Both my husband, Bob, and I were stationed with Cowboy on Okinawa. We well remember the day 2Lt Long showed up, green and rarin' to go. And go he did. He was TDY with Bob back in Oklahoma on a drug mission and I was TDY in Korea. I got a call in my quarters one night asking if I would go out and have a pair of satin boxers made in our squadron colors (blue & orange) and have Cowboy, Bob and the names of the two other guys they were with embroidered on them so they could give the pair of shorts to a Hooter's waitress they met! Like any good officer, I did what my fellow officers bid. Like any good wife and woman, those guys took a lot of ribbing for having the gall to ask!
Cowboy wasn't the only friend we lost that day, but he sure was the most colorful. Another friend of ours e-mailed Cowboy as soon as he heard about the crash, asking for just one word back. It never came. Still hard to believe we haven't heard from him. I'm going to put out the site address to my AWACS address book. Not sure how many cruise the net, but I'll get the info out. Our condolences to Cowboy's family.
Sincerely,
Mary Aehlich