Merchelle and website creator Will Tack
Litchfield teacher/student pilot Merchelle and her friend Will Tack were waiting to see their friend and mine Dr. Jay Bruninga down the hall from AeroKnow Museum. Jay had a patient, and while waiting, the traveling twosome wandered into my downstairs office. It was simpatico from the get-go. Merchelle showed me the article the Litchfield newspaper had written about her teaching her students about flying and her recent progress with a learner’s permit in her pocket. Jay had signed off on her student physical. As I showed them the downstairs office resources, they told me about a new website that encourage all veterans of military service to share their memories and photos online.
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Will Tack served in the air with the US Navy before discharging from that service and enlisting in the USAF. He flew as crew on P2Vs and ground crew with Illinois Air National Guard F-84Fs and F-4s. Time was terribly tight during their visit to Springfield. They had to return home, 40 miles straight south of SPI, and Jay’s patient was in no hurry to sashay away. That’s as it should be. Flying is serious business, and missing something during a flight physical can have grave consequences, pun intended.
Remembering a remarkable airplane at AKM.
There were promises to keep at home, but Merchelle and Will gave me My Military Hero business cards and contact information. They departed with AKM brochures, and promised to visit this museum again as soon as possible. I look forward to that visit and to showing them around upstairs.
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There was no time left to linger. The service receptionist Beth advised them to simply stick their heads into Dr. Jay’s office — after knocking first, of course — to give him the article and high-tail home, and that’s what they did. Later, I visited the My Military Hero website
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http://www.mymilitaryhero.us
and for more information, to write
info@mymilitaryhero.us
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I visited their website, and I intend to return often. I hope you will too.
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May your skies be CAVU, and may you always return . . . . softly . . . . to home!
Abe Lincoln's Air Force 