From Europe to Southeast Asia, Jonesy

Faced The Heat of the Cold War

At Rome Memorial Hospital, most people know Clarence Jones as "Jonesy" – the man who makes sure there are enough supplies in the storeroom to keep the hospital operational.

But, Jonesy had another career before signing up at the hospital eighteen years ago. He was one of our country’s heroes in uniform who kept the U.S. Air Force’s jets flying high during the Cold War and Vietnam.

Master Sgt. Clarence Jones retired from the Air Force in 1982 after 21 years of service. He was born in 1943, in Shamokin, Pa., a small coal mining town northeast of Harrisburg. When he graduated from high school in May 1961, Shamokin held little promise, so he and 18 of his classmates turned to Uncle Sam for adventure, patriotic duty, and a job.

His career in the Air Force took him around the world as he repaired F106s, F111s, F105s, and F100s.

He was stationed in Europe when the Berlin Wall was erected in 1961. These blocks and mortar, which would divide East and West Berlin for three decades, were the most visible symbol of the Cold War, with its underlying threat of nuclear annihilation.

"The Cold War was the harriest," Jonesy said. "We were always on the defense, always ready. We slept next to the airplane waiting for the lights to signal a nuclear alert."

He recalls working 12-hour shifts for 42 days without a day off.

Anyone old enough to remember Nov. 22, 1963, knows where they were when President John F. Kennedy was killed by assassin's bullets as his motorcade wound through Dallas, Texas. Jonesy was TDY in Africa. As the nation reeled in shock, he and his fellow airmen sat waiting for transport. "We were waiting for news, because we didn’t know anything," Jonesy said. "We were loaded with nukes, ready to react."

By 1965, the U.S. decided to escalate its troop involvement in Southeast Asia to halt the spread of Communism and Jonesy found himself in Vietnam for two years.

With the stress, heat, and rigors of Southeast Asia, Jonesy shed 50 pounds. Maalox tablets were a staple of the times and definitely needed following one memorable incident.  A pilot, soon after take-off, had an in-flight emergency – Jonesy’s first in Southeast Asia. An indicator light warned that the plane’s landing gear was unsafe, so the pilot returned to base, bringing his bomb load with him.

"We watched the approach and saw a big ball of fire, but we just kept running towards the plane," Jonesy said. "All we were thinking was ‘Save the pilot. Save the pilot.’" As the mechanics got closer, they noticed a couple of egg-shaped objects flipping end over end behind the plane. They were eight 750-pound bombs.

"We turned around and ran the other way. To this day, I can’t figure out why they didn’t explode," Jonesy said. "The Fire Department rescued the pilot, but we decided then and there, we wouldn’t be chasing any more airplanes."

After Vietnam, Jonesy was stationed in Las Vegas for six years, where his two daughters, Meg Davis, RN, of Georgia, and Paula Caru, of Rome, were born.

In the final years of the U.S. involvement in Vietnam, Jonesy was also sent to Korea and Thailand. He spent the last seven years of his military career at Griffiss Air Force Base.

Since the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks, there has been a resurgence of patriotism in the United States.

Jonesy hopes it doesn’t fade as it has so many times in the past. America flew its colors during the Gulf War, but it wasn’t long before Veterans’ Day and Memorial Day crowds dwindled to 20 or 30 people for the services.

"There is a cost for freedom," Jonesy reminded. "Veterans’ Day is one day out of the year when we have the opportunity to honor those who have paid the price."