Four Years Later

Lex (Source)

I still remember the morning I received the news of an aircraft going in at NAS Fallon, in Nevada. Every time I hear of a jet going down, I take a deep breath and wonder, "Do I know who it is? Did they make it out?"

That morning the answers were yes, and no.

Captain Carroll F. LeFon, Jr., U.S. Navy (retired) was the pilot that day.

I had been avidly following his blog for a while. It was part of my daily routine.

We'd swapped emails once, he was a man of honor. I never had the pleasure of meeting him in this life.

Those of us who knew him have gathered every year since that bitter day in March of 2012 at one of his favorite watering holes in Sandy Eggo, Shakespeare's. There we hoist a pint (or three), perhaps indulge in a wee bit o' Jameson's Irish whiskey, and talk. We're like an extended family, a happy band of brothers and sisters, remembering the man who brought us together through his words. 

Last year's gathering.

While I won't be there this year, I will have a Guinness at the appropriate time and make a toast to Lex...

"For strength"

It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died.

Rather we should thank God that such men lived.

George S. Patton

Be seeing you Lex...