Remininces from an old sailor

[Helldiver]

To set the story straight, I never said or inferred I was a pilot. I was an Aviation Machinists Mate 2nd Class. I went to NAS Memphis for Radioman - Gunners School. They also threw in Aerology.
I was sent to NAS Jax and was assigned to the Flight Test Hanger, A&R Division. We had three lines F6-Fs F4-U/FGs and SB2Cs. They would try a produce one aircraft a day.
From there I went to NAS Quonset Point the homeport of the USS Leyte. CV-32. I was assigned to Attack Squadron 74 that flew SB2Cs. I went on four cruises on her and when she went into dry dock in April of 1948 in Brooklyn Navy Yard, I took my discharge. I served from June of 1944 to April of 1948. Like a lot of kids my age, I joined when I was 16.
Now you say you know somebody that flew P-51s. If his memory is as good as mine is, I’ll bet he’ll have a time in starting one up. He may think he can do it but when faced with the real thing the memory fades. That's the point I was trying to make.
I read a book called George Washington’s War, which I recommend to everybody. It’s the history of the Revolution but taken from letters to Washington or letters by him. This is real history, not some fiction that somebody dreamed up.

 

[frankwi]

OMG JP ! You are so freaking smart ! We are all so impressed with your knowledge !

You try to discredit an honorable man just to shows us all how brilliant you are ! Good job.

Helldriver thank you for your service, I am truly grateful. By the way JP, how have you served your country ? And how old are you ? I'm guessing around 12 ?

 

[Cag40Navy]

OMG JP ! You are so freaking smart ! We are all so impressed with your knowledge !

You try to discredit an honorable man just to shows us all how brilliant you are ! Good job.

Helldriver thank you for your service, I am truly grateful. By the way JP, how have you served your country ? And how old are you ? I'm guessing around 12 ?

He has corrected his mistakes. Everything has been settled so lets calm down.

And HD, thanks for your service!

 

[wombat666]

Play nice children.

HD is one of the few WWII serviceman we have remaining, and furthermore, despite his severe health setbacks he has a remarkable memory.

 

[delta_lima]

OMG JP ! You are so freaking smart ! By the way JP, how have you served your country ? And how old are you ? I'm guessing around 12 ?

Yeah ... that was a really "freaking" profound comment ...

I'm all for respecting vets. I spent a decade in uniform, and I'm sure a great percentage of the members have done that and more. Yet this thread has nothing to do with FSX and ultimately proves nothing - Mods, my vote is to move it to the Cantina or somewhere else where this all belongs.

dl

 

[deathfromafar]

My late uncle was a retired MCPO who joined during early 1942 when he was just shy of his 16th birthday. He like another member of my family lied about their age & didn't get caught. It was quite common back in those desperate days. My aunt showed me many of his records including his enlistment and discharge records. I can't imagine many pre-18 year olds this day & time manning up to go put their asses on the line like those folks did back in the 40's as well as many did before that time. I know my uncle had a very hard life during the depression and despite ending up in arduous & combat conditions in the Pacific, it was an improvement in many aspects for his life and future compared to what he had come from. When I look at photos of those young servicemen back then, I am struck at how young they look going in and how at in their early to mid 20's coming back, they look aged 20+ years. They all grew up very quickly and as we all know, they did what many now would call the impossible.

When we read & hear the words and stories from those Veterans who are still amongst us now(and those passed), soak as much of it in as you can. When they've all finally Crossed the Bar, those memories, histories will become the solemn responsibility of those of us who remain, to keep alive...

Thanks for sharing Helldiver:salute:

 

[crashaz]

Book smart is one thing.... which I am plenty of...especially when it concerns Pearl Harbor.... but I would never question someone who lived it or correct a Pearl Harbor survivor when they told me a story.

I felt honored that they shared it with me.

Thanks for sharing HD... and never mind the nitpickers... I know I don't have to tell you.... you ol' salt! :salute:

 

[Willy]

Just to set the record straight on how the Navy will do things at times. Just because you're officially a certain rating, doesn't mean that they won't put you to doing other things as part of your normal duties. HD was an Aviation Machinist Mate but he also did radioman and gunner duties.

I was an Engineman for my entire career. A marine diesel mechanic to put it bluntly (Machinist Mate Motor Aux back in HD's day). But in my 20 years, as part of my regular daily duties at one time or another I was also a crane operator, a boat coxswain, Auto technician, Movie theater operator (projectionist and ran the cash register), Chief Engineer & 2nd in command on a tugboat who also drove the boat to relieve the tugmaster when necessary, linguist, Nuclear/Non-Nuclear Quality Assurance Inspector on fast attack subs, Ships Training Officer including giving advancement exams, Manpower Analyst and Readiness Coordinator for the PacFlt Amphibs, Division Chief, Admin Assistant to the Chief Engineer, Navy Court Liason to Norfolk City Courts and whatever else they could dream up for me to do in my spare time.

No way do I remember how to do all of those jobs now and HD's got a lot more water under his bridge than I do mine. Cut the guy some slack, he's the real deal.

 

[Astoroth]

JP,

You may have read and studied your history, and heard about it from your neighbor down the road, but Helldiver LIVED it.

For you to attempt to discredit him the way you have certainly brings you no honor.


'nuff said...

 

[TARPSBird]

My hat's off to Helldiver for his service, and for his excellent recollection of his experiences in NavAir. :salute:
For the past week or so I've been reading several "VFR on top" stories from F-8 Crusader pilots who've found themselves in trouble above weather with electrical/instrument failures and dropping fuel gauges. Even though the event may have happened 40+ years ago, they remember the details like it happened yesterday. These same guys might lose their car keys around the house or forget their wedding anniversaries but they remember the scary stuff they survived and what they achieved as aviators because it's what makes them who they are. It's the same with all of us. I can remember details of past cruises - ports we hit, airstrikes, guys we lost, etc. - like I just walked off the ship yesterday, but I gotta have my granddaughters' birthdays on my computer so I don't forget them. Still, even in our old age we can usually tell who among us is the real deal and who's the poser.

 

[expat]

Helldiver, as a contemporary of my late father, also a Navy man and WWII veteran, there's no class like your class.

 

[roger-wilco-66]

[...]
I was an Aviation Machinists Mate 2nd Class. I went to NAS Memphis for Radioman - Gunners School. They also threw in Aerology.
[...]

Sir,
I want to thank you for sharing your experiences and viewpoints here. In my opinion, this is a valuable addition to this forum. Please continue to do that. Some people really should have a bit more respect (and tolerance) for men or women who have "been there and done that".


These discussions here sometimes remind me when my grand dad started to talk about his experiences in WW2 (he flew Heinkel He-111 and later Ju-88s). Everybody was like "here he goes again" and "yawn", except for me who listened to every word he said. He's gone for about 20 years now, and today I miss him for those talks we've had because I have a much deeper understanding of things today and would love to have him around.



:salute:
Mark

 

[Helldiver]

I've had a couple of friends who flew for Germany. They were just like us. We joined the service because it was the thing to do. We were given a job and did it to the best of our ability.
Although on different sides, I held them with great regard. One of them was a Commander of a Night Fighter Squadron.

 

[thunder100]

Hello Helldiver

I appreciate as late born(52 now) what you say !

my friend (now 94 and unfortunately since 3 month its going downhill) flew for germany from Legion Condor till the end(not the very end as there was no more fuel to fly)

He still has(had) a sharp mind and could help some projects in the FS world.But even then it was like you say-->what is this lever?-->You should know!its the split flaps of the 109-->ah yes but it was not at that place on a G-14.

Point is that he will die and even trying to conserve as much of his knowledge we will lose the bigger part.And losing this will make us poorer for sure

So keep teaching us.At least the virtual world will keep it for a while-and ignore the ignorants

Roland

 

[guzler]

Kids that write things that happened 40 years before they were even born, they’re way out of line.

On that basis, does that mean that authors of dinosaur books are out of line ? I have alot of respect for HD's commitment in the forces, hopefully your wording didn't mean to offend authors of great books despite not physically being there themselves.

 

[CodyValkyrie]

Now you say you know somebody that flew P-51s. If his memory is as good as mine is, I’ll bet he’ll have a time in starting one up. He may think he can do it but when faced with the real thing the memory fades. That's the point I was trying to make.

Everyone I know that flew the P-51 described it as needing more than two hands to start. My friend that is now deceased said that it was not like riding a bicycle, in that you must spend time with her regularly or you would simply forget many things.

I wrote down as much as I could about my friend's experience with the P-51. It was the least I could do.

You have made a very good original post Helldiver. As always you have my respects sir.

 

[warchild]

Ya know. It's real hard for me to be nice right now. I wake up to this thread, and i am at a loss for words. I'm livid.
I HIGHLY recommend that if a word or phrase in any post triggers you that you walk away from it till you can come back and re-read the post to get it right. HD NEVER said he was a pilot. In fact, he's always been one of the most honest and upstanding members of this or any forum he's ever been on. Thats just his personality. Further, he's an american veteran, which may not mean a hoot to some people from elsewhere in the world, but to us it means quite a lot. It also means that like many others here, he's my brother as I'm a veteran as well. My job used to be standing on a perimeter making sure the guys behond me could sleep eat and get drunk ( or stoned ) as safely as possible. I'm still doing that job here.. Anyone has a problem with one of my brothers, it better be real, or you better just walk away, Because i will kill your sorry ass from this server.
Pam

 

[Prowler1111]

I´ve been dealing with Bob since the Skyraider Vol1 days (and that´s around 2005), one of the best source for info on vintage aircraft around, also a proud WW2 veteran, he has commit some mistakes, but who doesnt, if i sit in front of a 1995 dodge neon, i´m sure i will try to figure out things again, and i had one for 8 yrs!he sat behind a machine gun in a Helldiver during WW2 and if he says it was called "Nancy" back then, who am i to disprove it? he was THERE, i wasnt even on my dad´s gonads back then, so...
Cheers Helldiver, btw, did you got my PM?

Best regards
Prowler

 

[sgtreilly]

Memory

I can relate to HD. I am no way as old as he is but the mind still dumps old routine stuff. I remember many things while in Viet Nam but some of the routine things I had to do every day, I have forgotten. I was an AME (ejection seat mech.) in the Marine Corps. In the Navy and Marine Corps, that means you work on ejection seats, obviously, canopy jettison systems, airconditioning, pressurization, and breathing O2. As a Jarhead I was trained as a grunt as well. At one point they put me on the flightline and made me a plane captain (crew chief for the Air Force folk). On occasions, if an engine mech. could not be had, I would be towed to the high-power turn-up area to test engines. Was I suppose to do it? Nope. Did I have to do it? Yup. Could I remember how to start up an A-4E? Not in your life. If I tried it now, I would most likely blow my ass off into a wall. It's funny. I still remember the sound of a J-52 engine and the smell. God I will never forget the smell of JP. Glad you still have the memories you have Hell Diver. Keep sharing them with us.

 

[JAllen]

What I would give to . .

Oh to have had the experience of HD and others! I maintained ECM equipment in the USAF for 22 yrs. The list of aircraft I have worked is a long one and the list of electronic systems I was managed is far longer. At age 64 there isn't much I could do with any of it today, even if any of it is still in the active inventory. Likely would have a hard time getting external power on any aircraft today. But, I can still tell the stories of what happened in SEA, Europe, and Korea tours of duty. Especially with a memory jogger or two. I always read Helldivers posts. The SB2C is close to his heart and for me it is the F105G Wild Weasel. I will trade memories with him anytime and wish I could experience the prop blast of a front line fighter and trade him the everlasting smell of JP4 or of the cockpit of a B52.

I vote we keep HD around as long as he can tell us stories and give us insight into a time we can only fantasize about. Soon enough only a few of us Vietnam era vets will be left so tell us more HD, tell us more.

Jim