Aircraft Carriers
“It’s Only Reading If You Do It”
Blown Slick Series #6 It is a true statement but not an indictment, that the fleets of the world never had a formal requirement for an airplane, or a submarine, or a communications satellite. Instead, in all cases, a debate was established within the fleet (indeed, within the fleets of the world) and over time, doctrine, technology, people, and organization came to fruition. Requirements cannot be divorced from detailed understanding of their implementing strategy. In practice, the best requirements come from operators who understand technology in detail and who can, in their mind’s eye, envision the new tactics it makes [...]
The 4th of June – Remembered Sky Day
Blown Slick Series#5 The A-7 Corsair II carried a healthy fuel load for a carrier based strike aircraft. On major strikes – those to significant, highly defended targets – into North Vietnam called “Alpha Strikes” with 30 -40 A-7,s, A-6’s, F-4’s, bombers, fighters, Iron-Hand MiG Cap, tankers, Electronic Warfare birds and an E-2 control – the A-7’s mostly took off first, landed last. The strike group launched and rendezvoused in a circle above the USS Midway before heading into as we non-PC called it, Indian Country. It took a bit and once joined on my flight lead, it was both a time of anticipation and building [...]
Memorial Day 2015: Mondo and Arlo
Sometimes on days like today, I find myself lost in the abstract -service to country, freedom, sacrifice, the flags, the tombstones of Arlington. The feelings are not wrong, indeed they are most important and necessary, but at the base are people who laughed, cried, drank beer - sometimes too much - told dirty jokes, howled at the moon, chased women, and jousted at a few dragons, all the while loving their wives, kids, dogs, squadron mates, .... and their country. The video below was just published on You-Tube on 14 May. It provides the memorial service on USS Midway in [...]
BLOWN SLICK – Light Attack Fast Pursuit; Airpower Analysis by Boris
Blown Slick Series#4 “… it has been decades since the last significant contribution to airpower theory. Given the shifting character of war and rapid technological change, a solid modern airpower theory will be required for the West to achieve strategic success in future conflicts.” Reviewing Airpower Reborn;The Strategic Concepts of John Warden and John Boyd by JP ‘Spear’ Mintz Out of the process of reading, researching, communicating with old airwing friends, and in addition reaching out for the Air Force side – leveraging the “Rats” of the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association, plus all the while observing the more [...]
Morning After Reflection: 5 June 1942 “we sank a carrier”
They had no right to win. Yet they did, and in doing so they changed the course of a war. More than that, they added a new name— Midway— to that small list that inspires men by shining example. Like Marathon , the Armada, the Marne, a few others, Midway showed that every once in a while “what must be” need not be at all. Even against the greatest of odds, there is something in the human spirit— a magic blend of skill, faith and valor—that can lift men from certain defeat to incredible victory. Walter Lord; Incredible Victory: The [...]
Not on My Watch – In Memory of Dave ‘Snako’ Kelly
I attended the Celebration of Life for Dave Snako Kelly on Saturday 3 May on-board USS Midway.Hot afternoon but not nearly as hot and humid as it was 42 years ago in the Gulf of Tonkin. Dave and all the rest of us were about to learn about real air war over North Vietnam. We were about to become “these good men.” Dave was a great friend, superb Naval Aviator, member of VA-115 flying the A-6 Intruder off of Midway on the ’72 war cruise. He is also the author of the recently published story of his flying years Not On [...]
What kind of war was it? – “How do I know, I saw the whole thing backwards!” June 4-7, 1942 at Midway
Battle of Midway, Commanding Officer, USS Enterprise, Serial 0133 of 8 June 1942 At Sea June 8, 1942 From: The Commanding Officer. To: The Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet Via: Commander Task Force Sixteen. (Rear Admiral R.A. Spruance, U.S. Navy). Subject: Battle of Midway Island, June 4 – 6, 1942 — Report of. 1.) The attack delivered upon enemy carriers by the torpedo squadrons of our forces is believed to be without parallel for determined and courageous action in the face of overwhelming odds. These crews were observed to commence their attack against heavy anti-aircraft fire from the enemy carriers and [...]
June 4th 1942 – It begins
Preface to Blown Slick -the series: The evolution of fighter, attack, and strike warfare All days come from one day, that much you must know. You cannot change what’s over, but only where you go… The road that leads to nowhere, the road that leads to you… Will you find the answer in all you say and do, will you find the answer in you? Each heart is a pilgrim, each one wants to know, the reasons why the winds die and where their stories go Pilgrim in your journey you may travel far, for pilgrim its a long way to [...]
Year of War- Reflection
(Please note that this is being posted on 25 March 2015, after reflection on previous offerings) Remembered Sky began so as to tell the ’72-’73 story of USS Midway, Carrier Airwing Five and to further focus primarily on the Attack mission side. It emerged out of revisiting and reflecting on my career as a Naval Aviator in light of the 100th year anniversary of Naval Aviation in addition to a re-sparking of a long term frustration with, and almost impossibility of finding anything on the carrier and airwing that set the record in the Vietnam War for days on the [...]
Blogroll
Aircraft Carriers
“It’s Only Reading If You Do It”
Blown Slick Series #6 It is a true statement but not an indictment, that the fleets of the world never had a formal requirement for an airplane, or a submarine, or a communications satellite. Instead, in all cases, a debate was established within the fleet (indeed, within the fleets of the world) and over time, doctrine, technology, people, and organization came to fruition. Requirements cannot be divorced from detailed understanding of their implementing strategy. In practice, the best requirements come from operators who understand technology in detail and who can, in their mind’s eye, envision the new tactics it makes [...]
The 4th of June – Remembered Sky Day
Blown Slick Series#5 The A-7 Corsair II carried a healthy fuel load for a carrier based strike aircraft. On major strikes – those to significant, highly defended targets – into North Vietnam called “Alpha Strikes” with 30 -40 A-7,s, A-6’s, F-4’s, bombers, fighters, Iron-Hand MiG Cap, tankers, Electronic Warfare birds and an E-2 control – the A-7’s mostly took off first, landed last. The strike group launched and rendezvoused in a circle above the USS Midway before heading into as we non-PC called it, Indian Country. It took a bit and once joined on my flight lead, it was both a time of anticipation and building [...]
Memorial Day 2015: Mondo and Arlo
Sometimes on days like today, I find myself lost in the abstract -service to country, freedom, sacrifice, the flags, the tombstones of Arlington. The feelings are not wrong, indeed they are most important and necessary, but at the base are people who laughed, cried, drank beer - sometimes too much - told dirty jokes, howled at the moon, chased women, and jousted at a few dragons, all the while loving their wives, kids, dogs, squadron mates, .... and their country. The video below was just published on You-Tube on 14 May. It provides the memorial service on USS Midway in [...]
BLOWN SLICK – Light Attack Fast Pursuit; Airpower Analysis by Boris
Blown Slick Series#4 “… it has been decades since the last significant contribution to airpower theory. Given the shifting character of war and rapid technological change, a solid modern airpower theory will be required for the West to achieve strategic success in future conflicts.” Reviewing Airpower Reborn;The Strategic Concepts of John Warden and John Boyd by JP ‘Spear’ Mintz Out of the process of reading, researching, communicating with old airwing friends, and in addition reaching out for the Air Force side – leveraging the “Rats” of the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association, plus all the while observing the more [...]
Morning After Reflection: 5 June 1942 “we sank a carrier”
They had no right to win. Yet they did, and in doing so they changed the course of a war. More than that, they added a new name— Midway— to that small list that inspires men by shining example. Like Marathon , the Armada, the Marne, a few others, Midway showed that every once in a while “what must be” need not be at all. Even against the greatest of odds, there is something in the human spirit— a magic blend of skill, faith and valor—that can lift men from certain defeat to incredible victory. Walter Lord; Incredible Victory: The [...]
Not on My Watch – In Memory of Dave ‘Snako’ Kelly
I attended the Celebration of Life for Dave Snako Kelly on Saturday 3 May on-board USS Midway.Hot afternoon but not nearly as hot and humid as it was 42 years ago in the Gulf of Tonkin. Dave and all the rest of us were about to learn about real air war over North Vietnam. We were about to become “these good men.” Dave was a great friend, superb Naval Aviator, member of VA-115 flying the A-6 Intruder off of Midway on the ’72 war cruise. He is also the author of the recently published story of his flying years Not On [...]
What kind of war was it? – “How do I know, I saw the whole thing backwards!” June 4-7, 1942 at Midway
Battle of Midway, Commanding Officer, USS Enterprise, Serial 0133 of 8 June 1942 At Sea June 8, 1942 From: The Commanding Officer. To: The Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet Via: Commander Task Force Sixteen. (Rear Admiral R.A. Spruance, U.S. Navy). Subject: Battle of Midway Island, June 4 – 6, 1942 — Report of. 1.) The attack delivered upon enemy carriers by the torpedo squadrons of our forces is believed to be without parallel for determined and courageous action in the face of overwhelming odds. These crews were observed to commence their attack against heavy anti-aircraft fire from the enemy carriers and [...]
June 4th 1942 – It begins
Preface to Blown Slick -the series: The evolution of fighter, attack, and strike warfare All days come from one day, that much you must know. You cannot change what’s over, but only where you go… The road that leads to nowhere, the road that leads to you… Will you find the answer in all you say and do, will you find the answer in you? Each heart is a pilgrim, each one wants to know, the reasons why the winds die and where their stories go Pilgrim in your journey you may travel far, for pilgrim its a long way to [...]
Year of War- Reflection
(Please note that this is being posted on 25 March 2015, after reflection on previous offerings) Remembered Sky began so as to tell the ’72-’73 story of USS Midway, Carrier Airwing Five and to further focus primarily on the Attack mission side. It emerged out of revisiting and reflecting on my career as a Naval Aviator in light of the 100th year anniversary of Naval Aviation in addition to a re-sparking of a long term frustration with, and almost impossibility of finding anything on the carrier and airwing that set the record in the Vietnam War for days on the [...]