I know, I promised you
lighthearted and funny, but life has a way of derailing plans…
The missing man formation. It has filled my Facebook newsfeed too
often these past few years, and remains the first picture I see every time I
log in this week. I see a lot of
people commenting on the picture, not knowing what it is other than a cool
picture of three jets flying in formation with one jet spiraling to the side.
The missing man formation is
flown as a tribute and sign of respect for a brother/sister pilot who will no
longer be suiting up for a flight.
In the F16 world, it is typically flown with four jets, and a wingman
breaks off to show a hole in the formation, hence, the missing man.
Flown first in WWI, it is
rumored to have started at the funeral of Manheim “The Red Baron” von
Richthofen. Though the Missing Man
formation was used in the United States starting in 1938, it didn’t really
catch on until the 1950s.
And so, you now know that it is
more than just a pretty picture of jets.
It is to symbolize a great loss, and this week, our great loss is Captain
William H. Dubois.
My husband and I both attended college with Will at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and my husband was
in ROTC with him. That’s how we
came to know Will. We frequented
bars together throughout college, he attended our wedding, and we gave him the
lowdown on where to live and what to do as he prepared to move to Phoenix for B
Course. We were lucky to have kept
in touch with him since it’s easy to overlap when you’re in the same flying
community, and our F16 community always seems to be small and intimate.
The last time I personally had
a conversation with Will was in 2010.
I received a FB message from him requesting our address about two weeks
ago for his wedding invite, and I’m regretful to say that I forgot to
respond. My husband responded, so
we received his wedding invitation on Saturday, just a day and half prior to
learning of his death, but I wish I had written to tell him how happy we were
for him.
Will was the guy who made
everyone his friend. There are
funny people in this world, which Will most certainly was; there are
charismatic people in this world, which Will had nailed to a T; and there are
engaging people in this world, and Will could talk a cactus out of its
needles. What made Will different
was how genuine he was. You just
knew when you met this guy that he was someone you wanted to call friend,
because when he told you he would help you, he would go above and beyond to do
just that.
The F16 community lost a great
pilot, many people lost a wonderful friend, his wife lost the love of her life,
his parents lost their darling son, his sister lost a devoted brother, and if
you didn’t meet him, you lost an opportunity to meet a man who would make you
understand the meaning of sincerity.
I was privileged to meet you,
Will. I am lucky to have called you friend. There are so many of us who will cry tears for you as that
missing man breaks off, but I know you would probably make a joke to make us
all feel better, because you were just that kind of guy, one of the best. Godspeed, dear Will.
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