Any new news about the status of Seminole?

On Mon, 23 Dec 2019 06:12:02 -0800, waltconnelly wrote:

Believe me KG, this IS the edited, redacted, thoughtful post and we are
BOTH wrong. Rich was an AVIATOR. Navy doesn't have PILOTS, they have
AVIATORS. Or so I am told.

Makes sense: on both salt and fresh water 'pilots' are the people who
guide ships into and out of harbour and through tricky stretches of
shallow water. So it makes sense that US naval plane drivers[*] are
called 'aviators' to avoid confusing two rather different skill sets. I
have no idea how other navies name their plane drivers.

* I've used 'plane driver' as a short descriptive term for what the
person controlling an aircraft does: this is not intended to be flippant
or derogatory.


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

Martin, funny thing is, you are a Naval Officer first and an aviator second.. During my years in the Navy I was qualified to command a nuclear powered aircraft carrier while the Captain was off the bridge. We also learned how to get the carrier from sea to the head of the pier. A harbor pilot moved to along the pier. We also were trained to rendezvous with another ship, pull along side (180 feet apart) and receive stores and jet fuel, and safely move apart. Ship handling is as a complex task as flying an aircraft. That is why Naval Aviators have wings made of gold and the Air Force have wings made of pewter. 😀

On Wednesday, December 25, 2019 at 12:58:31 PM UTC-5, Rich Owen wrote:
Martin, funny thing is, you are a Naval Officer first and an aviator second. During my years in the Navy I was qualified to command a nuclear powered aircraft carrier while the Captain was off the bridge. We also learned how to get the carrier from sea to the head of the pier. A harbor pilot moved to along the pier. We also were trained to rendezvous with another ship, pull along side (180 feet apart) and receive stores and jet fuel, and safely move apart. Ship handling is as a complex task as flying an aircraft. That is why Naval Aviators have wings made of gold and the Air Force have wings made of pewter. 😀

Very pompous remarks, wish my brother was alive today to comment on behalf of the USAF. If my memory serves me correct there were 320 plus POW'S from USAF in Vietman, the Navy had 143 POW'S in that same war, I would say that they all had wings of gold.

On Wednesday, December 25, 2019 at 12:34:42 PM UTC-8, Bob Youngblood wrote:
On Wednesday, December 25, 2019 at 12:58:31 PM UTC-5, Rich Owen wrote:
Martin, funny thing is, you are a Naval Officer first and an aviator second. During my years in the Navy I was qualified to command a nuclear powered aircraft carrier while the Captain was off the bridge. We also learned how to get the carrier from sea to the head of the pier. A harbor pilot moved to along the pier. We also were trained to rendezvous with another ship, pull along side (180 feet apart) and receive stores and jet fuel, and safely move apart. Ship handling is as a complex task as flying an aircraft. That is why Naval Aviators have wings made of gold and the Air Force have wings made of pewter. 😀

Very pompous remarks, wish my brother was alive today to comment on behalf of the USAF. If my memory serves me correct there were 320 plus POW'S from USAF in Vietman, the Navy had 143 POW'S in that same war, I would say that they all had wings of gold.

I really, really hope no one is so crass to say "They like pilots who weren't captured". All these guys really put their butts on the line because their government asked them. Merry Christmas pilots and aviators alike.

On Wednesday, December 25, 2019 at 3:34:42 PM UTC-5, Bob Youngblood wrote:
On Wednesday, December 25, 2019 at 12:58:31 PM UTC-5, Rich Owen wrote:
Martin, funny thing is, you are a Naval Officer first and an aviator second. During my years in the Navy I was qualified to command a nuclear powered aircraft carrier while the Captain was off the bridge. We also learned how to get the carrier from sea to the head of the pier. A harbor pilot moved to along the pier. We also were trained to rendezvous with another ship, pull along side (180 feet apart) and receive stores and jet fuel, and safely move apart. Ship handling is as a complex task as flying an aircraft. That is why Naval Aviators have wings made of gold and the Air Force have wings made of pewter. 😀

Very pompous remarks, wish my brother was alive today to comment on behalf of the USAF. If my memory serves me correct there were 320 plus POW'S from USAF in Vietman, the Navy had 143 POW'S in that same war, I would say that they all had wings of gold.

Bob, I'm sure Rich meant no disrespect by his comments, just some good natured ribbing which goes on between services. For instance the USAF might say:

1. When a ugly hooker needs to attract a John she wears sparkly, flashy stuff. The truly hot ones need not do such things.

2. Duing the Vietnam War there were 5 aces, two pilot and three back seaters. USAF 3, USN 2. Advantage USAF.

3. After the war, 1 USN pilot ace went to Federal Prison for being a scum bag, 1 USAF pilot ace stayed clean. Advantage USAF.

4. The highest scoring ace was USAF, back seater, Chuck DeBellevue. Advantage USAF.

5. The "Drop the Soap" championships were won by the USN evey year during the conflict, the USAF combat aircrews in Thailand came in dead last each year. Advantage USN.

I was but a lowly enlisted man duing this conflict but my (pewter, just like the USAF pilots ) Aircrew Wings were made a permanent award after my 10th mission in a designated combat zone. Sure wish I could have been in college during this period in time, had the grades, had the SATs, didn't have the money. I knew several inmates at the Hanoi Hilton including a couple of my classmates from USAF Survival/Escape and Evasion School.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas.

Walt Connelly
Former Tow Pilot
Now Happy Helicopter Pilot.

On Thursday, December 26, 2019 at 5:13:18 AM UTC-8, wrote:
On Wednesday, December 25, 2019 at 3:34:42 PM UTC-5, Bob Youngblood wrote:
On Wednesday, December 25, 2019 at 12:58:31 PM UTC-5, Rich Owen wrote:
Martin, funny thing is, you are a Naval Officer first and an aviator second. During my years in the Navy I was qualified to command a nuclear powered aircraft carrier while the Captain was off the bridge. We also learned how to get the carrier from sea to the head of the pier. A harbor pilot moved to along the pier. We also were trained to rendezvous with another ship, pull along side (180 feet apart) and receive stores and jet fuel, and safely move apart. Ship handling is as a complex task as flying an aircraft. That is why Naval Aviators have wings made of gold and the Air Force have wings made of pewter. 😀

Very pompous remarks, wish my brother was alive today to comment on behalf of the USAF. If my memory serves me correct there were 320 plus POW'S from USAF in Vietman, the Navy had 143 POW'S in that same war, I would say that they all had wings of gold.

Bob, I'm sure Rich meant no disrespect by his comments, just some good natured ribbing which goes on between services. For instance the USAF might say:

1. When a ugly hooker needs to attract a John she wears sparkly, flashy stuff. The truly hot ones need not do such things.

2. Duing the Vietnam War there were 5 aces, two pilot and three back seaters. USAF 3, USN 2. Advantage USAF.

3. After the war, 1 USN pilot ace went to Federal Prison for being a scum bag, 1 USAF pilot ace stayed clean. Advantage USAF.

4. The highest scoring ace was USAF, back seater, Chuck DeBellevue. Advantage USAF.

5. The "Drop the Soap" championships were won by the USN evey year during the conflict, the USAF combat aircrews in Thailand came in dead last each year. Advantage USN.

I was but a lowly enlisted man duing this conflict but my (pewter, just like the USAF pilots ) Aircrew Wings were made a permanent award after my 10th mission in a designated combat zone. Sure wish I could have been in college during this period in time, had the grades, had the SATs, didn't have the money. I knew several inmates at the Hanoi Hilton including a couple of my classmates from USAF Survival/Escape and Evasion School.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas.

Walt Connelly
Former Tow Pilot
Now Happy Helicopter Pilot.

Thank you for sharing and thank you for your service! Merry Christmas I wish you all a safe and successful
New Year.

My personal favorite in the USAF - USN banter:

"There are more airplanes at the bottom of the ocean than submarines in the sky"

ROY (who was Regular Army and had no dog in the fight)

Bob, The key symptom of knowing your too old is not knowing when people are joking. No member of the armed services would ever seriously disparage another member, let alone an entire service branch. You should watch the end of the Army Navy football game. Both core of cadets get together at the end and sing both of their academy songs together. It doesn’t make a difference who wins in the end because WE know we are on the same team.

Also, I had the honor of being in an Air Force squadron for 4 years on exchange from the Navy. During that time I was able to fly most of their models of aircraft in service at the time. An Air Force pilot was also doing the job I would have had in the Navy. That program is still going on today. This way we find out how our sister service attack problems differently. It makes both services better.

Have a Happy New Year,
Rich

On Thursday, December 26, 2019 at 2:11:48 PM UTC-5, Rich Owen wrote:
The key symptom of knowing your too old is...

Nah, I thought it was typing "your" when you meant "you're"

On Thursday, December 26, 2019 at 11:11:48 AM UTC-8, Rich Owen wrote:
Bob, The key symptom of knowing your too old is not knowing when people are joking. No member of the armed services would ever seriously disparage another member, let alone an entire service branch. You should watch the end of the Army Navy football game. Both core of cadets get together at the end and sing both of their academy songs together. It doesn’t make a difference who wins in the end because WE know we are on the same team.

Also, I had the honor of being in an Air Force squadron for 4 years on exchange from the Navy. During that time I was able to fly most of their models of aircraft in service at the time. An Air Force pilot was also doing the job I would have had in the Navy. That program is still going on today. This way we find out how our sister service attack problems differently. It makes both services better.

Have a Happy New Year,
Rich

I know I have heard Navy pilots describe Air Force pilots as "squat to pee, flare to land". Define disparage?