Statsraad Lehmkuhl Oceanics 1972-73

I was born (1944) and reared on a small farm in mid-Indiana and graduated from the Indiana University Medical School in 1969.  In the late 60s I had some success in bicycle racing, and then in amateur motorcycle racing.  During my 1-year internship at Los Angeles County General Hospital I earned my private pilot license, and then was drafted into the Air Force where I served 2 years as a Flight Surgeon.  I spent all if 1971 doctoring and flying in Vietnam.  While in Vietnam I developed a plan to use my cycling experiences to attempt to break the world paced bicycle speed record, that was then 127mph held by Frenchman Jose Meiffret.  

In 1972 I was busy building a high-speed bicycle and training for a record attempt in August 1973 at the Bonneville Salt Flats.  When I signed onto the Oceanics Statsraad as ship’s doctor, I expected to be back home and training by summer.  As we know that cruise was delayed and I had to depart early to train and complete preparations for the August speed record attempt.  In late August I was successful reaching 140mph. (video below)

I completed my 2-year clinical medical residency and was married in 1975.  My young Italian wife, Colony, and I then spent our 1-year “honeymoon” sailing our own 30-foot sloop down the coast of Mexico.  After a subsequent 3-year stint in a solo practice in a small town in the California mountains, we’d had enough of small town doctoring.  I took a faculty position at USC, University. So Calif., where I taught medical students and practiced medicine for 31 years, retiring in 2013.  Colony and I had two sons, 1988 and 1990, and we remain happily married after 47 years.