[A/N] When I began this story I had hoped to cap it at 25 novel length chapters totaling 100,000 words. Obviously I have failed at both, but I can assure you that the story is nearing conclusion.


Chapter 27
Sarah (the Stearman)

Harm made the transition from I-5 onto route 163 north, which skirted around Balboa Park. "If you look to the right, you can see the Naval Hospital where I was born," he told Mac, who was seated beside him.

"It looks surprisingly modern."

"This is the new facility. Back in 1963 the original buildings were painted in a light shade of red so that the hospital was called 'The Pink Palace'."

"Trish told me that your father deployed aboard the Hornet early in her pregnancy. Who took her to the hospital?" Mac asked.

"Vicki Ross. Vicki stayed with my mom through all 20 hours of her labor."

"Ouch! I knew that Trish was a strong woman, but 20 hours? My god."

"The Hornet was in the South China Sea and operating under a radio blackout. When I was born it took 2 days for word to reach the ship by COD (Carrier Onboard Delivery). The news was announced in the wardroom during dinner, and I understand that there was a standing ovation. That night my dad, Tom Boone, Bill Ross, Al Cherry and Gary Grissom all got drunk on the Black Label Scotch that Tom had smuggled aboard in Subic Bay."

"Thank god there were no flight operations the next day!" said Mac.

"Think again. Tom said that the next morning his hangover was so bad that he needed five minutes of breathing pure oxygen to focus on the instrument panel in his F-8."

Mac shook her head. Frat house boys flying million dollar jets.

"It must have been exciting for your dad to come home to a new family."

"It was, but he didn't stay home for long. The situation in Vietnam quickly went from hot to boiling over. My dad's squadron deployed for South East Asia in April 1964, this time aboard the Ticonderoga."

Mac pictured Trish, 19 years old and standing on the pier holding her infant son in her arms while saying goodbye to her husband.

My god, how could she find the strength?

"The Tico was on station when the Gulf of Tonkin Incident took place. My dad and Tom were flying BARCAP (Barrier Combat Air Patrol) along with Bill Ross and Al Cherry. When the destroyer Maddox was attacked they went into in action immediately, rocketing and strafing the North Vietnamese patrol boats. Bill Ross sank one boat, and with my dad and Tom damaging the others. Everyone involved received Air Medals." Harm paused. "Vietnam was now a shooting war. From that moment on, everything changed for everyone...and forever."

Mac was anxious to change the subject. "We should do something special for your birthday next week."

"I'm open to suggestions."

"Let's go to the farm and visit your grandmother."

Harms eyes lit up at the prospect. "Would you really like to do that?"

"Of course I would. You said that your grandmother wanted to meet me, and that you wanted to speak with her about your father. The timing would be perfect."

"I'll call her tonight and make plans. How is next weekend for you?"

"That would be fine."

"Do you think that the Admiral would give both of us Friday off so that we could get a head start?"

Mac scowled. "After his giving us this week off, are you honestly prepared to suggest that idea to him?"

"We'll leave early on Saturday morning."

"Harm, let me be clear that the two of us are driving to the farm. We are not flying," Mac emphasized.


Friday, 16 October 1998
1150 PDT
The Pacific Fine Art Gallery
La Jolla Village, CA

The pile of paperwork on Trish Burnett's desk had thinned down to the point that she could at least see the desktop. During her absence, shipments not been made, invoices hadn't been paid, the accounts receivable was not current, and a host of other details were left unresolved.

Trish took off her reading glasses and rubbed her eyes. She hated wearing glasses, but she'd get headaches if she went without them for very long. Even so, other than Frank and the office staff, very few people ever saw Trish wearing her glasses, including Harm Junior.

Trish felt that her son's eye problems had come from her. Harm Senior had 20-15 vision and could thread a needle as easily as putting a soda straw into a pop bottle.

For Trish, who had vowed to provide her son anything and everything he had wanted, it was devastating to imagine that she might responsible for his eyesight problems.

Marianne knocked on the door and then walked into the office with her face flustered. "Trish, There's a delivery here from Sun Shine Gallery. Do you know anything about it? Terry Tanner is on the phone, and one of the artists, Sally Rand, wants to know about a payment of $500. Also, Amanda Cartwright would like to speak to you about a decorating project for her Palm Springs home."

Trish thought back to what she and Frank had discussed last night and sighed.

Frank was right. This isn't working. My spending more time with Frank and away from the office will only make it worse.

"Marianne, sign for the delivery, tell Terry I'll call him back in 20 minutes, have Sally wait while I cut a check, and pour Ms. Cartwright a glass of champagne. Make sure that it's the good stuff, and keep pouring it for her," Trish delivered rapid fire.


Friday, 16 October 1998
1210 PDT
San Diego Cardiac Center
San Diego, CA

The nurses aid entered the room and removed Frank's lunch tray, or rather what passed for lunch in the hospital. The turkey wrap with nonfat white cheese along with spinach and hummus wasn't bad; there wasn't enough of it.

A man survives a heart attack and they starve him to death.

So far, lunch had been the high point of Frank's day, which showed how dire his situation had become.

Frank had to admit that he missed having Trish sitting next to him. He regretted his suggestion that she go into the office today.

After rearranging his pillows for the fifth time, Frank reached for the remote control for the television set mounted on the wall opposite his bed. He surfed through the channels until he found a sports program with news of the World Series, which paired the San Diego Padres against the New York Yankees.

Frank was a Padres fan and had been a season ticket holder for many years. While he and Trish were dating, Frank had invited Little Harm to accompany him to the games on several occasions, but in each case, Trish had politely excused her son.

Later, when Frank learned that Tom Boone had been taking Little Harm to see the Padres, he was deeply hurt.

Frank heard two sharp knocks and then saw Harm poking his head through the doorway.

"Are you up to having visitors?" Harm asked.

Frank quickly switched off the TV. "Harm, Mac, please come in."

Harm went directly to Frank's bed. "How are you feeling, Dad?"

"I feel great. I could play a round of golf right now." Frank shifted his attention to Mac. "How's my girl?"

Every time that Frank called Mac his girl, she melted.

Now that Frank was no longer encumbered with wires and monitors, Mac moved close to him and took his hand. "I'm just waiting for you to come home."

"I'll be home tomorrow afternoon. In the meantime, I've missed both of you. It's been lonely around here today."

"I'm surprised that mom isn't with you," said Harm.

"Your mother went into the office this morning. Things are a mess, so she'll be there for most of the day. Trish took a room at the Hilton to be closer to me, so the two of you will have the house to yourselves this evening."

"Frank, it's not a home without you and Trish there with us," Mac insisted.

Frank grinned. "I'm sure that you and Harm can entertain yourselves in our absence. Now, I want both of you to sit down and tell me about your stay at the Hotel Del...or as much as you're willing to share."

Harm described the swimming pools and the immaculate facilitates, while Mac focused on the beach and the food.

"Harm and I are planning to return to the Hotel Del next summer, aren't we, Harm?"

Knowing that he might be flying a Tomcat next summer, Harm changed the subject. "Mac and I are hoping to visit my grandmother next week."

"I'm nervous," Mac admitted. "I hear that Sarah Harmon Rabb is a tough lady."

"I wouldn't worry," said Frank. "The first time that I visited Harm's grandmother she made me feel at home."

Following the Christmas Eve shoot down, Sarah Harmon Rabb maintained no illusions that her son was still alive in Vietnam. Daughter in law Trish needed a husband, and her grandson, Harm Jr., needed a father figure. Sarah Rabb felt that Frank Burnett was mature and well established, and that he offered the security that her family needed.

Although Sarah Rabb had accepted Frank immediately, Little Harm continued to shun him.

Harm Senior's Stearman remained inside the Rabb family barn. Big Harm and Tom Boone had done some preliminary restoration work on the airplane in the Spring of 1969, but the plane had remained essentially untouched since Big Harm's final deployment.

Being a mechanical engineer, Frank was naturally interested in the Stearman, but Harm Junior considered it a shrine to his father's memory and he didn't want Frank coming near it.

During the ensuing years, Harm managed to acquire a stock of replacement parts, and during his visits to the farm he worked on the plane as time allowed. Later, while recovering from his F-14 crash, Harm sought Frank's help with rebuilding the plane's Continental R-670 engine.

For Frank Burnett, who had spent the Korean War supervising the production of enormous 18 cylinder, 46 liter radial aircraft engines for the US Navy, the tiny 7 cylinder engine was child's play. Unfortunately, mid-way through the tear down, Frank determined that the Continental was so worn that rebuilding it would not be cost effective.

"Harm, in the long run it will be cheaper and easier to buy a Lycoming R-680 crate motor. It will arrive fully certified and warrantied, and it's on the shelf."

"I don't I have the funds for that," Harm admitted.

"Sure you do." Frank took out his cell phone and began making calls.

When it came to planning and arranging, as well as cutting the best possible deal, Frank Burnett was in his element. No detail, no matter how minor, was overlooked. The moment Frank picked up his phone, things began to happen.

In the meantime, Jack Keeter, along with Luke Pendry, his wife Annie, and their young son Josh, arrived at the farm.

Luke and Keeter were each giving up the better part of their leaves, and both men were anxious to get the Stearman into flying condition.

"It's great having both of you here," Harm told his two friends.

"We've been hearing about the Stearman since the three of us met in flight school," said Luke.

"I just hope we haven't bitten off more than we can chew with this project," said Harm.

"Dammit, that's Air Force talk. Let's get to work," Keeter insisted, and the barn became a blur of activity.

Having recently recovered from a heart attack, Frank Burnett couldn't perform any of the heavy assembly work, but he lent a hand and gave advice where ever he could.

Despite the age difference between himself and Harm, and Harm's friends, the comradery was such that Frank felt as though he was once again a young engineer on the factory floor at Chrysler's Maywood plant.

As the men turned wrenches their conversation turned to the things that Navy men always talk about: the Navy, sports, and women- though not always in that order.

Frank found many of the trio's Navy stories hilarious, including Jack Keeter landing on the wrong aircraft carrier during the Gulf War.

"After landing on the Ranger, when Keeter finally made it back to the Midway, his F-14 had been painted with RETURN TO SENDER and PROPERTY OF USS Ranger," said Luke.

"What's a little paint between shipmates?" explained Keeter. "Besides, were treated pretty darned well on the Ranger. Tom Boone, the squadron commander. brought Ahab and I bowls of strawberry ice cream."

Frank frowned at the mention of Tom Boone. "Who is Ahab?"

"Ahab is Denny Allison. He was Keeter's RIO in the Gulf," said Luke.

Frank said, "I take it that Moby Dick was his favorite novel," and the three aviators erupted in laughter.

"Frank, AHAB is an acronym for Always Humping Asian Bitches, because that's all that Denny did in Subic Bay, Sasebo and Yokosuka," Harm explained.

Over the course of many days, many stories, many laughs, and many cold beers, the Stearman began taking shape.

When aircraft control surfaces came back from the paint shop- all painted in classic Navy chrome yellow, Harm assisted Keeter in installing all new cables and pulleys, as well as new stainless steel bracing wires for the wings. A few days later the seats were returned from the upholsterers and missing instruments and flight controls arrived. Once those components were added to the fore and aft cockpits, the final electrical wiring was completed by Luke and Frank.

The installation of the new engine required a forklift which was trailered in from Centerville. Frank was amazed that among a group of naval aviators who were qualified to fly $30+ million jet fighters, he was the only one who knew how to operate a forklift.

Once the new engine was installed, a technician arrived to install and balance the new Hamilton Standard propeller. Then, after the engine was run-in and all of the mounts were re-torqued, Harm climbed into the cockpit and taxied the plane around the farm.

When Harm returned to the barn and cut the power, he had a smile on his face a mile wide.

In the meantime, Sarah Harmon Rabb had emerged from the main house demanding to know if the boys would rather spend the rest of the night playing with their airplane, or come into the house to eat supper?

When the team pushed the Stearman back into the barn and continued their work, she had her answer.

Despite the mild rebuff, Sarah Rabb was happier than she'd been in years. With Harm and Frank and Trish, Jack Keeter and the Pendry's, Sarah Rabb had a full house.

Little Josh Pendry, although constantly underfoot, could do no wrong in Sarah Rabb's eyes and she spent many hours playing games with him.

Annie Pendry was another matter entirely.

Trish maintained that it was Annie's behavior during the Gulf War which had caused undue stress which brought on Frank's heart attack, and the two women kept their distance.

Although helpful around the house, Sarah Rabb found Annie quiet and reserved, unduly nervous and indecisive. Worse were Annie's complaints of nausea and an upset stomach, which Sarah Rabb took to mean that Annie didn't like her cooking.

Noticeably absent was Diane Schonke, who had begged off visiting the farm and appeared to be avoiding Harm.

When Frank and Trish went to bed that night, Trish began a diatribe. "From the moment we met Diane, I told you that she was wrong for Harm. This proves it."

"Sweetheart, I've been working all day, and I'm dog tired. Is it really necessary to revisit this right now?"

Trish was adamant. "Instead joining in with all of us, Diane is off doing god knows what with god knows who."

"I'm sure that Diane is spending her leave with her own family. Why must you always imagine the worst?" Frank groaned.

"Diane's priority is to be here with Harm, supporting him in any way that she can." Trish looked directly at Frank. "It's what I've always done for both of you."

"Trish, no one is questioning your being a devoted wife and a wonderful mother. Diane's outlook on these things is different, that's all."

"Diane never saw anything but Harm's gold wings. Now that Harm will never fly again, she's abandoned him."

"You don't know that," Frank explained. "Honestly, you need to stop putting yourself into other people's heads. It's not healthy."

"You never take my side." Before Frank could respond, Trish reached over to the nightstand and switched off the table lamp.

Everyone was on edge the morning that the FAA inspector arrived to certify the Stearman for airworthiness. Everyone except Sarah Rabb, who met the inspector with a pot hot coffee and a tray of freshly baked coffee cake.

[A/N] It is perfectly legal to operate a private aircraft on private property, with the property owner's permission of course.

All concerns were unfounded. FAA Inspector Al Alden not only granted the Stearman an Airworthiness Certification, he took Harm aside. "Mr. Rabb, I've seen dozens of Stearman restorations, many costing close to six-figures. You, and your family and friends, have built a beautiful example. I hope that you enjoy her."

"Harm, you have to give her a name," Luke Pendry insisted.

It was taken for granted that Harm would name the plane 'Diane', but Harm surprised everyone when he announced, "I'm naming her Sarah, in honor of my grandmother."

Sarah Rabb kissed her grandson. "Thank you, Harmon. You've always been a good boy."

Harm didn't consider himself fit enough to solo, so the maiden flight would be a dual-hop.

While Luke and Keeter fought over which of them would join Harm in taking Sarah into the air for the first time, Harm took Frank aside. "I want to thank you for helping to make my dream come true."

"Harm, anything that you need from me, no matter what it is, it's yours. All you have to do is to ask."

"I'll need time to repay you for the cost of the new engine."

"Any costs incurred in this project are my gift to you, and to your father's memory. Besides, I was the least useful member of your team."

"That's not true, Frank. None of this could have happened without you," Harm insisted.

"In that case, what I want is to go up in Sarah."

"Luke or Keeter will take you up this afternoon."

"No, Harm. I'll wait so that I can fly with you," Frank insisted.

In fact, Harm would take Frank flying on several occasions. Each time they went up, Frank understood why Harm had finished at the top of his class in flight school, and had won the Outstanding Pilot Graduate Award.

Every story that Frank Burnett had heard involving Harmon Rabb Senior had ended with someone stating that Harm Sr. was the finest pilot they'd ever seen. Frank believed that Harm Jr. was equally gifted, and he felt that Harm's career as fighter pilot being cut short due to his eyesight was cruel injustice.

I can read a newspaper from damned near across the room, but it has never done me a bit of good. I'd give up my eyesight for Harm in a heartbeat, if only I could.

"Dad," Harm said for the second time. "I suggested that you and mom visit the farm."

Frank was still getting used to being called dad. "Yes, I'd like that. In fact, your mother and I should spend this Thanksgiving on the east coast with you and Mac."

"Harm and I would love to see both of you," said Mac, who thought back her own Thanksgivings as a child.

My parents fighting all morning, then my father laying on the couch and watching football until he passed out drunk. Finally, my mother would put turkey TV dinners into the oven and call it a holiday meal.

Although Frank would have liked nothing better than having Harm and Mac spending the entire afternoon with him, he felt that it wasn't fair to them; not with time running out on their vacation.

Frank feigned a yawn.

"Are you tired, Frank?" Mac asked.

Frank stretched. "I'm given medications with my lunch, and one of them makes me a bit drowsy." It wasn't true, but it would serve the purpose. "Thank you both for visiting."

Mac kissed Frank on the forehead. "We'll see you at home tomorrow afternoon."

Harm put his hand on Frank's shoulder. "We understand. You need your rest, Dad. Mac and I will head out."

After Harm and Mac had left, Frank reached for the remote control, switched on the TV, and then stared blankly at the screen.


[A/N] My sincere thanks to Rob, an avid JAG fan, and the owner of a vintage aircraft restoration company, for his guidance with this chapter. In point of fact, it would tax the capabilities of four persons, much less Harm alone, to restore the Stearman within the time frame given by the TV show, or in this chapter.

The actual Stearman 75 used in the TV series (N53153) is well known among vintage aircraft enthusiasts and often appears at airshows. The aircraft is a former US Navy N2S-3S trainer built in 1940, and is privately owned and operated in El Monte, CA. On 19 June 2019 while landing at San Gabriel Valley Airport, the Stearman ground looped and suffered minor damage. I was unable to determine if Harmon Rabb Jr. was at the controls.

The scale model Stearman which appeared in later seasons atop the bookcase in Harm's office was manufactured by master model builder Paul Newitt. Mr. Newitt constructed three models for use in the show; one of them for aviation fan Donald P. Bellisario.