July, 1963, Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. Training in night firing of rifles on a range miles from light pollution on a night with no moon.

You would shoot at a target you hoped you could see, and when you were finished you rolled over on your back. And then...

Up and down the firing line were cries of wonder, for the Milky Way was splashed from horizon to horizon. Many of the troops were from the city and had never seen stars before, much less like this.

And it made you feel very, very small indeed.