John,

NAS Meridian was built so John Stennis could have medical and dental care
when Congress was out of session.

Incorrect. It was a consolation prize when Stennis didn't get the Air
Force
Academy for Mississippi (not much better, eh?). I doubt he would have
bothered with NAS's rather spartan capabilities (I experienced them first
hand in early 1970) when the region's medical/dental hub was only another
12
miles down the highway.


Actually it was built AT Meridian (versus elsewhere in MS) because SEN
Stennis' hometown of DeKalb was right up Highway 39 from the base. Made it
easier for him (and - occasionally - REP "Sonny" Montgomery) to get back to
their constituents on weekends.

I never heard the "consolation prize" story but it makes as much sense as
any other I heard while I was there (1970 - 1971).

One thing I will say for SEN Stennis - he did look out for "his boys" at the
base. Example: As the result of an intemperate exchange of Anglo-Saxon
honorifics, a certain Lauderdale County constable took an extreme dislike to
one of VT-7's folks. This upstanding officer of the law initiated several
nighttime encounters with our guy, tailgating him and otherwise attempting
to "bait" him into some action that would cause his arrest. Word got back
to SEN John, who called the appropriate Lauderdale County Poo-Bahs. Said
constable found himself on a beat w-a-a-a-y down by Whynot or some such
burg.

--
Mike Kanze

"A centerpiece for the table should never be anything prepared by a
taxidermist."

- Martha Stewart's TIPS FOR REDNECKS


"John Carrier" wrote in message
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