note to Pat Francis
FLIGHT TRAINING UBAG
Here’s a little story on UBAG – with 2 actual completed ones (plus the notes on the back of the 2nd one).
If you get a ß DOWN (FAIL) a PINK SHEET is put in and the powers that be decide your fate – they gave me a 2nd A-18 flight.
Interestingly, although I knew about UBAGs, Pink Slips, etc., I never actually saw them or the entire file! The instructor had them and used them for each post-flight briefing
fragment of note to Pat Francis
3/26/96
1. Memorial at front of each [“Cruise Book”]. I assume most Ensigns were former Mid’n:
Korea: Jesse Brown, E.G. Wagner
Med: Dean Steves, Ken Grim
2. Air Group 3 - most group pictures – Korea – no names; Med – shows names. My count of former Mid’n on Med Cruise VF-31 8, VF-34 10, VF-33 9, VA-35 12, other ?
About 20 pilots per squadron X 4 = 80 total, 39 Mid’n – Almost Half!!
3. Korea: ENS Weber shot down a MiG.
ENS Lyman – F9F on a “cold cat shot” going into the drink off Korea.
ENS Kirkpatrick – AD going off the side.
4. Med: ENS Ken Beckman – after ditching.
Bob Brennan
Name: Robert F. “Bob” BRENNAN
Spouse: Elizabeth “Libby” MOORE
Pre-Flight Class 15-48
Wings 5/8/50
Naval Aviator #T 616
File #506152
Present Occupation: Retired
Still Flying: No
HIGHLIGHTS OF MIDSHIPMAN CAREER
1. It seems my career as a midshipman was quite routine and uneventful and yet memorable and exciting. Met lots of great guys and had many good and exciting times.
2. Quandry: I was supposed to be a “hot pilot” but my mother always told me, “Remember, Bobby, always fly low and slow!” Aw, Ma!!!
3. Strange but true story (really): Whiting Field, 0800 Saturday, December 1948. Captain U. S. Marines, addressing the battalion (of hundreds of hot-to-trot Mid’n who were ready for a wild weekend):
Capt: It has been brought to my attention that 50 new waste baskets which were received only last week are missing. Some of you jokers have stolen them and I want them back right now. Until they are returned, there will be NO LIBERTY.
Voice from the rear ranks: Give me liberty or give me death !!
Capt: Who said that ???
Voice: Patrick Henry !!!
The entire battalion collapsed in laughter, was dismissed, and went on liberty.
4. Signs at Whiting … that made an indelible mark on me:
“Flying in itself in not inherently dangerous, but it is mercilessly unforgiving of human carelessness.”
“There are old pilots, and bold pilots, but no old bold pilots.”
HIGHLIGHTS OF CAREER
- Four sons … 3 of whom went into the Air Force???
2. 32 years at Eastman Kodak in data processing.
3.22 years in the USN Reserves.
U. S. NAVY
PRE‑FLIGHT CLASS 15‑48
HISTORY
INTRODUCTION
U. S. Navy Pre-Flight Class 15-48 started training on July 14, 1948 at Mainsides, Pensacola, Florida with about 140 bewildered souls. Seventeen weeks later the class graduated and was ready to “FLY“. Attrition had already started to take its toll and continued during flight training, but eventually, 69 were awarded their coveted 'Wings of Gold'.
Now, almost 50 years later, as "Self-Appointed Historian", I am trying to compile a history and fill in as many gaps as possible. This is an all-hands effort and I am grateful to the warm response and encouragement that I've received from many classmates.
In mid-March, a class ‘info-pac’ was sent to 50 classmates and 14 replies have already been received.
*The first item needed was a class roster. [We had a list of 121 names]; most of the class. To this we have added 12 more, so only a few are missing.
*The next item was to identify the 110 'heads' in the class graduation picture. 50 now have a 'name', so more effort is needed to identify the other 60.
Now, more info is needed: bios, pictures, stories (True and almost true!). So search out your classmates and get them into this effort. And let us hear from you, so we can have a full rich treasury of memories.
And now for the grand surprise: a Class 15-48 FIFTIETH REUNION is being planned for 1998, Let's all plan to be there and to encourage other classmates to share in this once-in-a-lifetime event! If you want to share in the fun of planning, contact me.
Best wishes.
Bob Brennan
From: Bob Brennan, Class 15-48 "Self-Appointed Historian"
To: Class 15-48 Members
Dear Classmate,
GREETINGS
[In the past two years], I've met many of you – for the first time in almost 50 years! I feel like Rip VanWinkle, and am now anxious to renew more old acquaintances.
Pre-Flight Class 15-48 started with about 130. The attached roster is fairly complete, but I've added Al Braun and Dave Thompson, and there are probably others. According to these figures, 69 got our wings.
NOW TO GET DOWN TO BUSINESS
I would like to compile a history of our class, and I ask your help by sending me:
1. Any additions/corrections to the attached class roster
2. The names of our classmates in our class picture. The copy is not great, but hopefully you have an original
4. A brief autobiography (1 page max)
5. Wild stories (mostly true), remembrances, events, etc. Pictures!
I already have some material from Lou Ives/Pat Francis, including great stories from Jerry Canaan (shot down in Korea at night!), Al Hauge (flying at Whidbey Island) and Norm St. Louis (flight training and Navy experiences).
I will compile all of this and send a copy to each who responds.
AND A LITTLE ABOUT ME
After getting my wings, I joined VF-33 and flew Corsairs in Korea on USS Leyte 8/50-2/51, then to Sanford, FL, then a Med Cruise on the Leyte 9/51-12/51: all this with Ken Beckman, Porter Clemens and Bill Wilkinson of 15-48. I left the Navy 5/52, finished college at Wharton, and went to Kodak at Rochester for 30 years – retired in 1986. I got my “20” in the Reserves (Willow Grove, Niagara Falls and Grosse Isle) flying Corsairs, Banshees and HUP-2 Helicopters.
I re-married 8 years ago, have four sons, four G’kids, am in pretty good health and enjoy life. I like tennis, golf, travel, hiking, teaching (including ground school to Sea Cadets), partying and napping. Before my knees gave out, I also skied (downhill and XC), tried hang gliding, racketball and bicycling (including a 4 week trip: Los Angeles to Atlantic City – my butt is still sore!).
WHAT NEXT ?
First, I'd like to get the info requested above – by the end of March. Why not take a minute now and just DO IT? Then, I'd like to get explore ways that we might all get together:
* Maybe a reunion of all 15-48. I'd be willing to host it – at Rochester in January !!! But who the hell would come ?
* Maybe tie in to the next Flying Midshipmen meeting
In any event, I hope to hear from you so I can compile all this stuff and get it back to you before May.
Bob Brennan
U. S. NAVY
PRE‑FLIGHT CLASS 15‑48
HISTORY
INTRODUCTION
U. S. Navy Pre-Flight Class 15-48 started training on July 14, 1948 at Mainsides, Pensacola, Florida with about 140 bewildered souls. Seventeen weeks later the class graduated and was ready to “FLY“. Attrition had already started to take its toll and continued during flight training, but eventually, 69 were awarded their coveted 'Wings of Gold'.
Now, almost 50 years later, as "Self-Appointed Historian", I am trying to compile a history and fill in as many gaps as possible. This is an all-hands effort and I am grateful to the warm response and encouragement that I've received from many classmates.
In mid-March, a class ‘info-pac’ was sent to 50 classmates and 14 replies have already been received.
*The first item needed was a class roster. [We had a list of 121 names]; most of the class. To this we have added 12 more, so only a few are missing.
*The next item was to identify the 110 'heads' in the class graduation picture. 50 now have a 'name', so more effort is needed to identify the other 60.
Now, more info is needed: bios, pictures, stories (True and almost true!). So search out your classmates and get them into this effort. And let us hear from you, so we can have a full rich treasury of memories.
And now for the grand surprise: a Class 15-48 FIFTIETH REUNION is being planned for 1998, Let's all plan to be there and to encourage other classmates to share in this once-in-a-lifetime event! If you want to share in the fun of planning, contact me.
Best wishes.
Bob Brennan
CONTENTS
Greetings Letter
Class List from Flying Midshipmen Roster
Additions to List
Addresses Not in Flying Midshipmen Roster directory – 1997
Class Graduation Picture
“Fuzzy” Copy of Picture
Picture Names
Replied to Greetings
Ralph Bennie (just a note, more to follow)
Ray Demming
Al Hauge (by phone)
Jerry Huber
Leroy Ludi
Al McNally
Don Mitchell
Ray Oakes
Jerry Parent
Bob Rulis
Joe Sherin
Bob Stratton
Marty Twite
ARTICLES
Jerry Canaan Korean Memories: Shot down at Night and POW Recollections of North Korea
Foundations Magazine, Fall 1995
Al Hauge Back to Whidbey Island
John Reynolds A Naval Aviator in Korea
“Warbirds” Magazine, 1991
Norm St. Louis Career History
HISTORIAN - POEMS AND STUFF
Bob Brennan In Memoriam: John Clark Cooper, 15-48-1
The US Navy Haul-a-way Plan
Remember Lt. Manno, USMC?
Night Carrier Operations
Flying Midshipmen Reunion - Pensacola - May 1996
Bio
U-B-A-G ??? What's a UBAG?
Wheels - What Other Way?
Anymouse Tied Up at the Moment
Pre-Flight Class 15-48
Braun, Alfred R. (from Cleveland, OH)
Godshalk, James W.
Quinn, Jack
Schuck, Al
Stack, Dick
Speiser, Jack E. 508264 (killed in an A4)
Taylor, George
Thompson, David (from Healey, Alaska, but not there now)
Trestrail ??? (name from Marty Twite, not sure of spelling)
Tuomela, Clyde H. (died in a light plane crash Oct. 1989)
Weiss, Don
Williams, James R. 507727 (killed in an F-8 or AD-1 FCLP)
Morton Boyd
James E. Carr
Gerald A. Huber Warren, PA 16365
Jack McWhirter Corinth, MI 38834
Me
U S NAVY PRE-FLIGHT CLASS 15-48
2 Anderson, R. R. 38 Foster 98 Peters
3 Annin 39 amble 99 Petrick
4 Bachman 40 Godshalk 100 Peyron
5 Bardecki 41 Goldman 101 Prosser
6 Barnasevitch 46 Hall 102 Quinn
7 Bartolic 47 Halle 103 Radican
8 Baxter 53 Henry 104 Reyher
9 Beckman 58 Huber 105 Reynolds, K. C.
10 Belter 59 Hubinger 106 Reynolds, J.
14 Boyd 61 Irelan 109 Roos
15 Braun 62 Jacobs 111A Sample
16 Brennan 68 Knoop 113 Schneider
17 Brown, H. H. 75 Littell 117 Sherin
18 Brown, R. S. 78 MacDowell 119 Shkorupski
20 Canaan 82 McCort 120 Smith
21 Carr 83 McNally 121 Speiser
22 Chafee 84 McWhirter 122 Stack
25 Cooper 87 Mitchell 123 St Louis
26 Crawford 90 Nigels 124 Stratton
27 Crow 92 Oakes 128 Tuomela
29 Davis 93 O'Laughlin 129 Twite
31 Demming 94 Owens 130 Webb
32 Dennis 95 Parent 131 Weiss
97 Peplinski 133 Wilkinson
77 Ludi 134 Williams
135 Wilson, R.
NOT IDENTIFIED IN PICTURE
1 Anderson, L. 54 Hofmeister 88 Molnar
11 Bennie – to 16-48 55 Houk 89 Nichols
12 Blair 56 Howard 91 Nulton – to 17-48
13 Bolds – wash 57 Hubacker 96 Parkes
19 Bussell 60 Huelsbeck 107 Rogers
23 Clark 63 Johnson 108 Romka
24 Clemens 64 Kidd 110 Rulis
28 Crowe 65 Kleburg 111 Runninger
30 Davis, 66 Klieser 112 Sangala
33 Desjardins 67 Knight 114 Schulk
34 Dupnik 69 Kobialka 115 Semon
35 Dwyer 70 Koski ?? Shaw
36 Eisenhauer 71 Lafayette 116 Sheary
37 Eliason 72 Larson 118 Simensen
42 Gordon 73 Lee 125 Taylor
43 Grote 74 Lehman 126 Thompson – wash
44 Hahn 76 Loyer 127 Trestrai
45 Hale 132 West
48 Halter 79 Mackey 133 Treichler
49 Hauf 80 Martin
50 Harrington 81 Mathews
51 Harrison 85 Miller
52 Hauge 86 Million
Class Picture 110 faces Class roster 136
People Identified 74 Identified in Picture 74
Not Identified 36 Not in Picture (sick) 2
On Roster, not identified 60