Subject: Bush Flew Fighter Jets During Vietnam
From: (Regnirps)
Date: 7/15/2004 8:06 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

(Steve Mellenthin) wrote:

I'm not sure that was borne out by experience in later wars, Art. In mine
it
was the guys with low time, low experience who got shot down the most. More
experience worked in your favor.

When you view the P-47 films from the 78th FG you find that ground attacks
occure from ever greater altitudes or distances as the war goes on. Some of
this is because the guys who liked to bet very close didn't last, but others
are from experience with ground fire.

Art didn't have the discretion that the escorts had. I'm sure there were
assigned altitudes and headings and you stayed with the group.

Art, who was the main stategy guy when you were flying?

-- Charlie Springer



I don't know. Some General up at wing I guess.. But it was always straight and
level with bomb bay doors open and no evasive action on the bomb run. And down
at 10,000 feet. Besides evasive action was imposible on the bomb run, It would
tumble our Vertical Flight Gyros in the Norden, black out the sight, and we
would have to do a go-around, Bad stuff. A go-around could spoil your whole
day. And with all our vast experience flying missions we all knew that being
down at 10,000 feet was nuts. We wanted to be higher but no chance. So much
for doing what experiencve tells you to do.




Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer