Jack Morris:  

My Life Since Southwest High School: After high school I attended Harris Teachers College. After graduation in '68 I taught 6th grade in Arnold MO the first year and then 5th and 6th grades (one class) at Stix Elementary in St. Louis. In the Sping of '69 my draft board informed me I was again eligible because they had dropped all occupational deferments (thanks to the big build up by Pres. Johnson). I got my draft notice the same day my son, John, was born. I couldn't afford to just be an Army "grunt," so I checked with recruiters and was offered a chance at becoming an officer and pilot by the Air Force. I was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant at Air Force Officer Training School in April '70 and went to pilot training at Vance Air Force Base, OK where I earned my wings in May '71. I got to Grissom AFB and the 70th Air Refueling Squadron, my first real assignment, in the summer of 1971. Don Harwood was my first Aircraft Commander. His wife, Karen, is David Letterman's sister. My (then) wife, Carol, and I had 2 sons, John and Scott, before arriving at Grissom and we never had anymore (her choice). In the Spring of '72 I went TDY to Tahk-li, Thailand as Capt. Comer's co-pilot (Navigator: Ray Wilcox & Boom Operator: MSgt Frank Bilberry) and came back in the Fall of that year with enough hours to upgrade to Aircraft Commander but needed to complete the "3-years-out-of-Castle" (initial KC-135 training) requirement before I was eligible to upgrade. So, I volunteered as a Stan-Eval Copilot and waited for my turn. It came in '73. My crew pulled "Reflex" alert at Goose Bay, Labrador Canada (including the last tour ever!). Also, "Satellite" alerts at Little Rock, AK; Minot, ND; Grand Forks, ND; and Forbes, KS. I had a string of Copilots including Jim "Gomer Pyle" Miller and Bill Fleming; my Navigator and close friend was Bob McElheney; my...Expand for more