Over the Pacific

[Flight 33]

The flight into the night seemed quiet.  Most everyone slept.  But morning light started to show and I had to visit the restroom.  First time in a jet airliner toilet.  I brought my shaving kit and freshened up.  As I left the restroom I found lines starting to form.  My God.  All these people and so few restrooms.  Back to my seat and looking out the window at the lighting sky .  Six or so hours had passed and our fueling rendezvous at Hawaii was now here.  We landed and were allowed to disembark for a half hour or so. 
Early morning and warm.  It had been raining but had apparently stopped.  Everything was dripping wet. 
I walked around the the terminal lobby.  Lots of military.  Green Berets too.  Their chests full of medals.  I only had a National Defense Ribbon.  Oh well, I'm the new kid on the block.  And at that time medals to me were not a priority.
 
Soon it was time to reboard.  Some of the original passengers stayed, and new ones took their place. 
With fresh fuel, supplies, and cargo we took off. 
Shortly afterwards breakfast was served.  Hmm-  eggs, hot cakes, toast, pastries, fruit, cereal, juice, and coffee.  It was good.
The stewardesses had their hands full serving all 180 or so passengers. 
After breakfast I settled in with my book.  It was mid morning now and I looked out the window more than at my book.  The Pacific was far below.  I gazed up at the sky above and it was dark up there.  So close to outer space.  I'm sure we were between 35,000 and 40,000 feet in altitude.  I looked back down at the sea.  And there, so far below, was a tiny sliver of a white line on the water.  The wake of a ship.
My understanding of jetliner flight was starting to sink in now.  But with that understanding came the thought of what was there to do for the next 16 to 18 hours of flight? 
No movies, no cell phones, no DVDs.  It was 1969 you see.
Just sleep, eat, read, and go to the restroom.  My God.
My seat mates were just military guys like me.  We chatted, talked about where we're going, what our jobs were, girlfriends, and home.
Well that took up about an hour at best.
Then I'm reminded that there a women and children onboard as a mother escorts her young son down the aisle to the restroom. 
Thoughts of possibly being assigned to a dependents clinic at my new duty station come to mind. 
Won't know till I get there I guess.
The seconds, minutes, hours crawled by on hands and knees.
Then finally lunch.  Now I know what caged animals at the zoo feel like when all they have to look forward to is their next meal. 
Lunch is good, soups, salads, sandwiches, chips, soft drinks, juices, cookies, and fruit.
This will hold me till dinner for sure.
A relaxing smoke now.  Yes, smoking was allowed.  Little air suction grids in the armrest ashtrays captured the smoke.  And I think suction from above too.
Well maybe a little nap now, I doze off.
When I awake a couple of hours later I look out the window.  It's mid afternoon.  The sun racing ahead of us now as we continue west.
More chit chat, a little reading, restroom, look out the window, another smoke.  Funny, I didn't smoke or drink until I was in the service.  Part of the military life style then it seemed.  But even  a pack of cigarettes lasted me two or three days.  And they were only 35 cents a pack.  Didn't really drink a lot either.  Two to three beers tops when I did indulge. 
Wrote a letter home.  Just wrote about the trip up to then.  I Will mail it when we land.

Then suddenly a jolt!  Then another!  It was the plane!  And it started moving up and down in short jumps.  As if a big hand on the outside had a grip on us and was trying to shake us out of our seats!  I gripped my armrests.  My seats mates did the same.  They had surprised looks on their faces.  The shaking continued now non stop.  Everything was shaking.  I heard a woman scream.  I heard swearing.  The shaking continued.
I became scared and heard myself grunt to the movement.  The 'Fasten Your Seat Belts' sign was on.  I buckled up.  A few people walking in the aisle trying to keep their balance and get back to their seats.  Looking out the window I saw the wing moving up and down, as if almost to flap.  I had a scared thought of something bad going to happen. The shaking continued. 
Then all of a sudden stopped. 
Everything was smooth again. 
The pilots voice came over the PA and said everything was ok and we had just gone through a little rough turbulence.
He sounded so calm, as if it was a normal thing. 
A few left over moans, a baby crying.  Nobody hurt, we're all ok.  My God, a little rough turbulence my a**!
That shaking probably lasted about 15 to 20 seconds.
But seemed like an eternity.
I've never been so scared in my life.  I lit up a smoke.  My hand was shaking a little too.

Apparently someone had vomited because I could smell it.  The stewardesses were comforting and very helpful with getting everyone calmed down.  Even cleaned up the messes God bless 'em.
As I looked out the window I thought about it.  No place for an emergency landing.  A wing coming off at 39,000 feet?  What would it be like.  Crashing into the middle of the Pacific Ocean .  I dismissed the thoughts.  I would later learn that the Boeing 707 was thought to be one of the best designed and constructed flying machines of all time.  And that a test pilot once did a barrow role in it.  Who am I to question that?  I just know now that it holds together in rough flight.
Time resumes it's march.

Dinner with a setting sun, and what a sunset!  And what a dinner!  Beef, Fish, and Chicken dishes, Salads, Soups, beverages (no alcohol), deserts, the works.  I had to loosen a few buttons on my bell bottoms. 
A welcome diversion
Afterwards a smoke, a little reading, then finally sleep.

And what a sunrise!
Morning routine. Fine breakfast. And settle in for the days flight.  It wasn't long before we crossed the International Dateline and leaped ahead one day from the world behind us.
And then came Wake Island , a stopover.   Actually it's an atoll.  Three skinny islands with water in the middle. One skinny Island has an airstrip. That's Wake Island .  The pilot had to tell us exactly where to look because it's damn small.  We're gonna land on that? We have to.  Our engines are thirsty for fuel.  Before we knew it the airstrip was right below us, and touchdown!  Our flaps and brakes slowed us, we gradually stopped and turned around.  We could easily see the end of the runway.  My God what a landing.  Smooth as silk on a short runway on a micro dot of an island.  What brilliant pilots and aircrew we had.  Landing that huge aircraft here.  I think there were a few cheers and hand claps.
It's refueling and stretch our legs on solid ground for a while.  But it's hot as hell and I'm in winter blues.  I have my summer white uniform in my duffle.  I'll just go change in the lobby's head and- what!  There's about eighty guys in there doing the same thing.  HA!
Not much on this barren atoll.  Pretty flat, no jungle, no real trees, only sage brush and sand.  And it's so bright!  Bright, barren and hot.  That's Wake Island.  But people live here.  Military and government workers manning the control tower, airstrip and other facilities.  Must be rough.
Again we lift off with the four big engines sounding like rockets and clear the end of the runway.  We climb fast and hard and we're pressed into our seats. 
Last leg of the flight now.
On to Clark Air Force Base in the P.I..  Time seems to be flying by now.  Before we know it.  It's time for lunch.  Again good food.  A smoke, a nap.
I'm awaken by a PA announcement by the stewardesses to fill out forms and stuff.  It seems the ride is nearing the end.
An hour later we're informed of the weather conditions and temperature as we approach the airstrip to Clark AFB near Angeles City , Philippine Islands .
Another smooth landing.
We taxi to our unloading area, and stop.
The pilot thanks us and instructs us to follow the stewardesses instructions.
This time  loud cheers and hearty applause follow for him, his aircrew and stewardesses.  And I mean from all of us.  God Bless 'Em!
The doors open, and the Philippine air comes in. 
I'm in a distant land now.  My new home.