The Burg did it up right for the 100th Anniversary Armistice/Veterans Day parade. (OT, I agree with Sarge, it should be Armistice, or maybe Memorial day and Memorial day should be Veteran's Day. YMMV). It was held Sunday on the actual day, rather than the Federal Holiday. Given that it was a long weekend, the town was pretty well packed.
Little did they know they were in for a big Surprise.
It was a little cool, high 40's with ceiling and vis at EXACTLY 1500' and 3 miles.
Mrs J and I arrived quite early and so walked the magic mile, stopping in at our old place of business (the wine store, not the women's wear store, that wound is too fresh). Quite a bit of changes, quite a bit of the same. Hey, Not my Circus, Not my Monkeys.
Walked around people watching, and employed one of Mrs J's tells for how the weekend is going financially. That would be noting how many people are carrying bags. Lots of People, not many bags.
Sat outside the Ice Cream store, (No, I had a bottle of water, thank you for askin. The Ice Cream Store had benches) and soon were joined by 3 guys my age. Two retired Marines and a retired Air Force MSgt. They had Sarge Hats which told me that. They seemed to perceive that Mrs J and I were also members of the Pack.
Anyhow, we got to talking, the Air Force Guy was Civil Engineer AFSC, I'd mentioned that my Dad had finished out his career in that field and we did the usual When...Where...Did you know... sequence that every person that's ever been in the military plays.
In any case, he'd been with the Civil Engineer Squadron, in '72-'73. My Dad was the Squadron Commander during that period. Cue "It's a Small World". Which prompted the Marines to mention that they'd been at Khe Sanh during the Tet Offensive. Check and Mate.
We had a good conversation, as there wives gradually made it through the shopping jungle to their positions. We then said our good byes and made our way to the Parade watching position we had reconnoitered prior, on the Courtyard grounds across the street from the starting position.
 |
| Getting final directions from the Captain. Flt Cap in the Back Row |
The JROTC detachment would lead off.
 |
| A little attention from the First Sergeant |
Followed by the Parade Marshall.
His name is Lt Col Dick Cole. He is the last surviving Doolittle Raider and had been General Doolittle's Co-Pilot.
The Parade is about to start and I know there's going to be a flyover as I had seen AT-6's on the ramp at the airport on the way in. But we were in for a treat.
I hear a drone of multiple reciprocating engines coming from behind the building across the street. Lt Col Cole's vehicle is directly in front of me.
The JROTC commander gives the command "Forward March", and a B-25 flashes overhead at precisely the minimum altitude of 500'.
 |
| Yes, I know....I'm still trying to master the iPhone Camera |
It's a subsequent pass, but it was cool. Very, Very, Cool!
Lot's of floats in the parade, all loaded with local vets, or their descendants in the case of the WWI vets.
Veteran organizations representing vets all the way back to the civil war were present.
 |
| Who knew the howler monkeys wouldn't scurry straight to their safe space at the site of a Confederate Flag? |
As the Vietnam Vet floats approached the jumping off point, there was a whop, whop, whopping noise from behind the building and as they rounded the corner, a Huey came overhead. (Also EXACTLY at 500')
The parade only lasted about 30 minutes. TxDOT has rules about blocking US Highways, doncha' know. But it was a very meaningful parade.
Loved it!
Ran across this at Insty's place earlier this week. I've been wanting one of these for years (well maybe not this particular model, but the concept). Now, apparently, they're available. Christmas is coming guys, just sayin'.
Ha ha, Nylon12. I beat you to the coveted first commenters slot. I don't have anything to write other than that. Now I can go back and read what juvat posted.
ReplyDeletePaul
Dang, Paul. 4:24, in REAL time. Takes some dedication for a west coaster to claim the honored first poster position. Thanks!
Delete"Takes some dedication for a west coaster to claim the honored first poster position."
DeleteNaw, just a matter of going to sleep early and waking up early. When one is up and about at 0 dark thirty ( or more precisely 0315 ) it's easy to snag first commenter. Plus, the wisea-- in me could not resist twitting Nylon12 ( evil person that I am ). As it was, I got hooked into other stuff on the interweb and was afraid that would beat me because 20 some minutes had elapsed before I posted my first comment.
Paul
OMG! A real actual B-25 and a twice and a half. I love me a duce. One of my favorite rides when I was in the CalARNG.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post.
Paul L. Quandt
I don't know if the Colonel knew it would be there or not, but the people I was with who knew the connection between him and it, were....impressed.
Delete"...as there wives..."
ReplyDelete'Nuff said.
Paul
There was an insert in this weeks paper that talked about things for the husbands to do while THEIR wives are shopping. Other than the usual beer and wine tasting rooms. The Nimitz obviously was mentioned, but THERE were several other options that I didn't know about. THEY'RE on my list now.
DeleteEditors! Sheesh, Sarge, maybe we ought to bring him on board and let him scrutinize the drafts.
You old fogies may need an editor, but us young folks? Pshaw (because we never make mistakes.
DeleteRIIIIIIIGGGHHHTTTT!
Delete"There was an insert in this weeks paper that talked about things for the husbands to do while THEIR wives are shopping. Other than the usual beer and wine tasting rooms. The Nimitz obviously was mentioned, but THERE were several other options that I didn't know about. THEY'RE on my list now."
DeleteMost excellent, juvat, just most excellent. I knew you could do it.
As to your suggestion, I would be most deeply honored to help out in that way; or any other way y'all feel I might help ( except, perhaps, shutting the ____ up ).
Paul
AW:
DeleteI think I have an addition to your nom de plume, to wit- Full of ----.
Paul
My bad, "Full of ----.". Perhaps y'all would be better of with someone who proofreads before he hits the ' Publish ' button. There should have been another ' - ' in that " Full of ---- ". Maybe if I were to learn how to count? However, that may come under the ' old dogs, new tricks ' department.
DeletePaul
Don't worry. My wife tells me that I'm "Full of ----" quite often.
DeleteHummm, four spaces, does she mean beans or some four-letter word. The which of I would never suggest you are full of.
DeletePaul
Wow, one left. An era is passing into the mist. Don't mourn them, thank God we had them when they were needed.
ReplyDeleteThe Prius with the Gatling gun, like you say, like the concept, would use a different vehicle.
Agreed, So little damage, such a big effect. And, General Doolittle and he took off first with the least deck available. Once again.....Leadership. Wish we had more of it.
DeleteYou provide the Vulcan, I'll offer up my truck for outfitting it. Deal?
Yes, one left, and so few B-25s also.
DeleteRe: Truck. So you're going technical, eh?
Wouldn't you? It give so many different levels of deterrence. I mean, just having it is enough to give one pause. They cut you off, you slew the gun. They give you the finger, you spin the barrels. They slam on the brakes in front of you, you fire a warning shot across their bow. They moon you. 940 rounds through the forehead, well what would have been the forehead for 939 of them.
DeleteBut that's just my loving, caring side.
"Wouldn't you? It give so many different levels of deterrence. I mean, just having it is enough to give one pause. They cut you off, you slew the gun. They give you the finger, you spin the barrels. They slam on the brakes in front of you, you fire a warning shot across their bow. They moon you. 940 rounds through the forehead, well what would have been the forehead for 939 of them."
DeleteOMG ( again ). The man flys aircraft, writes terrific blog posts, and is the sort of driver I aspire to be. If he were not already married, I'd ____....
Paul
You Texans know how to run a parade, good visuals and audio, there's no sound like that of a warbird's piston engine, sends chills up and down the spine eh? Can not remember how many CAF airshows were held at Holman Field back in the nineties, saw FIFI, MISS MITCHELL(a B-25), many others. Congrats Paul on first posting. After reading Sarge's lament on nonsleep yesterday guess what happened from 2AM to 4AM today? Yep........ Good posting Juvat...... ah those radials.........
ReplyDeleteIt was very cool. As I said, I knew there was going to be a flyover, and I knew who the Colonel was, but I didn't know what the first flyover would be. As soon as I saw it, I got shivers, as did Mrs J and or friend, a Naval Aviator's wife. Unfortunately, he was flying so fast, I couldn't bring the camera to bear and get it to focus without falling over backward. (The still pic was taken looking straight up at it.)
DeleteGiven my level of surprise, I can only imagine being a Japanese citizen and looking up and seeing stars instead of meatballs. "Aw, crap! Nothing good is coming from this."
juvat:
DeleteI was going to make a comment on your comment, but I was afraid that the guy in the black and white striped shirt would throw his yellow hankie. ( Piling on, dontch know )
Paul
It's all good, Paul. I know I'm terrible at commas. I also have a very good memory, so what I write I read as what I wanted it to read, not what the electrons form. BITD, AKA Ft Fumble, I had to read my documents backward, to avoid embarrassing someone and getting a butt chewing. Alas, those skills have faded a bit.
Delete"It's all good, Paul. I know I'm terrible at commas." No sweat, I keep several 55 gallon drums of commas close by so I can throw them about by the bucketful. As you may have noticed.
DeleteHowever, that was not what I commented on NOT commenting about. OldAFSarge has my email address, so if you are interested, shoot me one and we can ' talk '.
Paul
National Hero's! Local Hero's! Classic cars! Classic aircraft! Explosions in slow motion! What a post!
ReplyDeleteSmall town Texas does it right.
/
L.J.
Absolutely. Come on down!
DeleteThere is nothing left in this world that can equal a small Southern town for patriotism and doing things right. Wish I could have been there to share the parade, and the conversation. I was very fortunate some years ago when I was doing my Reserve acdutra at the Navy Post Graduate School at Monterey and I was standing in line at the credit union and who was behind me? None other than General Dolittle. Quite an experience.
ReplyDeleteI got to meet him also. He came and spoke to our CGSC class at Ft Leavenworth. There were 50 or so USAF folks there and we got to meet him the night before at the club. Little guy, but 50 years or so after the fact, he still clanked when he walked.
DeleteGot his autograph on his autobiography.
The parade here was cancelled because of the smoke from the fire up north.
ReplyDeleteMy sources told me that there was a good turnout at Shasta Lake (the city, not the body of water).
Small town America does a parade right.
Yeah, that's why I moved to one.
DeleteTotally cool that you proved the "It's a small world" theory regarding your dad.
ReplyDeleteCivil Engineering, that's what my nephew was in during his stint in the Air Force. Which he spent mostly going to school or sitting on his hands because the unit had no money to civil engineer. Gets out, joins FL Nat Guard as an engineer, and poof, he's done 3 tours (2 Iraq, 1 Puerto Rico, he said he was more scared in the PR because they weren't able to shoot back.)
I realized I'd left out that the AB was Tan Son Nhut, which had been the subject of a terrorist attack while Dad and the MSGT were there. Which prompted the Marine to raise the ante and present the Royal Flush.
DeleteOn a sadder note, remember me talking about seeing a 2-seater P-51 Mustang with orangish wingtips, tail and belly? Well, they were red, not orange, and that plane crashed Saturday. 'Pecos Bill' was the plane. And it happened in Fredericksburg. Which sucks in so many ways.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Pecos-Bill-Owner-Vet-Killed-In-P-51-Crash-231868-1.html
Dang it. Would good people just quit dying?
Read that the passenger in the P-51 was a WWII vet.........sad business... God rest their souls.
DeleteHoly Crap, DID NOT KNOW THAT! Paper only comes out on Tuesday. Will fill all in when I get more info. Evidently (Mrs J provided), it crashed at an apartment complex about 4 blocks from my my office. He'd been participating (simulated CAS support) at a Nimitz Museum Re-enactment immediately prior. The apartment complex would have been on a path from the Museum to the airport.
DeletePosted photo shows the aircraft inverted under a carport.
DeleteIt was owned and flown by a WWII B-17 driver, and he and another B-17 crewman who was along for the ride died. Truly sad. But glad the parade went well!
ReplyDelete