Shhh, It's a secret!

What's on my mind?

Here's some things I was thinking about today...

For some reason, I was thinking about the time I was almost killed in a terrorist bombing. It's not as dramatic as it sounds.

While in the Air Force, I was stationed in the United Kingdom and I was planning on surprising my Mom by going home for Christmas. The only person at home that I told was my older sister (she's 16 months older than me). She can't keep a secret so she told my Dad and my brother (he's 4 years older than me). The plan was that I would fly in to JFK via Pan Am from London, take a cab to down-town Manhattan and take the ferry home to Jersey with my sister and brother, walk into the house with them thus surprising my Mom.

Well, I made reservations about 45 days prior to the date I wanted to fly and was very excited. About 2 weeks before my departure date, I decided to leave a day later so that I could work my vacation around my work schedule better. So I changed my flight from Dec 22, 1988 on Pam Am Flight 103 to Pan Am Flight 102 on Dec 23, 1988.

Some of you may remember what happened to Pan Am flight 103. It was blown up by a terrorist bomb while in flight over Lockerbie, Scotland. I found out about the bombing while in my military issue dorm room. I had some friends keep my company while I packed. We had the TV on and a BBC report broke into the program we were watching.

It did not hit me right away that I had been scheduled on that flight until my best friend put two and two together and asked what my original flight number was. I dug out the documents and sure enough I had been scheduled on that flight. My friends later told me that my skin flushed red and then I turned white as a ghost when I realized what had happened. I sat down on the bed not knowing what to do next. After a few minutes, I gained composure, finished packing and decided to call home to let my Mom know I was not on that flight thinking that she would be worried that I had decided to surprise her by coming home (that is indeed what she was thinking). I got through and she was very relieved (along with the rest of the family that did not know I was coming the next day). I kept up the ruse so as to really surprise my Mom the next day. I did get my sister on the phone and she quietly said she feared I had changed my flight and was relieved that I did not. We solidified plans for the next day and she warned me to be careful and said she would say a prayer for me.

I felt better after the call and my friend suggested that we go to the NCO club and blow off some steam, get a few drinks in me so that I could sleep. Good idea as I don't think I would have gotten to sleep on my own.

As I walked into the club, some friends I knew were there and were happy to see me as they were not sure what flight I had been scheduled on. On a side note, I don't think I had to pay for a drink that night.

We got home and my friend (who had planned on staying in my room while I was away - I had my own room while he shared his so this was a good deal for him) stayed the night to make sure I got up on time to catch the bus to Heathrow. All went well and I caught the bus on time and got to Heathrow in plenty of time.

Security at the airport was extremely tight which made me feel better. Once aboard the 747, the flight crew thanked us for flying with them and asked for a moment of silence for those lost on flight 103. The flight was very empty as quite a few people cancelled reservations on the flight. When we arrived at JFK, the press was there as we exited the jetway and most of us were quoted as saying this was probably the safest flight ever with all of the security that as added.

I found a cab, made it to my sister's office and eventually went home and surprised my Mom as I had intended. I don't think she wanted to let me go when she hugged me. I have never told her that I had a reservation on that flight. Dad knew and I'm sure he said a prayer that day thanking God for sparing me and praying for the souls on flight 103 and on the ground that were lost.

When I returned to the UK after my leave ended, my friends told me that there was some confusion on base after I left. Later that morning after I had boarded the bus. My friend that stayed in my room heard a knock at the door. He got up (with a hangover that both of us had) and answered it. At the door was a Security Policeman (an Air Force version of an MP) and our First Sergeant. They came to check if I was there. My friend told them no but that I had left for the states. The SP and the First Sergeant got agitated and misunderstood that I had been on flight 103, grabbed my friend (who was in his boxers) and told him to get dressed and go with them. Groggy and hung over, my friend didn't connect that they misunderstood. He dressed and asked why they were so excited. They told him that they wanted him to tell our commander about me and my travel plans.

After they got to the commanders office, my friend started to put it together and explained to him what happened. Evidently, there was some rumor spreading around the base that I was on the flight and they could neither confirm or deny it officially and decided to see if I was in my room. The commander also explained that higher command had asked if the units could get a head count and confirm the location of all their assigned personnel. He went on to say that they could not get an official passenger list from Pan Am that fast and thought it might be prudent to do their own count right away. They eventually decided to start locating those of us that were on leave if at all possible to see if we were on the flight. I had a leave form that started the day after flight 103 blew up but it was common to sometimes get a jump on leave and depart the day before if you could. That's why they were so worried.

So that's how I had a close call while flying.

Another thing is that it is now 2 minutes till the final episode of LOST starts on ABC. I have been waiting for this moment all day. Don't call or contact me for the next two hours!

posted by section306g @ 6:56 PM