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| Shortly before Clark was turned over to the Philippine government a dormant volcano 30-miles from Clark, Mt. Pinatubo erupted covering Clark with 6-inches of ash.. A fitting end. |
| Back in the USA... |
| First thing I did was buy my first car, a canary yellow Dodge convertible with a green top. |
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| After two years overseas, still too young to drink, legally; too young to vote, but never too young to party. |
| After 30-days’ leave I drove to Craig AFB in Selma, Alabama for my final assignment. I was scheduled to be discharged in 3-months, November, 1952. Everything about Craig is a blur. I know it was a Mustang training base. I don’t remember anything about my barracks or work. An aunt and uncle lived in Birmingham. I stayed with them several weekends. Uncle Robert Lee (guess who he was related to) was comptroller for Alabama Power Company and made me feel welcome anytime, as did my aunt Pearl and cousin Jim Lee, a few years younger than me. |
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| Craig AFB, Selma, Alabama |
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| CRAIG AIR FORCE BASE, SELMA, ALABAMA |
| A strange, disturbing event shortly after I was discharged at Craig. I was living with my parents in Jacksonville. One weekend, Jimmy Lee spent the weekend with us. He had enrolled in Auburn University and was in Jacksonville for the Florida-Auburn game at the Gator Bowl. It was a Friday afternoon and I was getting ready for a night out with my good friends. Jimmy was sitting on my bed when I came into the room. I have no idea what happened but I suddenly broke down and started crying. Jim was mystified and asked if he could help me. Don't know what that was all about. Here I was, almost 21, 4-years in the Air Force and 2-years overseas. I had never seen a shot fired in anger, so it couldn't have been battle stress. But I cancelled my plans and stayed in my room for several days. Strange. |