[ARC5] Navy LM Use-(plus some personal history)

[Geoff]

> All,
> My outfit was originally a Bombardment Squadron (light).  We had Douglas 
> B-26 bombers half with the 8-50 cal. guns in nose, and half with the 
> glazed nose and a Norden bombsight.  The Douglas B-26 being a later 
> airplane that replaced the Martin B-26.  Also had a couple of AT-6's and a 
> C-47 "Gooney Bird".  Only the C-47 carried a BC-221 (which I never used in 
> flight as all the operations of the ART-13 were by myself (T/SGT at time) 
> , my M/SGT who ran the Avionics shop, and one other ground communications 
> man who like myself had a ham ticket.  So we were never setting an actual 
> military net operational frequency.  Sadly, by then, they took out the 
> trailing wire antenna as there was no need for any long haul liaison 
> communications as they never did anything but mostly short cargo runs and 
> used VHF/UHF radio (ARC-3 and ARC-27).
>
> Eventually the squadron's mission changed and we went into jet aircraft 
> T-33A's.  We ditched the AT-6s and got a Twin Beech C-45.  Eventually 
> changing the squadron to the 122 Fighter Interceptor Squadron that flew 
> F-86D
> Interceptors.  (Looked basically the same as the "open mouthed" F-86 
> ground attack fighter, but had an afterburning engine and armed with 
> 24-2.75" FFAR rockets in a retractable pod under the belly of aircraft. We 
> actually had an Active Air Defense role with several aircraft on 5 minute, 
> and one hour alert parked and loaded for "Bears"? eventually going into 
> F-86L (a rehashed F-86D with more up to date radar fire control system), 
> and then into Convair F-102A's.   I left the squadron for a civvy job 
> which led me into marine electronics then into Shipboard Radio/radar work 
> on large seagoing vessels.
>
> So that was my "military career" in the Louisiana Air National Guard, 
> first as an electrician (no openings in avionics), the avionics, E4 Fire 
> Control systems in radar shop, then finally back into Avionics majoring on 
> the ARC-27, ARC-34 and RT279/APX (IFF) and the associated KY-95 coder. 
> (until my enlistments were up)  I worked as "permanent party" during the 
> F-86 and F-102 years plus the usual weekend stints on drill weekends.
>
> It was interesting, maddening and gratifying to be able to do that work 
> and I learned a lot as I went.  Knowing what I know now, I would have 
> joined the Navy or Naval Reserve aircraft unit and tried hard to make 
> Radioman CPO.  I have NEVER seen a Navy base where the Chiefs were shown 
> disrespect unless it was by an Ensign or a Lt. (JG).  The more stripes the 
> officers had the more they confided in the CPO's!  Actually an Air Force 
> E9 is almost the same thing rank wise, but the hallowed respect they got 
> was not the same as the Chiefs got!
>
> 73,
>
> Sandy W5TVW


E7 = USN CPO;   USAF   Master Sergeant
E8 = Senior CPO;               Senior  Master Sergeant
E9 = Master CPO;              Chief  Master Sergeant

The E9 rate has additional designations in both services that changed over 
the years.

And you are correct, the Chiefs ran the day to day Navy as even many 
admirals have admitted.
These days it is the lawyers and politically correct a'holes. When I left 
the Reserves in 87 it was a far different Navy than when I went in 59. Ive 
kept in touch with several of my peers as well as the younger ones and they 
all bemoan what exists today.

Carl