I've read this entire thread with real interest. Re-reading Mas Ayoob's article (referenced in Ken Howell's post on page 6 of this thread) was good. Ayoob knew Askins, and the article was, I think, a pretty fair representation of the kind of man Askins was.

I appreciate the contributions to this thread by Ken and the others who knew Askins. He may have been a SOB, but there's no doubt he was an interesting SOB and his history is fascinating, if macabre.

"I'm gonna have to science the schit out of this." Mark Watney, Sol 59, Mars