Over my 57+ years on this planet I have had the privilege to know many amazing people, Relatives, friends and co-workers. The thing that impressed me about all these people is how they gave of themselves for others and made the most of what ever gifts they were given, regardless how small those gifts might have been. I am going to give you a background on some of them. They are living or did live quality lives. It is a total shame that our political leaders cannot live up to the example of these people’s lives.
1. My Father: He spent most of his time in the military in the C.B. I. (China, Burma and India for t those who did not study history.) In Burma he was with the Mars Task Force, the outfit that took over for Merrill’s Marauders . He would be in the field for months on end, most of the time behind enemy lines, calling in air strikes on enemy positions. After the war, he married and went to work as a miner. He dug salt for almost 40 years. He did this so he could give my mom and my two brothers and me a good life. Along the way he took many neighbor boys hunting and fishing because their own dads did nothing with them. To this day my dad will give his last dime to someone who needs it more than he does.
2. Uncle Chuck: He was career Air Force. He was a tail gunner in a bomber in Korea. He was killed in the line of duty. Not in combat but at Bunker Hill Air Force Base in Indiana. He was working in a blizzard, clearing a runway for an incoming flight. There was near zero visibility. He saw that two large runway plows were headed for each other and stood there and directed one away to insure that they would not collide. The second one did not see him and killed him.
3. Mike Schmidt, a good friend in a small town in South Central Pennsylvania where we used to live. He has spent most of his life putting his life on the line as a volunteer firefighter. He has risked his own life on many occasions, for no pay, to help members of his community.
4. Steve Day: Another good friend from that same town. Stevie is different than us, he is mentally challenged. He holds down a job in a local grocery store, bagging for customers. He takes great pride in his work. This same man, not bright like we are, is a volunteer firefighter. He is not capable of going into buildings when they are burning, not capable of handling a hose. He just lifts and carries. Cleans the trucks, helps with moving the hoses whenever we were drafting from a stream. I never heard him complain about his lot in life. He has made the best of what he had and gives of himself for others.
5. Tom Zazolka: A good friend from my old spy days. He spent his entire life serving his nation. First in the Air Force and then a career in the NSA where I knew him. In addition to his service to all of you he would take his nephews hunting and fishing. He died last October. Dropped dead of a heart attack at his hunting camp. He was only 63. The stress of what he did for all of you caught up with him.
These are just a few of the fine people I have known. There are many many more. More than I could ever put in one posting. I have been lucky to be associated with so many fine people. Our so called leaders need to be more like them. Layoutshooter
1. My Father: He spent most of his time in the military in the C.B. I. (China, Burma and India for t those who did not study history.) In Burma he was with the Mars Task Force, the outfit that took over for Merrill’s Marauders . He would be in the field for months on end, most of the time behind enemy lines, calling in air strikes on enemy positions. After the war, he married and went to work as a miner. He dug salt for almost 40 years. He did this so he could give my mom and my two brothers and me a good life. Along the way he took many neighbor boys hunting and fishing because their own dads did nothing with them. To this day my dad will give his last dime to someone who needs it more than he does.
2. Uncle Chuck: He was career Air Force. He was a tail gunner in a bomber in Korea. He was killed in the line of duty. Not in combat but at Bunker Hill Air Force Base in Indiana. He was working in a blizzard, clearing a runway for an incoming flight. There was near zero visibility. He saw that two large runway plows were headed for each other and stood there and directed one away to insure that they would not collide. The second one did not see him and killed him.
3. Mike Schmidt, a good friend in a small town in South Central Pennsylvania where we used to live. He has spent most of his life putting his life on the line as a volunteer firefighter. He has risked his own life on many occasions, for no pay, to help members of his community.
4. Steve Day: Another good friend from that same town. Stevie is different than us, he is mentally challenged. He holds down a job in a local grocery store, bagging for customers. He takes great pride in his work. This same man, not bright like we are, is a volunteer firefighter. He is not capable of going into buildings when they are burning, not capable of handling a hose. He just lifts and carries. Cleans the trucks, helps with moving the hoses whenever we were drafting from a stream. I never heard him complain about his lot in life. He has made the best of what he had and gives of himself for others.
5. Tom Zazolka: A good friend from my old spy days. He spent his entire life serving his nation. First in the Air Force and then a career in the NSA where I knew him. In addition to his service to all of you he would take his nephews hunting and fishing. He died last October. Dropped dead of a heart attack at his hunting camp. He was only 63. The stress of what he did for all of you caught up with him.
These are just a few of the fine people I have known. There are many many more. More than I could ever put in one posting. I have been lucky to be associated with so many fine people. Our so called leaders need to be more like them. Layoutshooter
