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Legends of Naval Aviation - "Brick Nelson"
- Thread starter markkyle66
- Start date
Brick was serious old school... Supersonic below the deck fly-by for his CVW-3 Change of Command.. I was hot switching and thought for sure I was gonna launch an a SAR until he went vertical passing the bow.. If you every looked down in the tanker stack at night and saw burner plumes behind a Tomcat, get out of the way because here comes CAG thru the stack..
Brick was serious old school... Supersonic below the deck fly-by for his CVW-3 Change of Command.. I was hot switching and thought for sure I was gonna launch an a SAR until he went vertical passing the bow.. If you every looked down in the tanker stack at night and saw burner plumes behind a Tomcat, get out of the way because here comes CAG thru the stack..
Yes he was and his JO's would follow him to hell and back (trying to stay up with him on liberty, some did :icon_wink)
If I remember correctly. He got busted by Senior Shore Patrol for curfew while in port while he was deputy.. I think always said something to the effect of "This is one of times to do what I say, not as I do.." Our intel guy got sent to him for an ass chewing for making the 'X-rated' card of the day.. He said something like "The Admiral said I have to chew your ass not matter how funny I think the card is.." Our spy from the day on became known as 'Dirk Diggler'.
"Brick" was born and bred to be a warrior, period; he had legions of JOs, if not Dept Heads and above, trying to be in whatever command he held. When most leaders seemed to be bending towards PC, he remained a stalwart warrior of warriors. He looked the part and lived to the max.
When CVW-3 went in combat during OSW, he (as DCAG) elected to fly a Tomcat not because he needed a RIO to keep him out of trouble, but because "[he] wanted to kill something!" (as told to me afterwards). Those were pre-ATFLIR days when NITEHawk wasn't even close to LANTIRN in finding something to kill (Stalk can relate because we had same conversation about VFA-15 and LANTIRN vs NITEHawk over Kosovo when he was CO). He led from the front in the air on the ground during liberty. Definitely one guy who should have been a flag officer.
Sir,
are these some of the enumerated reasons he wasn't promoted to Flag, or did he elect to get out on his own??
He actually ran into some Air Force Flight Surgeon who discovered some strange "presence" in his blood and was wrapped up in trying escape his clutches. Not sure whether that was a factor or his unvarnished warrior persona or whatever. Plenty of CAGs don't make the cut and it's no reflection on them per se. It's a game of musical chairs for CAGs vs Carrier COs making flag; not enough chairs to go round when the music stops.
HJ,
This describes so many things in today's Navy; DH Screen, CO Screen, and the list goes on. Anyway, your comparison made me smile. Thanks.
-ea6bflyr
HJ,
This describes so many things in today's Navy; DH Screen, CO Screen, and the list goes on. Anyway, your comparison made me smile. Thanks.
-ea6bflyr
It's certainly amazing how some of the best leaders/aviators don't make the cut. Stacker, if you're out there reading this, what a fucking shame. A true leader and aviator.
Awesome guy
Worked with him while I was at the Pentagon. Great guy to have a smoke with and rehash old stories. During one of the the CNO briefs I was giving (intel) showed a video of his below the deck pass. Someone in the audience joked that maybe thats why he wasn't wearing stars.
He laughed...when I left there in 04 he was planning on retiring.. He shoulda been wearing stars.
Worked with him while I was at the Pentagon. Great guy to have a smoke with and rehash old stories. During one of the the CNO briefs I was giving (intel) showed a video of his below the deck pass. Someone in the audience joked that maybe thats why he wasn't wearing stars.
He laughed...when I left there in 04 he was planning on retiring.. He shoulda been wearing stars.
submarinerssbn
New Member
wow, i wish i knew these guys ya'll wrote about like you did. these are the kinds of guys i want to serve with and be remembered as. cool gouges guys. history especially in naval aviation have numerous deeply rooted pinnacles of character. glad to be joining the ranks.
"Brick" would have fit in great with WWII aviators smoking Camels. He had a beautiful F4U Corsair at his CVW-3 Change of Command that made everything look just right. That was in my predigital days, but I know I have hard copy laying around in a shoebox somewhere that I'll look for to complete the thread. Also have shot of his Ready Room chair that was placed in front row of audience at SFWSL CoC for "Otto" Stutz (a card-carrying "Brick" devotee) with operational ashtray.
