Dad in F-86 Figher Jets, 1954/55

[chesbaycruiser 83]

Recently I've been doing some research, trying to track down information about my dad's time in the Air Force; specifically, trying to see if I can track down any of the actual planes he flew. I've been able to partially track a few, and I've found some photos of them in later years, but so far I haven't been able to physically locate any of the actual jets.

Anyway, in the course of my search, I did inadvertently stumble into the son of my dads former flight leader, who provided me with the first color photos I've ever seen of my dad's squadron.

So, for anyone interested in such things, here's some photos I've put together, as well as some provided by John Starr, the son of dad's wing man.

The last image is a link to YouTube, where I've also posted some very old video. Accordingly, some of it's hard to make out, but you can read the description on the YouTube page for more info.

Hope you enjoy this little tribute to the greatest man I've ever known.

Dad climbing into the cockpit of a T-33 Jet Trainer. Webb AFB, Big Spring, TX 1954

[mowerman1193 42]

That is really cool! I did the same search's a few years ago for my dads Navy Ship when he was in WWII. I did find a photo of the ship but it was in later years ( 1965 I think ). I was able to track the ship up until the mid 1970's and then it showed it being sold for scrap..I also found a site where I could register his name and contact info. Nobody ever contacted him but he did get to see the list of names and recognized a couple names on the ship in the WWII. He always wanted to learn more about the ship and see pictures etc and I was able to find this info for him before he passed.

Kevin

[AMC RULES 37,231]

Airplane Park, downtown Monroe, NY. 10950

[Daddy Don 909]

This is a great story and some great videos. Brings back a lot of memories for me of my days in the Air Force on the F4 Phanton in Viet Nam. Please cherish the photos of your dad and pass them down to your family. Also get all of the service metals that he has earned. Good luck with your search. :thumbs:

[stevasaurus 23,448]

Chris...all of that is priceless. You are right about the very old film thing...I love that stuff...thank you for sharing. :thumbs:

[mavfreak 11]

awesome! Now that is some family history! thank you for sharing!

[SAM58 31]

That is very honorable, and I thank him for his service to our Country!!

Did he get a Purple Heart during service?

If so, you need to register he with the following web page..

This is a national Data Bank of Purple Heart Recipiants.

http://www.thepurpleheart.com/recipient/Re...61-90881aeb89da

They have an online form you print out and mail with a picture of your choosing.

the above link shows my Dad just before shipping out to Germany.

He was a prisoner of War for six months, captured by the Nazi's

Army - WWII, Recived a Purple Heart, Silver Star and various other metals.

[C-Series14 15]

Awesome stuff! Although I am going on my 33rd year in the Air Force, I never get tired of airplane pictures! While we were up in Alpena, Michigan for summer camp back in the mid 80's, there was a guy that had an F-86 that was used to tow the targets for our F-4D's to shoot at. I got to watch it take off and land everyday. I got pics somewhere I am sure. It was a sharp looking machine...

[Redbirdman 7]

Amazing .................

Fighter pilots are a different breed altogether...

Did you try the Tuscon AZ "Pima Air and Space museum"?

A GOOGLE VIEW OF PIMA

There is a zillion mothballed a/c there.

Thank you

ed :thumbs:

[chesbaycruiser 83]

Thanks for all the kind words.

Sam, dad is not a Purple Heart recipient. Like many other pilots of his generation, he did have a few mishaps, but he walked away from all of them. (So, even though there were things like safety nets and fire-fighting foam involved, they all still qualified as a "good landings".)

Dad entered the Air Force fully expecting to go to Korea, but by the time he finished his flight training, the armistice had been signed. Dad was truly a Cold Warrior. Theirs was a Fighter-Bomber Group stationed in Clovis, NM. Their "H" model F-86's were larger and more powerful than their predecessors, and were capable of delivering "heavy" weapons. As hard as it is to imagine today, they trained in--as dad calls it--"ABC Warfare"...the trifecta of WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction): Atomic, Biological & Chemical weapons. Not popular stuff in today's world. (And rightly so.)

Every day I count my blessings that at 79, both my dad and mom are still around to tell the stories, and fill in missing gaps when I have questions. (Sometimes I feel like I'm in a race against time to learn and document all I can, so I can pass the family history down.) Mom and dad were married on the same day dad got his commission and his wings at Webb AFB (now closed) in Big Spring, TX. This May will mark their 57th wedding anniversary. To this day, I have never, ever heard them raise their voice at one another in anger.

My dad left the Air Force in 1957. There were too many pilots and not enough planes, so they weren't flying very much...maybe once or twice a month. Infrequent flying=low proficiency. Low proficiency=high likelihood of death. Literally. I once saw a stack of news-clippings my mom had saved from the local papers, describing crash after fatal crash. By comparison, today a single crash can be enough to ground all flights of a specific aircraft while they investigate. (It last happened in 2007 after an F-15 crash in Missouri.)

After the USAF, dad went to work for the Federal Reserve, where he worked for over 35 years.

Sometimes it's hard to reconcile the man I know with the man who literally held the power to destroy cities with his trigger finger. He is a warm, friendly unassuming man who is quick to smile, and I don't think he's ever met a stranger. I don't ever recall hearing him say an unkind thing about anyone, and since I was a boy, I've always been amazed that wherever we went, people always seemed glad that dad was there. I believe that although his view of the world was greatly expanded by his time in the Air Force, at the core he has always remained the humble, farm-boy from Virginia.

He is, as I said before, my hero. I aspire to be like him, but in my eyes he set the bar pretty high. I'm glad that my three sons have been fortunate enough to know him, and learn from him. Hopefully, where I fall short, they will persevere.

Thanks again...

(Sorry....got a little carried away....guess you can tell I'm a little passionate on the subject! Well, that or I love the sound of my own voice! )