eerw Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 found this on the AZ Republic online opinion page..and response.. The Republic A wake-up call from Luke's jets Jun. 23, 2005 12:00 AM Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base: Whom do we thank for the morning air show? Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 a.m., a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our good fortune! Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns' early-bird special? Any response would be appreciated. - Tom XXXXXX, Peoria Flyby honored fallen comrade Jun. 28, 2005 12:00 AM Regarding "A wake-up call from Luke's jets" (Letters, Thursday): On June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four-ship of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt Jeremy Fresques. Capt. Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day. advertisement At 9 a.m. on June 15, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend. Based on the letter writer's recount of the flyby, and because of the jet noise, I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf of the president of the United States and all those veterans and servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have endured. A four-ship flyby is a display of respect the Air Force pays to those who give their lives in defense of freedom. We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter writer witnessed was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects. The letter writer asks, "Whom do we thank for the morning air show?" The 56th Fighter Wing will call for you, and forward your thanks to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques, and thank them for you, for it was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their lives. Lt. Col. Scott Pleus Luke Air Force Base The writer is commander of the 63rd Fighter Squadron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlin Orr Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 Wow! (Insert Stars & Stripes Icon!) I daresay the writer of the complaint letter felt humbled and contrite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfinney Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 I love communities that live near an Air Force Base and constantly complain about the jet noise...... but put their base on the closure list, and they would scream bloody murder to keep it. My absolute favorites are people who actually live ON an Air Force base, and complain about maintenance engine runs at 3 A.M...... hey people, it's called an AIR FORCE BASE for a reason. Jet Noise, the Sound of Freedom! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
folsoml Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 I wish a formation of jets would fly over my house every day! I get chills when they do flyovers at football games and such. They are TOO cool! Plus, 9:11 AM ain't exactly getting up with the roosters. I wish this was all I had to worry about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eerw Posted July 8, 2005 Author Share Posted July 8, 2005 I love a good airshow... with the Air Force Academy here..the Thunderbirds fly every graduation..on game day..the Air Force will usually fly over A10, F16s, F15s, the occasional B2 Stealth and B1 bomber.. and we have an airlift wing stationed here..they fly a lot too..so always fun to watch the skies around here.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liota Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 My absolute favorites are people who actually live ON an Air Force base, and complain about maintenance engine runs at 3 A.M...... hey people, it's called an AIR FORCE BASE for a reason.Jet Noise, the Sound of Freedom! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Just for the record, I was (and will be again soon) one of those living on an Air Force Base and griping about the engines running at 0300. Our main gripe is not about the noise, it is about the base planners who decide that all single enlisted quarters belong right beside the flightline. We just want the planners to realize that we support the "warfighters." They need timely and accurate information to correctly execute their missions. The information and support for their aircraft comes from us, trying desparately to get an hour or two of sleep while they run their aircraft at full afterburn. They are mandated "crew rest." We aren't. We can't support them as well as they deserve if we don't get any rest. Now, all bitching aside. Such is life in the military. We deal with it. It's a big deal, but it is what it is. I wouldn't trade my time in the military for anything. I'm becoming more grouchy about it as I get closer to retirement, but it's been one of the best things I could have done. I have also put on my Nomex underwear for all those who want to point out that all those serving in the Middle East right now want some rest and take it where they can get it. Heard it about two thousand times, understand and appreciate it. Hell, I've even given that speech trying to convince some dumb-cluck newbie Airman that guarding his training building by escorting contractors is just as vitally important. Sometimes it works. Sometimes I find them sleeping (God help them!). Sometimes I find them screwing off (God help them!). Mostly, I find they take it seriously (Thank God!). "Thou hast not to like it-thou hast just to do it." -Richard Marcinko, "Ten Commandments of SpecWar" Liota Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckS Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 I had the privilege to spend some time in WW-2 vintage barracks at NAS Memphis in 1969. There were located a few hundred yards from the end of the runway*. You may or may not remember the hot plane of the time was the F-4 Phantom. 2 J-79 engines with afterburners. More than once we were treated to an early wake up to the tune of a pair of F-4's doing a full a/b take-off. Damn that was loud! Not complaining though, there were people at other duty stations have much more unpleasant times! *It may be a coincidence but the "O"-quarters always seemed farthest from the runways. Hmmmmm. Hang in there Liota. It won't be long until you have a gray ID card and wish you were back in the days when you used to kick the butts of those E-2's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 It's always a pleasure to witness formation flight even when it's just practice. Here in Eugene we have a significantly-sized airport, so the military uses it a lot for training, etc. It's not unusual for me (and my pilot) on one of my Cessna aerial surveys to jockey for position to land with/behind the F-16s. If nothing else it gives us a moment to actually view them in-flight-like and to pause for thought about why they're flying. I'm situated west of the Airport by about six miles--and most of the military plane action is near or north/south of the airport--so don't see them as much as when I'm over thataway doing the airport... but once in a while they'll come from the east, zoom overhead, headed to the airport. You can really hear them coming... and going. Whatta sight. An ill-fated few miserable weeks in Honolulu one fall long ago did produce a repeated demonstration of Blue Angels overhead one week, as they were in town at that time for an upcoming air show. Free show that week from where we were at the time. They're nothing short of amazing. We're on the I-5 corridor here so we see the Goodyear Blimp a lot on it's follow-the-highway journey from one venue to another. I've ridden in one. Nice ride! (Noisy, though). Oh, and try sleeping on a sailboat anchored in a slough up the Sacramento River with the B-52s doing runs a few feet overhead. Whoa. Got to be one of the creepiest sights I ever witnessed to see THOSE guys coming at you down low with nearly no sound--in the middle of the night. We thought it was the real thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stumpnav Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 I sleep much better with the engines running. Liota, there's a new fangled invention out there....earplugs!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liota Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 Allen, I got to that point at about the time I left Japan. Funny, I couldn't sleep until the Hawaii Nat Guard was flying their F-15s while I was trying to sleep for a mid. Touche'! on the earplugs. I'm thinking of making EARmolds? when I get to Korea in January. I have several pairs already for myself. Liota Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuildSF4 Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 I always enjoyed air shows and watching combat aircraft fly. When I was a teen we would sit and watch (from a distance) the F5 pilots take off (as soon as they got the wheels up they would go vertical... Awesome sight... Have seen a few missing man fly bys in person (was honor guard during some), is an awesome sight even when you know what it means... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaJoe Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 My first cruise was on the USS Enterprise in 2001 and the Navy was still using the F-14 a lot. There's nothing like standing 100 feet from a Tomcat at full a/b on the catapult. It's hard to explain. Imagine your eyeballs and teeth rattling around like they are about to fall out and your chest pulsating. It's great, and loud. JOe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 "Imagine your eyeballs and teeth rattling around like they are about to fall out and your chest pulsating." Kind-of like when one of my friends fires his magnum rounds in the booth next to me. Well, sort-of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted July 10, 2005 Share Posted July 10, 2005 I spent a good amount of time around airports. Got to see lots of cool stuff. Like, watching two Migs slam into each other and burst into flames...that has to go in the "you don't see that every day" file. One thing really stands out in my memory though. I had been over in the sand...sleeping in a tent...about 100y or so from the runway. F-16's taking off all the time, night and day. They often would go up in four ship sorties. And, they would often throw on the burners. Pretty cool, really. I had been there just long enough to become accustomed to wearing my ear muff to sleep in. And, I was easily sleeping through the regular take-offs. I recall waking up one night. Something was different. It sounded like they were sending up a second sortie of four F-16's...and then some more. As I counted 16 take-offs...knowing the fire-power that represented...it was apparent that we had started the get'er done phase of kicking the Saddam's people of out of Kuwait. We were at war. Knowing those F-16's were up there, I closed my eyes and got back to sleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfinney Posted July 10, 2005 Share Posted July 10, 2005 Liota, My comments were directed more towards officer's wives who would complain the noise kept them awake at night..... I definitely sympathize with those that actually work for a living on base...... My absolute favorites are people who actually live ON an Air Force base, and complain about maintenance engine runs at 3 A.M...... hey people, it's called an AIR FORCE BASE for a reason. Jet Noise, the Sound of Freedom! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Just for the record, I was (and will be again soon) one of those living on an Air Force Base and griping about the engines running at 0300. Our main gripe is not about the noise, it is about the base planners who decide that all single enlisted quarters belong right beside the flightline. Liota <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liota Posted July 11, 2005 Share Posted July 11, 2005 Sean, I apologize for jumping, but somehow you found my one raw nerve left over from my time in the Land of The Rising Sun. Liota Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubberneck Posted July 11, 2005 Share Posted July 11, 2005 In fairness the man who wrote the original letter to the editor wrote a letter of apology to the Air Force. He claimed that he didn't know it was part of a service for a fallen pilot. The man also claims to be a Vietnam Vet. Regarding "Flyby honoring fallen comrade" (Letters, June 28): I read with increasing embarrassment and humility the response to my unfortunate letter to The Republic concerning an Air Force flyby ("A wake-up call from Luke's jets," Letters, June 23). I had no idea of the significance of the flyby, and would never have insulted such a fine and respectful display had I known. I have received many calls from the fine airmen who are serving or have served at Luke, and I have attempted to explain my side and apologized for any discomfort my letter has caused. This was simply an uninformed citizen complaining about noise. I have been made aware in both written and verbal communications of the four-ship flyby, and my heart goes out to each and every lost serviceman and woman in this war in which we are engaged. I have been called un-American by an unknown caller and I feel that I must address that. I served in the U.S. Navy and am a Vietnam veteran. I love my country and respect the jobs that the service organizations are doing. Please accept my heartfelt apologies. Tom MacRae, Peoria6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eerw Posted July 11, 2005 Author Share Posted July 11, 2005 rubberneck.. thanks for finding that..was looking for a followup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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