DUTY, HONOR and ADVENTURE

By Ralph Herron

DUTY, HONOR and ADVENTURE by Dr. Ralph H. Herron

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781641385114

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DUTY, HONOR and ADVENTURE

Dr. Ralph H. Herron

Copyright © 2018 Dr. Ralph H. Herron

All rights reserved

First Edition

Page Publishing, Inc

New York, NY

First originally published by Page Publishing, Inc 2018

ISBN 978-1-64138-509-1 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64138-511-4 (Digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Chapter 1

The Beginning

October 1953

Keesler Air Force Base

Biloxi, Mississippi

Being on a troop ship was not the way I had planned on spending my twentieth birthday. This was to be a special day, a very special day, because today I would no longer be a teenager. The group at our hangout, the Keesler Airman’s Club, had planned a big party for me. The last I heard, they were still going to have the party even though I would not be there!

As the saying goes, We had it made. We were instructors in Radio Operator School at Keesler Air Force Base, located in southern Mississippi. We only worked seven hours a day, and our living quarters were only two blocks from that beautiful Mississippi Beach on the Gulf of Mexico. President Eisenhower had done what he promised to do and there was now a truce in Korea, the fighting was supposedly stopped. That took a lot of pressure off.

However, after several months of this routine duty, life was becoming monotonous and the daily routine was entirely too predictable. Finally, one warm Tuesday evening in October, Digger, Gary, George, and I were sitting in the Airmen’s Club bemoaning the fact that we were marooned on this island of tranquility, located right in the middle of the ocean of nothingness. Life was passing us by. The longer we sat there, the sorrier we felt for ourselves until it was unanimously decided that we really were not being treated fairly by the Air Force. As the melodramatic evening progressed, we gained six more converts, all instructors, who enthusiastically agreed with us.

Just before midnight, George, with a helping hand from Digger, stood up and proposed that the ten of us take an oath that we would all sign up for the first shipment overseas. As one man we all stood and drank a toast to George’s proposal. Then amidst comments concerning George’s brilliant idea and how we would all sink or swim together, twenty hands joined together over the table in a solemn vow to get even with the Air Force! We were going to ship out!

There was nothing left to do now but throw our glasses in the fireplace, just like the British Fliers did in the World War II movies before they flew off into the sunset on a dangerous mission. However, the Airman’s Club did not have a fireplace. After giving the idea much thought and serious discussion, we again stood, drank our final toast, and with an overwhelming feeling of esprit de corps, threw our glasses at the door of the ladies’ room. It was usually only used be Millie the barmaid, and anyway, it was her night off. Then we marched back to our living quarters, arm in arm, loudly singing some rather terrifying verses of Sing Me Another One.

Call it fate or coincidence, but the next morning on the bulletin board in the orderly room, there was a special notice: Volunteers are needed for Japan. Please sign below. You will be notified if you are accepted. Okay. I believe that life is meant to be an adventure, not just an existence, but I decided that I needed a few more days to think it over before I made that kind of an adventure decision. But Digger wanted to go to Japan, so he signed up.

After we completed our duty and teaching for that day, I and my friend, George, got a pass to go into town that evening and maybe have some fun in Biloxi. Neither of us had any idea that before this day was over, our lives would be drastically changed. Keesler Air Force Base, with its thousands of students enrolled in the Radio and Radar Technical Schools wasn’t the most exciting place. In fact, duty there was usually very routine. But living and working within walking distance of the beach was a definite advantage.

I had joined the Air Force after I graduated from high school looking for something different. Living at home was very pleasant but not what you could call exciting. While I was waiting for something to happen, I took a job in a grocery store stocking shelves and helping elderly ladies carry groceries to their cars. Nice work but not very motivating.

And then one day, out of nowhere, it happened. I would dream and daydream about adventure. Anything, I thought, would be better than stocking shelves, and that is exactly what I was doing when an Air Force Officer walked up to me and asked, Excuse me, sir, could you tell me where I can find the canned tomatoes? I turned around to give him directions, and all I saw was the blue uniform and the shiny brass buttons. Adventure! Oh yes, I said, they’re in the next aisle. Let me show you. And walking very erect like a military cadet, I did. So right in front of the canned tomatoes, I talked to the officer, who also just happened to be an Air Force recruiter, and made an appointment to take my dad to meet him the next day. Four weeks later, I eagerly reported for basic training in Texas. The big adventure was about to begin.

After basic training, I was assigned to the radio technical school at Keesler Air Force Base. I completed that program and then signed on to be an instructor. I shared a room with George, another teacher, and we soon became good friends.

George had grown up in New York City. He had enlisted after graduating from high school and completing two years of college. He was a talented musician, and he was looking to experience life outside of the big city.

Riding the bus into Biloxi, I told George that I would like to go to that theatre down off Main Street. There was a Bob Hope movie I wanted to see.

You mean Paleface?

Yeah, I replied. That’s the one. It’s got Jane Russell in it.

Look, Slim, he replied, I don’t care if we go there, but I don’t think I can get in.

Why not? Hey, man, I’ll loan you the money for the ticket if that’s the problem.

That’s not the problem, George replied. I’ve got the money, but I’m not a paleface and they may not let me in. The last time I tried to get in there, they told me the balcony was full and to try later.

No problem, man. I’ll buy the tickets, and we can walk in together. Besides, we’re both in uniform and they ain’t gonna kick us out!

George just shook his head. He had already experienced life as a colored man in Mississippi. Being military didn’t make any difference. Later he told me that he thought that if I saw it happen to him, then I would understand. Okay, Slim, I’ll go with you, but be prepared.

When we arrived at the theatre, I went to the ticket window. Two please, I said, and I handed the girl the money. Oh, I’m sorry, she said as she returned the money. The balcony is full. Oh, that’s okay, I said as I again gave her the money. I don’t want to sit in the balcony. I want to sit on the main floor. And you can, she said, but your friend can only sit in the balcony and it is full."

I was not about to take no for an answer, so I demanded that she sell me two tickets. She refused and finally called the manager, who explained that policy was policy and they did not make any exceptions, period. George grabbed me by the arm and pulled me away from the ticket window. Let’s go, now! he told me. I’m not going anyplace, I told him as I jerked my arm back, and if they won’t let us in, I’m gonna call the cops!

Slim, you don’t know what you’re doing. Let’s get out of here—now!

I was furious, and as George was pulling me away from the ticket window, I flipped the manager the bird.

Now, Slim, do you believe me? Come on, he said as we headed for the bus station, let’s get out of here before we really get in trouble. All I could do was grumble and wave my arms in frustration.

When we reached the bus station, I saw the two drinking fountains, one labeled White and the other labeled Colored. I had seen them before but hadn’t paid any attention to them. But now it was different. Hey, man, I said in a loud voice, I’m thirsty. Think I’ll get a drink of water. I went to the white fountain and took a drink. Then I went to the colored fountain and took a drink. Hey, man, I yelled, they both taste the same!

Shut up, said George. You don’t know what you’re doing!

Sure I do, I yelled back at him. I just got a drink of water! By then, most of the people in the bus station were watching.

Hey, man, I yelled at George. I gotta go to the bathroom. I pointed to the colored men’s restroom. Oh, there it is! I said as I walked over to it and entered. When I came out, an angry crowd had gathered, including a law officer. George motioned to me to shut my mouth, but I wasn’t about to do that. Instead, I walked to the white restroom, looked in, came out, and told the crowd that they both looked the same but I liked the colored one better.

The officer walked over, took hold of my elbow, and suggested that I quietly leave the bus station. No way, man, I’m gonna wait here for my bus. Okay?

George tried talking to the officer and told him that I was from the north and didn’t understand the south. By then, a very angry and verbal crowd was watching. Two more officers arrived, and I and George were cuffed and taken to the sheriff’s office.

Sheriff Durkin was sitting behind his desk when we were brought in. Still cuffed, we were told to stand in front of his desk. I started to talk and a deputy grabbed me by the shirt sleeve, turned me around, got right in my face, and yelled at