Before I get into the Tarmac story, I want to share a bit about where our family and in some cases just my dad had been.  Before I do this, I want to share a bit about my dad.

My dad – Ernie

My dad was raised in a very poor family and in some regards, this held him back early in life with some of his primary gifts and desires.  My dad’s gifts included an amazing High Tenor Voice that many people thought could get him into the Julliard School of Music.  Dad was also a master of playing many Horns including the Trumpet, Trombone, French Horn and others.  So much so, that the school helped him by letting him teach Band while in High School!

My dad sadly for a number of reasons did not get to music school and thus joined the Air Force. While in the Air Force, he was offered the chance to travel and sing or play for the Air Force but that did not work either.  Dad did finally get to sing when he became a Christian, he sang and led singing at Church until he was in his early 70’s.

This brings us to his jobs in the Military, dad started as a Radioman on the B-29s but it did not take the Air Force long to realize my dad could pick up multiple languages and speak to them well very quickly.  The Cold War was going on pretty strong after the Korean War and this is why my dad spent time in Iceland, Sam Sung, Turkey and with us at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany and the Air Force Base in Ankura, Turkey before turning the stats after about 3 years at each stent.

We were due in Biloxi to see that house we rented 3 blocks off the beach on August 16^th, Hurricane Camille hit August 17^th and my dad’s Birthday was August 18^th!!!  I don’t know how he did it but he did!  Coming home from Turkey is what the rest of this chapter will be about. We lost everything during Camille and I remember my dad lost his Vinyl of Piano Playing from the Movie Exodus, his most priced thing he hurt losing.  My dad heard the song, like one time and then could play it perfectly on the Piano!  I wish I had his talent!

Now back to the flight home on a brand new 747 Airliner

The Flight Attendants were giving all the passengers Flight Safety and Comfort Information. They said, ‘Does anyone have any questions’ and I quickly raised my hand ous an 11-year-old kid.

My dad tried to grab my hand and said you can ask me the question, but it was too late!  They spotted me and said what is your question, young man?  I must have sounded serious.  I simply asked why they are so focused on Life Jackets as it seems 30,000 feet in the air parashoots we be better.  You could see people around me getting quiet, my dad his head is buried!!  The flight attendants thought this may not go away, so let’s call the pilots.  They said to bring him up front with us and then they closed the door.  The Pilots should me around and even let me sit in their seat with a headset on (big mistake!)  You see I knew how to get the headset to work and I announced to the air traffic control center we were about to take off!  I am guessing mass confusion, and more was now out there.  They quickly let the Air Traffic Control Tower that they were still at the gate and an 11-year-old kid highjacked the headset!  Once everything is settled they said the way of safety is better because most people are not as smart as me and would not know how to use a Parachute.  They said let’s keep this our secret as we don’t want them to feel bad and let’s not tell your dad anything that happened and I agreed and said he would not understand!   When I got to my seat, my dad (middle seat I was in) leaned over and said, ‘What did they say’ and I said, it is a private dad, you would not understand but we are good.

So having lived through the Cold War and wondering if could we make good with Diplomacy my dad just wanted to Praise God for being home and pack to his home state New York, JFK Airport.  747 Model Aircraft were new and that is why we had to park on the Tarmac!  We de-borded the aircraft and when we got to the bottom, I learned something about my dad!  We got to the bottom and my dad just stopped but his stuff down, lifted his hands in praise and then kissed the tarmac!  He knew he would soon be retired and there would be no more deployments (at least for the family!).   I was likely over 40 before I realized how big this moment was!  People cheered my dad as he began to sing “How Great Thou Art” as loud as he could and he had a big voice!