WARNING: The following is too long and too nostalgic (but you asked for it…sort of)
Pilot training at Sheppard with a bunch of Europeans. Duffy’s on Friday nights!
4 years flying Hogs in Europe during the Cold War. Low fly 7 in the UK (Wales). Low fly 7 in Germany (Bavaria). More cross countries than I can count to Scotland, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, and Germany. Drinking Pils along the Rhine. Gunsmoke and TLP!
FWIC at Nellis back in the day when it was 4 months long and you could count your busted rides on one hand…and how you flew was more important than the brief/debrief.
Flying demonstrations in the Hog at Santiago Chile, Abbotsford BC, Chicago and about 50 other locations that were absolute blasts!
Switching to the Strike Eagle “late” in my career (not realizing I’d get to fly her for the next 16 years straight!) Operational test at Nellis (best pure flying bar none). Lakenheath for Balkan Ops, Afghanistan right after 9/11, NATO air meet in Norway, and another ton of Euro cross countries.
Day one over Fallujah, low level over Baghdad (Sadr City), Thanksgiving and Christmas at the Deid.
Flying my fini on a beautiful December day to Dare Co range and then a quick circle over Kitty Hawk. Hard to imagine it was 26 years before that I started back at Sheppard! And I was able to stay in the cockpit the whole time (don’t know how I pulled off that miracle.)
Most memorable though were all the incredible guys and gals I was privileged to know and fly with during my time in the service. I consider myself the luckiest man on earth for the career I had!