Sharing Our Stories

Steve Smith
Conductor

My military service was from Aug.1, 1968 to Aug.1, 1972. I actually followed my dad's footsteps. He was in the Air Force from 1944 to his retirement in 1975. He was a pilot and served WW II, during the Cuban Missile crisis and in Vietnam. He retired as a lieutenant colonel.

I enlisted, and after boot camp at Lackland AFB, Texas , went to tech school at Chanute AFB, Ill. , for training as a mechanic on jets over two engines. My first year, I was a transient maintenance technician at Kelly field in Texas and we serviced medevac aircraft. On these aircraft, were evacuated burn victims to Brooks medical center in San Antonio . Some of the GI's were less than 24 hours off the battlefield, some having burns over 100 percent of their bodies. Another time, I was on a standby flight from Texas to Wright Patterson on another medevac aircraft and saw some very graphic disfigurement casualties. These sights will stay with me for life.

When I went to McGuire AFB, N.J., I worked on the C-141-A Starlifter aircraft. I performed scheduled maintenance, overhaul, engine run-ups, wash rack, etc. I also was honor guard with the burial team as a 21-gun salute member. I was involved with 15 burials for servicemen who gave their lives for their country. At most of the ceremonies I remember the emotion in the eyes of parents who lost loved ones, especially when they received the folded flag that was removed from the casket. The first burial was tough, but I learned to bury those feelings. Those same feelings would surface 20 plus years later while watching on TV the same emotion in the eyes of our generation of parents who lost children in Desert Storm.

My service to my country gave me some of the most poignant memories of my life, and I often find myself thinking back on them. What does it mean to me? I was honored to serve with true heroes of these United States. I also learned we are blessed to have men and women who will stand in harms way and give the ultimate for their country and say "Yes, I will serve and protect the United States of America!"

May God bless these heroes and protectors of our freedoms.