Air show brings together Columbus AFB veterans after 40 years

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Charles Dickens
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  April 5 and 6 became historical days for Columbus Air Force Base as the 2014 Wings Over Columbus Heritage to Horizons Open House and Air Show hosted base Airmen and the general public. This event was not only historical in the fact that it was the first air show that Columbus hosted in four years, but because the base had some unique visitors.

Six veterans showed up to the base that they all knew and loved over 40 years ago for the first time since their time stationed here, many of which seeing each other for the first time since then as well.

Tom Warnock, Mike Maestri, Larry Lamontagne, Larry Mateka, Ron Wall and Rudy Ynostrosa all chose the air show as a catalyst to meet up for the first time in over 40 years that all six were together...here at Columbus AFB. The veterans shared some information and stories about the base and their history here.

"What you see as the core of your base now didn't exist when we were here," said Mateka. "We were in the core of the old base, which is now mostly vacated and moved to the new core."

They said that even though everything about the base and area changed, it was still a base that they vividly remember and have fond memories of.

"The years here were some of the best of our lives when I look back on it," said Maestri.

"That's why we're here," said Warnock. "We bonded and this is just as much a part of our life as everything else."

Even after living through their military careers, these men still continue to contribute to the service however they can and still feel like a part of the military family.

"Every time we see a military aircraft, we're proud," said Warnock. "We all do volunteer work for the VA [Veterans Affairs] and try to help our fellow veterans, so it's very important to us to see how great the modern Air Force is."

"It's a true brotherhood," said Warnock. "After 50 years there are a lot of people that don't even remember the people's names they went to college with or that they were in the service with. We do, and that's what this is about."