Quote:
A TOAST ONE NIGHT DURING A BOMBING RAID ON HANOI, CAPTAIN JERRY COFFEE,
U.S.
NAVY, PEEKED OUT OF HIS CELL WINDOW AND WATCHED A FLIGHT OF FOUR
F-105'S DURING THEIR BOMBING RUN. AS THEY PULLED UP, IT WAS OBVIOUS
LEAD WAS BADLY HIT.
TRAILING SMOKE, HE BROKE FROM THE FORMATION AND JERRY WATCHED THE
DAMAGED BIRD UNTIL IT DISAPPEARED FROM SIGHT. HE PRESUMED THE WORST.
AS HE LAY THERE IN HIS CELL REFLECTING ON THE IMAGE, HE COMPOSED A
TOAST TO THE UNFORTUNATE PILOT AND ALL THE OTHERS WHO HAD GONE BEFORE AND SINCE HIM.

ON NEW YEAR'S EVE, 1968, CAPTAIN TOM STOREY AND JERRY WERE IN THE
STARDUST SECTION OF HOA LO (wa-low) PRISON. JERRY WHISPERED THE TOAST
UNDER THE DOOR TO TOM. TOM WAS ENTHRALLED AND DESPITE THE RISK OF
TERRIBLE PUNISHMENT, INSISTED JERRY REPEAT IT SEVERAL MORE TIMES UNTIL
HE HAD IT COMMITTED TO MEMORY. HE THEN PROMISED JERRY WHEN THE TIME
CAME AND THEY WERE AGAIN FREE MEN, HE WOULD GIVE THE TOAST AT THE FIRST
DINING IN HE ATTENDED. (for the non-military this is a formal dinner,
usually with an informal shall we say hoopla after the formal part, for
military Officers and/or NCO's only, a most significant affair, dress
blues and tennis shoes)

TOM'S FIRST ASSIGNMENT FOLLOWING RELEASE IN 1973 WAS TO THE USAF ACADEMY.
DURING THAT SAME YEAR THE ACADEMY HOSTED THE ANNUAL AIR FORCE
CONFERENCE FOR GENERAL OFFICERS AND THE ASSOCIATED DINING IN. TOM
FOUND HIMSELF SEATED WITH GENERALS CURTIS LEMAY AND JIMMY DOOLITTLE
(TWO MEN OF HEROIC PROPORTIONS IN THEIR OWN RIGHTS). THE JOVIAL
CLINKING OF GLASSES ACCOMPANIED ALL THE TRADITIONAL SPEECHES AND
TOASTS. THEN IT WAS TOM'S TURN.

REMEMBERING HIS PROMISE SO MANY YEARS AGO, HE PROPOSED JERRY'S "ONE
MORE ROLL." WHEN HE WAS FINISHED, THERE WAS TOTAL SILENCE. TO THE MEN
IN THAT ROOM, MEN WHO SPENT THEIR CAREERS FLYING INTO COMBAT AND LAYING
THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE, IT WAS A STUNNING TOAST, AND ONE THEY WOULD
NEVER FORGET PLEASE STAND AND RAISE YOUR GLASSES FOR A SILENT TOAST TO
OUR COMRADES IN ARMS.

"WE TOAST OUR HEARTY COMRADES WHO HAVE FALLEN FROM THE SKIES, AND WERE
GENTLY CAUGHT BY GOD 'S OWN HANDS TO BE WITH HIM ON HIGH, TO DWELL
AMONG THE SOARING CLOUDS THEY HAVE KNOWN SO WELL BEFORE, FROM VICTORY
ROLL TO TAIL CHASE, AT HEAVEN'S VERY DOOR, AND AS WE FLY AMONG THEM
THERE, WE'RE SURE TO HEAR THEIR PLEA:
TAKE CARE MY FRIEND, WATCH YOUR SIX, AND DO ONE MORE ROLL FOR ME."

A SILENT TOAST TO ALL OUR POWs, MISSING IN ACTION, AND OUR COMRADES . . .
IN GOD WE TRUST