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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

I helped develope U.S.Navy drones .
I served 42 months in Navy Squadron VX-2 NAAS Chincoteague . VA.
VX-2 's primary mission was to fly radio controlled WW2 F6F fighter planes as drones .
A Navy plane captain's job is to preflight (startup) , service , inspect his plane and then sign the preflight sheet every morning so the pilot knows this plane is ready to fly .Over many months I plane captained , F4U's , F6F's , and the mighty F8F bearcat .
I was chosen to be on the flight crew of the first 4 engine navy bomber to fly by radio control . We had some hairy takeoffs and landings in developing this first drone (but the hazardous duty pay was great) . The first time this bomber was to fly out over the atlantic ocean as a drone , it was shot done by a surface to air rocket that was set up on the deck of an aircraft carrier .
I was then assigned to be on a flight crew of our P2V patrol plane .
The last year and a half of my service , I was plane captain of our twin engine JD-1 attack bomber . In addition to preflighting each morning , I got to sit in the jump seat next to the pilot as we swept the ocean for ships below , in case our F6F drone was shot down .
After I was discharged from the Navy , the ultimate happened , I solo a J3cub and got my student Private Pilots License !