Tom Doughty

Heaven's Door Tom Doughty

CLAUDIUS "LIBERTY" BOATMAN finds himself as an Air Force security policeman/law enforcement stationed in Athens, Greece, in the early '70s. He and the other airmen live through a military coup, a hostage situation, a minor war and other unusual events while stationed at Athenai Airbase. These are ordinary young men who find themselves in extraordinary situations. At that time, deployments to Greece were for a minimum of 2 1/2 years and were generally extended to 3 years with a lot of life crammed into it. At the end, Liberty is discharged with three men smuggled out of Turkey in mail bags. Years later, he is in New York City studying philosophy when he meets someone he was stationed with in Greece. They talk and exchange stories and rumors. It is evident that Liberty is a new man and that Athenai Airbase is in the past and the events there soon to be forgotten.