Inheritance
A Military Career with Nuclear Missiles, Rockets, and Fighter Jets 1960-1997
Retired Senior Master Sergeant Robert Charles Feyl can boast of an exciting career in the Air Force that was like no other. Spanning the last three decades of the Cold War, there was a constant thread through all those years – aiding the United States in helping the Germans, and the rest of Europe, remain safe in the event of an attack from the Soviet Union. He was a nuclear missile technician while stationed in Germany – a hard rocket fuel specialist at the High Speed Test Track in New Mexico where he worked on projects led by the famous Werner Von Braun – and finally a crew chief with the New York Air National Guard that trained with and supported the German Air Force.
This book is available on Lulu – click the image to order. Read the Introduction of Inheritance below.
We both began to choke up as I told Dad about wanting to put his story into a book and what it meant to me. We had spent hours pouring over his old photos from the 60’s, whose only protection was a tattered binder. Each photo held a story containing amazing details that more than a half century could not erase. Some stories he shared made us both laugh, while others hid painful memories that barely let Dad get his words out. These images, all being so personal to him, revealed more than just his time in the service—they exposed a slice of time that helped to form our country.
“Dad, do you know that this is the best inheritance that you could ever give me? Sharing your heart and all of these amazing historical events that you were a part of blows me away.” He began to tear up, which of course caused my own tears to flow freely. “Dad, I love this! Do you realize that this is the best gift that you can give to your family? What you did, was not just a job. You were a part of something really big!”
To me, an inheritance is not about stuff or about what is left behind after someone dies. Inheritance is about legacy. Legacy is not found in a figurine or piece of furniture handed down for generations. These things cannot be shared and usually create family rifts. Legacy is contained in the stories that have helped to shape our family, our nation, and even our world. It is the best inheritance that I can pass from my Dad down to my son, my sister’s son, and my grandchildren.
Take your time going through these pages. See every detail in the pictures. Imagine sitting at a kitchen table with the family you love as you listen to my Dad tell you his story.
This is my Inheritance, and yours too.
