Today, 18 December 2006, we said a final farewell to Cal Nay at the USAF Academy Chapel and at the USAFA Cemetery. In addition to family and friends who had come from as far away as West Virginia and Washington State, the Class of 1963 was well represented. Classmates in attendance included: Jim Fain, Roger Korenberg, Dave Boeck, Jim Gaston, Bill Ball, Bob Hayes, Ev Vaughn, Jerry McClellan, Drue DeBerry, Gordon Bredvik, John Helinski, and Jimmie Butler. Betty DeBerry and Eileen Fain joined us, as well.
The chapel was beautifully decorated for the Christmas season, and we were thankful that the morning was sunny and cold but without snow or wind.
I was pleased to see this turnout of support from our class. Some of you have heard me tell the story of some of us turning out in January 1972 for a memorial service in memory of Leo Thomas, a couple of weeks after he was shot down on his second combat tour in SEA. I remember getting a clearance from the Dean at AFIT, then posting a message about Leo. The bottom line in my message was that we couldn’t be all places at all times, but Leo’s service was our place and our time. Something like 15-20 USAF officers in uniform—classmates and others—carpooled about a hundred miles down to Leo’s hometown in Kentucky and made an appropriate showing in honor of Leo.
Our basic message now more than 3 decades later is that we want to make as an a ppropriate a showing as possible here on behalf of our classmates who come to a final resting place at USAFA’s cemetery. The chapel is large and in many cases we are the only local connection for families who come from half a country away for the interment of one of our classmates. So it’s good when as many of us as possible gather for the services.
As I sat there this morning, I thought about what a great opportunity the experience was to learn more about just what great men we lived among in those four years together and since. I’ll offer a little recap of things you would have learned today about Cal Nay, if you’d been able to join us.
First, Cal was known by Floyd to his family. I explained to some of the family that I only knew him as Cal, probably because first names were normally what we were known as during doolie year. A funeral service had been held in West Virginia on Friday, so our memorial service today included a chaplain leading prayers and reading scriptures, then was devoted to family and friends relating personal experiences with Cal. His daughter, Natasha Nay Behrmann, led off with some poignant memories about her father. We should all hope that our children can give a final report on us having been such a good father. One telling line was her saying, “I wanted me to be like my father; he wanted me to be like me.”
Cal had had an extremely difficult surgery in February, and surviving that had been very much against the odds. Much or all the time since had involved hospitalization. Natasha told of cradling his head last Monday morning and telling him it was okay to go. She told him that it looked like a great day for flying, and shortly afterward he was gone.
She shared insights on Cal’s philosophy of leadership when she talked about calling him during a difficult time for her. She was having to make a very difficult decision, which was being opposed by virtually everyone. Cal told her that sometimes you’ll know what is right and be determined to do it, yet when you look behind you, you find no one is following. At other times, you may find 100 people standing behind cheering for you to do what you know isn’t right. Cal’s view was that leadership is doing what is right in either situation, and his words helped her do what she knew was right.
Jim Fain spoke next of recollections of Cal, starting with Academy days that ended up together in 22nd squadron. Jim declared that Cal was flat-out too smart for the Academy. Jim and many others thus benefited by Cal devoting free time to tutoring and “dumbing down” various math and engineering concepts to a level where those struggling could get through and graduate. Jim recalled Cal’s facility with languages as being able to pick up almost any language such as on the overseas field trip. Jim felt like Cal got them out of trouble several times by being able to negotiate with the locals in their language.
Jim talked of Cal’s flying career including excelling as an Air Commando, and participating in such little known conflicts as in the Dominican Republic in the mid-60s and more than his share of time in SEA. Cal also had been an instructor pilot, and Jim thought many fliers are still walking around today because of things Cal taught them about the practical aspects for flying and surviving.
I believe Cal was medically retired as a captain. He was in uniform today.
I believe it was Cal’s sister, Eleanor, who told a few stories of how amazing Cal was. Cal suffered a terrible stroke in 1988 and came home from the hospital seriously disabled. But Cal worked for three years at recovering, relearning to walk partially going up and down a hill behind his house in West Virginia.
Roger Korenberg had come from central Missouri to recall memories of being Cal’s roommate during 4th class year. Roger talked about also being a beneficiary of Cal’s tutoring.
One of Cal’s nephews told of working with a Marine veteran of Khe Sanh who really perked up on learning that Cal had been an Air Commando.
The many classmates in attendance increased the funeral cortege to nearly 20 vehicles as we wound from the chapel down to the cemetery. With construction of the USAFA Memorial Pavilion in progress on the west side of the cemetery, we gathered in the crisp air at the gravesite. Bob Hayes brought out our Class of 1963 gold flag and stood with it through the service.
The chaplain moderated a short graveside service. The Honor Guard conducted a very professional ceremony of folding the American flag. A USAFA Colonel presented the flag to Natasha, followed by the 21-gun salute, and a perfect rendering of Taps.
A friend or relative from West Virginia told of going to Cal’s to visit and show off a new motorcycle. His offer to give Cal a ride on the prized possession got a response of something like “Why would I ever want to ride on something like that? After some visiting, however, Cal finally said, “I think it’s time we took the ride.
Another nephew, I believe, talked about affection for Cal, then read High Flight.
Jerry McClellan followed, held up the copy of High Flight he had planned to read, then offered a few impromptu words of tribute to Cal.
A prayer concluded the graveside service. In spite of the cold, most remained for a while visiting. Our final act was to gather behind Cal’s casket for a few pictures. I guess John Helinski slipped away before that point but we got the other 11.
Following the service, the family hosted a gathering for soup and salad at the club house of the USAFA golf course.
I believe it was Natasha who mentioned that it was appropriate that her father had come to his final resting place at the USAFA Cemetery.
We all found that this morning was well spent in tribute to our friend and classmate, Calvin Floyd Nay. We encourage all of you, when possible, to come and join us beneath our class colors whenever a classmate returns for the last time to the Academy.


Jimmie H. Butler
Proud Member of the USAFA Class of 1963

I’m attaching 3 pictures from Cal's funeral:

Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3