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!