To USAF Band in Washington DC

In the fall of 1969, we finally got orders transferring us to Bolling AFB in Washington DC.  We were now members of the USAF Headquarters Band.

Travelling to Washington DC was a road trip we will never forget.  Jerrel and Cindy were in their car.  Pat and Pat were in their car.  Martha and I were in our 1968 Buick LaSabre and we were towing our 22' motor boat filled with everything we owned in it.  (the boat weighed considerably more than our car.)  We left Tampa early in the morning and by 7:00pm we were still only a few miles north of Tampa.  The boat was so heavy that it was difficult to tow at any speed because it would wobble and make driving our car very dangerous.  We packed and repacked the boat at least three times trying to get the weight right so it could be towed.   We finally got it right, but by that time, Martha was ready to "leave the boat on the side of the road forever!!"  We caused the other couples to spend an extra night on the road. As we travelled the car started to "hum", so Martha and I would just turn the radio up louder to drown it out. When we finally got to our new apartments in Oxen Hill Maryland, I had to replace the differential in our new car, but we made it.

Our living situation in Maryland was much better.  We rented apartments right next to each other.  It was great because we knew that we were going to be travelling all over the world without our wives and "the girls" could be close to each other while we were gone.