Ed,

Now, OTOH, when I was there, we tapped an KA-6 after T/O. The nose-gunner
driving me around bragged later about his tanking ability--we took 1500
pounds to ease the cycle.

Being a fighter guy, he would have taken more had Tanker Control let him.
Having been - at times - the right-seat "gas passer" in the mighty K, I
heard ALL airborne whines and snivels of fighter guys begging for more. I
guess it's like being a whore or a traffic cop - in that position you hear
'em all. My stock answer (given when I was too bored or lazy to think of
anything else) was the equivalent of "tell it to the judge" (Tanker
Control).

Everything else (i.e. mission) seemed to be secondary to coming aboard.

I can't speak for the FITRON Ready Rooms, but in Attack there was always
CEP, Bulls-Eye patches and Top Stick / Top Scope competitions. BTW, if you
can't get aboard, then you can't prosecute the mission. If you can get
aboard, you probably have the skills to do most anything.

BTW, I did get to taste a bit of warm scotch in a paper cup while hunched
in a cramped C-position on the edge of a lower bunk with six guys in a 8x5
foot stateroom without a window, beneath a cat and next to an ammo hoist.
Nice life!

Hey, they could've sent you to one of the JO bunkrooms. Imagine a
fraternity house shoehorned into a phone booth and you'll get the idea. (I
understand that - in today's female JO bunkrooms - it's even more cramped.
"More stuff" is the reason I've heard. Women came aboard ship long after my
time.)

--
Mike Kanze

"And why is radicalism so strong in California? Because the State is run by
a dreadful combination of crooked politicians and grasping Babbitts."

- H. L. Mencken (1924)


"Ed Rasimus" wrote in message
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