The location was the air base at Harlingen, Texas, where I was going through gunnery training. We had had several days of bad weather and we couldn't fly, so we had to make up for lost time in the air. I had been in the air for three different missions, which was about 13 hours in the air. It was dusk and I was very tired. I strolled from the flight line towards the barracks, hands in pockets (this was a no no), and didn't pay much attention to a figure approaching out of the gloom.

The person passed. I then was hailed by the figure. I turned and noticed the Eagles on his shoulder, I saluted, and the Colonel (John. R. Morgan) said:

"I want to see you in my office at 10 hours, and I don't mean 1 minute before and I don't mean 1 minute after. When I see 10 on my clock I expect to see you walking through the door."

"Yes sir. Where will I find your office?"

"Everybody on this base except you knows where the base commander's office is!"

"Hit a brace!" (A brace was an exagerated position of attention which meant chin down on your chest and shoulder blades as close together as you could force them)

"Do you know what the lowest thing on earth is?"

"Its a God-damn 2nd Lt.!" (which is what I was at the time)
"There is absolutely nothing lower on the face of the earth!"

"Good luck--and the next time you better get it up, or you may get in trouble!"