- Jena
B-52 Crash.. remembering
It is with much reverence and respect, I am writing. Although I do not know the 6 crew members of the recent B-52 crash in Guam on July 21, 2008, I have much respect for them and their families. You see, I was once a young wife with young children waiting for my man in uniform to arrive safely home after his B-52 missions each night. Every day was a different “show time”. Every mission was a different “flight plan”. Every map was a new “chart”. After his grueling 16 hour day, he would come home in a JP4 smelling flight suit, hair all greasy from helmet head and lay head long on the living room floor. He wouldn’t even notice the candle-lit dinner I had prepared. He was too tired to eat it. I didn’t even mind that he didn’t eat it, as long as he was HOME.. and safe.
I don’t know what it was like for the other military wives, but for me, every second he was in the air was a full-time prayer meeting. Knowing that danger was always present in the air–combat or not– was always my concern.
Sure, you could tell me the plane was safe and had a good flight record. Sure, you could tell me we have a great training program and all that is true. But.. this.. a crash.. is every wife’s fear when her husband is a pilot.
Somewhere out there, there are grieving wives and children and parents and friends for these men. My husband has been out of the military for about 8 years now. I never realized how hard it was until we got out and I no longer lived in a stress capsule anymore. I can only imagine what they must be going through. May God give them strength.
For those of you reading, have you ever seen a B-52? It is enormous!! This is what it looked like the last time it crashed in 1994 (I think). Look how FAST it fell out of the sky!