Jim Thomas made a couple of comments ending with:
Or are the only "pukes" those "fighter pilots" who need to feel that
they are the chosen few.

Jim,
You are taking Ed too seriously! You have to understand the "Fighter Pilot"
mentality and sense of humor.

Ed is not knocking the valor or skills of the "pukes", he is stating the
"Fighter Pilot" outlook on life, "Dawn Patrol" and all that crap. It is part of
the "character" of fighter pilots in particular to take on the persona of "Yeah
though I walk through the Valley of Death, I will fear no evil....'cause I am
the meanest SOB in the Valley".

In various forms the attitude affects most aircrew in different ways. What you
don't want is the B-52 pilot who thinks he can do a Cuban Eight in a BUFF or
the multiplace a/c pilot who "knows" he can do the whole enchilada by himself
or the Nav who "never" makes a mistake or the guy who thinks his war was the
only one ever fought or the expert who "knows" everything.

Oxmoron1
MFE
"Oh my GAWD! I lost my eraser!"
"You want me to do this in ink?"
"Tonight Wake City, Hot Damn"
"Number three is running a little rough!, No. 3 is Ok, it is 1, 2 and 4 that
are sick today"
"No LORAN, No Radar Altimeter, Overcast, No Sweat, I'll just DR for 14 hours
and declare Minimum Navaids when we bust the ADIZ"
"Right handle, left handle, squeeze right"

All of which are better than "The US Rifle, caliber .30, M-1 is a clip fed, gas
operated, semi-automatic shoulder weapon...."