Rounding the bend in the river, I could barely make out the bank as I slowly paddled my pirogue between fallen trees and stumps. The rain was coming down much harder now, and the occasional flash of lightning would provide intermittent glimpses of what lay in my path. The pirogue was a project my dad and I had made several years earlier, and though she could glide through the water barely skimming the surface, I knew how easily she would tip over if she suddenly got lodged on a submerged log. The Ochlockonee River, just west of Tallahassee, Fla., was known for being full of stumps and fallen trees providing the ideal habitat for big catfish. I had fished there on many occasions and absolutely loved the feeling of isolation that this river had to offer. Catfish are nocturnal creatures, becoming more active at night just like many of the other wildlife that live deep in the swamps and marshes adjacent to the Ochlockonee River watershed. My plan was to search out a bend in the river which would have a deep hole and string a trot line from one of the low-hanging willow branches across the bend. There was no moon tonight so I had to depend on my senses and take extreme care to avoid an accident. I was out here for one purpose — to fill an ice chest with my limit of channel cats.

The repetitive dip and pull, dip and pull, motion of my paddle was the only man-made noise for miles. An occasional owl could be heard screeching as it flew from its perch in search of some unsuspecting prey. Yes, nighttime on the river is not only beautiful and exhilarating, it is also a place full of hidden dangers. The current on the surface is barely detectable, yet just inches below lies a force powerful enough to drown a man deep in the blackness of submerged logs and tangled shoreline. The river is also home to hundreds of moccasins and alligators.

The branch of the willow tree, where the trot line was tied, bowed under the strain of the current. A slight tugging motion could be seen as the branch bent ever closer to the water then released as if something were pulling at the line down deep in the black water. I slowly eased the pirogue in amongst the willow, ever mindful that moccasins were known to lie hidden wrapped around the branches. Now was not the time to blindly grab the branch to steady the boat. Slowly and methodically lifting the line from the river, I immediately felt the strong tugging of something attached to one of the hooks. This, I knew, was something bigger and much stronger than a channel cat. Fighting the urge to reach my hand into the black water, I chose instead to lift the single line where the tugging was coming from. In a river full of creatures with big teeth and strong jaws, it would be unwise to reach into places I could not see. Slowly, yet firmly, I lifted the line revealing an enormous loggerhead turtle which was in the fight of its life. The jaws of a loggerhead turtle are powerful and are certainly capable of snapping a finger off with ease. With the line in one hand and a pair of needle nose pliers in the other, I was able to wriggle the hook from the mouth of the angry creature, releasing him back into the darkness of the river with all my fingers intact.

Under the cover of darkness, nighttime catfishing on the Ochlockonee River in North Florida can be a thrilling experience, but you must be careful and observant in order to have a successful trip. For U.S. airmen the darkness of night in Iraq brings a different set of concerns. The experience gained as a MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) turret gunner on a nighttime combat patrol in Southern Iraq is one few of us can understand. What we do understand is the need for alertness and quiet observation.

Airman First Class William Logsdon from Vacaville, Calif., is one of the many airmen who can tell you in great detail what it’s like to roll out of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) under the cover of darkness while perched alongside his 240 machine gun in the turret of a MRAP. This young man who had yet to attain the legal drinking age prior to participating in his first combat patrol has the responsibility for making sure his assigned sectors are covered. The crew is always ready for the unexpected.

The MRAP is a massive vehicle, yet “fear of the unknown” is the common denominator for these night-time warrior airmen. In anticipation of an upcoming patrol, Logsdon explains that he spends hours “prepping” his weapon system before a mission. In fact, he proudly explains that he can disassemble and reassemble his respective weapon in just under 60 seconds, providing the confidence that if necessary, he could solve any malfunction in a stressful situation. Training is the key to success.

The combat patrol covers many miles of Iraqi highway and smaller intersecting roadways. Along these roadways are check-points occupied by Iraqi army and police personnel. Logsdon says their work is paying off because he sees significant progress in how the Iraqi army and police are “stepping up” and taking charge of the security in their country. Driving between these checkpoints requires a diligent sense for maintaining 100 percent situational awareness. Logsdon accomplishes this through the use of night vision goggles (NVG) which he says gives you a sense “of being right out of the movies,” by illuminating an incredible expanse of desert terrain.

Warrior airmen such as A1C Logsdon know all too well the threats they face on a daily basis, yet they go about their daily duties with a sense of accomplishment and great pride in what they have done to assist the people of Iraq in their quest for peace and prosperity.

Yes, the emotion, danger, and excitement of a nighttime combat patrol in Southern Iraq makes a fishing or hunting trip back in the States seem like a walk in the park. But, for A1C William Logsdon, a third-generation veteran and boyfriend to sweetheart Melanie Johnson, and a young man who can’t wait to get home and relax at the lake with his first legal beer, it’s just another day at the office. Air Force junior enlisted airmen own the night. Go, Air Force!

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

— Psalm 23: 4

Write Lt. Col. Gregory Laffitte at: Lt. Col. Gregory S. Laffitte Camp Bucca, 887th ESFS. APO AE 09375 or e-mail Greg.laffitte@gmail.com