Page 60 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2025 - Online Magazine

by LaVila Henry

armpit of the Air Force.” But it was
there he received training to get his
A&P (Airframe and Powerplant)
certification.

When his enlistment was completed,
he went home to Alabama. Jobs
weren’t easy to find, so a year later, he
re-enlisted in the Air Force. After time
at bases in California, he was sent to
Bentwaters AFB in England where
he spent three years. His assignment
then took him to Moody AFB in South
Georgia, USA.

That’s where Deborah entered the
picture.

Deborah was the youngest of
fter growing up in Mobile, We’ve heard many horror stories eight children and grew up in
Alabama, Leroy Hobbs from men and women about their Pennsylvania. Like many young
Ajoined the United States Air experiences in Vietnam, but Leroy people, she just wanted to get out
Force (USAF) right out of high school has a very different narrative. He of her hometown. One of those
in 1966. He was sent to Lackland Air was stationed at Cam Ranh Bay with Uncle Sam “I Want You” posters
Force Base (AFB) in San Antonio for plenty of personnel around –– not was displayed in the window of a
basic training and on to Amarillo AFB only from the Air Force, but also building she passed daily –– the one
in Amarillo for technical training. Army, Navy, and even soldiers from where Uncle Sam is looking you in
South Korea. It was a fortified base the eye and pointing straight at you.
His recruiter told him he would be an and well protected, giving Leroy a One day, it caught her attention. After
engine mechanic. In his mind he was feeling of security. Besides repairing an Army recruiter missed his chance,
thinking “automobiles,” but later, to the engines of airplanes that had been an Air Force recruiter came to her
his surprise, he found out he would shot up, there were plenty of activities house, and Deborah signed up.
be working on jet engines. He told including a nice beach. “We had fun!
them, “I don’t know nothing about no Matter-of-fact, I enjoyed it there,” he From basic at Lackland AFB, and
jet engines.” stated. technical training at Keesler AFB
at Biloxi, Mississippi, where she
Their simple reply: “We’re going to “Did you know what was going on also received schooling for work in
train you.” in Vietnam?” I asked him. He said he personnel, she was sent to Moody

Thankfully, he was mechanically did. A mountain that was visible from AFB.
minded and picked up the skills fairly Cam Ranh Bay was bombed almost The base didn’t offer much for young
easily. daily. people to do, so they often hung out

After completing training, he was sent After a year he was sent to Holloman at the NCO Club. Deborah and some
to Eglin AFB in the western Florida AFB near Alamogordo, NM. For of her friends had walked over from
panhandle, and then in January 1968, Leroy, it was worse than Vietnam. their dorm. Leroy noticed Deborah
he shipped out to Vietnam. “I thought I had been sent to the and asked her to dance. He kept

60 Lubbock Senior Link