SHADO Librarian wrote on May 27
th, 2010 at 8:58pm:
In the series, there was little to nothing on Straker's back story. All we really know was that he was a full USAF colonel at the time of SHADO's founding - which is assumed to be 1970. Considering how youthful Straker appears to be in 1980 - late thirties to early forties - he was damned young for a full colonel in 1970.
The idea of the shoulder wound came from observing an episode where Bishop was supposed to be physical and he seemed to be favoring his left arm.
The claustrophobia fits in well with the idea of Straker having been a POW. An astronaut with claustrophobia seems to be a bad idea.
Given the requirements to make colonel by 1970, Straker had to have been born prior to 1938. Serving in Nam and being a POW would have put him at the top of the promotion list for his next promotion - possibly even an early promotion, thus he could be a very young full colonel in 1970.
Other than that time requirement, everything else is pretty much open on Straker's back story. (Anyone buy the idea that Straker is actually an Immortal and so is a very young looking 50+ in 1970?)
Was he really a full Colonel in 1970???? Shoot, I had him pegged at 41 in 1980, some long winded discussion on one of the lists that said he had to be that to be a colonel, time in grade, etc and that puts his birth year at 1939. (Of course, I seldom keep SHADO in the original yearage anyway, LOL.) Well, considering what I've done already, ignoring the logistics of his age isn't a problem. Getting to his Col. in 1970 could be explained by field promotions and it is very romantic to presume that he survived being a POW in Vietnam. A career officer would have been in Vietnam, even with ties to intelligence. (We kept sending Military Intelligence in to get info, even if we didn't pay much attention to it ... le sigh).
So, my background still works. and fanon is frequently as wonderful as ca on so I'm not gonna worrit about it <g>.
thank you for all the input. I really appreciate it.
d