Good Humor is the Clear Blue Sky of the Soul

Not that long ago, just off the coast of south Florida, our country stood at the brink of an all out nuclear exchange.  Russian and American submarines, surface ships, aircraft carriers, fighters, soldiers, and strategic bombers gathered in and around the island of Cuba and stared each other down. The US Army had almost a […]

Sky Dive

At 7,000 feet, the jump master opened the door and offered me a thumbs up.  The air whooshed through the cabin, animating the nylon of my jumpsuit.  As the green patchwork gently retreated past the spinning props and whistling wingtips, I stood up, gripped the hand rail, and hesitated. “John, I have a job I […]

Kid Stuff

This essay originally appeared in the September 2002 issue of Smithsonian Air & Space Magazine   The Beechcraft King Air 200 has shut down; the passengers disembarked and as the pilots are walking away I whisper into my 4-year-old son’s ear “Wave at the pilots”.  It works like a charm.  One of the pilots walks […]

Bits of Glass

  I recently picked up one of my favorite books from my childhood, Edward Jablonski’s Flying Fortress.  It’s a highly researched and detailed account of the brave American airmen that flew B-17 bombers during World War 2.  I can remember devouring that book in fifth grade and hoping that one day I would also be […]

Bits of Glass

  I recently picked up one of my favorite books from my childhood, Edward Jablonski’s Flying Fortress.  It’s a highly researched and detailed account of the brave American airmen that flew B-17 bombers during World War 2.  I can remember devouring that book in fifth grade and hoping that one day I would also be […]

Hollywood and Whine

Why do we feel the need to turn authentic heroes into caricatures of themselves? My son and I recently watched the movie Red Tails.  We wanted to see it on the big screen but had to settle for our own theatre.  I really wanted to like this movie.  If there ever was a chapter of […]

Tell me again why I didn’t join the Air Force?

I’m not sure why I never became a fighter pilot because when I was a kid that is all I dreamed of becoming.  From the ceiling that my brother Tommy and I shared hung models of every fighter plane imaginable dating from World War 1.  P-51D’s shared airspace with Fokker Triplanes and F- 101 Voodoo’s.  […]

Tell me again why I didn’t join the Air Force?

I’m not sure why I never became a fighter pilot because when I was a kid that is all I dreamed of becoming.  From the ceiling that my brother Tommy and I shared hung models of every fighter plane imaginable dating from World War 1.  P-51D’s shared airspace with Fokker Triplanes and F- 101 Voodoo’s.  […]

Who’s really a hero?

From April, 2007 This past Saturday my son Tudor and I along with a friend of Tudor’s & his dad took off for Beaufort so we could take in the Beaufort Air Show at the Marine Corps Air Station.  Tudor & I had been planning this trip for several months because the Blue Angels were performing […]