Memorial Day
First of all, let me apologize to all our subscribers for the web site outage these past two weeks. It was brought to my attention and FU is code 1 again.
May all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice rest in peace on this Memorial Day. I visited an old friend yesterday at Fort Snelling where he rests with 225,000 other patriots. Gary "Gopher" Myran and I were Lieutenants together in the 497th TFS, Taegu AB, Korea back in 1983.
Gopher was killed in an F-4 Mid-Air at George AFB, CA in 1990. Here's a nickel on the grass for you my friend, save a place in the Hootch for me brother. FA, Bob Hope, Hooters!
Comments:
But the band plays Waltzing Matilda, and the old men still answer the call,
But as year follows year, more old men disappear. Someday no one will march there at all.
Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda, who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
And their ghosts may be heard as they march by that billabong, who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?
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One More Roll
We toast our hearty comrades who have fallen from the skies, and were gently caught by God's own hand to be with him on High.
To dwell among the soaring clouds they`'ve known so well before. From victory roll to tail chase, at heaven's very door.
As we fly among them there, we’re sure to head their plea. To take care my friend, watch your six, and do one more roll for me.
— Commander Jerry Coffee, Hanoi, 1968.
With both his parents gone and no siblings (or even cousins, if I recall correctly), I can think of only a couple of people (Kirk and I) who visit his grave now. I'm glad to know that there's a third.
I'm living in California but always visit every time I'm back in Minneapolis. I grew up in Minneapolis and knew Gary in Civil Air Patrol; I'm also an AF retiree. Our paths crossed in the Air Force (I got to Osan AB a month before he left Taegu, and was stationed at Edwards when he was stationed at George).
GML