Anybody know anythong about the history and demise of the USMC's "Flying Sgts."?
Useful NCO's
Anybody know anythong about the history and demise of the USMC's "Flying Sgts."?
Navy had enlisted pilots als, so did the Army
(not the AAF). Arnold insisted on college and commissions to attract the 'best and brightest.' So the USAAF went that route and thus so did the USAF when it was formed in 1947. They sort of drug the Navy and Marines along with them and those services phased out the enlisted pilots in the pipeline in 1948. Those that were serving were allowed to continue flying but no replacements were trained. IIRC, the last one flying was a Marine, C-130 rated and he retired in 1973 or 74.
When the Army expanded it's aviation inventory in the late 50s, they wanted to use Enlisted Pilots but the USAF had a fit and the Army compromised with Warrant aviators.
Curiously, the Navy is about to invent that wheel and make some candidates WOs and send 'em to flight school.
Enlisted pilots, pro and con have been argued on this board before; you can Google it.
IIRC, Chuck Yeager, AVN hero, was a "Flying Sergeant" before they did away with the program and gave him a commission. Then they tasked him to fly the X-1 because he would do it for a AF salary, vice the high priced test pilots. And he was one of the only ones dumb enough to do it!Originally Posted by Ken White
There are choices and there are "I can do that" moments..
True, he finished flight training about the time they made 'em Flight Officers, Warrants, on the way to a commission.Dumb enough? Perhaps. Smart enough to get to BG though. That beats a whole bunch of average bears...Then they tasked him to fly the X-1 because he would do it for a AF salary, vice the high priced test pilots. And he was one of the only ones dumb enough to do it!
And you should remember from your teenage years that the mantra in his, your and my part of the US is "Watch this s..." Who dares, wins. Dumb, maybe but it's a way of life...
His Autobiography remains one of my favorite reads. I never fail to laugh at all of his "West Virginia Good Ol Boy" vs. the USAF stories, and his self-depreciating sense of humor (except for his flying skills).True, he finished flight training about the time they made 'em Flight Officers, Warrants, on the way to a commission.Dumb enough? Perhaps. Smart enough to get to BG though. That beats a whole bunch of average bears...
And you should remember from your teenage years that the mantra in his, your and my part of the US is "Watch this s..." Who dares, wins. Dumb, maybe but it's a way of life...
I also contend that most valor medals in the Army are for successfully doing dumb (but often necessary) things. Dumb isn't always bad ....
I still characterize my stint at Airborne school as one of the dumbest things I ever did - I can hear the howls from the ABN community already....
On Yeager, all true. On the other, true as well.
On this, don't bet on it -- you may end up commanding one of those A-bone BCT Cav Sqns...
A guy who was a former 1SG of C Trp in one of them would've appreciated your presence.
BTW, thanks for the AKO feed. Much appreciated
And then you went Cav....I still characterize my stint at Airborne school as one of the dumbest things I ever did - I can hear the howls from the ABN community already....
There is a trend there, yes there is...
Man that is just low rent
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