"Back in the day" stories

[brownshoe]

In VT-2, flying T-28's at Whiting, on days with questionable weather and sitting around waiting for a break, one instructor, a former A-1 pilot, would set up a projector and show his home movies he made with his hand-held 8mm "Super-8" camera of the first US airstrike on Haiphong. No matter how many times he showed it, everyone was totally enthralled.

First strike into that heavily-defended hell, he's in his Spad taking movies. The guy was God to us.

The C.O. would pace around behind us and mumble "And I trust that crazy son of a bitch with my planes?!?"

You need to make friends with Rondebmar. Now he's got a few stories! I have them, but they were privately emailed to me so I can't share without Ron's approval.

Steve

 

[BusyBee604]

First strike into that heavily-defended hell, he's in his Spad taking movies. The guy was God to us.

That would've been the strike in which LTJG Ev Alvarez (VA-144) & a LTJG A-1 pilot from VA-145 were lost. Alvarez was captured and became the longest incarcerated POW in No. Vietnam.
BzB

 

[brownshoe]

In VT-2, flying T-28's at Whiting, on days with questionable weather and sitting around waiting for a break, one instructor, a former A-1 pilot, would set up a projector and show his home movies he made with his hand-held 8mm "Super-8" camera of the first US airstrike on Haiphong. No matter how many times he showed it, everyone was totally enthralled.

First strike into that heavily-defended hell, he's in his Spad taking movies. The guy was God to us.

The C.O. would pace around behind us and mumble "And I trust that crazy son of a bitch with my planes?!?"

Oh yeah! You might want to catch up with Busybee for some 60's A-4 Rock-N-Roll.

Steve

 

[rondebmar]

In VT-2, flying T-28's at Whiting, on days with questionable weather and sitting around waiting for a break, one instructor, a former A-1 pilot, would set up a projector and show his home movies he made with his hand-held 8mm "Super-8" camera of the first US airstrike on Haiphong. No matter how many times he showed it, everyone was totally enthralled.

First strike into that heavily-defended hell, he's in his Spad taking movies. The guy was God to us.

The C.O. would pace around behind us and mumble "And I trust that crazy son of a bitch with my planes?!?"

 

[blackbart22]

Back when the VT's were BTG's on foulweather days we watched Victory at Sea episodes. One day I was seated next to Ensign Kakuta of the JNSDF. No matter how many Zero's got flamed, or what the narrator's comments were, his expression never changed.

 

[helolumpy]

Back when the VT's were BTG's on foulweather days we watched Victory at Sea episodes. One day I was seated next to Ensign Kakuta of the JNSDF. No matter how many Zero's got flamed, or what the narrator's comments were, his expression never changed.

Up here at the War College one of the case studies is the Falkland Island battles.
We have a Brit Officer on staff who gives the Brit perspective. We had an Argentine student who gives thier perspective.
It must be kind of awkward to get up in front of a bunch of fellow professional military officers and discuss why your side failed.

 

[Jim123]

Up here at the War College one of the case studies is the Falkland Island battles.
We have a Brit Officer on staff who gives the Brit perspective. We had an Argentine student who gives thier perspective.
It must be kind of awkward to get up in front of a bunch of fellow professional military officers and discuss why your side failed.

True, albeit no more so than a U.S. military history failure case study in an international class.

(PS- JMO is "fun.")