Service to country, family and our little community in western North Carolina

April 2025--I've met some of the most incredible people over the past few years while spending winters in western North Carolina. A lot are from other areas of the country who settled in the mountains once they retired.

Some were originally from the Midwest, moved to Florida, and then came up to North Carolina. (They’re called halfbacks since they only went halfway back up north.) Some came from surrounding states just to be near the water and mountains and to enjoy moderate temperatures. (They’re called move-ins because they weren’t born and raised here, they moved in.)  While their backgrounds are all different, what’s the same is their personality, their hospitality, and their willingness to welcome the non-full-timers who only stay during the winter.  (We’re called snowbirds.)

Each has something unique about them. They’ve had incredible life stories to tell. I could write a bucket full about them. But there is one man in particular whose story I’d like to share today.

His name is JD. He moved to this little mountain town after visiting a lifelong, dear friend who had moved here. This place seemed like someplace he belonged, he said.  And that says something a lot about this town since JD has been all around the world.

JD was born in Pennsylvania and spent time in various states, either by choice or due to orders from the U.S. Navy. He started his studies at Juniata College in Huntington, Pennsylvania, but after his third semester, he transferred to Penn State, where he remained for just six weeks. Following that, he decided to hop into his 1953 Studebaker convertible and drive to Harrisburg to enlist in the Navy. “Naturally, my parents were quite upset about that decision, but it marked the beginning of the right path for me,” he said.

JD's passion for aircraft began as a young child, starting with building model airplanes. When he was a high school senior, his parents bought him a plane ticket to visit his uncle in Columbus, Ohio. “When I got off the plane and walked into the terminal, I looked up and saw a portrait of a pilot getting into an FJ-Fury jet. That made an imprint on me, and I thought that’s something I want to do.”

And he did.

He enlisted in the Navy in 1957, went on to the Naval Academy and qualified for flight training starting in December 1962. JD, whose call sign was “Fat Dawg,” got his wings in February of 1964. The training he received was put to the test in Vietnam when as a fighter pilot he flew 301 missions over the course of two tours: 201 in the F-8 Crusader and 100 missions in the F-4 Phantom.

He looks back on his time in Vietnam with sadness over the friends he lost and gratefulness that he was spared, especially after a very close call.

“The sophistication of the North Vietnamese, with the help of the Chinese, accelerated during the time we were involved there," he said. "They had Russian-made surface-to-air missiles designed to shoot down airplanes. Early in the war, radar had two modes—scan and attract. We had an instrument in the cockpit that had a warbling sound if we were being scanned, which meant we were in the arena of defense. And then if that changed to a higher pitch, that meant they were tracking and locked on to our aircraft."

“There was one occasion when the sequence happened, but I couldn’t see the missile. Then suddenly, in the rear view, I saw the missile come over the top of my aircraft. It was so close I could actually see the rivets holding the thing together. At that point, it should have exploded but for some reason, it didn’t. That was the catalyst that brought home a lot of reality that I was being carefully watched over there,” he said somberly.

Once his tours in Vietnam were completed, JD was accepted as a member of the prestigious Blue Angels, a two-year stint he recalls with great fondness, knowing it was quite an honor to be approved for this select group for the Navy. This group of elite pilots, since 1949, has been showcasing the excitement, precision, and power of naval aviation.

I asked him what he thought about the Blue Angels now having the team’s first female pilot, Lt. Amanda Lee. “She flew left wing and in the number four in the slot position. This is a very difficult position and she’s obviously doing very well to be slotted there,” he said, with a smile. It is quite an honor to be selected as a Blue Angel, and after listening to JD’s stories, I say the Blue Angels were blessed to have him.

And all of us in our little community are blessed to have him as a neighbor and friend. His wit, kindness, talents in the kitchen (the whole neighborhood loves his sourdough bread) his handsome smile, and great sense of humor add to what makes him a very special person who is so loved. Like everyone who meets JD, I too have enjoyed spending time with him and getting to know him.

I speak for all of us when I thank him for his service (and his bread!)

Remember to take it one day at a time...

JD in fighter plane cockpit.

JD and his sons.

JD in cockpit of his fighter plane. JD and his sons.

Pensacola 2024--alongside plane he once flew; enjoying time with son, David, and friend Bill Hickok, who accompanied JD on his trip.

A visit with the Browns and Marneris'. Enjoying the majestic mountain backdrop from his balcony.

If you're so inclined, please scroll past the photos below and leave a comment!

And, remember to always take it one day at a time...

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