Memories Rekindled

"A pictures worth a thousand words." - Napoleon Bonaparte

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"Don't be dismayed by good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends. " - Richard Bach

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Tom Dorsett, Mather AFB Feb 1987

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I recently started scanning my 35mm prints so I would have digital copies of my photos. I completed one of my ten photo albums and I hope I have the persistence to finish off about an album every two weeks. The picture of Tammy in my last post was one of my favorites and I was glad to rediscover that picture. As I started album number two I came across a photo of an old friend, Tom Dorsett. He and I lived in the Pensacola area during 70's and played little league baseball together for several years. My family moved from Pensacola in 1976 and never thought our paths would cross again. At LSU in 1981 Tom and I saw each other in a snack bar in Tiger Stadium. At the time Tom was living in a dorm room within the stadium itself. We discovered we were both in the Air Force ROTC program and over the next four years rekindled a friendship and were commissioned in May 1986. Our paths crossed again at Mather AFB in November of 1986 where we were both in navigator training. Tom would often come over to the apartment Tammy and I had rented just off base. He even brought over his gifts and spent Christmas morning with us in 1986 much to the chagrin of Tammy. Tom graduated from Nav school and his career eventually took him to Upper Heyford, UK where he was a Weapon System Officer (WSO) in a F-111 Aardvark Squadron. Sadly, Tom lost his life on a training mission February 5th, 1990 in the Wainfleet Range off the coast of Lincolnshire, UK.

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It is amazing all the thoughts and emotions from a single photo.

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Grace & Peace