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Aaah, the smell of snark in the morning...

By The Armorer on July 11, 2005 | | Comments (15) | TrackBacks (3)

Artfully, respectfully, and devastatingly done. Even if the citizen who complained couldn't have known. It must have been the "Tom Cruise" comment - everybody knows he played a *Naval* aviator.

Subject: FW: F-16 noise complaint...

From the Arizona Republic online.....

A complaint post from a moron, and the reply:

Complaint:

Quote:

A wake-up call from Luke's jets

Jun. 23, 2005 12:00 AM

"Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base: Whom do we thank for the morning air show?

Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 a.m., a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our good fortune!

Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns' early-bird special?

Any response would be appreciated."

The reply is classic, and a testament to the professionalism and heroism of the folks in the armed services. The response:

Quote:

Regarding "A wake-up call from Luke's jets" (Letters, Thursday):

On June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four-ship of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt Jeremy Fresques.

Capt. Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day.

At 9 a.m. on June 15, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend.

Based on the letter writer's recount of the flyby, and because of the jet noise, I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf of the president of the United States and all those veterans and servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have endured.

A four-ship flyby is a display of respect the Air Force pays to those who give their lives in defense of freedom. We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter writer witnessed was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects.

The letter writer asks, "Whom do we thank for the morning air show?"

The 56th Fighter Wing will call for you, and forward your thanks to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques, and thank them for you, for it was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their lives.

Lt. Col. Scott Pleus
CO 63rd Fighter Squadron
Luke Air Force Base

Should you wish to express condolences to the Fresques family, you can do so here.

H/t, Mike L.

Update: The original letter writer has apologized for his snark.

Mr. MacRae, tendered a written apology which was published in The Republic on 9 July:

Regarding "Flyby honoring fallen comrade" (Letters, June 28):

I read with increasing embarrassment and humility the response to my unfortunate letter to The Republic concerning an Air Force flyby ("A wake-up call from Luke's jets," Letters, June 23).

I had no idea of the significance of the flyby, and would never have insulted such a fine and respectful display had I known.

I have received many calls from the fine airmen who are serving or have served at Luke, and I have attempted to explain my side and apologized for any discomfort my letter has caused.

This was simply an uninformed citizen complaining about noise.

I have been made aware in both written and verbal communications of the four-ship flyby, and my heart goes out to each and every lost serviceman and woman in this war in which we are engaged.

I have been called un-American by an unknown caller and I feel that I must address that. I served in the U.S. Navy and am a Vietnam veteran. I love my country and respect the jobs that the service organizations are doing.

Please accept my heartfelt apologies.

Tom MacRae, Peoria6

I'm thinking, all's well that ends well. And it even explains why the guy thought of Naval aviators... Well done, Mr. MacRae.

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I love jet noise from CDR Salamander on July 12, 2005 6:36 AM

Sometimes you hit the enemy so hard; so forcibly; so out-flanked and unaware that (if they are honorable) you almost feel sorry for the bastards. Well, John over at the Castle Argghhh! found a tasty morsel of snark that is just off the top rope. I... Read More

He Apologized from The View From The Nest on July 13, 2005 8:43 PM

We should all be willing to admit when we've goofed! Read More

Sometimes Even Good Men Go Away from Villainous Company on July 14, 2005 9:14 AM

As PFC Eric Woods drove through the absolute blackness of the desert in his Humvee his thoughts drifted back to another time, half a world away in Omaha Nebraska... He slides out of the driveway, points his headlights toward the... Read More

15 Comments

By AFSister on July 11, 2005 10:03 AM
That rocks... I love a good snark, esp. at the expense of asshats.
 
By homebru on July 11, 2005 1:38 PM
Safe your weapons. The "moron" turns out to have been a squid who didn't know what a "missing man" formation was. Read the rest of the story at Snopes: http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/wakeup.asp
 
By John of Argghhh! on July 11, 2005 1:49 PM
Geez, homebru. I wish you'd have given the 'rebuild' function another 30 seconds. Yes, 30 seconds. That was how much faster your comment posted to my update. In fact, your comment processing prolly slowed down my rebuild!~
 
By Barb on July 11, 2005 1:58 PM
Kudos to Mr. MacRae for writing and fessing up, he deserves full credit for his apology. Thanks for the update, John!
 
By Justthisguy on July 11, 2005 3:52 PM
Yup, he coulda, ya know, like maybe have said "Frank Luke Wannabes." Not to bust his balloon, or nuthin...
 
By Justthisguy on July 11, 2005 4:01 PM
I see that I have just done a similar thing; I fired off a message without reading all the previous posts. Oh poo! Beg pardon. Frank Luke was a cool and manly guy, anyway, and died with the slide locked back on his 1911.
 
By Boquisucio on July 11, 2005 4:40 PM
Hear - Hear BARB! He who gladly eat humble pie, without grudge nor interfering ego, is a tall man in my book. Mine hat doth duff on to ye, Mr. MacRae.
 
By CDR Salamander on July 11, 2005 7:38 PM
Yea, but being a "Vietnam Vet" does not make you immune from snark or comment on your lack of clue. I am about as sick as can be of "How dare you say that! I am a Vietnam Vet!" Yea, well you and a few million better men and women. Tell it to B.G. Burkett. BTW, did you know that the Junior Senator from Mass. served in Vietnam? I read that somewhere. I think he was a Navy shoe or something. I may have to Google it.....
 
By Gerry N. on July 11, 2005 7:45 PM
On a similar vein. Last Summer we had a young(16)Icelandic relative visiting us and took him camping at Deception Pass State Park in Washington, near the Oak Harbor Naval Air Station. Several times a day we were treated to the heart pounding thunder and roar of A-6's doing touch and go's at Ault Field. The youngster, Ari, wanted to know how I could put up with such obnoxious noise. I told him it might sound like noise to him, but to me it's as sweet a sound as a Beethoven Symphony, because it's the sound of Freedom. He also remarked about the number of flags flown everywhere, on homes, cars, businesses, everywhere, and asked if there was some law requiring it. I told him no, Americans simply love their country and like to see the flag. After a few weeks here he went home with a different perspective on how Americans feel about America. I gave him an American flag to take home. He emailed a picture of it flying alongside the Icelandic flag in front of his home in Reykjavik. Nice kid. Gerry N.
 
By John of Argghhh! on July 11, 2005 8:03 PM
My sister, who is otherwise the family blacksheep liberal, feels the same way about military convoys (we grew up as military brats in Europe)... they make her feel safe.
 
By BloodSpite on July 11, 2005 10:32 PM
Gotta give credit where credit is due; at least McRae apologised, and thats pretty rare of folks lately. Still good cover John I missed this one in my nightly web surfings to stay awake ;)
 
By AFSister on July 12, 2005 7:23 AM
Interesting update, to be sure. I'm impressed that he took such a public stance with his apology, and didn't dig himself a deeper hole by being a snarky bassid. Kinda classy, as Barb and Boq point out, but it still irks me that he did it in the first place.
 
By The Chief on July 12, 2005 3:46 PM
I hear "but I'm a Vietnam Vet" alot. Hmmmmm what was the "tooth to tail" ration in Nam? My brother-in-law served in airborne artillery in Nam and every time he encounters one of "those people" he ends up saying (with appropriate sneer) "Rear Echelon Mother F*****!!!" Have run across relativly few trigger pullers.
 
By Mister Priapus on July 12, 2005 9:38 PM
You know you are a military brat if you...hear the sound of freedom when military aircraft fly by while civilianscomplain about the noise. /first thing I thought of.
 
By Sgt. B. on July 12, 2005 11:25 PM
Weapons safed... He fessed up, apologized like a man... A damn sight more integrity than some folks (present company excepted - thank God)... Good on him... 'nuff said, move along... Sometimes, being a "Vietnam Vet" is all some folks have to anchor their existance upon... Okay, nothing to see here...