Chapter 7: Standin’ Tall

“Sergeant Donovan, what the hell am I going to do with you?” groaned Lieutenant Colonel Walker.

“Command me sir.” Technical Sergeant Wedge Donovan was standing at attention in Lieutenant Colonel Walker’s office as the commander of the 80th Fighter Squadron leafed through the papers on his desk.

“I try to, sergeant, and you cut me off at every pass. It says here that you convinced Lieutenant Stone to relieve Technical Sergeant Johnson of his position and to allow you to expedite the entire weapons flight by yourself on Day Shift. Then when an exercise kicked off and you got your silly ass killed...”

“In my defense sir, I was not dumb dead. Sergeant Dawson and I were...”

“This is my office Wedge, let me finish chewing your ass ... It’s my job.” He shook his head and continued. “I don’t know, and I don’t want to know what you and Roxie were doing to get your asses killed. You left the flight line in the hands of two staff sergeants and...” He began reading from a document in front of him.

“ ... the combined efforts of Technical Sergeant Donovan, Staff Sergeant Hayden, and Staff Sergeant Strobel was instrumental in giving the Eightieth Fighter Squadron a rating of Excellent, the highest rating for the Juvats in over two years. The Exercise Evaluation Team said that they have never seen such responses to shifting exercise needs by weapons expediters. The training you gave Staff Sergeant Hayden and Staff Sergeant Strobel reflect credit on the Eightieth Fighter Squadron, the Eighth Fighter Wing, the Pacific Air Forces and the United States Air Force, signed Colonel Pitcairn, Commander, Wolfpack.”

“I won’t let it happen again, sir,” kidded Wedge as Colonel Walker handed him the letter of commendation from the Wing Commander.

“I knew the day I first saw you and Roxie that you were going to be trouble,” grinned the commander. “Keep it up.” And he returned Wedge’s salute.

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