I am a 29-year Air Force retiree and have resided in Tacoma since 1979. I retired as a Senior Master Sergeant.

In 1951, I enlisted and was sent to Spokane for air gunnery training, but the school was closing down, so I was sent to Fort Lewis to the specialist chef and bakers training school. On my last day of training, I was returning in a military ton-and-a-half truck that overturned and I suffered several fractured vertebras. I spent the next nine months at Madigan Hospital recovering. After my recovery, I went to the food service squadron at McChord Air Force Base.

In 1955, I was transferred to Beaver Lodge in Alberta, Canada, for 13 months and then back to McChord. I was assigned to General Gillespie’s staff. I remained there until 1964, when I was transferred to Evreux, France, and stationed at Fallville Support Base where I trained in agriculture and chef school. I supervised the dietician meals.

In 1967, I was assigned to the Adair Air Station in Corvallis, OR, as the club steward. Two years later, I was transferred to Tachikawa, Japan, under the direction of General McGhees’ staff as Loadmaster on his aircraft. We then transferred to Peterson Field Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, CO, with the same staff. I remained there until 1974, when I was assigned to Shape International Headquarters in Mons, Belgium, where I again served as a Loadmaster. This time it was on General Goodpastures’ staff.

In 1979 General Haig assumed command and I served as Loadmaster on his staff until my retirement in 1979.