"Asa Waterman, Jr"
"Asa"
Biography as of Jul 22, 2012
My reason for going to the Air Force Academy was mundane. My parents wanted me to go to college, and I wanted to join the Air Force. I did not swim well, so that eliminated the Navy. I had enough muck growing up on a small farm so that eliminated the Army. Late at night I used to twiddle the dial on my Crossly radio to see how far away I could bring in AM stations using skip waves. I frequently received a station in Del Rio, TX selling genuine pieces of the cross. One night listening to KMOX, they mentioned the Air Force Academy. I thought maybe this was my salvation. Little did I know. I had an uncle who was a navigator on a B-47. I was good at math, and I became dizzy if I turned around twice. I decided I would make a better navigator than pilot. I wanted to see the world. Sitting around on alert would not accomplish that goal. A transport navigator would be my best contribution to Uncle Sam.
When I went for my entrance physical, the doctor showed me the results of my foot arch test. They were very flat, and he asked me if I wanted to go or not. I said yes so he passed me. I thought that was very nice of him. Later at the Academy I heard about the basketball player who had grown six inches between the time of his physical and his arrival at the Academy a couple months later. It made me think.
My time at the Academy was rather uneventful. I received an excellent academic education. I also learned some of the animals were more equal than others. My goal was to graduate as high as I could because at that time you picked your assignments based on class rank. I was determined to become a navigator. I had one blip in my plan when I heard if you applied and took the tests for a graduate scholarship you skipped the Fall semester finals and could leave a day or two early for Christmas. I ended up getting one. I wasn't going to accept it because I wanted to go to navigator training. It was pointed out to me that a cadet getting this award would look good for the academy, so I reluctantly accepted the one year delay.
After five years of training, I still had not got it. I arrived at James Connally AFB, and the guard at the gate said the CO wanted to see me right away. I was in civvies and planned to get a haircut before I did anything official. I thought right away meant right away. After getting chewed out for my hair, it turned out what he wanted was insignificant. I made it through navigator training just fine. I also met my future wife while I was there, which made me thankful I wasn't there a year earlier. Funny how things turn out. I chose a navigator assignment in a C-133 squadron at Dover AFB, Del with great anticipation.
The C-133 was designed to carry liquid fueled missiles to their sites. Now it was just a big plane that had trouble staying airborne on Sunday mornings. We mostly flew four Huey helicopters to various locations in Viet Nam and picked up the remains of five or six to bring back stateside to be refurbished. We island hopped over and back. The missions lasted eight days or longer depending on how often the plane broke down. Every few months there was a trip to Europe. I had one to North Africa that lasted a little over a month. After a few years I became disillusioned about the way the war was being run. It did not look to me like we were fighting it to win. I also had a problem with the professionalism of the pilots in our squadron. I decided it was time to try something else. Since there was a shortage of navigators at the time there were not many other opportunities in the Air Force. I had a current overseas return date because I had spent so much time out of country, but an actual overseas assignment was required. Rules are rules. I decided to resign my commission. I ended up with over 3500 hours flying and over 35 combat missions for which I received the Air Medal. I am thankful for the experience.
With a wife and a daughter, I said goodbye to the Air Force and hello to a New World.