On Wed, 4 Feb 2004 13:03:39 -0500, "Tony Volk"
wrote:

I'm biting my tongue to keep from pulling an Art here and asking the
source of your information.

Hi Ed. I should've prefaced my statement with the reference to clarify
that I was quoting the word candy-assed (please accept my apology for not
doing so). My source is from G.I.'s book, from the chapter "Numbers Game",
p.103. To quote:

"After X number if missions, human nature being what it is, the pilot
suddenly realizes that he has indeed a chance that life may be possible. It
becomes utterly priceless again, and the warrior becomes a Candy-Ass. He
starts planning to survive the terminal disease of war, and his courage
leaves him. He is now vulnerable, and a hazard to himself and his
compatriots.
The bosses recognized this phenomena and declared the number 90 as
'golden'. After reaching 90, you went only to the easy ones again."

He goes on to explain how this doesn't work, as then pilots start
worrying about 89 as their last, then 88, etc. I'll leave further
clarification/interpretation of G.I.'s statement in your hands, as you are
far more qualified to interpret its meaning (did different wings have
different policies (or reasons underlying those policies?)). I just wanted
to clarify that my statements were based on a direct quote, and not any
personal belief that pilots lost their courage over time. Sincerely,

Tony Volk

GI is right about the policy, but might be wrong about the rationale.
The statistics led to the conclusion that a guy was hazardous near the
end of the tour and it might be prudent to take some pressure off.
Depending upon manning levels (which because of losses in '66 and '67
were almost always minimal) the attempt would be made to take folks
off the Pack VI sorties for the last ten or last five. But, often the
requirement to fill the schedule meant it couldn't be done.

The reason was much more often that guys were becoming too aggressive
rather than too timid.

Unfortunately, any discussion with GI regarding his meaning will have
to wait until we meet again in Valhalla. GI passed away about two
weeks ago. Here's a nickle on the grass for a great one!


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8