DONALD A. FIRKINS CLASS OF 1952 ROLFE IOWA
I LEFT ROLFE IN MARCH OF 1953 AND ROBERT THOMAS AND I WENT TO FORT DODGE TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE USAF ON 20 MARCH 1953. FROM FORT DODGE WE WENT TO DES MOINES TO BE SWORN IN AND THEN TO LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE IN SAN ANTONIO TEXAS. WE WENT THROUGH BASIC TRAINING TOGETHER AND THEN WENT OUR SEPARATE WAYS FROM THERE. I WENT TO KEELSER AFB IN MISSISSIPPI FOR TRAINING AND THEN WAS ASSIGNED TO TINKER AFB IN OKLAHOMA WHERE I LIVE TODAY. I SPENT 26 YEARS IN THE AIR FORCE AS AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER. I DID 2 TOURS IN GERMANY FROM 1962-65 AND THEN AGAIN 1977-79. I SPENT ONE TOUR IN KOREA FROM 1955-56 AND ONE TOUR IN VIETNAM FROM 1969-70. DURING MY STATE SIDE TOURS I SPENT TWO TOURS IN TEXAS: ONE IN AMARILLO AND ONE IN SAN ANTONIO. AFTER MY LAST TOUR IN GERMANY IN 1979 I RETURNED TO ROME, NEW YORK AND DECIDED I WOULD NOT MAKE IT TO 30 YEARS IF I HAD TO SPEND 4 OF THEM IN NEW YORK SO DECIDED TO RETIRE. FROM THERE BACK TO OKLAHOMA TO EVENTUALLY WORK FOR THE STATE AND DIDN'T LIKE THAT SO WENT TO WORK FOR A CONTRACTOR AT TINKER AND THAT LASTED FOR ABOUT 1 AND 1/2 YEARS. SO THEN RETIRED FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS AND COULDN'T TAKE THAT SO WENT TO WORK FOR CIVIL SERVICE AT TINKER AND WORKED THERE UNTIL I RETIRED AGAIN IN 1994. I FIGURED IF I DIDN'T HAVE THE RETIREMENT THING DOWN PAT BY NOW I WASN'T GOING TO TRY TO GO TO WORK ANYMORE SO NOW I AM RETIRED AND HAVE A BOAT SO I CAN GO FISHING WHENEVER I WANT AND DON'T HAVE TO REALLY DO ANYTHING I DO NOT WANT TO EXCEPT PAY TAXES.
I MARRIED IN 1954 AND TO THIS MARRIAGE 4 SONS WERE BORN AND 3 OF THEM LIVE HERE CLOSE TO ME IN OKLAHOMA CITY AND THE OLDEST ONE LIVES IN GERMANY. THE OLDEST IS IN A SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IN HAMBURG AND HAS BEEN THERE SINCE 1977. HE HAS 4 GIRLS AND ONE SON. THE NUMBER 3 SON HAS 2 SONS AND ONE OF THEM MADE ME A GREAT GRANDPA. THE NUMBER 3 SON HAS A GRANDSON BY HIS WIFE'S PREVIOUS MARRIAGE AND ANOTHER GREAT GRANDPA IS ADDED TO MY LIST. NUMBER 4 SON HAS A YOUNG SON. I WAS DIVORCED IN 1975 AND NEVER REMARRIED AGAIN COULDN'T FIND ANYONE WHO WOULD HAVE ME. HA! AS IF I EVEN TRIED. HOPE TO SEE MOST OF YOU AT THE REUNION BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CAN'T ATTEND GOOD LUCK AND I STILL THINK ABOUT THE GOOD TIMES WE HAD AT OLD ROLFE HIGH. AS THEY SAY THOSE WERE THE GOOD OLD DAYS AND I WILL NEVER FORGET THEM EITHER. TAKE CARE AND GOOD HEALTH AND BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF THE CLASS OF 1952.