‘Cause I’m leavin’ on a jet plane
Don’t know when I’ll be back again…
Fifty-three years ago, I was just shy of 20 years old and was leaving for good after spending nearly five years in Houston and its surroundings.
I hadn’t intended to leave permanently; that’s just how life unfolded. I had enlisted in the Navy several weeks earlier. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, my decision to start my service between Christmas and New Year’s was fortuitous for the career track I was pursuing. This timing worked out perfectly for me; while others were stuck with temporary duty assignments waiting for their training to begin, I was able to progress through all four phases of my Navy occupation training in order, with just the right amount of leave and travel time in between.
My journey commenced at the Houston MEPS—Military Entrance Processing Station—in the historic Old U.S. Customs House downtown. There, a small group of us was sworn in as Navy recruits. After that, we were taken to the newly opened Houston Intercontinental Airport—just 2.5 years old—where we would fly standby.
Flying standby meant showing up at the airport without a pre-purchased ticket and hoping to secure a seat on a flight. This was not our choice; MEPS mandated it, and we weren’t responsible for the cost. At that time, flights were often less crowded than today, making standby travel a viable option for federal passengers. Looking back, it seems quite unusual.
Fortunately, we managed to secure seats on the flight, and a few of us even ended up in first class. It was my first-ever flight and the only time I experienced first-class service. Everyone on board received food and drinks, but alcoholic beverages cost extra, except in first class, where the food was likely superior, too. At that time, the drinking age in many parts of the U.S. had been lowered to 18, and it might have applied to flights as well, though I don’t recall being asked for my age. I had enough to drink to feel a bit buzzed by the time we landed in San Diego.
Our flight had a layover in Los Angeles before continuing to San Diego. Along with others—mostly recruits—arriving from various locations, we boarded a bus to the Naval Training Center. I spent New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in the transient barracks. On January 2, 1972, Boot Camp Company 005 and others were officially formed.
Rewritten from Leaving Houston (December 12, 2021)
Image created using Canva AI.
