"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.'

Last Flight

Normally, I would have had to retire this year, 2006, based upon the current mandatory retirement age for airline pilots. 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 have their last flight. Some will know, but many will not realize at the time it is to be the last flight.

Not too long 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.

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

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 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 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 with some serious speed into the Miramar "break" (the overhead landing pattern), their powerful twin turbines thundering overhead.

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!

Probably not, I think. . . . too bad.

I also often wonder what might have been, had it not been for that freak Nebraska blizzard nearly 40 years 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 journey of my life.

And it is a course that I still sail with great gusto, and great happiness, even today!