A question came up regarding callsigns yesterday. My youngest, The WSO, aka LUSH, has a classic callsign. But Ward Carroll explains it better than I can.
And there you have it.
Forgive me for going video-heavy for a day or so. But my brain is fried from work. Long hours, little sleep (my body insists that we're on East Coast time, we're not, but to my body 0400 is really 0700 and... ARGH!).
Anyhoo, I didn't even address all of the comments yesterday, juvat covered himself in glory in answering a couple of comments from his aviator experience. I guess it's why we keep him on staff. Besides he works for free with very little complaining. 🙄
At any rate, here's the story of how The WSO got her callsign, it was epic. Brought a tear to her old man's eye. (And not a few gray hairs to her Mother's head!)
Speaking of LUSH, she and her bairns will be visiting me for a few days. So I'll be even less productive here in Blogtown.
Bear with me. (Cue a bear...)
Had been wondering how LUSH came to be, thanks Sarge for the link to that reveal. Enjoy the family reunion!
ReplyDelete😁
DeleteRoar?
ReplyDeleteYup, that was your line.
Delete😉
Great story about the callsign. I very nearly lost a good friend to aspirated vomitus. He took a taxi back to his house, his neighbor saw him go down just inside the door, got there just as the fountain started, and rolled him on his side. Glad that didn't happen to the Wizzo.
ReplyDeleteTake your time Sarge. I'm sure the staff officers will do you proud! Or FUBAR the lot. You never can tell.....
👍
DeleteAnd this is why I: A) Did not tell you all my middle name, B) Did not tell you all my SCA name, C) Tell you all my Secret Asgardian (SCA 'House') name, and D) Did not protest the assignment of said Callsign being 'Beans.'
ReplyDeleteBecause it could have been worse, much worse, much much much worse.
Have fun with LUSH and the family. Maybe she'll post once or so?
This is me, holding my breath.
Delete😣
Beans, I too have a rather variegated history of means of being referred to by. Thus, the Gaelic: We all sound fancier.
Delete👍
DeleteThanks for the video Sarge. Kind of what I thought.
ReplyDelete👍
DeleteYep, they're often a permanent reminder of something stupid or embarrassing that an aviator did at one point in their career. I'm not sure that rule holds true for our USAF brethren.
ReplyDeleteYes, they are, unless you do something even "better" than you did earning your old one. Until you take command of the squadron, they you could change your own if you had the squadron's respect. Mine Commanders callsigns, in order, were Batman, H-Man, Lt Col M, Vegas, Duke, & RD. Take one guess which one did not command respect.
DeleteNo changing call signs after your first tour in the Navy, even if you did something of epic proportions!
Delete@juat/
DeleteFunny how times change. Personal call signs were verboten in the AF during my fossilized days. Only Sq single msn call-signs. eg., "Snake 01, 02, etc. were permitted. Personal call-signs were strictly a Navy/Marine thing then.. And in RVN really no Sq call signs either as everything was fragged out of TSN TACC w. names like "Buick" "Olds" etc.
Forgive my sticky "V" key Juvat..
DeletePS: FORGOT TO ADD: Closest we got to getting our own call-signs @ DaNang was when we were fragged for fighter-cap in RT-PK VI w. designation of our 366th TFW nick-name "Gunfighter" as in "Gunfighter 01, 02," etc.
DeleteWorked with a pair of "Gunfighters," once, at the southeastern edge of the Phu Cat Mountains. They were the "high" flight and really didn't have a chance to do their thing because the "low" flight of "Cobra" F-4s out of Phu Cat AB remedied the problem in fine fashion. Covey FAC, orchestrating the whole affair, requested a light fire team from nearby Lane AHP and we sallied forth to, fortunately for us, observe. Our gun platoon moniker was also "Cobra." And, FWIW, I neither requested or suggested my callsign. regards, Alemaster
DeleteIn the mid-80's when folks were bailing left and right because the airlines were hiring, and WAY before Creech and his gang ascended, TAC let the squadrons pick their callsigns. Mine was, in fact, Juvat, but VX is correct. My flight when I was lead was Juvat 1-4, and something other than that when another IP was lead. But, it was short lived. Wilbur took over and "there'll be none of that shenanigans, you low lifes." But, it was nice while it lasted. We did have callsigns that were used on the ground. Unless you were standing tall in his office, you could generally address him with his callsign. Lt Col M was the exception there. (I actually think he was arrested and sent to prison after he retired. Something non-permissive with a woman I believe. He was a jerk.)
DeleteAs a Phantom IP in 66,67, at George, we had call signs for the instructors. Long time ago, I don’t remember much except EXACTLY when I was christened with it at Ubon in 65.
DeleteLt. Col Myauthoritie??!!??!!
ReplyDeleteOne of my high school buddies married his best friends sister. His parents demanded to be called: Doctor Grandmother and Doctor Grandfater.... I would've taught my kids to say "Herr Doktor" to them both with a nice aggravated brace and salute. Pretentious prigs don't go over very well in my clan.
O.M.G.
DeleteYeah, STxAR, pretty much so. See my previous comment about where that guy ended up.
DeleteYou know, LUSH could deflect attention from this historical event by posting something her now and then.
ReplyDeleteSurely there must be some event she witnessed, or perhaps participated in, or merely heard about which would enlighten or amuse all us knuckle dragging folks who hang around here and there.
It's either that, or we will get more stories about indigenous people and their social skills and hair styling habits written by her father. (Not bad stories, at all, but variety is good.)
John Blackshoe
And Jair Cutting methods, JB, don't forget that.
DeleteA little off the top?
DeleteCue the bear, for his entrance, stage right.
ReplyDeleteAgain? I don't know if he's up to it.
Delete