The following story is based on the actual experiences of Charles Hammond, a retired resident of Canton, Connecticut. He had formerly lived in Brooklyn, New York, West Hartland, Vermont, and Plainville, Connecticut throughout his life. At the age of 20, Charles enlisted on September 23, 1966 and served in the Vietnam War. He left at home a loving wife and a son. He was stationed at McGuire Air Force Base in Rightstown, New Jersey. He was previously trained at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He served in the Air Force for four years. Charles was assigned to the 438^th transportation squadron where he drove shuttle busses and delivery trucks. He and was proud to serve and defend America in any way he could. He even remarked that he would go into the Air Force again if they would let him. He was a true patriotic fighter.

Trouble at McGuire Air Force Base

It was a day like any other day for Charles Hammond, an enlistee in the Vietnam War. He had gotten up that morning at around 7:00 a.m. so he could get to his duties for the day at McGuire Air Force Base. He had an interesting job that he really enjoyed. He worked a flight line, picking up pilots and crews that were coming in from overseas and departing to go overseas. It was exciting for him, and he was glad just to be doing his part for the country. Little did he know of the troubles that lie ahead in the day.

It was business as usual at the air force base. Charles was operating a flight line, as he had done many times before, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. On the way to pick up some pilots at the air traffic control tower, Charles casually observed the incoming and outgoing flights race through the sky. It interested him very much. The base had been very active that day, with a mix of the loud booming noises of engines firing off into the sky and the soft rumbling of recently-landed planes and jets.

Charles could see that off in the distance another plane was coming in for a routine landing. It looked to be an F-16, but something was different. The flight wasn’t smooth and it looked like the plane was shaking. Charles became concerned as he watched the plane approach the flight line, closer and closer. He couldn’t peel his eyes from the sight of the increasingly jarring flight of the F-16. Unexpectedly, as the plane descended its last few hundred feet, it flipped over and landed in a fiery explosion. Flames broke out everywhere. Charles could not believe his eyes. A huge cloud of dense, black smoke escalated into the sky. People ran frantically; there was complete chaos and people all around were screaming. Charles’s heart pounded like a freight train and panic had crept over every inch of his body. He could see personnel coming in to rescue the pilot, who unfortunately did not make it. Charles was in utter shock, for the horrid event had happened only 500 feet from his location. But for Charles, it seemed like only measly inches.

Despite the cold fear and horrible images in his head, Charles also felt lucky to be alive; because, for a short time, he had thought that he was going to die too. He felt nothing but sorrow for that brave pilot who had lost his life flying that plane. That was the scariest moment Charles experienced in the Air Force. He realized that life was very short, and he wanted to do the most that he could do for his country. It made him look at life in a whole new light and realize how fortunate he is.

Erin Berry