This is in response to the letter from Henry Green, printed Nov. 17. He stated that he remembered how the peace and quiet of his summer vacations at Rangeley Lake were shattered by tree-hugging bombers and fighters plans.

I remember those flights over Western Maine, and the sense of pride they evoked within me for our military with each flyby.

Unfortunately, terrorism has shattered peace and quiet for all Americans. I believe that it is most important that people comprehend the meaning of the words in the Pledge of Allegiance, and live by those ideals. Patriotism dictates that we recognize that freedom is everyone’s responsibility. From time to time, that calls for sacrifice.

If the extent of one’s sacrifice to ensure a properly trained military to perpetuate peace and quiet is to listen to 20-second flights from time to time that shall potentially be at 115.7 decibels (equivalent to a chain saw), the sacrifice is seemingly minimal. Particularly compared to the sacrifices our forefathers made and our current military is making to ensure freedom.

I thought it egotistical of Green to infer that he would not return to Maine if the flights were allowed. I will not change my support of the military’s training needs so Green can return. I have a son in the Middle East, a son-in-law in Iraq and Afghanistan, and a grandson in Afghanistan. My peace and quiet is gravely shattered when someone objects to fighter pilot training that could support ground troops in combat.

James G. Carey, Rumford