A REAL BLONDE

Fairbanks in the 1960's was much more reminiscent of a frontier town in the 1800's than a city of the mid 1900's. Main street was lined with bars and frequented by characters from the "bush" that were used to rough living and hard drinking. It was not uncommon to see the dancers who worked in the various clubs walking down the sidewalk wearing nothing more than a sweater around the shoulders and a "G" string.

At some date during this era, two Firebird crews were sent TDY to Eielson AFB and had to be housed in a hotel in the middle of the city. In the evening, the pilots and navigators went to dinner and then stopped by a bar for a "shooter" before retiring for the night. All of the tables in the bar were occupied so the Firebirds were seated at the bar where two attractive platinum blonde entertainers were dancing topless, with a "G" string covering the most strategic parts. As luck would have it, the two Firebird pilots from Louisiana, Dick Dodge and Nolan Bailey, were seated side-by-side directly in front of a most attractive go-go dancer. One pilot was from New Orleans, and the other, a "Yankee" from North Louisiana.

After a few drinks everyone was "relaxed," and in rare form. Soon afterwards, the pilot from North Louisiana who was noted for pulling pranks caught a dancer's attention and told her, "This guy is from New Orleans, and he just bet me five bucks that you aren't a real blonde." The blonde babe just gave a little giggle, caught both thumbs in the sides of the "G" string and wriggled it down to knee level, while keeping in perfect time with the music. Surprise! Surprise! She was, indeed, a blonde. The pilot from New Orleans turned as red as Rudolph's nose and stammered, "I did not say that; he's lying!" All the other Firebirds were "rolling on the floor" in laughter. The "Birds" were mostly surprised that a seasoned veteran of "The Bourbon Street and Mardi Gras Wars" could be caught off guard by a little strip teaser in Alaska. And, so went the "humdrum" lives of the Firebirds in Alaska. (As recalled by Firebird Pilot Nolan Bailey)