Midshipman Memories
The Best Christmas Ever-1959
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Here's Spencer Johnson's memory of his best Christmas back in 1959. His memory jogged by the big 2009 snowfall in Annapolis.
I can't help thinking of our first Christmas leave fifty years ago. In 1959 we had a major snowfall the night before we were dismissed to go on that long anticipated Christmas leave that gave us a respite from the rigors of Plebe year and a chance to wear our service dress and full dress uniforms home for all to admire. The snow was such that everyone had a hard time just leaving Annapolis where little if anything was moving. The governor of South Carolina had sent an Air National Guard transport plane to Andrews Air Force Base to bring us home for the holidays along with any West Point Cadets that could rendezvous with us. We managed to get to Andrews, but nothing was flying due to runway conditions and the continuing effects of the weather. The Air Force put us up overnight in the Visiting Officers Quarters. The next morning at 0600 there was a knock on my door. When I opened it, I found a young airman ready to take me down to the flight line where our plane was readying for departure. He took one look at me (all of 18 years old) dressed in my bridge coat with eight big brass buttons and a cap with a gold chinstrap and said, "Sir, can I take your bag?" That was the best Christmas present I or any other Plebe could ever hope to receive. There was light at the end of the tunnel. It was the beginning of a great Christmas.
QUALITY - '63
