Comments

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  Dan Tremblay ASM2 June 11, 2010 at 12:12am

  It's great to hear from you John and I hope you can share some of your sea stories. It's always great to hear them and they bring back so many cool memories.
  James I had to sit here and laugh like crazy over your E-2 story. I worked the T-Line also and had numerous funnt things happensm but the firsy time that I started up an E-2 scared the PANTS off of me. LOL. I didn't have an experience like yours, but all the time i was under that plane with that huffer, I was shakin' in my boots! And then when the engine started it got even WORSE! I was scared to death to leave where I was standing int he wheel well, standing there holding the hose and I froze in place.....LOL. One of my trainers had to come in there and GET me...LOL. He led me out by the EAR straight out under the wing towards the wingtip. I was so relieved to be out from under the running beast that I didn't even notice that the trainer was screaming at me....LOL. And I saw the pilot through the canopy laughing at me...LOL. Aftre that day, I phsyced myself up each time and I didn't havhe any trouble after that. But I DID go through a few pair of SHORTS! ROFL. GAWD I miss those days!
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  John D. Nilson June 10, 2010 at 12:23pm

  Reported in Dec. 1970. Went home for the holidays. Attened A Fun"P" school and AMS"A" school.Left Apr. 1971 for HC-3 "Packrats" in San Diego, CA. sea duty.
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  Dan Tremblay ASM2 May 24, 2010 at 5:52pm

  Hey James;
  I'm sure that it may have happened in some form or another, but I bet it's also the perverbial fish story that grew and grew....LOL. In the 40's and 50's, Black Sheep Squadron days, I know that the mechs had a lot more involvement in the operations of the plane, but the responsibilities shift to the pilot once years of schooling was needed to operate one. But it's a cool story and after being in for 10 years, I KNOW that there are some CRAZY MoFo's in there that will do just about anything...LOL.
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  Dan Tremblay ASM2 May 24, 2010 at 7:39am

  Now THAT"S funny. I don't doubt it at all, but I can't imagine a mech doing a "hot" brake check. I used to ride brakes in the A-4E and albeit in the mid 70's, never was allowed while the jet was running...LOL. But it WOULD make for an exciting day at work. I was shocked in 77 while at Memphis, to see (for the first time) an AV-8 Harrier jet doing STOL's on the airfield right near Navy Road. THAT was awesome to watch when you'd never seen it before.
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  Charles E. Nienhaus May 11, 2010 at 6:39pm

  Yep, that's the one. It was a neat little airplane. When I was doing all that flying I was 20 years old. I once had a forced landing and came down dead stick in a farmers field near Mexico, Missouri. I got lost once and had to be directed to Lambert Field in St. Louis. Got there after dark and had to land without lights. God takes care of stupid kids!
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  Charles E. Nienhaus May 11, 2010 at 3:09pm

  James, Too bad. You missed a lot of fun. One other plane I forgot to mention was the Ercoup. Remember that one? IT HAD NO RUDDER PEDALS !! You just drove it on the ground as well as in the air JUST LIKE A CAR! Weird! I took my ten year old son up for a ride and let him handle the yoke. It was so easy he flew it like he knew what he was doing! Chuck
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  Charles E. Nienhaus May 11, 2010 at 10:32am

  Hi James, I did pursue Aviation but not as a career. I took flying lessons and ultimately got my "Commercial License" which meant I could fly for pay. But I never did.
  I was checked out in the PT 19 open cockpit, the Stinson voyager 4 place, Aeronca Champion and the Aeronca Chief Side by side, Bellanca 4 place. I was 20 years old then and having the time of my life.
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  Thomas Shrewsbury May 10, 2010 at 9:18pm

  Hi again Jim. Its been 40 years since my few weeks in A school. Since you mention it, it seems there was a cut away either in the class room or down on the floor. From A school I went to VW-13 in Argentia Nfld, a willie victor squadron. There I was assigned to the Maintenance Control office and never actually have any hands on engine repair. After I made ADR3 I applied for and was allowed to change to what was then a new AZ (Aviation Administration) rate.
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  Thomas Shrewsbury May 8, 2010 at 7:57pm

  Hello James. I attended ADR-A school in 1961. There were both R & J schools offered. As I recall I requested the school at the time of my enlistment. A lot of good memories of my times there in Millington.
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  Warren Cottom April 21, 2010 at 4:35am

  I was attached to NAS Memphis Tenn. from June 1979 to Sept 24 1979 for AMH-A school. But before going to A-school i was attached to VA-305 out of NAS Pt Mugu so i was considered a fleet sailor and was allowed to wear civvies off base, i PISSED off some of the rent a crows trying to tell me what to do while i was at A school, because they had to wear there uniforms during liberty hrs. I remember while i was in A school the class that i was with were studying the Hydraulic Systems of the Aircraft, i realized the A/C was an A-4L Skyhawk that used to be assigned to VA-204. I enjoyed my time at NATTC Memphis Tenn, while i was there. After i finished the school i returned to my parent command VA-305 operating A-7B Corsairs out of NAS Pt Mugu, Calif.