If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
In article ,
Jack writes: On Sun, 05 Sep 2004 17:35:38 GMT, "Thomas J. Paladino Jr." wrote: Bush did that. I would probably argue that Bush's 3 years as a fighter pilot were both more dangerous and of a greater overall service to his country than Kerry's 3 months as a Swiftie. And then there's the fact that Kerry pretty obviously gamed the system to get out of his tour early. LOL.....sure, you could argue it, but you'd be wrong. An interceptor unit in Texas flying soon to be obsolete aircraft was not exactly the 'Tip of the Spear' of national defense. Better get youself a map, then, son, and a copy of "Air Force Combat Wings: Lineage and Histories, 1947-1977", Charles Ravenstein, ed. Government Printing Office, Washingron, DC, 1984, GPS Stock Number 008-070-00519-1, ISBM 0912799129 and "Prelude to the Total Force: Air National Guard. 1943-1969", Charles J, Gross, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1984 You'll find the following interesting facts: Since 1955, all ANG Fighter Interceptor Squadrons were required to meed the same training. readiness, adn availability standards as Active Component FIS's including having airplanes on Zulu Alert (5-minute alert) at all times. Trom the 1st of each Calendatr year, here's a listing of the USAF/ANG Air Defence units in the Southeastern U.S., back to the Texas Gulf Coast. 1968: USAF: 319th FIS, Homestead AFB, FL, F-104A 444th FIS, Charleston AFB, SC, F-101B 4780th ADW Perrin AFB, TX, F-102A (Training unit, with alert commitment) Air Defence Weapons Center, Tyndall AFB, F-102, F0191B, F0106 (Training unit, with alert comittment) ANG: 111th FIS, TX ANG, Ellington AFB, TX, F-102A 122nd FIS, LA ANG, NAS New Orleans, LA, F-102A 157th FIS SC ANG, MacEntire ANGB, SC, F-102A 159th FIS, FL AND, Thomas Cole Imeson AP, F-102A 182nd FIS TX ANG, Kelly AFB, TX F-102A During the tail end of the Johnson Administration, there was a huge draw-down of USAF AIr Defence Assets. This left: 1969: USAF: 4780th ADW, Perrin AFB, TX (F-102 RTU) ADWC, Tyndall AFD, FL (Air Defence Tactics school) ANG: 111th FIS, TX AND, Ellingron AFB, TX, F-102A 122nd FIS, LA ANG, NAS New Orleans, LA, F-102A 157th FIS, SC ANG, MacEntire ANGB, SC, F-102A 159th FIS, FL AND, Thomas Cole Imeson AP, F-102A 182nd FIS, TX ANG, Kelly AFB, TX F-102A The ANG's role increased as we went into the 1970s: 1970: USAF: 4780th ADW, Perrin AFB, TX (F-102 RTU) ADWC, Tyndall AFD, FL (Air Defence Tactics school) ANG: 111th FIS, TX AND, Ellingron AFB, TX, F-102A 122nd FIS, LA ANG, NAS New Orleans, LA, F-102A 157th FIS, SC ANG, MacEntire ANGB, SC, F-102A 159th FIS, FL AND, Thomas Cole Imeson AP, F-102A Things stayed pretty much the same, until late 1971, when the 4780th ADW closed up shop at Perring AFB, and _all_ F-102 training was the responsibility of the 111th FIS, TX ANG. Which leaves in, in 1972, with the following: USAF: ADWC, Tyndall AFD, FL (Air Defence Tactics school) ANG: 111th FIS, TX AND, Ellingron AFB, TX, F-102A - F-101B 157th FIS, SC ANG, MacEntire ANGB, SC, F-102A 159th FIS, FL AND, Thomas Cole Imeson AP, F-102A Note that at the time, there was, in fact, a very real threat to teh U.S. coast of the Gulf of Mexico - both from the Cuban FRAC Il-28 jet bomber regiment based at San Cristobal, (And, as it turned out, nuclear capable - we hadn't known the the Soviets had sent a nuclear delivery specialist Il-28 squadron to Cuba as part of their buildup that caused the Cuban Missile Crisis, and that the airplanes hadn't been removed when the missiles were withdrawn, and from the Soviet Tu-95s which rotated through Cuba on a regular basis all through the 1960s through the 1980s. Tht may not seem to be very much to you - but if you've got nothing to counter them with, they're damned effective. As for the F-102 being obsolete, or "Second Line", it's worth noting that the USAF, at that time, had 3 F-102 Squadrons in Southeast Asia (Two of which had transferred from the Continental U.S.), 6 in Europe, and several in the Continental U.S., Alaska, and Iceland. (Note that many of the F-102 pilots in Soatheast Asia and Europe were ANG Pilots posted as individuals under the Palace Alert program. For an obsolete airplane, it stayed in the hot spots for an awfully long time. Bush was in a chamgaigne unit to avoid the draft. Plain and simple. However, he couldn't even honorably complete that cushy mission without disappearing for a year. Here's a hint - the airplane doesn't know or care if you're rich or poor, or if you think someone's got political pull. It's just as ready to kill you no matter what. Pull _might_ get you into an ANG unit. (And the idea of a former Republican Congressman having being able to pull strings in Johnson-dominated Texas is so bizzare that the Twilight Zone wouldn't have filmed it) But it won't get you through UPT, it won't get you through Transition Training, and it won't get you Mission Qualified on the aircraft. The macine doesn't care - rich or poor, if you screw up, you're dead. What it won't tolerate is stupidity. When mandatory drug testing was implemented as part of all flight physicals, Bush refused to take his required physical and grounded himself. Shortly afterwards he disappeared. You connect the dots. Mandatory drug testing didn't start until 1974-75, after Bush had completed his service. You seem, like a lot of kids today, to have problems with this "chronology" thing - the idea that anything that occurred before you were born didn't happen in a bizzare jumble of simultanaety. All his life Bush has had others to make excuses for him and cover up his failures. That still holds true today. To know the neocon chickenhawks.... watch what they do .... not what they say...... Jack Whereas you do nothing, and say nothing. Thet pretty much says it. -- Pete Stickney A strong conviction that something must be done is the parent of many bad measures. -- Daniel Webster |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Bush's guard record | JDKAHN | Home Built | 13 | October 3rd 04 09:38 PM |
16 Aug 2004 - Today’s Military, Veteran, War and National Security News | Otis Willie | Military Aviation | 0 | August 17th 04 12:37 AM |
Donald Trump tells Bush. "You're fired" | ArtKramr | Military Aviation | 20 | July 19th 04 01:53 AM |
Countering Widespread Ignorance About the National Guard | Rick Folkers | Military Aviation | 80 | March 14th 04 02:54 AM |
bush rules! | Be Kind | Military Aviation | 53 | February 14th 04 04:26 PM |