Military History 22: Retirement

 

The Vietnam war was in progress in 1965. I began to feel vulnerable for assignment to that area. Since I had been actively involved in WWII and Korea, I didn't feel the need to help in Vietnam. We figured up my active duty time and decided to apply for retirement as of January 1, 1966. December 31st to be my last day of active duty. Once that decision was made another big one was staring us in the face. Where would we retire to? The Air Force would move our furniture to any suitable place in the world. After proper consideration we said take us to Spokane. That was just about as far away from Crawford County, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky as we could get and stay in the good old USA.

We Bought a new Buick as a retirement present. We loaded the car and the kids. We left our camping trailer parked on the base to be towed away at a later date. The Colonel had asked if I wanted a full scale retirement ceremony with a parade. I declined and told him we would just slip quietly away. I was required to sign out on the 31st. Since we were always in a hurry we left on December 30th. I found a pay phone someplace in Arizona on the 31st, called the officer of the day and asked him to sign me out. He did. We traveled to Spokane via southern California where our daughter Sandi was living. After a delightful visit we continued to Spokane to make our home as civilians after more than fifteen years of active duty.

 

 Blue Spruce Motel. Our first home upon return to Spokane.

 

We still feel good about the decision to serve the last two and one half years as a non-commissioned officer and retire as captain. As of December 1986, at this writing, we have received retirement pay every month for 21 years. I have been subject to recall to active duty all those 21 years but since I will soon be 70 years old the likelihood of recall is very remote. Two comments, first, do what you think is right and accept the consequences without whimpering. Second, the older I get the more sure I am that we are where we are because of the decisions we make.

[Lee Reasor lived to the age of 87. After he passed away in 2004 his wife Wanda continued to receive retirement pay and benefits until she passed in 2012 at the age of 90.]

 

 

 

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