I Am Coming...

[rick]

Don't know if everybody's already seen this or not, but I got it in an email today and immediately thought of Operation Airboat III:

Dear Terrorists,
I am a Navy Aviator. I was born and raised in a small town in New England. I come from a family of five. I was raised in a middle class home and taught my values by my mother and father.

My dad worked a series of jobs in finance and my mom took care of us kids. We were not an overly religious family but attended church most Sundays. It was a nice small Episcopal Church. I have a brother and
sister and I am the youngest in my family. I was the first in many generations to attend college.

I have flown Naval aircraft for 16 years. For me the flying was never a lifelong dream or a 'calling,' it just happened. I needed a job and I liked the challenge. I continue to do it today because I feel it is important to give back to a nation which has given so much to me. I do it because, although I will never be rich, my family will be comfortable.

I do it because many of my friends have left for the airlines and someone has to do it.

My government has spent millions to train me to fly these
multi-million dollar aircraft. I make about 70,000 dollars a year and after 20 years will be offered a pension.

I like baseball but think the players make too much money. I am in awe of firemen and policemen and what they do each day for my community, and like teachers, they just don't get paid enough.

I respect my elders and always use sir or ma'am when addressing a stranger. I'm not sure about kids these days but I think that's normal for every generation.

I tell you all this because when I come for you, I want you to know me. I won't be hiding behind a woman or a child. I won't be disguised or pretending to be something I am not. I will be in a U.S. issue flight suit. I will be wearing standard US issue flight gear, and I will be flying a navy aircraft clearly marked as a US warplane. I wish we could
meet up close in a small room where I could wrap my hands around your throat and slowly squeeze the life out of you, but unfortunately, you're hiding in a hole in the ground, so we will have to do this a different way.

I want you to know also that I am very good at what I do. I can put a 2,000 lb. weapon through a window from 10,000 feet up. I generally only fly at night, so you may want to start sleeping during the day. I am not eager to die for my country but I am willing to sacrifice my life to protect it from animals like you.

I will do everything in my power to ensure no civilians are hurt as I take aim at you.

My countrymen are a forgiving bunch. Many are already forgetting what you did on Sept 11th. But I will not forget!!

I am coming. I hope you know me a little bit better, see you soon...sleep tight.


Signed

A U.S. Navy Pilot

See ya'll at Loughman Lake Lodge on the Jan. 26th.

Rick

 

[MikeP]

That a powerful letter there!

 

[leo_081103]

VERY NICE.... that should have got the message loud and clear! peace to all and hope the time will come we can be safe anywhere at anytime from such wrong doings.

 

[Seminole Wind]

YEP!

 

[Whitebear]

They walk here mongst us as well as overseas.

Each one of us should be writing the same or similar letter to those whm we can reach out and grab here at home.

We know who you are and were coming for you. Mean it and then do it. Wouldnt be long we could all sleep well and even snicker some in our dreams.

Scotty :wink:

 

[jrlyles]

made the hair raise on my neck.

 

[Skeeter]

Awesome.Thanks for sharing Rick.

 

[Olf Art]

What I like most about this piece is that the Navy pilot gives you a real look at what most pilots are ..... folks just doing a job.
It's easy to think of a fighter pilot as some kind of a deranged killing machine .... Hollywood has helped there .... but in actual fact
they're just guys with the aptitude to be taught to fly one of those things and then they just go out every day and do their job.

One of the best pilots that I ever flew with in VN was a real disarming guy. Nothing about him would tell you that he was a pilot
(so much for the 'Top Gun' image) but he was a very bright guy with an aptitude for things mechanical and he could make an old Army
UH-1D dance. Flying was never, the whole time that I knew him, what he wanted to do with his life when he got out. He wanted to be
a Minister. Last I heard he'd done just that and become a Lutheran minister back home in Minnesota.

Flying, operating a bulldozer, running a train, driving a truck, driving an airboat .... they're just what we do. The level of ability and the
need to want to try and achieve excellence in that is what separates all of us from the rest. JMO

olf

 

[Whitebear]

Olf, My experiences in the last years in Doha have mostly said the same thing exactly. Just folks doing a job, but they DO IT SO WELL !

Of course thats from doing it every day of the week. Aptitude and want to helps but it isn't the entire story.

Agree with ya 100%

Scotty

 

[CaneFan]

That's Bad A$$ right there. Makes me very proud to be an American Patriot.
Be safe and God speed your safe returns.