veteran of the Viet Nam war and Desert Storm, the older King was brigadier general and commander of all forces on Fort Hood, Texas. A Huey helicopter transported the general, his cadre of four officers from Fort Hood to Fort Drum, New York.
While at Fort Drum, King conducted meetings with other generals. Then he was transported by motorcade to West Point for his son’s graduation ceremonies, where he was a guest speaker. Although Mrs. Hilary King, a schoolteacher and the wife of the senior King, could not be there to share in her son’s graduation, it was still a proud day for the King family.
“You did great son,” he told his son on the day of the milestone accomplishment. “Lieutenant King, let’s take this photo, and please sign it for your mother. She, like myself, is proud of you.”
“Thank you, general,” the younger King said. His hand was raised in a crisp salute when he continued. “I’ll try to live up to the great standards you have set, sir.”
“You already have, son,” the father gushed with a satisfactory smile. Patting the younger King on the back, the proud father continued. “Lieutenant King… It’s got a common ring to it. The sky is the limit.”
“Flight school, here I come,” the younger King said, pumping his fist.
“You’ll be great there, son. The Aviation Branch will be proud to have you.”
“Thank you, sir,” the younger King said, his smile widening with excitement.
When the father and son hugged, flashbulbs went off, recording their happy moment. A week later, both father and son visited the ailing woman. There were more than enough photos for them to share with Hilary King.
The following day father and son would deliver the photos to the ailing but happy mother. Although she was still in the hospital and weakened by her battle with the disease, she had the bravest smile. He wouldn’t know it then, but it would be the last time Vaughn King Jr. saw his mother alive.
Hilary King was in her hospital bed for an advanced stage of breast cancer. She had been in and out of the hospital but would later succumb to the disease. The son and father had both signed the photo and given it to the matriarch who could not attend. That day was special and brought a lot of tears from the family. It was an emotional day. Vaughn King had graduated from college and was now moving on, walking proudly in his father’s footsteps.
“Lieutenant Vaughn King Jr. That has a certain familiar ring to it,” Hilary laughed.
“Mother, that’s what dad said,” the younger King said.
“That’s because twenty-five years ago, he was the freshly minted lieutenant looking forward to his stint in the military,” Hilary said.
“You remember that, huh, Hillary?” King said.
“Yes, I do, vividly. You stayed up the entire night polishing medals and shoes. I was proud of you then, just how I am now proud and happy for you, son.”
“Thank you, mother.”
“So, where do you go from here?” she asked.
“It’s off to flight school at Fort Rucker now. But before I go, mother, you have to promise that you’ll come to my graduation from flight school.”
“I promise you I will, lieutenant,” she smiled.
The disease had ravished her body so much that no one was for sure how long she would live. She had been battling cancer for six years now. The disease had gone into remission only to activate a year later, which happened three times. All these years, Hilary battled back. The family supported her all along.
“You as demanding as your dad. Like father, like son,” Hilary smiled.
They hugged and cried then soon, Hilary was too tired and had to take a nap. The men left and went to eat and promised to come and see her. It was the last time they would see her alive. After his wife succumbed to her illness, the general went into semi-retirement but returned for Operation Desert Storm. When the military campaign ended, the senior King made it official and retired.
During the height of the Vietnam Conflict, the senior King shot up through the army ranks. A hard-nosed infantry commander, King, familiarized his son with the way of the grunt. The military father taught and instilled the respect of hard work in the young Vaughn. Coming from an army background, King was happy when his son took his place in King’s males who served. The younger King stepped into his father’s boots. Instead of ground forces, Vaughn King, the 3rd took to the air and became an exceptional aviator.
An authentic military royalty, Vaughn King 3rd, came from a line of military officers with honorable service in the armed forces. Starting with his great grandfather, who first joined the army and served in Europe during WWII and in the Philippines Island. A tradition of military service to the country was born. Due to the war in the Middle East, the young King became battle-tested. While he proved his mettle in the skies over Iraq, his father lived a retired general’s life. Traveling first class just about anywhere in the world, King bore no real political ambitions. He held a cushy desk job at the state department in Washington, DC. King tried to absorb the effect of the unfortunate development. Controlling his emotion proved difficult. The news of his son’s demise hit him like a hard punch in the gut, cutting the air off and threatening to break him.
With sadness written all over his face, King glanced at his family’s photo when they were all together. It was one of him, his young wife, and son sitting at dinner. King’s forlorn expression stayed stuck in his eyes. He stared at the photo of his twelve-year-old son standing in front of his pretty wife, Hillary. King was hugging her, and she was hugging their son. Hillary wore her blond hair swept across her face like Marilyn Monroe. A smile appeared, but then King blinked. He felt loneliness washing over him, and leaving his heart soaking in sorrow.
Tears suddenly streamed down his face. The retired general reached into his desk drawer and removed the loaded .45 handgun he kept there. King held the weapon in his hand as if calculating the weight. His focus shifted from the photos on his desk to the Colt 45, and back again. He searched for an answer to this nightmare. He wanted to reach the end.
Throwing his arms up, he let out a loud yell. King held the scream until his lungs went empty. Rocked by his emotions, King’s entire body convulsed. His six-two-frame collapsed, and tears rolled from his cheeks. Still holding the cold steel in his hand, King wiped his face. He had the gun tight when King turned his head. King saw his son’s photo with his wife. His wife sent it to him while he was on duty during the Viet Nam war.
Shaking his head, he sighed and said, “He didn’t even have time to father an heir…a grandson…”
His uttering resonated in his mind, caused his body to shudder with emotions. King’s chest heaved up and down. Then the senior King cried aloud from deep inside a cavern of bereavement. Raising the gun to the side of his dome, King gripped the trigger housing. His finger slipped the safety off and automatically moved to the trigger. His face broke out in a sweat, and tears blinded the senior King. His veins popped up in his forehead, bracing for an explosion.
Better judgment took over when he saw a photo of his smiling son with Diana King. Putting the gun down on the desk, he picked up the phone. Then King dialed the number from memory. He waited and listened to the ringing until an incoming message from an answering machine greeted him. It was the voice of his daughter-in-law, Diana King.
“You have reached the King’s
