30 Years Ago Tonight

I was a lieutenant in the army, stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado. I was the executive officer, the 2nd in command, of my Air Defense Artillery battery. We had a good commander, good officers, good NCOs, and good soldiers. I was enjoying life then.

My commander and I were working late. Officer stuff. Planning and organizing. Coordinating. Whatever it was, it must've been important--he had a beautiful wife and two kids he could have been home with, but instead he was working with me. Late at the office. It was dark when we left the S&A (supply and admin building, what anyone anywhere else would call our Battery HQ).

The BC (battery commander) and I, along with the First Sergeant, had identified parking spots directly in front of our S&A. He backed out first, then I did, then we both headed down the one-way parking lot towards the street. He stopped and came running back to my pickup.

He knew I was from Northern California. "There was an earthquake. San Francisco has been destroyed!" There was still a song playing on my radio station, but I found news soon enough. I lived only 5-10 minutes away, in an apartment just outside of post. I turned on the tv as soon as I got home.  It was continuous coverage, we were watching feeds from the local San Francisco stations. Which streets were blocked, and what detours were available, were of no use to me, but they kept showing the worst of the pictures--Candlestick Park rocking during the Battle of the Bay World Series, the Marina District, the Bay Bridge.

I had relatives in San Jose, in the South Bay. Knowing that I shouldn't call them, that I shouldn't tie up even one phone line during such an emergency, I called my mother in the Sacramento area. We feel earthquakes in Sacramento sometimes, but they're always far away. Sacramento doesn't get earthquakes, I knew it would be OK to call there. I did, and learned my family had already called from San Jose and they were fine.

I watched the news for awhile, and when I didn't learn anything new, I went to bed. That was 30 years ago tonight.