During our fourth stop, I checked with Wright-Patterson AFB flight operations to see if they had any faster transportation to DC.

There was a small business jet ready to fly directly to Washington International in DC.  I boarded the Saberliner and 5 minutes later,  Four Star General Thomas S. Power boarded.

I had three stripes and General Power had four stars.  It would be four years before I would wear Air Force Pilot Wings.

No military aircraft could land at Washington National unless a Four Star ranking officer was on board.   Three Stars and below landed at Andrews AFB.  In 1998, the airport was renamed in honor of President Reagan.

General Power was born in 1905 and died in 1970 at age 65.  He served from 1929 - 1964.  I had no idea, but this might have been his final flight in uniform.   He was the Commander of Strategic Air Command.

Images include General Power with Major General Curtis LeMay and Brigadier General Lauris Norstad as they review reports of the Tokyo raid in Guam, March 1945 and with President Kennedy.

When the Lord directs your path, who knows who you might meet?