Warren Knight:  

Life Warren Knight, August 2003 (40th Reunion): Left McLean High School with fondest of memories, which continue to grow warmer with time . . . Went off to Va Tech for a degree, then to Oklahoma City, Viet Nam, the Mojave Desert, back to Northern Virginia, back to LA, then to Cape Canaveral, back to Northern Virginia, finally settling in Leesburg. Along the way climbed Mt Whitney, walked across the Grand Canyon, jumped nude out of an airplane, and skied off the top of a 17,000 ft mountain in Iran. Always wanted to do 4 things. Serve my country in the Navy or Air Force (scripted, plus love of aviation). Serve in the Peace Corps (acquired from someone close). Drive a truck (simplicity and wanderlust). Be a teacher (because worlds are there to be opened). Entered the Air Force directly from college. Natural progression. Tried to morph military service into Peace Corps during Viet Nam by volunteering for a Civil Affairs position. Dreamed of building windmills for the simple folk in a war-torn land. Got the job. Received orders to go. But at the last minute the position at Bin Thuy was shut down, leaving me "homeless." The Air Force found another solution and assigned me to Air Viet Nam. The experience was something like the Mel Brooks movie, "Air America." I worked closely with the Vietnamese, so it was satisfying. Beautiful people, beautiful country, tragic war with tragic losses. Hope to go back some day. Came home to run flight tests in the desert. Sold missiles to the Shah. Launched rockets from the Cape. Explored the heavens at NASA. Built spy satellites for the CIA. Have started to ease back a bit. Listen to a little Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney. Ride around the country on a Harley rediscovering friends I've lost touch with over the years. Found (and lost) my first love in high school. Worked too hard in college. Partied in Oklahoma. Did a dumb thing and got married just before going to Southeast Asia. Fixed ...Expand for more