It was 1974 and I had just been assigned to Whiteman AFB which at the time was a minuteman missile base. In Thanksgiving Day I was assigned to a two man security detail to a missile silo south of Sedalia MO. Sitting on one acre of nothing but rock and concrete and just the two of us. I thought to myself that this was kind of a downer and not the way I would have wanted to spend Thanksgiving.

I'm thinking, "ok two days of nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and water, this is fun." In the afternoon a civilian car pulls up to the front gate, this is very unusual. Both of us lock and load our M-16s and I walk to the gate while my partner covers me from the vehicle. I get to the gate there is a woman standing there with two huge plates of food! This woman from a farm nearby thought enough of us to actually drive out to the silo with Thanksgiving dinner for the two of us! It was the best Thanksgiving meal I've ever ate in my life. I still think about that farmer's wife from time to time during this time of year. Tonight I offer a prayer to God for her. Wherever she is at now whether it be heaven or earth I know the people around her are blessed by her and their lives are made richer by her company. God bless you ma'am.