Twenty six years ago today, my beautiful bride and I got married in Hawaii. Three dauthers, two granddaughters and one grandson and 26 years later, and I think I love her more today than I did back then. April was a month I used to look forward to, it was spring, a month of celebration for us. Then in 1995 we decided to postpone our anniversary celebration until the weekend, its just a couple of days away. We were stationed in Oklahoma then, at Tinker AFB just outside Oklahoma City. It was two days past our anniversary, getting closer to the weekend. I followed my usual routine and her hers. I kissed her goodbye and went to work at 0630. After getting my morning reports done my buddy and I decided to go out for a smoke. The morning was beautiful, its gonna be a nice day we commented as we walked outside.
While we were BSing and enjoying a smoke we heard what we thought was another fighter jock going a little too fast causing a sonic boom. It happens now and then... It was 0902 19 April 1995. By the time we got back to our desks a minute or two later we were hearing the news... the Murrah Bldg had exploded. First reports were it was a gas leak that built up and went off, we found out later of course that wasnt the case. About 12 of us asked and got permission to go down to try to help with recover, crowd control what ever we could. Several of us had been in law enforcement, some in emergency operations at least one fireman.
We made out way down there and got put to work immediatly. Some doing crowd control, some doing security. Two friends of mine and I got asked to take medical supplies from Fire Station #1 to the Triage Center that was set up across the street from the building.
I wont go into details, Im sure youve heard it all or can imagine. The teams I worked with for the next 5 days, 16 hours a day will never be able to forget. We all pretty much stay in touch still, sometimes the only people you can talk with are ones that you share a bond with.
If you get the chance, find and read the book The Third Terrorist: The Middle East Connection to the Oklahoma City Bombing by Jayna Davis ISBN-13: 978-1595550149. Every anniversary myself and my team members write our congresscritters and the White House demanding an investigation and explaination and every year none of us get a single reply. Not even the usual BS form letter they send out blowing smoke up your arse about how they care and will look into somthing.
On April 19, 1995 our innocence as a nation was blown apart by 2 home grown terrorists. While 168 people lost their lives that day, many had their souls changed forever. After 9-11, the OKC bombing has been pushed to the back of many Americans memories just as some seem to have forgoten 9-11 already. Please, do not forget the victims!
On April 19, 1995 our innocence as a nation was blown apart by 2 home grown terrorists. While 168 people lost their lives that day, many had their souls changed forever. After 9-11, the OKC bombing has been pushed to the back of many Americans memories just as some seem to have forgoten 9-11 already. Please, do not forget the victims!
The lessons come from the journey... So Mote It Be!
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