11-11-2019, 10:41 PM
Rocky, you are about 8 years my senior. But I was raised by parents that were as patriotic as anyone could get. They were both working in the Douglas Aircraft Plant in Long Beach Calif. in the late 30's building cargo aircraft for the USAAF. My dad's older brothers were both Navy, one in WWI, one in mid 30's thru WWII. When Pearl Harbor was attacked on 7 Dec 1941, my dad tried to enlist and was denied. He was married to my mom, and they had just had my oldest sister in July 1941, plus he was working in what was considered a war critical industry. So he quit his job at Douglas and joined the Merchant Marine as a Baker. He sailed up and down the west coast from Los Angeles to Seattle for over 4 years. They had just ported in Seattle when they received news of the Japanese surrender. Being a civilian, he "jumped" ship and caught a train back to LA and my mom and sister.
I enjoyed all of the same movies that you did. My parents taught all of us kids the proper respect for the flag, and even during the worst years of Vietnam, they demanded we show respect for all military members. I think it was expected of me to follow the men in my family and "go Navy". I became the black sheep of a sailing tradition family and joined the USAF, 8 days after graduation from H.S. 1973. I chose to learn a trade in aircraft maintenance and became one of the ground troops that kept your jets flying.
I traveled to many "garden spots" that many Americans at the time probably couldn't find on a map. But I was a "Cold War" warrior and was never in any real combat danger. My first assignments were in SAC on B52 bombers and we felt the constant pressure of possible world ending nuke war. In my 20 year career I worked almost every aircraft in the fleet at that time. Living in Europe for 6 years, and traveling to numerous countries that did not enjoy the freedoms of America, made me even more positive that I was doing what every male American should do.
I don't care what service someone was in, I don't care what their politics may have been, first and foremost, all that served had the same first name "U.S."
As you say: "It was an honor" and I feel the same, but I was raised to be thankful to those that deserve thanks. And today is a day when that thanks should be spoken publicly, loud and long.
USAF MSgt. (Ret)
[signature]
I enjoyed all of the same movies that you did. My parents taught all of us kids the proper respect for the flag, and even during the worst years of Vietnam, they demanded we show respect for all military members. I think it was expected of me to follow the men in my family and "go Navy". I became the black sheep of a sailing tradition family and joined the USAF, 8 days after graduation from H.S. 1973. I chose to learn a trade in aircraft maintenance and became one of the ground troops that kept your jets flying.
I traveled to many "garden spots" that many Americans at the time probably couldn't find on a map. But I was a "Cold War" warrior and was never in any real combat danger. My first assignments were in SAC on B52 bombers and we felt the constant pressure of possible world ending nuke war. In my 20 year career I worked almost every aircraft in the fleet at that time. Living in Europe for 6 years, and traveling to numerous countries that did not enjoy the freedoms of America, made me even more positive that I was doing what every male American should do.
I don't care what service someone was in, I don't care what their politics may have been, first and foremost, all that served had the same first name "U.S."
As you say: "It was an honor" and I feel the same, but I was raised to be thankful to those that deserve thanks. And today is a day when that thanks should be spoken publicly, loud and long.
USAF MSgt. (Ret)
[signature]
"OCD = Obsessive Catfish Disorder "
Or so it says on my license plate holder
Or so it says on my license plate holder