CT4AT 1976 Portugal

Don Riebhoff K7ZZ (K7CBZ) was also an op at XU1DX, 1S1A Spratly, TI9CF Cocos, XW8CS, and 3W8D Vietnam.
Don lost his life in a traffic accident in Spain.

Listen to Don operate from 1S1A on Spratly Island on 20 Meter SSB
Listen to Don operate from 1S1A on Spratly Island on 20 Meter CW

Don had been spending time on Spain's Mediterranean beaches with his girlfriend Ann, N4???, who was with the US Embassy in Madrid, Spain. He had just dropped her off at Seville airport so she could fly back to Madrid, and he was driving on his way back to Lisbon where he was with the US Embassy, and decided to try to pass a long line of vehicles on a narrow two lane road, one lane in each direction. Sadly he didn't quite make it.

Don had planned to retire at that great QTH because Portugal was one of the few countries in the world where, if you retired as an active diplomat while on duty in Portugal, you retained your diplomatic status for your lifetime, meaning permanent privileges such as not having to pay import duty or income or property taxes.

Then, quite unexpectedly he received a promotion, which elevated him to a level in rank above the level of the position he held in Portugal, meaning he would have to transfer to another Embassy somewhere which had a higher level job opening congruent with Don's new rank. I don't believe he had decided what to do when he met his sad demise.

Those of us who knew him well lost a great friend who we still miss a lot.

The late W3PP told me that for people in his particular specialty of government work there is a Donald Riebhoff award given out for excellence in performance.
73, Fred, K3ZO

Please excuse me if my story is mixed up .... but here's the way I remember things. Don met up with OH2BH and family and they visited EA9IE and XYL EA9AM in Ceuta. They all split up, and Don was on his way back to his home in Portugal when he had the terrible accident. Of course Fred can confirm the details.

I was on a 10 day leave after Advanced Infantry Training in September 1968, visiting my parents in Upper Michigan, in transit to Vietnam.. Didn't have a beam or amplifier up there, but my long wire was decent. Thailand was on the banned list then, but who could resist calling HS3DR, Don Riebhoff's "STAR call". Even more surprisingly I worked him! I regret never requesting the QSL -- don't know if he QSLed those QSOs anyway.
73
Don K8MFO

Yes that is all true – Don was there with his U.S girlfriend who had to be back at her office in Lisbon for Monday and Don dropped her at the airport to fly back and continued driving alone…this was on Sunday PM. Don was full of life and we were good buddies those days…my first Madeira operation was a guest op of Don as we Finns did not have reciprocity with Portugal then. I was CT9AT after his suffix as he was CT4AT in that same contest. Don taught me a lot as he was man of the world and I was another Finlander who wanted to climb the ladder.
Martti OH2BH

QSL from the estate of W2JKH, W2MB, N4UH
Info courtesy of K3ZO, K8MFO, OH2BH
Sound Clips courtesy of W6YA