Written for the Past Permanent Professors’ Dinner
February 2016
| When I first joined the faculty | The precedents we set would be | |
| Back in ’57 | A contribution to | |
| It seemed to me that I had found | ||
| A kind of earthly heaven. | What would become a vital role | |
| In forming the conditions | ||
| Although the buildings which we used | Which would in future years help shape | |
| Were built for WWII | Academy traditions. | |
| We christened them with Air Force names | ||
| which all historians knew | Those were exciting times for me | |
| who had no idea then | ||
| Were men who’d made the Air Force be | That we would stay around to see | |
| Not just an Army Corps | A time in future when | |
| But a new force now equal with | ||
| The two that came before. | We would be ancient artifacts | |
| But still alive to be | ||
| We also knew that south of us | Included in this gathering | |
| Near Colorado Springs | As a retired PP | |
| A great new home was being built | ||
| Like a palace made for kings. | And so tonight I’m happy to | |
| Still be here with you all. | ||
| We knew our future years would be | I’ll stand in line and drink and dine | |
| A time of resolution | Until the day I fall. | |
| Which would evolve the question of | ||
| What kind of institution | Until that day I’ll always say | |
| How glad I am to be | ||
| The Air Academy would become | Among professors who have been | |
| In future years. We knew | Around so Permanently. |