Happy Birthday, AF

You can't talk about the Air force without mentioning Curtis Le May.

After WWII, Curtis LeMay commanded USAF Europe and coordinated the Berlin Airlift. He served as commander of the Strategic Air Command from 1948 to 1957, and was the kind of man we've always needed to win wars rather than prolonging them endlessly like politicians tend to do.

Today, he would be vilified as a bloodthirsty war monger. But he was actually a humanitarian who wanted to save as many lives as possible. This is evidenced by a couple of statements that he made. He was the ultimate no-BS kind of guy.

"We should always avoid armed conflict. But if you get in it, get in with both feet and get out as soon as possible."

"In war, you've got to kill people. And when you kill enough of them, they'll stop fighting."

"A Successful offense brings victory. A successful defense can only lessen defeat."

 

Served 30 years, retired in 2017. Airpower!

 

Voted for him as Vice President, He said he would end the Vietnam War in a hurry, that was what I wanted most as I was going back.

 

I joined the Air Force in 1972, the 25th Anniversary...my squad leaders and myself in September of 1972. I'm on the far right..

 

Friend of mine (now deceased) liked to tell about LeMay visiting his unit onetime. He was in charge of some security guards on B-52's. He was briefing his men on LeMays visit.

A young airman asked, "What should I do if he comes out to my plane?" He replied, "You do just exactly what you've been trained to do."

Sure enough here came LeMay to this kids plane. LeMay started to walk on in across the red line. The airman challenged him just short of the red line.

Lemay began arguing with him. Things like, "Are you talking to me?" answer "Yes sir". "Do you know who I am?" answer, "Yes sir, you are General Curtis Lemay, Commander of Strategic Air Command." "And you are telling me I can't go across this line." "Yes sir, not without showing me proper authorization." "What would you do if I just walked on in?" "Sir I'd have to shoot you."

Finally LeMay turned to an aid and said. "This young man deserves a promotion, see to it." With that he produced authorization.

 

Too bad that General Mitchell never lived to see it.

 

The wife and I are both retired USAF

 

Hope you got the "Dollar Ride"...

 

Just retired from the Air Force on June 1st after serving for 26 years, 8 months, 10 days. Now I am continuing my service as a GS civilian. My wife has already started her countdown to retirement next year.

 

The old double dip...

Congrats on your retirement and thanks for your service.

 

Speaking of incentive rides, I flew in the T-37 and T-38 at Columbus AFB. Hit the Dollar Ride in the T-38.

Also rode in the WC-130 with the 53 Weather Recon Squadron, Hurricane Hunters at Keesler AFB.

 

Here is the Air Force’s new video for its 73rd birthday

https://flip.it/QBnV5J

 

One of my NCOs got so mad at me he threatened to give me an incentive ride on a Minuteman III...

 

Born on Chanute AFB in 1971. Was smart enough to join the Navy. I kid. Anyway happy birthday to my brothers and sisters at arms.

 

The pilot asked what I wanted to do. I asked if I could fly it. I had a Commercial, Instrument and Multi-engine rating, with 700 hours. So, I started flying it. He said, Hey, do you know how to fly? I said a little bit. And he said, your jet! and away I went. I pulled 7g's on my own, and he had to help me get the next two, as I was getting a little sleepy. Out of 14,000 hours flying so far, that .9 was the best of all of them.

 

USAF was only 15 years old and look how far it had gotten.

 

I had the privilege of participating in a round table discussion as well as lunch with Gen LeMay when I was at Air War College. He spoke to the entire class in the morning, then had lunch with a small group of us and then a roundtable of the 14 of us who were in the Research Fellowship Program. That was 1988-89. I think it was his last time to speak at Maxwell. True airpower visionary.