Air Force Appreciation Day
Well, it's September 6th. I got up about an hour ago and it's almost 8:AM. Played music with Curly Surles last night and prior to that, I got "Herbie" all cleaned up and ready for the Parade today.
I'll eternally proud of my Marine background, but I want to say publicly that when I was in Vietnam, nothing ever looked better than a wave of B-52's overhead, "serving lunch" to the NVA. At Khe Sanh where we were surrounded by nearly 40,000 communist troops from time to time, we also knew that when needed, F-4 Phantoms from the 3rd Marine Air Wing were only about 6 minutes away.
I don't remember who said that "no victory on the ground is sure, without control of the air" but whoever said that was probably right.
I remember the Huey gunships, Medivac choppers, and Skyraiders. I particularly recall the late night flights overhead of the old C-47 gunships we called "Puff the Magic Dragon, with its infared guided miniguns.
The Phantoms. If there was ever a jet that could do it all, and do it all WELL, it was the F-4. From recon to MIG-killing, and a myriad of things in-between including service with BOTH the Thunderbirds and the Blue Angels. My most vivid memories of that plane were up at Khe Sanh, watching our 3rd Marine Air Wing pilots roar down through the valleys, almost into the WEEDS sometimes, spitting 20mm's out of it's gun, dropping 250-pounders and "Nape", lighting the afterburners and spiraling up and out for another run. They came in low and fast....it was a spectacle of reality, a live performance of sound and fury.
Well, I don't want to get into war stories, but just to say thanks to all of you jet jocks out there who keep doing what you do best.
Well, parade starts in a couple of hours. I'd better shower and get dressed and get my little "Herbie Bug" down there for its 3rd run down American Legion. My oldest grand daughter usually rides with me, helping me toss candy out the windows, but she'll be in a cheerleading group this morning, and this year my "shotgun rider" will be a 4-year old I've never met. He's the grandson of a lady my wife works with at Wal-Mart, and as I understand it, he's be sitting on his mom's lap (who I've never met either).
It'll be an interesting morning. There's a gunshow going on in Nampa today as well, but I doubt there'll really be any time left to go. There's a bigger one at the Boise Fairgrounds later this month though, and I DEFINITELY plan to make that one.
I suppose I SHOULD shave this morning...................
- -- Posted by OpinionMissy on Sat, Sep 6, 2008, at 8:45 PM
- -- Posted by workingbee on Sat, Sep 6, 2008, at 11:19 PM
- -- Posted by workingbee on Sat, Sep 6, 2008, at 11:20 PM
- -- Posted by Albert Clement on Wed, Sep 10, 2008, at 12:13 PM
- -- Posted by Albert Clement on Thu, Sep 11, 2008, at 9:16 AM
- -- Posted by Jacknife on Mon, Sep 22, 2008, at 10:31 AM
- -- Posted by Jacknife on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, at 5:21 AM
- -- Posted by Jacknife on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, at 5:25 AM
- -- Posted by Jacknife on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, at 7:38 PM
- -- Posted by Jacknife on Thu, Sep 25, 2008, at 7:45 PM
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