Pearl Harbor Day

This is a day all of us Sea Dogs should give a moment of rememberance to, Dec 7, 1941, a day that will live in Infamy, Pearl Harbor Day. I had my own, minor day of infamy, Pearl Harbor Day, Dec 7th, 1969, the day I joined the Navy, as I, along with a large percentage of my co-recruits, had decided to join the Navy to avoid the Draft, preferring to cruise about in gray hotels and air conditioned aircraft, as opposed to slogging through the mosquito and leech infested steaming jungles of South Vietnam while little guys in black P. J.'s took pot shots at us with AK-47's, but perhaps not knowing I might in fact be jumping out of the frying pan only to be landing by parachute, into the fire. My folks and I were invited up to Alameda Naval Air Station for a swearing in ceremony, as some Admirals and the Commandant of the Pensacola "Annapolis of the Air" would be visiting. After the ceremony, I remarked "See you down there", and I could distinctly hear a faint titter of mirth amongst the brass scrambled egg hatted officers who were present. Months later, hair shaved off, and wearing green drab canvas flight jump suit and polished black boon dockers, I found our why. Flight officer candidates were required to cross the street to the other side before walking passed the commandant's head quarters. Ha, ha, ha. Some "see you down there" surprise, the joke was on me. GeraldCal 24 Mk 1#71 "Shpritz"