OCONTO, Wis. (WFRV) – Clyde Bridger’s love of flying is impossible not to feel when you talk with him.
But the Air Force Veteran served our country in Special Intelligence during war and peace.
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He became familiar with the perils of service right from the start, having survived a jet crash during training.
“I came in perfect, just came in perfect, and then, all of a sudden, my airplane just started going down,” Bridgers recalled. “God had to be watching out for me.”
He was ready to face danger in the skies, but the military wanted him in special intelligence.
While stationed in Tokyo during the Korean War, he received special recognition for uncovering a mistaken transmission that would have revealed American troops’ movements to the enemy.
“I caught that, and I’m sure my commanding officer thought I was nuts when I busted into his office,” Bridger recalled. “But he didn’t say anything when he knew what I was doing it for.”
During the Vietnam conflict, it was Saigon. He glosses over the commendations and downplays his second brush with death. The Bronze Star Recipient says back then, he didn’t see it that way.
“You’re honoring me with this, and I think the soldiers and sailors who should be honored are the ones with the bullets flying at them. I never had bullets flying at me. I did have a rocket flying at me, and it went off about 20 yards ahead, and that’s why I say God had to be looking out for me.”
Bridger was close enough that the flash burned him.
At peacetime, the intelligence gathering didn’t stop. It only got more intense.
“This was peacetime, and there were three times in the course of my career that I had occasion to send a message directly to the President of the United States. When I pushed the button, all communications stopped everywhere along the line. Even emergency traffic was stopped so my message could get through to the President. That shows the importance of the stuff we were playing with.”
Bridger says keeping all those secrets all these years might have broken up his marriage.
“It was hard because my wife never knew what I was doing, and I blame myself to a great degree for the break up of our marriage because I couldn’t talk.”
While candid about the sacrifices of service, he also embraces opportunities such as meeting Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden or riding in the Memorial Day Parade with his dad, a Purple Heart Recipient from WWI.
“My dad got to ride in the car with me, and boy, did he love it, and I felt so good for him,” Bridger says with a smile.
At 93, Bridger is still on the move. He and partner Barb volunteer to drive folks to doctor’s appointments. They are so dedicated that they recently logged 5,000 miles in just one year.
“I like driving, and I’m helping somebody,” Bridger says. “It works both ways because I benefit in that it keeps me going. It’s as much to keep myself going. If I quit, I might as well lay down in the corner.”
Bridger’s service to the community includes years as a Major with the Civil Air Patrol.
He was also Director of the Commission of Aging in Oconto County.
Military service runs in the family to this day.
His son, Chief Warrant Officer Robert G. Bridger, retired with several honors, including the United States Army’s Commendation Medal with a special “V” device for valor.
