Returning from a COMFY LEVI BEYOND DUTY

Returning from a COMFY LEVI BEYOND DUTY deployment in the mid-late 80’s, we did a RON in Hawaii. While my policy as AMS was that all crew members needed to be billeted together, I let one young fellow talk me into going up to Kunia to see his girlfriend. I stipulated that he needed to be back in the morning for crew show and departure. Sure enough, he missed the showtime and even though we delayed hoping he would show at base ops before we had to leave, no joy. (We took a photo of several of the crew holding up a missing sombrero in honor of the missing man). Our DO was on the trip and understandably, he was furious for the “failure to show” and promised the young man would relieve the severest form of UCMJ punishment if/when he finally showed up at home base. I and another NCO talked the DO down on the 10 hour flight to California, but he was still very pissed off.

Well, the young man showed up at base ops just to witness us lifting off at Hickam. We were enroute to McClellan and he shouted “That’s my plane!” aloud in the terminal. As he was in a flight suit and carrying his helmet bag, a C-141 member asked him if he was on flight status. He replied in affirmative and the 141 guy said they were heading for Travis and he could hitch a ride.

When we landed at McClellan and went to the billeting office, there he was red faced with a case of beer. The 141 ride was 4 hours and one of the crew gave him a ride to McClellan. He beat us by 4 hours or so. DO was still pissed, but was satisfied with a stern talking to for the young man.