Roy Fowler

I hadn't kept up with Roy and didn't see him after graduation, but did have a chance encounter with him several years thereafter,  which affects me a little bit once in a while to this day.  I ran into Roy, who was in the Navy, at the Military Terminal at Dover Air Force Base where I was stationed in either late 1968 or early 1969.  Roy had been injured on duty and was sent back to the US to complete his long term recovery.

Roy told me was stationed on an aircraft carrier in the South China Sea, and was working on fighter aircraft  that were performing bomb runs during the Vietnam War. Seems upon landing an extremely large bomb disengaged and struck him causing his injuries. When I ran into him he was returning to duty and catching a military flight overseas to rejoin his ship. We had a few good moments and shared a few laughs.

A few months later I was reassigned myself and shortly thereafter came across a bulletin mentioning a Navy aircraft had crashed into the sea while returning to it's home Carrier, with all on board lost. Of course I saw the name Roy Fowler, it was startling having just seen him just a few months prior. But I was tickled to have seen and spoken with him. Perhaps I was the last person from Th. Jefferson H.S.  or N. Va. to speak with him. I'm glad I had the opportunity............it was only for a brief period but in hindsight was touching none the less.........