Greg Smith
Registered User
Merritt Island, FL
My wife and I went out to dinner last night with an older gentleman we know from town. We?ve ?known? him for almost 15 years. He lost his wife a few years back and lives alone, but he is very active in church and the community. He always has a smile and a kind word, and really enjoys helping others. He is very self-effacing, and would much rather talk about what is going on in other people's lives or in the community.
I did not know he was a pilot until a week or so ago. We made a dinner date so we could go out, eat, drink, and talk about flying. He showed up with a big folder full of old photographs and told some pretty amazing stories. I wish I could relate all of the details, but it just wouldn?t be the same as it was sitting with him and listening to him talk about his life.
He started flying in 1942. He didn?t care much for the Cub, he said? Couldn?t do anything right in them. Then came naval flight school and learning in Stearmans and SNJs. After he was commissioned he went to Florida and trained to fly the Wildcat, then the Hellcat (He later became a Hellcat instructor). While waiting to join the fleet in the Pacific he even got some time in the SBD.
He showed us quite a few photos: A handsome Naval Aviator with his new bride in 1942; the same young man in a flight suit, helmet and Mae West with his foot up on the main gear of a Hellcat; carrier operations in the Pacific; mass formations of Grumman fighters; and many more. He left active duty in 1947 but stayed in the naval reserve where he flew Corsairs and some of the first jets, the Panther and the Cougar.
After the war he went back to his prewar job as an apprentice carpenter at a nearby steel mill, but was soon transferred to the corporate aviation division. During his career he flew the Beech 18, DC-3, Sabreliner, Jetstar, Gulfstream 1, 2 and 3, and Westwind. He ?retired? in 1986, but still flew corporate and did check rides part time after that. He remained active in aviation until 1993. His last flight was in a Stearman, 50 years (Almost to the day) after his first flight in a Stearman.
He says he has had a wonderful life and an excellent career. I must have looked pretty silly sitting there with my mouth open for so long. I am in awe of him and his accomplishments, as well as the achievements of his generation. What they did in the 40?s changed the world, and his life in aviation would make just about any pilot drool all over himself.
He really enjoyed our evening out, but it is not possible that he enjoyed it more than my wife and I. Several times he expressed concern that he was boring us with these old stories. Not a chance. He?s taking us out to dinner next time, and has promised to tell us about flying into Russia during the cold war, and about the time he had a windshield blow out over Turkey?
I did not know he was a pilot until a week or so ago. We made a dinner date so we could go out, eat, drink, and talk about flying. He showed up with a big folder full of old photographs and told some pretty amazing stories. I wish I could relate all of the details, but it just wouldn?t be the same as it was sitting with him and listening to him talk about his life.
He started flying in 1942. He didn?t care much for the Cub, he said? Couldn?t do anything right in them. Then came naval flight school and learning in Stearmans and SNJs. After he was commissioned he went to Florida and trained to fly the Wildcat, then the Hellcat (He later became a Hellcat instructor). While waiting to join the fleet in the Pacific he even got some time in the SBD.
He showed us quite a few photos: A handsome Naval Aviator with his new bride in 1942; the same young man in a flight suit, helmet and Mae West with his foot up on the main gear of a Hellcat; carrier operations in the Pacific; mass formations of Grumman fighters; and many more. He left active duty in 1947 but stayed in the naval reserve where he flew Corsairs and some of the first jets, the Panther and the Cougar.
After the war he went back to his prewar job as an apprentice carpenter at a nearby steel mill, but was soon transferred to the corporate aviation division. During his career he flew the Beech 18, DC-3, Sabreliner, Jetstar, Gulfstream 1, 2 and 3, and Westwind. He ?retired? in 1986, but still flew corporate and did check rides part time after that. He remained active in aviation until 1993. His last flight was in a Stearman, 50 years (Almost to the day) after his first flight in a Stearman.
He says he has had a wonderful life and an excellent career. I must have looked pretty silly sitting there with my mouth open for so long. I am in awe of him and his accomplishments, as well as the achievements of his generation. What they did in the 40?s changed the world, and his life in aviation would make just about any pilot drool all over himself.
He really enjoyed our evening out, but it is not possible that he enjoyed it more than my wife and I. Several times he expressed concern that he was boring us with these old stories. Not a chance. He?s taking us out to dinner next time, and has promised to tell us about flying into Russia during the cold war, and about the time he had a windshield blow out over Turkey?
