Girl Journalist

I found this picture of my Dad and scanned it to send him. On the back of the picture he had written this note:

Me in an untailored flight suit - Japan - Green made some sort of weird expression and I responded with a face full of teeth.

The front of the picture says March 1965.

The picture must have been taken when Dad was on base in Okinawa. He was 24 years old.

I remember Dad telling me a story about how he and some buddies had snuck off base to go to a bar. The MP’s (Military Police) showed up and starting looking under the tables. Dad told me they were looking for military shoes. Apparently, the airmen would wear “civilian clothes” - jeans and T-shirts - but the only shoes they had were their military dress shoes and their flight boots. Dad told me was at a table in the back of bar so as soon as he saw the MP’s he went to the bathroom and crawled out the window. He ran all the way back to the base and didn’t get caught.

According to most of the stories I’ve heard, my Dad was always able to avoid getting in trouble. He was ornery alright, like the rest of the Martin men (and the women too), but Dad was also clever.

I’d like to think Dad taught me a few things about having fun and avoiding trouble. He was also the kind of guy that did what he wanted to do and the hell with everyone else. I’m pretty sure I learned that from him too.