22 Years, 16 Days, 12 Hours

My second and third encounter with a general officer was with Lieutenant General John Murphy who had come up to Beale on a visit. He flew a couple of sorties and was on his way to Colonel Serug the new wing commander’s office. I had a stack of flight time computer keypunch cards, and it was time for me to take them to the processing area. I had so many boxes I could not see over them. I backed out of the door and WHAM! I hit the general and he hit the deck. I should have left it at that. But, oh no. I let out a line of expletives that would embarrass a sailor. I turned to my side to see who I bumped into and low and behold three stars were reflecting off the sun and straight into my eyes. “Out of all the people in the air force I had to run into him.” The taxi driver saw the whole thing and was busting a gut. Colonel Serug says.
“I want to see you when you get back.”
“Yes sir.”
In the taxi “I am going to be in jail with Hulda. What is going to happen to my family”? When I arrived back at the office Jo-Jo said.
“The colonel is waiting to see you.”
I went downstairs and the secretary told me “Jackson the colonel is waiting.”
I knocked on the door and I heard.
“Come.”
As I stood at attention and saluted.
“Sir, Airman Jackson reports as ordered.”
“What were you thinking when you knocked the general down?”
“I was trying not to drop the boxes.”
“What was in the boxes that were so important?”
“Yours’s and the general’s flight time.”
“Wait a minute that was my flight time and the general’s flight time?
“Yes sir. And anyone else who flew today.”
“And you did not drop one card.”
“No sir.” There was silence. “What can I say to stay in?”
“What do you have to say for yourself?”
“Sir I should have looked before I opened my big mouth, and I would accept any punishment you give me.”