(Disclaimer: This story is told from my viewpoint, and there may be claims that conflict with these memories. However this is my version, and I’m sticking to it!)
I met Laura on Thursday, 26 January, 1984 in the bar at the Hotel Alex Johnson, Rapid City, SD.
I had been in town since Sunday night. I had arranged with a guy I went through NBT (Nav Bombadier Training) with, Kent Sjolund, to share an apartment. He was about a month ahead of me at Castle (B-52 Crew training), so he got into town right after Thanksgiving. He found a two-bedroom place, with easy access to the highway to the base, and had it all waiting for me to arrive.
The first week was kind of hectic. There was the whole stress of showing up at the base, meeting my first real flying Squadron Commander, the people in Bomb/Nav, the Training Flight guys, orderly room, etc. by the end of the week, I was beat.
On Thursday, my room mate suggested we go to the bar at the the Hotel Alex Johnson, AJ’s. It was Ladies night and “would really be hopping,” - they would even have a DJ. I was like, sure! I put on my best preppie look; polo shirt with the popped collar and a button down shirt over… off we went (Not sure why I thought that was THE look to have in Rapid City, but it is what it was).
AJ’s was about the only bar that aircrew hung out at, so when we arrived, there were a couple guys there already.
At some point after we arrived, I remember seeing Laura sitting at the bar with a couple Navs, talking. Someone said she was one of the base weather officers, and wasn’t dating anyone, so I went over, horned my way into the conversation and eventually asked her to dance. Once we were on the dance floor, we danced for a long time. We were talking and time just sort of melted away. She even asked if I was dating someone (Nope, I had left all that behind, figuring no one was going to want to come to South Dakota). And then suddenly she said she had to leave, because the guy she came with was ready to go. I looked over at the door, and there was another Nav, a Captain I think, who I had met somewhere earlier in that blur of a week, standing with his coat on. Oops! It was funny because she said it so matter of fact.
At some point after we arrived, I remember seeing Laura sitting at the bar with a couple Navs, talking. Someone said she was one of the base weather officers, and wasn’t dating anyone, so I went over, horned my way into the conversation and eventually asked her to dance. Once we were on the dance floor, we danced for a long time. We were talking and time just sort of melted away. She even asked if I was dating someone (Nope, I had left all that behind, figuring no one was going to want to come to South Dakota). And then suddenly she said she had to leave, because the guy she came with was ready to go. I looked over at the door, and there was another Nav, a Captain I think, who I had met somewhere earlier in that blur of a week, standing with his coat on. Oops! It was funny because she said it so matter of fact.
I went home wondering how and when I was going to see her again. Base Ops was not going to be hard to find, but I wasn’t sure about her phone number…
Either the next day or Saturday morning, the apartment phone rang (1984, I’m pretty sure we didn’t have cell phones yet, at least I didn’t.) Laura was on the phone! She asked me if I wanted to go to the Wing Dining Out Saturday evening, “The Night of the 28th” (Dining In - Military only; Dining Out - bring your significant others). I was caught totally by surprise! I figured this first date was something I would really have to work at for awhile… and here it was, on a silver platter! Then my brain went to work….
Did I have a Mess Dress? Actually I did! For some reason, I had not packed it, but carried it in my car from California. I still had my 2nd Lieutenant shoulder boards, so I was good for rank…Wait! I didn’t have Navigator wings! The last time I had worn it was at a Christmas Dining In prior to getting my wings. I couldn’t go to a new (to me) Wing function with all the Squadron people there and have no wings… Yikes! Panic set in. Then Laura said she knew several Navs who probably weren’t going, and she’d see if they had Mess Dress wings. I was skeptical (Why wouldn’t people be going?), but agreed. She said she’d call me back.
I went scrambling through my stuff and found my Mess Dress, accoutrements, and dress shoes: all I needed to do was polish them up.
A bit later, she called back: Nav wings found! I’d pick them up when I stopped by to pick her up.
That’s when I got lost. Driving over to pick her up, following her directions to the ‘T,’ I ended up on this dirt road on my way out of town.
It’s hard to look at a map now and figure out how I made a turn too early, but back then, the east side of town wasn’t so built up, and I ended up on a back road headed north east, which I knew pretty much immediately was wrong. So I had to back track, back to my apartment, call her, figure out that I should NOT turn right onto a dirt road (ignore it) and continue. Sure enough, that worked.
She had a nice little ground floor apartment on Serendipity Lane (I took that as a good omen!). She pinned my wings on my Mess Dress, I introduced her to the mighty Mustang, and we were off: two 2nd Lt’s to the Officer’s Club and the Wing Anniversary celebration.
It was a fun evening. I was feeling pretty good, especially after she told me she had previously turned down several offers to go to the party. I was the new guy on base and NOBODY knew who I was. EVERYBODY knew who she was: She was an officer, female, and she’d been on station since last June.
We had seats kind of on the left side of the room, and I kept having this feeling that people at the head tables were staring at us. I mentioned it, and she said they probably were. They were the Wing Staff, and she briefed them everyday. They were probably wondering who she was with at the party.
No pressure.
There was food eaten, words spoken, things toasted. We probably danced for awhile, and mingled a bit. At some point we were done and I drove her back to her apartment.
We sat on her great couch and talked and watched TV for awhile. At some point I noticed she had fallen asleep. I wasn’t quite sure how I should take that, so I quietly put a blanket on her and slipped out.
The phone was probably ringing when I got back to my place. “Where did you go?” she asked. I explained that she had fallen asleep. “That’s because I felt really comfortable with you.”
Sold.
Either the next day or Saturday morning, the apartment phone rang (1984, I’m pretty sure we didn’t have cell phones yet, at least I didn’t.) Laura was on the phone! She asked me if I wanted to go to the Wing Dining Out Saturday evening, “The Night of the 28th” (Dining In - Military only; Dining Out - bring your significant others). I was caught totally by surprise! I figured this first date was something I would really have to work at for awhile… and here it was, on a silver platter! Then my brain went to work….
Did I have a Mess Dress? Actually I did! For some reason, I had not packed it, but carried it in my car from California. I still had my 2nd Lieutenant shoulder boards, so I was good for rank…Wait! I didn’t have Navigator wings! The last time I had worn it was at a Christmas Dining In prior to getting my wings. I couldn’t go to a new (to me) Wing function with all the Squadron people there and have no wings… Yikes! Panic set in. Then Laura said she knew several Navs who probably weren’t going, and she’d see if they had Mess Dress wings. I was skeptical (Why wouldn’t people be going?), but agreed. She said she’d call me back.
I went scrambling through my stuff and found my Mess Dress, accoutrements, and dress shoes: all I needed to do was polish them up.
A bit later, she called back: Nav wings found! I’d pick them up when I stopped by to pick her up.
That’s when I got lost. Driving over to pick her up, following her directions to the ‘T,’ I ended up on this dirt road on my way out of town.
It’s hard to look at a map now and figure out how I made a turn too early, but back then, the east side of town wasn’t so built up, and I ended up on a back road headed north east, which I knew pretty much immediately was wrong. So I had to back track, back to my apartment, call her, figure out that I should NOT turn right onto a dirt road (ignore it) and continue. Sure enough, that worked.
She had a nice little ground floor apartment on Serendipity Lane (I took that as a good omen!). She pinned my wings on my Mess Dress, I introduced her to the mighty Mustang, and we were off: two 2nd Lt’s to the Officer’s Club and the Wing Anniversary celebration.
It was a fun evening. I was feeling pretty good, especially after she told me she had previously turned down several offers to go to the party. I was the new guy on base and NOBODY knew who I was. EVERYBODY knew who she was: She was an officer, female, and she’d been on station since last June.
We had seats kind of on the left side of the room, and I kept having this feeling that people at the head tables were staring at us. I mentioned it, and she said they probably were. They were the Wing Staff, and she briefed them everyday. They were probably wondering who she was with at the party.
No pressure.
There was food eaten, words spoken, things toasted. We probably danced for awhile, and mingled a bit. At some point we were done and I drove her back to her apartment.
We sat on her great couch and talked and watched TV for awhile. At some point I noticed she had fallen asleep. I wasn’t quite sure how I should take that, so I quietly put a blanket on her and slipped out.
The phone was probably ringing when I got back to my place. “Where did you go?” she asked. I explained that she had fallen asleep. “That’s because I felt really comfortable with you.”
Sold.
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