Guest Blog: Murder at the Juice Joint Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre

This blog was submitted by a Dinner Theatre Guest!

By: Janell Perry

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On Friday February 19^th, I attended Murder at the Juice Joint Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre at the Museum of Aviation. When I arrived at Hanger One, it felt like I was actually at the Juice Joint. I’ve never been to an actual juice joint, but from what I’ve seen in movies and films, the Museum of Aviation fit the description perfectly. The decorations went perfectly with the theme. Even the guests were dressed to match the theme.   At the end of show, the cast got to pick the best dressed participant of the evening. The ladies wore their famous flapper dresses and the men wore suits. The show started at 7:30p.m. Before the show started, all the guests were seated and served a meal by the actors and actresses of the show. Then it was show time! The show started off with someone getting killed. With that being said, it was up to the guests to figure out who committed the crime. As the show was going on, I enjoyed how the actors and the actresses got the guests involved in the murder mystery. It was a little difficult to find out who committed the murder. All the cast’s stories seemed so true in the show. (Spoiler Alert!) At the end of the show, the Chief was found out to be the person who committed the crime. The show was amazing, and I highly recommend it!

2016 SkyScapes Poster Contest Winners

Kathy Hart from the Centerville Rotary Club presents prizes to the 1st Place Winner, Audrey Westray.

The Museum of Aviation Foundation honored 5 middle school students March 17, 2016 as winners in the 2016 Skyscapes Poster Contest.

The winners were:
1st Place          Audrey Westray

2^nd Place          Ada Bergstrom

3^rd Place           Alyssa Bonifacia

4^th Place           Hunter Brandt

5^th Place           Dan Tran

Each student received a certificate and prize.  Audrey Westray, 1^st place winner, won a bicycle from Applebee’s.

A total of 91 entries were received from 6^th-8^th grade students at three schools: Evans Middle, Homeschool Students, and Huntington Middle School.  Students had to submit a drawing on 12” x 18” construction paper on the theme of “There are Drones Among Us.”  Each drawing was judged on artistic talent and creativeness in representing the theme.  The five winning posters will be displayed in the Museum of Aviation Century of Flight Hangar for the next twelve months.

The local volunteer judges were:  Kirk Scott, The Colony Bank; Kathy Hart, Centerville Rotary Club; Laurie Bremner and Patricia Williams of The Robins Officers’ Spouse’ Club;

The contest sponsors were:  The Robins Air Force Base Officers’ Spouse’ Club, The Centerville Rotary Club, Applebee’s and the Museum of Aviation Foundation.

 

Night at the Museum

We received another wonderful write up about our Night at the Museum event that we wanted to share with everyone.  Thank you again to all of our volunteers and employees that made that event such a success!  It was definitely a team effort!

Thank you Ms. Janell Perry for your wonderful feedback!

Ms. Perry writes:

Photo courtesy of Janell Perry

“I was able to attend the Night at the Museum this year.  The experience is one that I will cherish forever.  The Museum of Aviation has an indefinite amount of history about planes.  I was able to see the RQ-4, T-33, T-37, U-2, C-7, B-17, and many more.  I was most excited about going aboard the planes and seeing them from the inside.  This was very astonishing.  The employees of the museum portrayed characters such as Tuskegee Airmen, Albert Einstein, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Bessie Coleman, and etc. My favorite character was Albert Einstein, because at his table he had a super cool magic trick for everyone to enjoy. I had a great time and will definitely attend the Night at the Museum next year.”

Photo courtesy of Janell Perry

U-2C World Record Flights

Today and tomorrow are the 25th anniversary of 16 world altitude and time-to-climb records set by pilots Jerry Hoyt and Ron Williams in the museum’s Lockheed U-2C “Dragon Lady” reconnaissance aircraft, serial number 56-6682. The records, set on 17 and 18 April 1989, still stand today and are ratified by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), the organization that governs world records for air sports, aeronautics and astronautics.

56-6682 was the ninth U-2 built. At this point we know very little about its early service history. Aircraft records indicate it received a variety of modifications during its operational career, including the installation of a tail hook for aircraft carrier operations. In 1971, the U.S. Air Force transferred 56-6682 to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as a U-2C. NASA gave it the number “709” and used it to collect environmental data. By 1989, 56-6682 was the last of the original U-2s in operational service.

U-2C 56-6682 in flight. The caption from the Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Company’s April 20, 1989 issue of the Star newspaper says, “Time to climb—this composite photo shows the approximate angle of ascent taken by the last flying U-2C enroute to shattering many time-to-climb records…”

What a great way to end a career! Here are some details of the record flights from the FAI website:

Date: 17 April 1989

Class: C (Powered Airplanes)

Sub-Class: C-1f (Landplane, takeoff weight 6,000 to 9,000 kg (13,227 to 19,841lbs))

Location: Edwards AFB, California (USA)

Pilot: Jerry Hoyt (USA)

Aircraft: Lockheed U-2C (NASA 709, 56-6682)

Time to climb to a height of 3,000 m (9,842.5 ft)         00 min 55s

Time to climb to a height of 6,000 m (19,685 ft)          01 min 50s

Time to climb to a height of 9,000 m (29,527.6 ft)       02 min 51s

Time to climb to a height of 12,000 m (39,370.1 ft)     04 min 17s

Time to climb to a height of 15,000 m (49,212.6 ft)     06 min 16s

Time to climb to a height of 20,000 m (65,616.8 ft)     12 min 14s

Altitude                                                                                  22,482 m (73,759.8 ft)

Altitude in horizontal flight                                                 22,475 m (73,736.9 ft)

Date: 18 April 1989

Class: C (Powered airplanes)

Sub-Class: C-1g (Landplane takeoff weight 9,000 to 12,000 kg (19,841 to 26,455 lbs))

Location: Edwards AFB, California (USA)

Pilot: Ronald R. Williams (USA)

Aircraft: Lockheed U-2C (NASA 709, 56-6682)

Time to climb to a height of 3,000 m (9,842.5 ft)         1 min 09s

Time to climb to a height of 6,000 m (19,685 ft)          2 min 13s

Time to climb to a height of 9,000 m (29,527.6 ft)       3 min 30s

Time to climb to a height of 12,000 m (39,370.1 ft)     5 min 10s

Time to climb to a height of 15,000 m (49,212.6 ft)     8 min 09s

Time to climb to a height of 20,000 m (65,616.8 ft)     19 min 37s

Altitude                                                                                  22,198 m (72,828.1 ft)

Altitude in horizontal flight                                                  22,198 m (72,828.1 ft)

The U-2C set records in two different weight classes. The first eight records were in the “C1f” class for landplanes with a takeoff weight of 13,227 to 19,841pounds. Eight similar records were set in the “C1g” class for landplanes taking off weighing 19,841 to 26,455 pounds. No special modifications were made to the aircraft, though for the C1f flight, the U-2C carried only 395 gallons of fuel—less than a normal load. For the C1G flight, 56-6682 carried a normal fuel load of 1,020 gallons. The 1950s-era U-2C took records away from three sleek multi-engine, swept-wing business jets: Learjet 28, Canadair Challenger, and Falcon 900.

In climbs from takeoff to 15,000 meters (49,212 feet), the U-2C didn’t just break the preview records—it crushed them. Pilots Hoyt and Williams kept climbing of course and established records for time-to-climb to 20,000 meters (65,616.8 feet).

This graph was prepared shortly after the record flight on 17 April 1989 and shows how the U-2C’s rate of climb in the C1f weight class (line marked “NASA 709”) compared to that of the previous record holder, a Learjet 28.

These weren’t just “zoom” climbs either. On the record flights, Hoyt and Williams flew the U-2C in horizontal flight at up to 22,482 meters (73,759.8 feet)—almost 14 miles above the ground. Historian Glenn Bugos, in his book Atmosphere of Freedom: Sixty Years at the NASA Ames Research Center, says, “These records were the first official acknowledgment of the U-2’s previously classified altitude capability.”

Ben Rich, Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Company executive vice president and Advanced Development Projects general manager, summed up the record-setting flights this way: “These flights pay tribute to the people and pilots associated with an aircraft that has served the U.S. Air Force and NASA for 34 years.”

56-6682’s final flight was on 27 April 1989, when it was flown from Palmdale, California, to Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, for preservation at the museum. The aircraft is on display in the Century of Flight Hangar.

Mike Rowland, Curator

An Outsider’s Perspective, Part 2: EOD Exhibit Unveiling

Note: Part 1 was published on August 3, 2012.

The ceremony on June 18, 2012 was two-fold.  The first part consisted of decorating Technical Sergeant Barry R. Duffield for his bravery on the Explosives Ordnance Disposal Team of the 116^th Air Control Wing’s EOD Flight while in Afghanistan.  However, the unveiling of the Explosive Ordnance Exhibit took the lead for the latter part of the ceremony.

This wasn’t your typical unveiling of a new exhibit, mind you.  This exhibit was curated by three Northside High School students, and one of the artifacts is a uniform worn by Tech. Sgt. Duffield.  See why the two ceremonies were combined?

The exhibit reveals the responsibilities of 116^th Air Control Wing’s EOD Flight, which is stationed at Robins Air Force Base, home of the Museum of Aviation.  Included within the exhibit are equipment, uniforms of the 116^th troops, a bomb suit, munitions training aids, and a robot, as well as photos.  A video within the exhibit details what it takes to be an EOD specialist, and how viewers can become a part of an EOD Flight.  The display also includes an information plaque on the students who curated the exhibit.

The three students, Wesley Paskett, Jaikel “Jay” Robinson, and Keynan Callum were present at the ceremony, as were two of Northside High School’s faculty members, Kim Stewart and John Gravely.  Again, Major General James B. Butterworth, Adjutant General of Georgia, introduced the students.  If pictures are worth a thousand words, videos must accrue millions more.  So, why I am I writing about it?  Check out this video for yourself!

For more videos, check out the following links!

• Behind the Scenes: EOD Robot Installation
• 116^th EOD Demo Day

~Allison L. Boutwell

An Outsider’s Perspective, Part 1: Bronze Star Ceremony

While I am a New Media volunteer for the Museum of Aviation, I still consider myself an outsider, especially in light of the ceremonies that take place at the museum.  I have never dealt directly with the ceremonies, never set up, assisted, nothing.  In fact, I avoided them so as to not be a distraction while on the grounds…until recently.

Mike Rowland, Curator at the Museum of Aviation, recently strongly suggested that I attend the Bronze Star Ceremony (for bravery in military service) of Tech Sergeant Barry R. Duffield.  I took his advice, much to my knowledge’s delight!  Having never attended a military ceremony at all, I was in awe the entire time.

Tech. Sgt. Barry Duffield, while serving as an explosive ordnance disposal team leader in Afghanistan during a six-month period from 2011 to 2012

The standards to which the Air Force servicemen and women in the audience conducted themselves impressed me.  Their posture was incredibly straight, and they stood faster than anyone.  At one point, everyone stood without a cue from the speaker.  The surprise of having to stand and the agility with which the Air Force men and women in front of me stood nearly made me jump!

The ceremony was very patriotic, from the arrival of the official party – a ceremonious entrance of Tech Sgt. Duffield and other dignitaries – to the presentation of the colors, and the singing of the National Anthem.  Everything was rigid, but proud, authoritative, and patriotically weighty!  There was seriousness about the ceremony that commanded respect for the recipient, the dignitaries, the Air Force, even the U.S. and its military.

On top of all this, Major General James B. Butterworth, the Adjutant General of Georgia, was the presiding officer.  Talk about an esteemed guest!  He spoke a couple of times, and decorated Tech Sgt. Duffield, pinning the star upon Duffield’s lapel.

Maj. Gen. Jim Butterworth, Georgia National Guard adjutant general, presents a certificate to accompany the Bronze Star Medal to Tech. Sgt. Barry Duffield, 116th Civil Engineering Squadron explosive ordnance technician, during a ceremony at the Museum of Aviation, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., June 18, 2012. Duffield received the medal, his 2nd, for his achievements while serving as an explosive ordnance disposal team leader in Afghanistan during a six-month period from 2011 to 2012. (National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Roger Parsons/Released)

But no Air Force ceremony is complete without the enthusiastic hoorah of the singing of The Air Force Song!  That in itself was incredible to hear.  In a room of about 150 people, you felt like you were in the midst of a strong choir!  Again, the service men and women stood their ground and stood out, singing vociferously so that I could pick out individual voices of people with their backs turned to me.

I arrived at the ceremony in awe, and I departed in awe.  There is nothing like witnessing a military man receiving a prestigious award for bravery.  If you ever have a chance to attend one of these ceremonies, I highly recommend it!

John Harley, Centerville, Ga., mayor, congratulates Tech. Sgt. Barry Duffield, 116th Civil Engineering Squadron explosive ordnance technician, during a ceremony where Duffield received the Bronze Star Medal while Maj. Gen. Jim Butterworth, Georgia National Guard adjutant general, looks on at the Museum of Aviation, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., June 18, 2012. Butterworth presented Duffield the medal, his 2nd, for his achievements while serving as an explosive ordnance disposal team leader in Afghanistan during a six-month period from 2011 to 2012. (National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Roger Parsons/Released)

~Allison L. Boutwell

A New Viewpoint

I attended the Robins Air Force Base Air Show this year, as I have almost every year it has been held. For most of my 32 years I have lived in the shadow of Robins, and have always enjoyed watching aircraft fly in and out of the area. The air shows have always been a great part of that tradition for me, but this year was a bit different; this was my first year attending the air show as a pilot in training.

A few months ago I began flight lessons in a Kitfox II, working towards my Sport Pilot License. For those who don’t know, a Sport Pilot License is a Federal Aviation Authority rating that only requires a minimum of 20 hours of flight time to get. It puts limits on many things though: the conditions you can fly in (visual flight rules only), the type of aircraft you can fly (limited by weight, power and speed), and restricts you to only one passenger at a time. The Kitfox II is a homebuilt aircraft with some unique and challenging flight characteristics.

A Kitfox II similar to the one I have been learning on. Note the open doors; it’s the only way to fly!

I could write an entire blog, or two, or three, about the Kitfox and the joys of learning to fly (and maybe I will soon). But to stick to the topic at hand, this was the first airshow I have attended as a pilot in training. It was amazing as usual to see the aerobatics of Patty Wagstaff and the graceful power of the Blue AngelsDiamond formation.

The Blue Angles Diamond formation.

This year though, I was more interested in the small details. As a rookie pilot who is still finding it challenging to simply land or take off in an aircraft, it was incredible to watch the control the pilots at the airshow had. The diversity of aircraft types and flight profiles struck me as intriguing as well. Take for instance the Kitfox II at one (tiny) end of the scale, and the C-5 Galaxy at the other end. To illustrate this example, here are two videos. The first is some Kitfox II takeoff, flight and landing footage shot by a good friend of mine and used here with his permission. The other is the mighty C-5 Galaxy and is from the HD Plane Spotting Youtube Channel (a great resource for some amazing aircraft videos). Enjoy the videos and think about how different, and how similar, the two aircraft are.

 

– Arthur Sullivan, Assistant Curator

F-15E Strike Eagle

This morning the Museum of Aviation dedicated a large model of an F-15E Strike Eagle that was donated by the Boeing Company. The model has a six-foot wingspan and looks really cool. It is now mounted on a pole by the main entrance to the Eagle Building. The 402nd Maintenance Wing at Robins Air Force Base provides depot maintenance and software development for the F-15. Also, the Warner Robins Air Logistic Center’s “Eagle Division” provides worldwide support for all F-15 aircraft, both for the U.S. Air Force fleet as well as for all foreign military sales users.

Boeing donated this model of the F-15E Strike Eagle.

Here’s an Air Force video about the people who get the F-15E into the air:

The model wears the markings of the 4th Fighter Wing (FW), which is based at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina. Earlier this week, on April 16th, the 4th FW launched nearly 70 F-15s on a single mission. Here’s an Air Force news article about the mission with some photos:

F-15E Strike Eagles of the 4th Fighter Wing perform an "Elephant Walk" as they taxi down the runway during a Turkey Shoot training mission on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., April 16, 2012. The wing generated nearly 70 aircraft to destroy more than 1,000 targets on bombing ranges across the state to commemorate the 4th's victory over the Luftwaffe on April 16, 1945. The aircrews are assigned to the 4th Fighter Wing's 333rd, 334th, 335th, and 336th Fighter Squadrons. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Rissmiller/Released)

U.S. Air Force Col. Patrick Doherty reviews aircraft logs during a pre-flight inspection at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., April 16, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Aubrey Robinson/Released)

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Amanda Kobel waits to perform a pre-flight inspection on an F-15E Strike Eagle on April 16, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Makenzie Lang/Released.

An F-15E Strike Eagle takes off as another F-15E taxis at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., April 16, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Colette Graham/Released)

An F-15E Strike Eagle takes off at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., April 16, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Makenzie Lang/Released)

– Mike Rowland, Curator

Volunteer of the Quarter

Dublin resident Gary Schnell has been named Museum of Aviation Volunteer of the Quarter.  The award, presented March 15, recognizes Schnell’s outstanding work as a volunteer during the first quarter of 2012.  He has contributed a total of 1,170 hours in the Museum’s Aircraft Restoration Department since 2007.      Schnell has had a life-long interest in aviation, earning his pilot’s certificate in California at the age of 19.  Shortly thereafter, he purchased a 1962 Mooney aircraft, his first and only aircraft which he still owns today after 24 years. A few years later he earned his A&P license from the Orange Coast College.

Museum Director Ken Emery, right, congratulates Gary Schnell, left, and his wife Regina at the Museum of Aviation foundation board meeting on March 15.Schnell was named Volunteer of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2012.

His experience includes working in the nuclear industry, building control rod mechanisms for Naval reactors; building hydraulic flight control actuators; and doing research and development experiments as an engineer. He came to Georgia in 2003 on a temporary assignment while working for the Parker Hannifin Corporation in Irvine California.  His two-week assignment turned into an 11-week stay and in 2005 he moved permanently to Dublin.

Schnell has a great interest in history and aviation and collects old tractors, engines, radios and firearms. He also owns a 1931 Ford. At the Museum, he has worked on several aircraft including the B-29 bomber, the P-80 and the F-102 fighter. He is presently working to restore the Museum’s F-86 fighter.

– Bob Dubiel, Marketing Director

All the Way Home

It’s easy for many in the United States to feel detached from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Unless you are a veteran, live near a military base, or have a relative, friend, coworker, or neighbor who served or is serving, then it’s possible that the wars have been little more than impersonal affairs on the other side of the planet that you saw or heard something about from time to time. No big deal, really.

 As a nation and local communities, we owe our servicemen and women a lot. For me, those who have served in combat zones in particular are heroes who have risked their lives for their country. Their families are heroes too. I’m a veteran—I served six years on active duty in the Air Force—but I never went into combat or even deployed anywhere. Most of our men and women in uniform would rather not go into combat. But they took an oath of service and if duty meant going into combat, they went. Because we sent them.

 You may have raised your eyebrows at that last sentence. I heard a story a while ago that talked about how the transition home is the new battlefield for combat veterans. One of the people interviewed talked about how important it is for the community to welcome home and reintegrate its veterans. This reintegration includes the community accepting and carrying the responsibility for the individual veteran’s war deeds. That’s a sobering thought to me. But upon reflection, it only seems right. Our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen are volunteers yes, but as a nation, we send them to fight our battles and so we are responsible for what they do.

 With this in mind, I’m looking forward to the Middle Georgia Luncheon on March 8th here at the museum. The topic is “All the Way Home: Community Based Response to Returning Veterans and Their Families.” I look forward to hearing what these experts have to say about how communities are serving their veterans and their families. This event is open to the community and I encourage you to attend.

My youngest brother was a U.S. Navy corpsman—an enlisted medical specialist—who deployed to Iraq three times with a Marine unit. Corpsmen are not doctors, but they’re often called “Doc” by their Marines. My brother gave me permission to share this story he wrote down some time ago. It is powerful to me because it is a real-life story that involves my own dear brother and one of his experiences in a combat zone. I’ve changed or omitted names and some details out of respect for the privacy of individuals. I added a few explanations in brackets.

 “Doc, let’s go someone is hit!” Fully awake, I sat up, slipped my bare feet into my boots, put my SAPI [Small Arms Protective Insert; i.e. armor] plate carrier over my head then scooped up my rifle and med bag. My heart was pounding in my chest as I ran down the tight hallway. A lance corporal was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs and started to lead me up as I came close. “Who is it and how bad?” I asked as we leveled out on the second floor and started up towards the third.

 “I don’t know, they just started yelling for you.” He replied between breaths.

 We came out onto the roof blinded by the bright Iraqi sun and I watched as some Marines lowered Corporal “Garcia” down to the ground. The left side of his face and head were covered with blood. I moved next to him, taking his head in my hands and gently probed the wound. Garcia’s eyes were open and he was looking at me trying to tell me that he knew where the sniper was. I nodded but continued my assessment. No brains were exposed and his skull seemed mostly intact, so I opened my med bag, grabbed a roll of Kerlix gauze and wrapped his head with the whole roll.

Marines stand watch on a rooftop in an Iraqi city. Scenes like this were common throughout the war in Iraq. USMC photo by Sgt. Jared W. Alexander.

A gunnery sergeant, who had been acting as our platoon commander for the last couple of weeks since our lieutenant had been medevaced, moved close to me. “You done Doc? The helo is going to be on deck in a minute.”

 I nodded as we loaded Garcia onto a stretcher and I watched as four Marines each grabbed a corner handle and started down the stairs. I zipped shut my med bag and followed close behind as we made our way down to the ground floor and to the rear of a hi-back HMMWV [High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle]. I climbed in the back and squatted next to Garcia, trying my best to keep him from being jostled as we quickly drove the quarter mile to the MSR [Main Supply Route] which was the closest paved road.

 I could hear that the helicopter was close and when it came into view saw it was one of the Huey gunships and not an Army Blackhawk that we had for medevacs. I was beside Garcia’s stretcher as the helicopter landed near the smoke grenade in the middle of the road and closed my eyes as the powerful rotors blasted hot air, sand, and dust all around us.

A Marine UH-1N Huey, similar to the one mentioned in the story. USMC photo by Lance Cpl. Scott L. Eberle.

The crewman manning the minigun hopped out and gestured us toward him, so we picked up Garcia and jogged over to the open door, sliding him in. The gunner climbed in, pointed at me and yelled “Corpsman?”

 I nodded and he waved for me to get in. I managed a glance at the quickly receding ground and wished for some ear plugs then turned my attention back to Garcia.

 The sniper’s bullet had hit his head just behind his left temple, slipped under the scalp and traveled along his skull where it exited near the back of his head. His eyes were focusing and he was answering my questions so I was not too worried about Traumatic Brain Injury. Garcia’s blood was dripping from the back of his head down through the mesh of his stretcher, then running across the deck and out the open door where it was blown all over the inside of the helicopter. I could feel drops of it hitting my clothes and face. I turned to grab another roll of Kerlix when I remembered that my med bag was still in the back of the HMMWV.

One of the gunners noticed my trouble and opened his IFAK [Individual First Aid Kit] pulling out the small gauze packs that I took gratefully.

 I pressed one lightly to the side of his head, trying to slow the bleeding without having his skull collapse in, while with my other hand I took his pulse.

 Garcia had been watching my face intently as I examined him. “Don’t lie to me Doc. How bad is it?”

 I grinned down at him. “You are going to be fine,” I answered confidently.

 Garcia made sure I was looking at his face. “Don’t let them call my mom. She does not speak any English and will only be confused and worried.  Make sure you tell them.” He laid back and seemed to relax.

 I felt the helicopter bank hard as we came down towards our landing zone. Marines were waiting to carry Garcia into the STP [Shock Trauma Platoon; a battlefield emergency room] and after helping them pull his litter out I jogged behind, following them into the surgical area and listening as the doctors assessed him. I saw a chief I knew standing near the door so I made my way over to him and passed on Garcia’s message about his mom.

“I will get a Sat [satellite] phone in his hand as soon as he comes out of surgery and the docs say that it’s okay. Don’t worry we’ll take care of him” the chief promised me.

Marines and sailors rush a patient from a helicopter into the Shock Trauma Platoon area. The scene described in the story may have looked something like this. USMC photo by Cpl. James B. Hoke.

One of the nurses came over and said, “You know you have blood all over your face?”

 I started to reply when the helicopter door gunner tapped me on the shoulder. “We have to take you back.”

 I shrugged and smiled at the nurse then followed the gunner back to the helicopter. I sat down in the middle of the floor and took the opportunity to tie my boots and clip my SAPI plate carrier. As we lifted off the ground I shook my head at myself and swore I would never again forget my med bag.

 Epilogue: Last my brother heard, Garcia had a metal plate in his head but otherwise made a full recovery.

 – Mike Rowland, Curator