Week 2: 15-21 August 2013 Flashcards
Squadron 2 Nickname
Deuce
Squadron 39 Nickname
Campus Rads
High Flight (BOLDFACE) Introduction pg. 179-180
“High Flight” has become an aviator’s anthem, and an epitaph. Its author, Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee Jr., was an American serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Battle of Britain in 1941, when he reached out “and touched the face of God.”
Magee was born in Shanghai, China, in 1922, the son of missionary parents. His father was an American and his mother was originally a British citizen. He came to the United States in 1939 and earned a scholarship to Yale, but in September of 1940 he enlisted in the RCAF. He was only 18. He entered flight training and within a year was sent to England and posted to the newly formed No. 412 Fighter Squadron at Digby, England. He flew the Supermarine Spitfire Mk1.
Flying fighter sweeps over France and air defense over England against the German Luftwaffe, he rose to the rank of pilot officer. On Sept. 3, 1941, Magee flew a high altitude test flight in a newer Spitfire V. As he climbed, he was struck with the inspiration for a poem. Once back on the ground, he wrote a letter to his parents. In it he wrote: “I am enclosing a verse I wrote the other day. It started at 30,000 feet, and was finished soon after I landed.” On the back of the letter, he jotted down his poem, “High Flight.”
Just three months later, on Dec. 11, Magee died in a midair collision with a trainer on a misty winter day. A farmer saw his disintegrating Spitfire fall, and watched Magee struggle to bail out. His parachute failed to open.
After learning of his son’s death, the elder Magee wrote to the RCAF and enclosed a copy of “High Flight.” In his letter, Magee’s father said, “When his sonnet reached us we felt then that it had a message for American youth, but did not know how to get it before them. Now his death has emblazoned it across the entire country.”
High Flight (BOLDFACE) By John Gillespie Magee, Jr
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds-and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of-wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delerious, burning blue,
I’ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew-
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
B-52H Stratofortress pg 118
Manufacturer: Boeing Function: Heavy Bomber Service Date: 1955 Speed: 650 mph Crew: Five Production: 744 Inventory: 94 Commentary: The B-52 is the largest aircraft credited with air-to-air kills (2 in Vietnam). Specially modified NB-52s support NASA and USAF test programs, acting as the launch platform for the X-15, lifting body aircraft, and other test vehicles. One B-52 unit is dedicated to the nuclear mission at all times.
MQ-9 Reaper pg 131
Manufacturer: General Atomics Function: Remotely Piloted Hunter/Killer Service Date: 2007 Speed: 230 mph Crew: Two Production: 319 (planned) Inventory: 35 Commentary: Officially combat-operational in Afghanistan since September 2007, the MQ-9 Reaper is larger than the MQ-1, has eight times the range, and flies twice as high. An unarmed variant is deployed with the US Department of Homeland Security for customs and border surveillance.
The Introduction of Military Air Power pg. 68-70
The U.S. Army established an Aeronautical Division of the Signal Corps on 1 August 1907 marking the first step towards the United States Air Force.
In its inaugural decade 1907-1917, U.S. military aviation proved to be an interesting novelty and wonderful public entertainment, but little else. In August 1907, the newly created, three-person-strong Aeronautical Division of the US Army Signal Corps took “charge of all matters pertaining to military ballooning, air machines, and all kindred subjects.” By December 1907, the new Army Air Service established specifications for bidding on an American military aircraft. The Air Service received forty-one bids of which only three were accepted, and only one, submitted by the Wright brothers, produced a flyable aircraft. This aircraft is the Wright Type A Military Flyer.
By September 1908, the Wright Type A Military Flyer successfully carried the first military observer, Lt Frank P. Lahm. Unfortunately, on 17 September 1908, the new aircraft suffered the first military aviation fatality. Lt Thomas E. Selfridge died and Orville Wright broke his pelvis and crushed ribs among other injuries. Still, on August 2, 1909, the Army accepted its first military aircraft, designated “Signal Corps Aeroplane No. 1.”
In October 1909, Wilbur Wright trained Lts Frank P. Lahm an Frederic E. Humphreys to fly and on 26 October, they became the first Army pilots to solo. By 5 November, they had crashed the Army’s plane and within weeks, they were transferred out of aviation.
In March 1910, Lt Benjamin D. Foulois received orders to become the Signal Corps’ pilot. He later recalled the words of Chief of the Signal Corps, General James Allen: “Don’t worry. You’ll learn the technique as you go along…just take plenty of spare parts and teach yourself to fly.” Foulois eventually flew 61 flights between March and September. To his chagrin, Foulois learned that the aviation service was allotted only $150 for operations and, at times, he had to pay for fuel and repairs out of his own pocket.
By October 1912, the Aeronautical Division had 11 aircraft, 14 flying officers, and 39 enlisted mechanics. The US Army eventually activated the 1st Aero Squadron (Provisional) on 5 March 1913. After years of testing, improvising, and operating on little more than dedication and a shoestring, Army aviation finally received official status by the passage of US House Resolution 5304 on 18 July 1914. This bill authorized the Signal Corps to establish an aviation section consisting of 60 military officers and 260 enlisted men. The bill created the military rating of aviation mechanician, which called for a 50 percent pay increase for enlisted men “instructed in the art of flying” while they were on flying status.
America’s first combat experience with military aviation demonstrated the nation’s ill preparedness. When Francisco “Pancho” Villa’s Mexican forces raided U.S. territory in March 1916, the Army’s 1st Aero Squadron accompanied General John J. Pershing’s “punitive expedition.” The squadron’s eight aircraft, ten pilots, and 84 enlisted men under the command of Capt Benjamin Foulois provided aerial scouting for the ground forces. Unfortunately, mountain weather, dust, and extreme temperatures wreaked havoc with Foulois’ underpowered Curtis JN-3 Jennies. After a month of operations, only two JN-3s were still flyable.
Lieutenant General Robert D. Beckel pg. 51
Retired Lieutenant General Robert D. Beckel, Class of 1959, distinguished himself on active duty and as a cadet. He is the only person to have served as Cadet Wing Commander twice. After pilot training, he flew F-100 and F-105 aircraft, completing 280 combat missions in Southeast Asia. He also served a tour with the Air Force Thunderbirds’ aerial demonstration team. General Beckel served as Commandant of Cadets from 1981-1982, the first graduate to hold that position.
General Ronald R. Fogleman pg 51
The first graduate to become the Chief of Staff of the Air Force is General Ronald R. Fogleman, Class of 1963. General Fogleman flew F-100s in Vietnam and after his tour came back to the Academy to teach history. Some of his decorations include the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with one cluster, Purple Heart, and the Air Medal with 17 clusters.
ROE
(3) Fourth Class Cadets may not use any part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail for any reason. EXCEPTION: The Ho Chi Minh Trail is authorized for use during a lightning warning.
(a) The Ho Chi Minh Trail is defined as the path beginning at the mail room, following the road between Mitchell Hall and Fairchild Hall and continuing around the corner of Mitchell Hall to the southeast side of Sijan Hall. This also includes the path to and from CTEF.
(b) If Fourth Class Cadets are coming up from the gym, going to class, coming from the mail room, going to the Cadet Clinic or any other reason, they must go the Terrazzo level to transit on the strips.
(c) If going to the Commadant’s tower for any reason, or meeting with their academic advisor, Fourth Class Cadets must go to the Terrazzo level and use the Commandant’s stairwell(the northwestern most stairwell in Fairchild Hall.
