W4BUG

It is with great sadness that we heard of the passing of the founder of our club Chuck Ritchie W4BUG

"Who was the Bug?" W 4 B U G

He was referred to as the "BUG" and his handle was"Chuck", Charles Ritchie, who lived in Boca Raton, Florida. He started out from Buffalo, New York, and received his Amateur license in 1947, under the call of K2GRM. Chuck moved to Boca Raton in late 1963, after retiring from the U.S. Army with over twenty years service as a Master Sergeant. While in the service, his tour of duty was most interesting and a lot of Hams have asked: "Just what did Chuck do?" Chuck started coming down to Florida and the Palm Beaches back in the sixties with the White House Army Signal Agency during President Kennedy's Administration. While on the White House staff, Chuck was in charge of the Press Radio and Television section. While still on duty as Chief Studio Engineer for the Armed Forces Radio Network Station at Frankfurt, Germany, he received orders for a White House assignment. This tour started in 1953 under the Eisenhower Administration, and was on special orders from then President Dwight David Eisenhower.

On a previous duty station, Chuck was the Recording Engineer in the Public Information Office of Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces (SHAEF), in London, England. He set up the microphones for the famous broadcast and recording of General Eisenhower's message announcing the landing of Allied Forces on the beaches of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, to the Allied forces, the people of the Continent of Europe, and the World, over the British Broadcasting Company (BBC).

Chuck used to tell of many personal experiences he had while serving under two of the most beloved and interesting presidents of our time. His candid comments would always expressed how personally proud he felt to have served his "Commander-in-Chief".

Through all of this, Chuck enjoyed his hobby of Amateur Radio over and over again. Through Amateur Radio, he passed on the treasures of the many friends that he has met over the Airwaves. Perhaps you have worked Chuck through one of the many Amateur Calls he has held, including: DL4OR, SV0WK/SV5, HV1OR, ZC6UNJ, K0YSL, and KP4AND.

Chuck was the Founder and past President of the Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association, Inc. and in 1964 also founded the Florida Atlantic University Amateur Radio Club, K4FAU.

July 13 1999 was proclaimed Chuck Ritchie day in Boca Raton, Florida

God saw you were getting tired,
and a cure was not to be,
so he put his arms around you
and whispered, "Come with me".

With tearful eyes we watched you suffer
and we watched you fade away
Although we loved you dearly:
We could not make you stay
A golden heart stopped beating
Hard working hands to rest,

God broke our hearts to prove to us
That he only takes the best.
It's lonely here without you
We miss you more each day,
Life doesn't seem the same,
since you went away

When days are sad and lonely,
And everything goes wrong,
We seem to hear you whisper
"cheer up and carry on,"
Each time we see your picture,
You seem to smile and say,

"Don't cry, I am in Gods hands,
We'll meet again someday!"