Subject: Flyboys?
From: "Dudley Henriques"
Date: 12/16/03 8:28 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: et


"ArtKramr" wrote in message
...
Subject: Flyboys?
From: "Dudley Henriques"
Date: 12/16/03 7:03 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: et


"Cub Driver" wrote in message
.. .

I just picked up a copy of Flyboys at BJ's Wholesale Club. Read the
first two chapters last night.

I was amazed that the author uses the term Flyboys throughout the
book, or at least throughout the first chapter. I'd assumed it was
just a cute title, but no: "Flyboys were over Chici Jima" etc.

When I was growing up--which was about the time of these
events--"flyboy" was a derisive name. It's what a ground-pounder would
say when he complained about the soft life pilots (indeed air crews)
had, compared to the infantry in the mud.

Anyone else ever heard it this way? Any mllitary pilots here ever
refer to themselves as flyboys or Flyboys?

Well, I realize you have asked for a "military pilot's" opinion, but
considering everything involved with how that relates to me, I'll answer
the
post anyway :-)
I just finished the book. My reaction was similar to yours, but slightly
different perhaps.
The term itself was quite common as you know back during the war. It was
used by the pounders and civilians as well. I remember my mother using
the
term on occasion.
As for the Bradley; if I was reviewing the book, ( I don't "review" books
any more :-) I would come away with the feeling that he is overusing the
term both in the book as you have noted, and as well by assigning it
through
inference if nothing else in a completely naval context, which in my
opinion
is incorrect. I believe the use of the term was generic in assignment.
Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Commercial Pilot/ CFI Retired
For personal email, please replace
the z's with e's.
dhenriquesATzarthlinkDOTnzt



Right you are Dudley. Flyboys was ususally a term of admiration and
envy. The
best, the brightest and the chosen. The elite of the armed forces. Of
course
tone of voice could mitigate that And it applied to all who flew, not
just
pilots., Ground pounders applied to infantry. But those in an AAC squadron
who
were not on flying status were called "Paddlefeet" I think the guy who
wrote
Flyboys knew whereof he spoke

Regards,

I think the term "flyboys" is indicative of many of like terms that sprung
up throughout the war. I believe you are absolutely correct in saying that
any meaning or connotation attached to such terms would have to include
exactly who was using the term and the context under which the term was
being used. To arbitrarily assign either a positive or negative meaning to
such a term without context being involved is in my judgment incorrect. On
one hand, you can have a disgruntled soldier looking up into the sky saying
to his buddy, "Flyboys are over rated idiots!". Then on the other hand you
have a woman standing on a London street corner in her bombed out
neighborhood watching a Spit dispatching a Ju88 muttering to herself, "Thank
GOD for the flyboys!" Both are valid uses of the term; one is negative, one
positive. It's just that kind of thing......a slang expression that brings
one closer to what one might not have the "right" words to express......a
way of expressing an intimate contact where intimate contact might not
exist.
I do believe that Bradley really overworked the term in "Flyboys".
His continuous use of the term throughout the book reminded me of some of
these rock groups where the group seemingly finds a chord or harmony run
that sounds REAL good to them, so they work it over and over and over and
over and over.....until it's been done so many times that the initial
benefit on the ear has been lost through sheer repetition.
:-)
Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Commercial Pilot/ CFI Retired
For personal email, please replace
the z's with e's.
dhenriquesATzarthlinkDOTnzt



Flyboys was often used with a warm element of effection attached to it.

Regards,

Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer