Misspeaking at footlocker inspections

I was in Air Force boot camp in June 1972. Our training instructor was concerned about airmen getting topless photos mailed from their wives and girlfriends. During our locker inspections, he came up to an airman who was married and had several kids. The airman's name was Humphries, I believe. He was tall and had run track in high school. He did a four-and-a-half-minute mile. As he stood by his locker at attention, the training instructor asked him if he had any "nude" pictures.
"No, sir, but I'm expecting some any day now," Humphries said. The training instructor was shocked.
"You are expecting those pictures soon?" he asked.
"Yes. They are of the wife and kids," Humphries said.
"You are actually expecting nude pictures of your wife and kids?" the training instructor asked.
Humphries turned red.
"Oh, I thought you said new pictures," Humphries said.
The rest of us stood at parade rest and tried not to laugh. We had tears in our eyes. A couple of guys burst out laughing.
"You think this is funny, airmen?" the training instructor yelled.
"Sir, no, sir," they said.
Our training instructor just smiled and continued the locker inspections. This is one of my fondest memories of basic training.

« Previous story
Next story »