Posted on 07/02/2010 6:34:04 AM PDT by Joy in the Journey
As reunions go, it only lasted a few minutes.
But Jeff and Christine McLean were thrilled nonetheless to see each other, even though they couldn't hug, let alone kiss.
Married in May 2009 in Fox Point, the couple has spent most of their first year of marriage apart.
Really far apart. As in different cockpits in different airspaces.
Air Force Capt. Christine McLean pilots a refueling plane and Navy Lt. Jeff McLean flies an F/A-18 Super Hornet.
After Christine McLean was deployed from England to southwest Asia in May for refueling missions in the skies over Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries, she hoped she might hook up - literally - with her husband, who has been flying combat and support missions from the USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier since January.
But it wasn't until last week, on Jeff McLean's final and 40th flight on this deployment that he rendezvoused with the air refuelers over Pakistan and was happy to see it was his wife's plane.
As commander of her KC-135 Stratotanker, Christine McLean speaks to pilots of planes maneuvering behind the refueler to top off their fuel tanks. So the couple spoke for a short time. It was dark, which meant only a brief glimpse for the husband and wife.
The next day, Jeff McLean e-mailed his parents back home in Mequon with the happy news and included a picture taken through night vision goggles by another pilot in his squadron.
(Excerpt) Read more at jsonline.com ...
Great story! Certainly not the usual “just another day on the job” for this couple!
At least being the F18 is a Navy aircraft the kc135 was in it was probe and drogue config
What a great story!!! God Bless these 2 wonderful people, as well as all of our Military on the start of this Independence Day weekend!
Be Safe! & Semper Fi ALL
Back when I was stationed at Beale AFB chasing around the SR-71 in the Q model tanker I found the image in the last page of a book on nose art. To this day I regret not buying the book just for that photo. It was awesome!
It was interesting to watch the Navy/Marine pilots hooking up to the metal basket when they were used to a cloth one from their tankers. I remember cringing when the drouge would roll over their canopy, but couldn’t move the boom, which would only make it worse. Also saw more then one fighter jock go home with a bent probe.
If I'm not mistaken, you got it right in the first place. The tanker's probe enters the refueling port on the FA-18. (An F-16 would insert its probe into the tanker's drogue hole.)
roflmao!
I hate it when my Probe gets bent. LOL
I was at Beale from 86-89. Was a pre-mission programmer for the 71’s and U-2’s. Worked on the third floor of the block house. Also worked in the base Museum for a while.
I don’t know if this will work. But if it doesn’t do a google image search on f 105 pussy galore
Cute!
I was there from Mar 80 - Jul 83 with the 349th AREFS, while my wife was an admin troop in the 99th SRS. We both worked in opposite ends of Bldg 1086 (for those never at Beale it is a very large building) and ended up meeting while TDY at RAF Mildenhall. All the U-2 guys insisted on meeting me to make sure she wasn’t going to marry a dirt bag. After all who would trust a sweet young thing to a guy that goes around sticking his boom into any available receptacle in the sky. LOL!
I LOVE this. Thanks for sharing and God Bless and Keep the many brave and loving men, women, and families of our AWESOME US Military.
LOL. MY favorite Boomer joke my friends always said was,”I have the best job in the world, I get to lay on my stomach and pass gas all day”.
great story! thanks for pinging, robt!
I’m confused.
The night-vision picture at the top of this thread looks a lot different from what the video shows.
The still picture shows what appears to be a solid boom extending from the tanker. The video you linked shows a flexible hose with a drogue basket on the end of it. I wonder if the FA-18 can use both methods of refueling.
The video I posted is a KC-10 tanker! Read more at http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/atca.htm!
BTW I was the Base Tactical Communications Officer. Although a ground pounder most are my colleagues were in the Bomb and Tanker Squadrons. I got my flight certification and had over 150 hours in the Buff and similar hours in the Tankers.
Thanks for the clarification. It shouldn’t have surprised me that the tankers would have both capabilities.
There was a Thud in similar markings called “Cherry Girl” as well. And don’t forget the opening credits to Dr Strangelove.
Click on pic for past Navair pings.
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That’s the coolest story ever.
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