Florida — Like many in the military community, Ron Swanson knows NAS Pensacola as the ‘Cradle of Naval Aviation.’
“It was one of the highlights of my career to be able to serve at Naval Air Station Pensacola,” said Swanson.
Before becoming a Governor appointed District Court Judge, Swanson spent three years at NAS Pensacola as a Navy Captain before retiring in 1995.
Today, the base Swanson grew to know and love, became a crime scene.
Investigators say a Saudi Air Force member opened fire, killing three and wounding eight. The shooter was killed by deputies.
“Today when I heard about the incident at NAS Pensacola, my first thought was the injured, but it goes beyond that,” said Swanson. “It goes to their families. It goes to the mothers, the fathers, the sisters, the brothers, the children.”
Prior to his active duty time at NAS Pensacola, Swanson tells Action News Jax he survived the USS Iowa turret explosion in 1989 that killed 47 sailors.
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He says today’s events triggered some of the emotions from back then.
“It brings back instances that maybe we experienced in different places. I certainly thought about the incident where I was on a ship with mass casualties,” he said.
The Blue Angels’ home base is at NAS Pensacola, and he tells Action News Jax the Blue Angels are a source of strength at a difficult time.
“The Blue Angels stand tall and they fly proud, and they make us all proud to be American,” he said.
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