NO SWEAT

Now it’s your turn . . . safety  belts tightened again . . . reach for a metal blister frame or some other solid reassurance  . . . “Crew Standby for takeoff”, . . .all engines wound out, brakes released . . . a deep breath and  “Crew . . . We’re rollin!”

On the takeoff roll there was just enough time to say the usual prayers . . . twice . . . always twice . . . once was not enough . . . The Lord’s Prayer  . . . twice . . . and then the only other prayer I ever really knew and know today . . . and  say today . . . before  every flight I have ever taken in the past fifty years . . . “Now I lay me down to sleep . . . ”  TWICE!

You knew every eye on that flight line was watching . . . from every  hardstand  position , every ramp level up the terraced side of  Kadena . . . from every maintenance engine dock . . . from the tower  . . . every viewpoint . . . all watching . . .  probably   holding their collective breath as much as the crew within the rolling ship! And the next ship in line was already cranking up their full power before yours broke ground. But now you were past the point of thumps and bumps on the gear . . . starting to float a  little  on the  struts . . . and the A.C. ( Aircraft Commander) holds it down, forward on the yoke a little . . . gaining more speed . . . air speed . . . precious air speed for a margin of safety if an engine fails  now . . . and at this point  some comedian  always said on interphone “EVERYBODY STAND UP  . . . and JUMP”, like that was gonna lighten the load and help us get off . . . Bombardier calling out “115 . . . point of no-return . . . 120 . . . 125 . . . 26 . . . 27 . . . 28 . . . 30 . . . 35” . . . two miles and a minute later  . . . a lifting of the gear more than a “takeoff” and we were airborne  . . . a very slow gradual slogging climb out over the beach just feet above The East China Sea, usually a setting sun low over the water  . . . and you  were on your way.  The Gunner/Scanners reports, with various grinding and thunking noises in between . . . “Left flap and Gear comin’ up, 1 & 2 lookin’ OK”!  “Right flap and gear comin’ up, 3 & 4 lookin’ OK”.  “Left flap and Gear full up, nacelle doors closed, 1 & 2 lookin’ Ok”!  “Right flap and gear full up, nacelle doors closed, 3 & 4 lookin’ OK”! The Engineers report  . . . “The Panel is green, lookin’ good . . . we’re clean A.C.”  . . .  Navigator’s directions . . . .. “A.C., take a heading of   350 degrees” . . . almost due North . . . to Korea!

While roaring down that runway you found yourself almost rocking forward as you might have in a coaster wagon some years before . . . to  gain momentum . . . gain speed   . . . gain ALTITUDE! “Go you big son of a bitch . . .   go . . . GO . . . .GO!” And there were all the curious lining the runway . . . hands waving, “V for Victory” signs . . .  Index finger to thumb “OK signs”, Thumbs up signs . . . and even some Middle finger signs”.  . . . perhaps a knowing crewmember that for whatever reason didn’t have to make this mission . . . but knew HIS sign would be seen above all others!  SPLENDID! And the Army Antiaircraft Gun Crews off the end of your runway would impulsively flinch and duck as you roared over even they waved although they knew that on our way back in, about 10 hours later on final approach, we would try to dump our flight lunch trash on them to save post flight cleanup time . . . just good natured kid stuff!