California lite

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

At the moment Ann and I are enjoying a short stay in Merced, Calif. Merced about the size of McCook when we lived here in the early '70s left a good impression on our hearts. At the time I had the best job in the world; that of teaching pilots to fly my all time favorite KC-135. Our children started in the excellent grade schools here and learned a little Spanish along with their English. Merced, in the middle of the San Joaquin valley, is a garden spot producing all manner of vegetables, dairy, artichoke, raisins, wine grapes, olives and especially almonds. My next door neighbor raised rice -- two fields -- 800 acres of rice! Another neighbor down at the end of the cul-de-sac raised corn for Frito Lay and his next door neighbor got shot down over North Vietnam, the pilot of a B-66 called "Bat 21." Our neighbor never came back, though his navigator's rescue became the subject of a book and later TV movie "Bat 21." Wonderful memories and good friends native Californians Jim and Diane Glidden still live here.

To Read More
Subscribe Sign In
Continue reading with a subscription
Subscription options