"Some choices we live not only once but a thousand times over, remembering them for the rest of our lives."
(Richard Bach)

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"I can imagine a no more rewarding career.
And any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile,
I think can respond, with a good deal of pride and satisfaction:
'I served in the United States Navy.'

(John F. Kennedy's remarks at the United States Naval Academy, August 1, 1963)

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A Call To Serve (short 1 minute video) . . . . And I believe I did ...

Last Flight

Normally, I would have had to retire this year [Edit: As I wrote this in 2006], based upon the current mandatory retirement age for U.S. airline pilots. Indeed, my last flight would have been planned and celebrated with family, friends, and co-workers. But this will not be.

All of us who love flight will someday - inevitably and most assuredly - have their final, last flight ever. Some may know or suspect in advance. But most will not realize at the time, that this next flight will indeed be their final flight, ever ...

A couple of years ago, while flying an East Coast overnight pattern, I awaited the results of some medical tests - wondering if the results would in fact, make that my last flight.

Three days later, I learned that it was indeed, very likely my last flight... ever.

[Later edit: The diagnosis in late 2003 was an aggressive and advanced Stage IV cancer. Based upon my doctor's and other doctor's prognoses, and considering all my morbid test results, I hurriedly made my "final arrangements" with my family, my priest and church, and others. Indeed I had been told that I had less than two years left to live, at best.

Fortunately, quick and radical treatment - and "Something Else" - saved my life. Now several years later the cancer is thankfully, mostly in remission and not of much concern in 2008, now 2009, now 2010, now 2011, now 2012 , ... now 2013!]

But that's OK. I have had a great run!

Rejoice those who anticipate flight.
Rejoice those who enjoy its wonders.
Rejoice those who remember, as they might,
And pray for those who are no longer...

Iconic Edifices - Old Hangars

I still visit NAS - now MCAS (Marine Corps Air Station) - Miramar a few times every week. But my visits these days are primarily to their superbly equipped gym for a cardio-workout, or maybe to the Exchange or gas station.

Nevertheless, I always cast a smiling glance over toward my old flight line.

Those familiar neat rows of fighter aircraft are not quite visible from my vantage on the main road, but the massive and hulking aircraft hangers certainly are. As my eyes move from one old hangar to the next, I wistfully recall each one of the squadrons, and the many fine men they housed. I savor the many rich and vivid experiences I attach to each of those old aircraft hangers, during my many formative years there as a young fighter pilot.

NFWS (TOPGUN) moved away years ago. The "Fightertown U.S.A." banner no longer adorns hanger #3. VF-151 moved elsewhere, and VF-1 was disestablished, as was VF-1485. The F-14's moved on too, and are now nearly all retired to the "bone-yard." They are being [Edit: Now have been] replaced with newer fighters, just as they, the F-14's replaced and retired the venerable F-4 so long ago. If they weren't sold for scrap, many of the flight decks I used to land on are now museums, like my favorite, the USS Midway. As have the old squadrons and aircraft scattered to the four winds and beyond, so too have many of my old friends and squadron mates.

But I'm fortunately still here. . . . even if replaced.

Revived Memories, and Wonder

Often if I am lucky, I can look up and see a smart, tight formation of those very sleek F/A-18 fighters streaking inbound into that same Miramar "break" (the overhead landing pattern) as I used to fly so long ago, with their powerful twin turbines thundering overhead.

However, I find they now enter the Miramar break far slower than we used to do in the good old days. Disappointing, but maybe just as well.

I then find myself wondering if their sharp young fighter pilots are having nearly as much fun as I had at their age, over those very same runways, so many years ago.

I also can't help wondering if they are nearly as good as I was, for that fleetingly brief moment in my life when I was razor sharp and in my prime - when I was "the best fighter pilot in the world," and having the time of my life!

Perhaps not, I think to myself. . . and too bad.

I also often wonder what might have been, had it not been for that freak Nebraska blizzard nearly half a century ago, which forever changed the course of my life. Though unplanned and unforeseen, it turned out to be the correct course, leading to the fantastic and continuing journey of my life...

"Finis coronat opus"

"Cat"