On their route south to San Diego the B-36 bombers would often pass directly over our area and shake the holy bejesus out of our house. My Mom’s crystal wine goblets would be the first thing to start humming. Then the windows would start vibrating and all the kids (including my WWII Omaha Beach Vet dad) would run outside to watch the show. I never forgot those days when the world seemed like such a safe place. All you had to do was look up and see the proof – our Airmen in the B-36 Peacemakers.

I lived in San Angelo. We saw them , too, and one crashed west of us on a ranch near Sterling City in a bad thunder storm. . There’s still a monument there. Rumor has it it had nuclear weapons on it as the crash was shrouded in secrecy. There was also disagreement as to how many crew members were on board. I’m not sure it was a very safe airplane.