Funny Story

No names will be used in this story to protect the guilty…

Wake up, wake up, get your gear and get to the pax terminal was the rudest awakening I have had in years, but I was glad to get it as I had been trying to fly out for several days. It was 0230 in the AM. Yes, this time comes around twice in one day. After arriving at the terminal and a short bus ride to the plane, we load up for our 30 minute flight. With all the pre-flight Air Force stuff complete we are away.

Now I had the luxury of a short nap but my traveling companion did not. He had been up since 0600 the day prior, so needless to say he was worn out. As the flight progressed we both managed some sleep but his sleep was quite a bit deeper than mine. On this particular air craft the seats are a nylon bottom with a net back. All passengers sit side by side. It is kind of tight. Sometime during my friends deep slumber he leaned way over. As I looked on I noted that he was almost laying completely in the lap of the guy beside him. A guy, who none of us, knew he was from another unit.

I would not want to be a pilot on this trip. Imagine, will you, flying at night over a combat zone, without the luxury of lights. The runways are not lit, nor are the planes when they come in for a landing. It reduces the effectiveness of  people shooting at the planes as they land. So this particular flight I am guessing that the pilot and his spotters misjudged the runway by about 10 feet or so because everyone of the passengers were jolted to back to reality as the plane slammed into the runway.

For the next several hundred feet of the taxi we smelled the tread off the tires from the harsh landing. As all of the passengers started to stir, I remember the look on my friends face as he looked up at the soldier whose lap he had practically slept in, as if to say, “Who are you and why are you so close to me?”

Chief

Praying for the 15