In August 1961, I was sent to Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii and was there until August 1963. On the Marine Corps Birthday 1962, the Commanding General decided to make a speech, have a flyover and then a parade of all units including the 4th Marine Regiment; I was in Charles 1-4, an artillery unit and a unit from the Air Wing. The mistake someone made was letting an old hot shot pilot make the flyover. We were all standing at attention listening to the General. We heard a jet plane coming, but we couldn’t see where from. He came in from the ocean and flew between us and the General in the reviewing stand. He was so low it cut the reviewing stand off from our view for a short time. He turned skyward and disappeared. We then heard him coming again. He came in low again, but this time after passing us he went over the mess hall, broke the sound barrier and broke some windows in the mess hall. I didn’t see this but I also heard he flew through one of the hangers at the airstrip. I don’t know who the pilot was but the word was that he was only allowed to fly on special occasions. I don’t remember him flying again while I was there. My other three Marine Corps Birthdays were boring.
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