams that untravelled world, whose margin fades forever and forever when I move. How dull it is to pause, to make an end, to rust unburnished, not to shine in use! As though to breathe were life.

This gray spirit yearning in desire to follow knowledge like a sinking star, beyond the utmost bound of human thought.

TENNYSON

Electronic mail address:

phil77777@yahoo.com

Other Web address:

http://pw2.netcom.com/~~wrook/Default.htm

Office phone:

(509) 326-4511 (phone or fax)

Other helpful links:

https://members.tripod.com/~~Local1015/index.html (ATU Local 1015)

http://www.spokaneastronomical.org (Spokane Astronomical Society)

http://www.spokane.net/ (Spokane Directory Net)