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Thursday, December 20, 2012

Memories - Fighter Jets

Funny how things pop into your head totally out of the blue (so to speak).  For a few years after we moved here the fighter jets from nearby USAF base would run practice missions over our area.  Since our home was visible from the air which they could apparently see going at fast speeds, they would fly low level over our home and then bank and do their exercise. Watching them peel off and climb made me forget to breathe it was so cool.  If I were outside I would wave to them and would get a wing wag back acknowledging that they had seen me and "hello in return".  For an old US Air Force guy that was a brief moment of excitement and a connection to the past when every where I turned there were fighter planes. When that happened I could barely contain my excitement and joy.  

Then there were the C-130's that flew  low level directly over our house with the plane being guided by computer technology.  They were large planes that could not see us below them but equally exciting to watch.  None of these missions lasted more than 10-15 minutes and it was always fun to watch. 

Then that was all spoiled by two women - neither native born and neither who gave up their foreign citizenship. They started a letter war to the base commander plus politicians because neither woman liked their 'silence' disturbed.  Eventually they won and we now no longer have those exciting times. It wasn't until after the fact that we found out what had happened and it was too late to change anything then. It wasn't like when I used to hunt in Ocala National Forest in Florida next to the bombing range and USN jets would do strafing runs at tree top level showering you in hot .50 caliber brass shells. It wasn't often and never lasted long.   

What made me think of that is beyond me; maybe a private jet flying over head while I was outside shoveling snow. Planes going over now are so high I could wave until exhaustion and they would not notice. It sure used to be nice to see that fighter go over head and give us a wing wag though. Sure makes me wonder why I think of things like that out of the 'clear blue'.  The sad part is both women have now moved on and we no longer see fighters fly over. Sure do miss them - they have banked so low over our house we could see the pilot helmet clearly.  Some people just take themselves a little too serious I think. For an old Air Force guy nothing is more exciting than to see a fighter jet bank and climb in a spiral and then hear the roar of the engine. Nor is there anything more boring than to watch touch and go's on the runway.  Fly on Airman, keep us safe....   

2 comments:

Carol said...

written by Pat:

We have helicopters that fly over our house from some sort of strategic base in the North Georgia mountains… Sometimes they fly so low, if I’m on the porch, I think I need to hit the deck! They are so exciting to see and hear… If I’m inside, I run out to see if I can catch a glimpse of them. It “disturbs” what? Thirty seconds? How long does the excitement of seeing and hearing them last? All afternoon or morning, depending. And yes, at the neighborhood Christmas party, a couple of people complained that the helicopters “scared” them or their dogs and that they were too noisy… …

Everybody likes something different, and I, like you, like a little excitement every now and then…

Ron and Thelma said...

A couple of years ago we were camped by Ladson SC There is an Air base at Charleston. Thebig planes flew out of there carring stuff to Iraq and Afganastan. Our Chaplin said that was the sound of freedom.