The Lost Paradise of Panamá

It was June, 1979. I was approached by another NCO in the Fort Kobbe parking strip about an honor guard detail at Howard AFB for a civilian. A journalist killed in Nicaragua. His name was Bill Stewart. He was shot dead at a checkpoint by a soldier from the Nicaraguan National Guard along with his interpreter. We didn’t know it then, but the whole episode of what happened had been filmed. Soon, it was everywhere on the news. I couldn’t believe that even the US news services showed it, over and over. All I could think about was Stewart’s family and what they must have been going through.

On-board the USS Saipan; all smiles after a successful mission

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