My Jack Daniels story:

[trof]

I was a hot shot fighter pilot flying the RF-84/F in the Alabama Air national Guard.

Those 'black' patches on the nose were actually plexiglass windows. Camera bays.
We were a photo recon squadron.

One Saturday in November I went out to the guard base (Birmingham Municipal Airport) to fly a couple of training sorties. Squadron pilots did this almost every week end to keep up our proficiency. If we had some time off during the week, we'd be out there too.

When I checked in at Base Ops I was surprised to see the general sitting there. He was our wing commander and CO of the whole Alabama Air Guard.
"Lt. trof, I got a mission for you."
"YESSIR!
"Here are your target coordinates. You got color film. I want left oblique photos at 1000 feet and 500 feet."
"YESSIR!

COLOR FILM!?
We ALWAYS used black and white.
I'd never had color film loaded before (or since).
This must be a BIG deal.
I grabbed a nav map and plotted the lat-long coordinates he'd given me.
Something near Lynchburg, Tennessee.
Hunh.

I walked out to the parachute shack, grabbed my chute and helmet and walked out to the bird.
Did the pre-flight, strapped in, cranked 'er up, taxied out to the runway and took off.
I was over Lynchburg in a little over half an hour.
I first made a low pass to identify the target.
It was the Jack Daniels distillery.
A light snow had fallen the night before.
It was a very picturesque scene.

I lined up and took the photos from 1000 feet, then made a second pass for the ones at 500 feet.
Returned to Birmingham.
The general was waiting for me back at Base Ops.
"You get those shots OK?"
"YESSIR!
"Good man."

I flew another sortie that afternoon, all the while thinking "What the hell was THAT all about?"
About a week before Christmas, I got the answer.
I received a Christmas card from the general.
The first and only Christmas card I ever got from him.
And on the front was...aw, you guessed it...my beautiful color photo of the Jack Daniels distillery in the snow.

[frogmarch]

1. What a great story!

Thanks for sharing it here, Trof.

I love it!

[trof]

3. Thanks.

The Air Guard, at least in Alabama, was pretty laid back in the 60s.
Nothing like the Guard is today.

We jokingly called our squadron The Birmingham Alabama Gentlemen's Flying Club.
We didn't go to war because our airplanes were hopelessly obsolete.
The 84 became obsolete during the Korean 'police action'.

As long as I was logging my required monthly flying time I pretty much had an 84 waiting for me on the ramp to do with whatever I wanted to.

I could visit friends and relatives in distance cities as long as there was an air force base there or nearby.
Fly to Vegas (Nellis AFB) for a night at the tables.

It wasn't really a 'waste' of taxpayer money.
You had to get your flying time in to remain current.
Didn't much matter whether you went someplace or just bored holes over Birmingham.

[MiddleFingerMom]

2. Not sure about now, but we used to think it the height of irony that Lynchburg was in a dry county..

.
.
.
... (which means no retail alcohol sales -- bar, restaurant OR liquor store).
.
.
.
While I was stationed at Ft Campbell, KY (which straddled the Kentucky/Tennessee border), the
counties on both sides of the border were dry on Sundays (they changed even in the time I was
there).
.
We were DEDICATED drinkers.
.
We'd take a couple of cars with a couple of designated drivers and drive 40 miles (I think) down
to the Nashville Airport and its international terminal (which was exempt from all county and
state liquor laws) and drink enormous amounts of pina coladas (we were kinda perverse like dat).
.
.
.
Of course, Monday morning 6 AM formations (and their ensuing 2-mile runs) were NOT pleasant
occasions.
.
"Sgt. MiddleFingerMom!!! Stop shouting for Ralph and catch up to the rest of us!!!"
.
.
.

[trof]

4. Yeah, ain't that weird?

We visited the distillery a few years ago.
We were offered a drink of the SPRING WATER they use to make the whiskey.

[HopeHoops]

5. LOL! That's GREAT!

[trof]

6. Thanks. It was a fun time in my life.