After high school I joined the Air National Guard and became a gunner on the Douglas B-26 Invader.  From there I went into the regular air force and became a crew chief engineer on both B-36 and B-52 bombers.  In 1958 I settled in California, became a police officer in Gardena, Beverly Hills and Los Angeles police departments (not all at the same time, of course).  During this time I joined the Air Force Reserves and flew as a flight engineer on the C-119 flying boxcar, got married to a California girl in 1962 and made my first flight into Vietnam in 1968.  From the middle 60's through the early 90's I was with three different aerospace firms and worked on projects such as:  Sr. Production Coordinator with Space Technology Laboratories/TRW Systems on the Lunar Module Descent Engine (LMDE); North American Rockwell as a Plant Engineer supporting the B-1 bomber and Douglas Aircraft Company as a Facilities Engineer supporting the C-17 Cargo Master II.  Going back to 1969 I was a flight engineer on the C-141 Lockheed Starlifter with the new Air Force Reserve Associate program and made many trips to Vietnam.  Retired from the air force in 1981 and aerospace in 1994.  Settled in Bear Valley Springs (Tehachapi), CA with my wife Flo of 40 years and have two daughters and two grandchildren.

Here's Jay with his pal, Chester.