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Salute to Service: Central Georgia veteran remembers his nine years in the U.S. Air Force

Fred Dixon served in the United States Air Force for nine years, two days and 15 minutes. Now, he's isolated from friends and family because of the pandemic

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — It's been nine months since we had our first COVID-19 case here in Central Georgia.

Some seniors have gone since March without seeing family, or leaving their homes.

For some Air Force veterans, like Fred Dixon, being away from loved ones is a familiar feeling.

Dixon is a singer, a salesman, a great grandfather and a veteran. 

"It's quite an interesting life. The Lord really blessed me. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs and all-arounds, but I’ll tell you, it’s been a great experience," he said.

Born in Florida in 1936, his mother died in childbirth and his father left him.

Dixon was raised by his grandmother and he knew he wanted to help people.

So, he decided to serve in the military.

"I quit high school during the Korean Conflict and wanted to go over and fight in the war. You know, a young man, I quit school and I owe everything to the Air Force," he said.

He says he thought the Marine Corps may have been a better fit.

"I was really gung-ho. Spit shined helmet, spit shined shoes, spit shined belt buckle," Dixon said.

But, the blue Air Force uniform got his attention, along with his wife's.

He met Charlotte when he was stationed in Albany, Georgia and they were married for 40 years before she died from cancer.

Credit: Fred Dixon

Dixon served as a Strategic Air Command Post Controller and was stationed all over the U.S., London, England and Oslo, Norway.

He was also in the first outfit of the U-2 spy plane at Laughlin Air Force Base.

Gary Powers was in that same group. He was an American pilot who was shot down in the U-2 while flying a reconnaissance mission in Soviet Union air space, causing the 1960 U-2 incident. 

Dixon says he was on duty for the Bay of Pigs Invasion and when President Kennedy was shot.

He says both times, his job was to get the planes in the air.

After dropping out of high school and joining the Air Force when he was 18, he says he owes everything to his officers. They encouraged him to continue his education and became the male role models he lacked growing up.

In the nine years, 2 days and 15 minutes he served, he spent plenty of time away from his family.

"Back in those days you didn’t use a telephone, you know what I mean. You couldn’t call back to America at the time. I mean, you could, but it was a lot of money," Dixon said. "What we did was record it on a tape recorder and send back home the cassette and let them listen to our voices."

After leaving the Air Force, he studied to become a pastor and was a Deacon at Mabel White Baptist Church.

Dixon says his greatest joy in life is helping others.

Whether it was through his military service, singing or preaching to those looking to be closer to Jesus, he says he gets more pleasure out of that than anything in the world.

He also worked with Leo Huckabee in Macon selling cars for 43 years.

Now, Dixon is 83-years-old, living at The Canopy Senior Living Facility in Warner Robins with his furry friend, Paco.

"This COVID thing has got us all down where we can't have visitors or anything," Dixon said.

The Canopy has visiting stations set up with plexiglass walls for families to see each other. Families can also come to their loved ones' window. But, the amount of people allowed in is still limited.

He stays in touch with his three children, 10 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren mainly through text since they are spread out all over Georgia.

Dixon recalls being away from family was the hardest part of serving, but at least he was surrounded by friends. 

But now, because of the pandemic, his friends can't stop by to visit.

"I think it's kind of tougher really because I can't see friends either," he said. "Lots of friends, lots of family I wish I could see."

But Dixon says he's survived hard times before and he hopes to be reunited with the people he loves soon enough.

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