✪ ~ What Veterans Day Means To Me ~ In 1970 I was an 18 year old A1C [Airmen First Class] in the United States Air Force assigned to the 62nd Military Airlift Command [MAC] & 318th Fighter Squadron Air Defense Command [ADC] as a Crash Rescue-Firefighter at McChord Air Force [The Gateway to the Orient] in Washington state. I was stationed stateside, it was also known as being In the rear with the gear unlike a lot of young men and women who were sent to South Vietnam and South East Asia during the Vietnam War. I had already experience the war by losing family & friends prior to me being in the service. But this is were I really learned the value of service to ones Country even in this most unpopular war. For my entire time of duty there, when I was on my duty shift, it was my Job to be awaken any where from 1:00 AM to 4:00 AM in the Morning by the sound of a One Ring Alarm to go out in our Big RED 8 Wheeled Crash Truck known as [P-2] to sand by for any emergency and in case of FIRE. The first incoming flight every night was that of C-9A Douglas Nightingale she was the Air Forces sky ambulance with its Big lighted Red Cross painted on her tail. She would be landing to drop off all the Combat Wounded from all branches of service to be taken to the Military Hospitals surrounding McChord AFB It was always sad to see the many young wounded American warriors, escorted off the plane by Air Force Flight Nurses coming home maimed and disabled to their respective military branch ground ambulances. The second incoming fight to always arrive every night and with out fail. You could even set your watch too it always. It would always be Just before dawn, because, it always the darkest just before dawn. The incoming flight of the that huge Silver Bird called a C-141 Lockheed Starlifter and the Cargo she carried was the most previous of all.... For she was bringing home Americas Bravest of the Brave.... Servicemen and women Killed In Action [KIA] in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. The absolute quiet inside our Massive Crash/Fire Truck with a crew of 4 Firefighters was only broken by the sound of the jet blast of the C-141s massive 4 jet engines and the smell of JP-4 jet exhaust as she maneuver on the taxi way and made her way to isolated ramp and pad away from view from the base personnel and civilians. There waiting with us where also all the military branch hearse to take there Honored Dead back to there bases for preparation to be buried with military Honors for their families. As the huge doors of the Starlfter open I could see a sight I shall never or never ever wish to forget. The Rows upon Rows of American Flagged draped caskets in her cargo hold. Each Service provided an Honor Guard for their Honored Dead to placed in the hearse. This always would happen at the Darkest Hours of the morning. Over 58,000 Service Men & Women, did not return home alive. This experience left, within me a feeling of Total Respect for all our Veterans. Because,they All Gave Some and Some Gave All. American Servicemen & Women, Will Always do what they have always done. To defend and protect our country Against all Enemies Foreign and Domestic, So Help You GOD Current Military service men and women & Veterans Cherish and Value with out question the Freedoms our country. We will fight for this country until the last man and women if called upon. There are 1.5 Million men and women serving in the United States of Americas Armed Forces today. There are 25 million living Veterans who are able and willing to stand up for her at any time if necessary. So, I would just like to say. Thank You, for your SERVICE to all of you, today across America . Your personal sacrifices, have made the United States what she indeed is today. I salute you, and May God Bless every single ONE of YOU. And May Our GOD Bless America, Forever ....
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 15:56:20 +0000
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