I can relate. We launched the SR-71s out of Kadena. Watching them lift off by the runway’s mid-point, tuck wheels in well, lift its nose and kick the after-burners in as dusk was settling was always memorable.

I enjoyed your comment. It was fun reading. Thanks for sharing!

A favorite duty station was Iceland. That might appear strange but all of my tours were shore-based or overseas. We lived, for a time, at the end of the runway in a Quonset hut. The alert fighters were F-4’s. When Russian Bear’s shot the slot between Iceland and the UK, we could watch the fighters start their run and see, hear, the afterburners kick in.
Just one fun memory.

I guess my most cherished memory could be a visit to China in ’83. We were on a bus following a truck In the truck ahead were Red Chinese Army soldiers. They were all looking back at us as we looked at them. A few of us Americans waved. The soldiers began tentative finger waves and small smiles. The waves on both sides grew until our bus turned away. By then, everyone was grinning, waving, and shouting, “Hi.”

It was fun. Cheers