In December of 2004, I had my right leg amputated because of a life-threatening infection. While I was in the hospital rehab, I rehabed with a true gentleman. He was a retired Lt. Col who joined the Army Air Corps when the USA entered WWII. He flew mostly bombers with his favorite being the B-17. He said the first time he sat in the pilot's seat he was in total ahhh. He had never seen anything so big. He couldn't see the wing tips!
He was a fascinating man, and we talked for hours. While we were there, he had a birthday, and there was a group of retired military pilots that came down from Cheyenne for it. I don't remember the name of the "Club," but they were a bunch of fun-lovin' guys. Maybe some of you Air Force gents would know the name of this "Club."
We shared the same first names(David), but he was from Laramie, and he had a heart attack. Poudre Valley Hospital, in Fort Collins, owns several houses just south of the main campus that they let family members stay in if they're from out-of-town, and the patient is in for awhile. David's wife and daughter(from TX) stayed in one of those houses, so they were at the hospital a lot, and we became good friends. My wife works at the hospital, and she dealt with them professionally. Anyway, we stayed in-touch(sort of) until David's death about a new ago. He was a great man who flew bombers from WWII-post Viet Nam. He was proud of what he had done, and he had a right to be! Even in the hospital, he had his leather flight jacket with his wings pinned on it laying across his lap when he was on free-time. I will never forget him, and he has forever changed my life.

Take care,
Dave