We spent the afternoon on Horn Point, directly across from the academy, at the home of Hutchey Doley. The show was literally on top of us. It was so awesome and beautiful to watch. It was the second best place EVER to see The Blues - the first, being on Pensacola Beach, in July, for the Blue Angels hometown show. We would go when Mike was in flight school. We would hang out with a gang of student pilots and their girls, in the ocean, with a floating cooler in the center. THAT was heaven on earth!!!
We have seen the Blue Angels in every town where we have lived. For us, the Blues are a celebration of our military, our navy, and the tradition of naval aviation. I always wear my Wings of Gold when we go to see the blues, and I keep them on until the next special occasion comes along and I have to take them off. When I wear them, I remember the day that Mike earned his navy wings: January 12, 1996. It was absolutely my best day, next to my wedding day, at that point in my life. In the morning, while the SNAs (slang term for Student Naval Aviator) are filling out paper work, the families are treated to a reception of breakfast, drinks (it's the NAVY people!) and videos. The videos are amazing, and they tell the story of the grit, determination, brains, and yes, luck that it takes to become a navy pilot. I started to cry during the movie, and I didn't stop for the rest of the day.
After the morning, we went out to lunch. (We lived in Corpus Christi, TX, and we ate at the Water Street Oyster House every chance that we could get.) We then returned to the base for the winging at the Officer's Club. One by one, the pilots were called up to be pinned by a special family member. Mike's mom and I each pinned on a side of his wings. After that the pilots gave wings to their girls. The married guys winged their wives, the single guys winged their moms. I was still crying...had not stopped since breakfast...when Mike winged me!
After the Winging, everyone goes to the bar at the O-Club to politely drink tea. Hee hee! People go to completely go nuts! It's super fun! I don't know if this is still the tradition in the "New Navy" or not...but the pilots have the wings literally pounded into their chests. People come to congratulate them, then they pull back and take a huge hit on the wings! Some legendary pilots that we know went home with bloody shirts on their winging day! We have Mike's first wings in a frame at the house. They are completely bent in the middle.
On that wonderful day, John Gillespie Magee, Jr.'s famous poem was read:
HIGH FLIGHT
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .
Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
When I think of Mike, and his service to our country, I do not feel pride. I feel complete gratitude for the opportunity that I had, and have, to stand beside him on his journey. I feel such happiness for him that he was able to achieve a dream that started when he first witnessed Han Solo rocking through space. Mike's navy career has been such a gift to us in so many ways...thank you, Mike!!!
Looking up with joy!
Grownups look up with joy, too!
The view of the academy from Horn Point
Pilots' girls love to wear their wings!
