His Black Sheep squadron is the first to reach the Korean Theater [in 1950] and American ground troops had been getting torn up by North Korean regulars. Let me do it in his voice:
"We didn't even have a map of Korea. Not zip. We just headed toward the sound of artillery firing along the Naktong River. They told us to keep the North Koreans on their side of the Naktong. Air power hadn't been a factor until we got there that day. I radioed to Bill Lundin I was his wingman. 'There they are. Let's go get'em.' So we did."
I was interviewing Dad so I asked, "how do you know you got them?"
"Easy," The Great Santini said. "They were running - it's a good sign when you see the enemy running. There was another good sign."
"What was that, Dad?"
"They were on fire."

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, my mother took me out to the air station where we watched Dad's squadron scramble on the runway on their bases at Roosevelt Road and Guantanamo.

In the car as we watched the A-4's take off, my mother began to say the rosary.

"You praying for Dad and his men, Mom?" I asked her.
"No, son. I'm praying for the repose of the souls of the Cuban pilots they're going to kill."