4
CityLight.org
april 2012
O
ne of the
s c a r i e s t
moments in my
life occurred on
my first mis-
sion over Hanoi
during the Viet
Nam War. I was
a Wild Weasel
flying an F 105 fighter jet when my
engine quit just 15 miles from Ha-
noi. I quickly realized it quit due to
lack of fuel and I instinctively turned
on the auxiliary fuel tank and hit the
air start button hoping to put power
back into my 27-ton flying ma-
chine that was falling toward earth,
even as enemy Flak was exploding
all around me. It worked, but hav-
ing evaded the massive gunfire in
the process, I realized being down
to that one auxiliary tank of fuel, I
was going to have another hurdle.
The airborne tanker with the fuel I
needed to get home was still a long
way off - miles out over the Gulf of
Tonkin. Whether I had enough fuel
to get to that flying gas station was
very much in question.
I breathed my second sigh of relief
as the shoreline of North Viet Nam
went beneath me, leaving the enemy
and the gunfire behind. But now
would I face the prospect of an ejec-
tion into the Gulf of Tonkin? Could
I survive in a one-man life raft hun-
dreds of miles from home hoping to
be rescued by the US Navy before
the enemy found me?
I could hear my flight lead joining up
with the tanker somewhere out over
the Gulf. The tanker was starting a
turn to the south, away from me, and
my flight leader was encouraging
him to continue flying north.
Local Events &
Points of Interest
THURSDAY · APRIL 5th
ARTS AT SHANDON:
"THE DEATH OF JESUS" BY GRAUN
SHANDON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
607 WOODROW STREET | COLUMBIA, SC
TUESDAY · APRIL 10th
"NOT YOUR PARENT'S CHURCH"
PRESENTED BY BUILDING GOD'S WAY
COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN CONVENTION CENTER
1101 LINCOLN STREET, COLUMBIA, SC
TUESDAY · APRIL 17th
"HOLOCAUST CANTATA"
GREEN STREET UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
1106 GREEN ST, COLUMBIA, SC
FRIDAY · APRIL 20th
ARTS AT SHANDON: UPTON TRIO
SHANDON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
607 WOODROW STREET | COLUMBIA, SC
FRIDAY · APRIL 20th
COLUMBIA BAROQUE SOLOISTS CONCERT:
"GRACEFUL GAMBA & PASSIONATE CELLO"
REFORMATION LUTHERAN CHURCH
1118 UNION STREET, COLUMBIA, SC
FRIDAY · MAY 25th
GREATER ST. LUKE BAPTST CHURCH - ROAST
COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN CONVENTION CENTER
1101 LINCOLN STREET, COLUMBIA, SC
SUNDAY · JUNE 3rd
ARTS AT SHANDON: PHOTO CONTEST & EXHIBIT
SHANDON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
607 WOODROW STREET, COLUMBIA, SC
-------------------------------------------------------------
FOR A FULL LIST OF LOCAL EVENTS VISIT:
www.ColumbiaCVB.com
A G
l i n t
i n
GOD'S EYE
Continued on pg 29
By Joe Grimaud