tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004611408106715980.post2247889648481955299..comments2023-12-22T19:58:58.655-05:00Comments on Air Force Association Blog: The Life & Wars of Gen Curtis LeMayThe Air Force Association Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00262071008560681148noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004611408106715980.post-72410057221150911152009-09-04T07:43:35.557-04:002009-09-04T07:43:35.557-04:00[As shared in separate e-mail with Mike Dunn @ AFA...[As shared in separate e-mail with Mike Dunn @ AFA HQ] = My two favorite vignettes re: General LeMay = (#1) As a reserves second lieutenant, he was lead navigator on General Billy Mitchell's "proof of principle" successful sinking of "UN-sinkable" US Navy decommis- sioned battleships [reference: DeWitt S. Copp book "A Few Great Captains"]; and (#2) On retire- ment, fellow USAF officers already retired in San Antonio, TX arranged with a local developer to present General & Mrs. LeMay with their own retirement home -- cost to the LeMays == one dollar (US)!gogosian2061https://www.blogger.com/profile/11331947538515984622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004611408106715980.post-54682879695891726762009-09-03T22:09:25.849-04:002009-09-03T22:09:25.849-04:00A leader you'll never forget. I remember his a...A leader you'll never forget. I remember his admonition to our nuclear bomb loaders, "If you ever drop one (a monstrous Mark 36) while loading, plan to be under it.". <br /><br />Neil McGuinness<br />Munitions Maint Offcier<br />SAC 10th Aviation Depot SquadronAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16360403529224667266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004611408106715980.post-8064216083789514672009-09-03T09:01:45.189-04:002009-09-03T09:01:45.189-04:00Sounds like a great book. Like many I have only he...Sounds like a great book. Like many I have only heard of the "media" side of General LeMay. It would be good to get more insight into the man.D Hickshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04159503336629841211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004611408106715980.post-69359061986904679602009-09-03T02:15:43.408-04:002009-09-03T02:15:43.408-04:00Not so! I flew as lead bombardier in the spring of...Not so! I flew as lead bombardier in the spring of 1944 over Munich with Gen Robert Travis at the controls. He was commander of the First Air Division. We were the 379th squadron of the 524th Bomb Group, Col. Moe Preston, Commander.<br />Robert Marcott<br />Lt.Col, Retiredroberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17316743679415067095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004611408106715980.post-40505368515494964712009-09-02T23:53:53.018-04:002009-09-02T23:53:53.018-04:00You know thats the kind of stories I like how you ...You know thats the kind of stories I like how you start off with nothing and build an air force,navy,or army to become something to remember than some fancy art show of some guys and gals weaving baskets!<br /><br /> I remember stories of famous Aviators and the plains they flew. So to all you Airmen and a like I would like to remember you all as " Those Fantastic Young Men and their Flying Machines ! "WhiteCloudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00686173172065891212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004611408106715980.post-6876825225784328522009-09-02T15:07:42.456-04:002009-09-02T15:07:42.456-04:00As a lieutenant, flying out of Hickam, LeMay set t...As a lieutenant, flying out of Hickam, LeMay set the stage for the future of Air Navigation in the USAF. The 31 step celestial pre-computation form that navigators used until the sextants were removed from USAF aircraft was his personal creation. During the Heyday of SAC, he required all B-47 pilots to be navigators (co-pilots shot handheld sextant observations and pilots visually assisted the navigator with the run-in to the target). There was a special course for them at James Connally AFB in Waco, TX., among other bases, and each graduating pilot received navigator wings, which they never wore. My father's wings from 1957 sat in his dresser until I became a navigator and my soon-to-be wife pinned them on me at my 1975 graduation ceremony. I, in turn, passed them on to my C-130 navigator son, who at his graduation pinned on his grandfather's wings, which his mother pinned on his father the first time they were worn in 1975. Curtis LeMay was the father of modern Air Navigation.<br /><br />Randy Durham, Lt Col, USAF (Ret)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004611408106715980.post-29393736810317617442009-09-02T12:32:44.603-04:002009-09-02T12:32:44.603-04:00Just ordered the book Lemay--The Life and Wars of ...Just ordered the book Lemay--The Life and Wars of General Curtis L. LeMay, should arrive in about 3/5 days. In the 1960's, my wife worked for General Dale O. Smith, head of Disarmament in the Pentagon. One day at work, cigar chewing LeMay practically ran her over in the hallway as he bulled ahead in his hard-charging, take no prisoners mode. Whether he was on the way to an important Cold War meeting or just going to the bathroom, General LeMay was not a man to allow anyone or anything impede his mission. With respect to WWII and the Cold War, I have always felt he was the right man at the right time.<br />Gerry HounchellGerry Hounchellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15957043952084067898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004611408106715980.post-79401755670922654532009-09-02T11:10:01.293-04:002009-09-02T11:10:01.293-04:00A great book for the Airmen out there!
I was in S...A great book for the Airmen out there!<br /><br />I was in SAC as a B-52 Crew Chief during the height of the Cold War and I have to this date never been involved with anything run so perfectly than that organization.<br /><br />It amazes me the older I get on how in the heck did SAC run so well, well now I see why!<br /><br />A very controversial individual indeed, but if you are in a fight for your countries life you need people like him running things, and the elites in politkal power during the war years knew that!<br /><br />His life after the military was disappointing, but not surprisingly so sad to say....AcftFliehrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01054825742312629396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004611408106715980.post-22439236412548796342009-09-02T10:47:09.509-04:002009-09-02T10:47:09.509-04:00I was privileged to serve in the Pentagon as an Ai...I was privileged to serve in the Pentagon as an Air Force junior captain when General LeMay was USAF Chief of Staff. On the day General LeMay attended his last JCS "pre-brief" by Air Force JCS action officers, as he returned to his office he found the hallways lined with hundreds of Air Force military and civilian personnel, all applauding the General as he passed. His obvious emotion at the sight and sound of those people who admired and respected the General so much because of his love and dedication to the country he served is memorable to me to this day.<br /><br />Richard I. Taylor, Lt. Col, USAF, Ret.Rich Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03008278209659784665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9004611408106715980.post-68469380132620701872009-09-02T09:45:27.086-04:002009-09-02T09:45:27.086-04:00This truly is a great book and sets the recrod str...This truly is a great book and sets the recrod straight. In early 2009, NPR did an inteview with the author. Get this book!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14774355905884593901noreply@blogger.com