“I can go to my grave with my head high”
Nearly 69-years after leaving the United States Air Force, Gay veteran Hubert Edward Spires finally received an honorable discharge for service to his country.
Until this point, the word undesirable appeared on his official military records.
Spires, who resides in Norwalk, CT, shared his story with the New York Post.
“I CAN still feel the harsh breath of the master sergeant on my neck. ‘If you don’t tell us whether you are gay, we will court martial you!’ he shouted.”
He recalls the incident that happened some seven decades ago – a much different time in America.
“Aged 22 and shaking with fear, I could barely find the words to defend myself. I was serving my country as a chaplain’s assistant in the Air Force, but I was being interrogated as if I were the enemy.”
The year was 1948 and he was caught up in what he described as a “witch hunt” to root out gay men. Back then, anyone who was gay was banned from the military.
“After finally admitting I was gay, I faced the ignominy of a discharge for “undesirable habits and traits of character” — the dreaded so-called “blue ticket,” he explains to the NY Post.
Now, after all of these years, he feels a sense of honor by the military’s recent decision to change the marking on his official discharge status.
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“The sense of injustice has haunted me ever since. But now, my good name has been restored. Last week, I learned the Air Force Board for the Correction of Military Records has agreed to change my discharge status to “honorable” — a decision that’s been 69 years in the making.”
The decision Spires refers to didn’t happen by happenstance. He had to employ the help of Yale Law School’s Veterans Legal Services Clinic. They assisted him with filing a lawsuit in Federal Court last November.
Speaking about the case, he shares:
“It asserted that my rights had been violated after I encountered unreasonable delays in the Air Force review because some of my records had been destroyed in a 1973 fire.
There was added urgency because I contracted pneumonia that same month and spent 10 days in the hospital intensive care unit. A priest gave me the last rites. Against the odds, I recovered.
Hearing that the discharge status had been switched to “honorable” was the tonic I needed. I felt unburdened. The negative thoughts that have plagued me for seven decades have been banished forever. I can go to my grave with my head held high.”
Mr. Spires is married to his husband, David Rosenberg. The two met 58-years ago and married in 2009.
Here at the blog we’d like to say we are so very proud of you Mr. Spires. Thank you for your service to our country and to all who serve in our armed forces.
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By: John Hollywood
Photo Credit: NY Post
