Stan The Man

[planeflyer21]

The EAA Airventure thread got me thinking about all the stuff Dad was assigned to fly.  After basic flight training in a Piper Cub, the North American T-6 Texan and T-28 Trojan, he was sent to Williams AFB in Arizona for gunnery training in F-84G Thunderjets:

http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A0PDoX7xlh5Q03cAeJCJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Df-84g%2Bthunderjet%26_adv_prop%3Dimage%26va%3Df-84g%2Bthunderjet%26fr%3Dyfp-t-701-s%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D53&w=1214&h=1249&imgurl=jetpilotoverseas.files.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F11%2F33effcc987f68ba0_large.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjetpilotoverseas.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F11%2F11%2Ff-84g-thunderjet-atomic-capability%2F&size=226.8+KB&name=84G+Thunderjet+‘Atomic+Capability’+«&p=f-84g+thunderjet&oid=b9b7f23af118fe6f4abaaf336b3e2dad&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-701-s&tt=84G%2BThunderjet%2B%25E2%2580%2598Atomic%2BCapability%25E2%2580%2599%2B%25C2%25AB&b=31&ni=112&no=53&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=12k0dgdiq&sigb=1447aas6s&sigi=12739ue5v&.crumb=Yvu0zVUsY9m

After that it was a checkout in the RF-84F Thunderflash.  I was surprised searching for a photo of these, as there were aircraft from T-33s up to C-119s listed as these recon planes.

While flying these in WEST Germany he was assigned temporarily to work with the French on a detachable camera pod.  He received a medal not only from the USAF but also the French for this work.  These are now used commonplace as T.A.R.P. (Tactical Aerial Reconaissance Pods).  Only took them 30 years to use in U.S. inventory.

Upon their return from W. Germany, Dad was assigned to work radar in Ajo (Ah-ho...means "garlic"), Arizona.  During this time the Cuban Missile Crisis took place, the RF-101C Voodoos playing an important role and he requested to be assigned to one of these squadrons.  Request granted:

http://warbirds-online.org/images/PictureOfTheDay_100A3/RF101C_FP.jpg

Those didn't last long before the USAF decided to strip Phantom IIs of radar and weapons and install cameras, so he was transitioned to RF-4Cs.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/jhtml/jframe.html#http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/systems/images/rf-4c-DF-ST-82-00488.jpg|||

I was glad to find the old school photo, where the RF-4C still had the red-white-and-blue AF symbol.

From there the festivities in SE Asia were gearing up to full-speed.  He was transferred to serve as "Air Force liason to the U.S. Army artillery" in country.  Dad volunteered for two additional tours in this capacity...we wouldn't learn why until after his death.

Straight from the ground assignment, he did a short stint in C-141A Starlifters...he hated it.

http://www.theaviationzone.com/images/starlifter/bin/c141a08.jpg

Something about not liking having to rely on other air crew to do their duties.  That lasted a year.

He then got news he had been waiting 8 years to hear.  Way back in 1960 he heard about a new reconaissance aircraft when Francis Powers had been shot down over the USSR, and he applied for the U-2 Program...and was finally accepted.

Can't find any decent photos of the early U-2 planes but they were different...different enough that Dad went through Lovelace Clinic and got an astronaut rating to be able and fly the Dragonlady.  His was one of the last groups of U-2 pilots required to complete this specialized training (SR-71 pilots went a bit longer).

The early U-2s had only a compass and an airspeed indicator for navigation.  Pilots were given star charts and a sextant to chart their position above the Earth.  Cameras were heavy and bulky, film canisters were HUGE.  The next year the squadrons were given the U-2R, which was a completely different and more capable aircraft...it also had intertial navigation.

Cool beans!

The photo pilots had a retort to fighter pilots' questioning "Recon pilot?  What is a recon pilot?"  The answer was "A recon pilot is a fighter pilot with brains and guts!"

No armament, just cameras...first in-last out.  Pre-strike photos to show the targets, post-strike photos to show the damage.

Retiring in 1975 and recently divorced, Stan took to doing a number of other jobs, mostly wheeling and dealing in used industrial equipment.

In 2000 when the presidential race was heating up, my brother told our Dad "I guess John McCain is going to be our next president."  Dad asked why.  "Because of him being a war hero," brother said.  Getting a bit twisted, Dad said "War hero?  What do you mean?"  Bro replied "You know...for getting shot down and held as a POW for eight yeee..."

Now completely torqued Dad raised his voice "WAR HERO?!! WAR HERO?!?  A man isn't a good enough pilot to avoid a couple of surface-to-air missiles and he's a WAR HERO??!!"

End of conversation.

During his career he received 7 Air Medals (or one Air Medal and six clusters, however it is reported).  Most are very generically worded, due to the classified nature of the work.  The one that is detailed was issued for NOT bailing out of the U-2 (against the standing order to bailout during a mechanical malfunction) and landing the aircraft safely at an unfamiliar AFB.  I like telling people he got a medal for disobeying orders.

Jon

[Matt.Cross]

Stan the Man sounds like a real American hero, and on behalf of myself and my family, we appreciate his service. Thanks for sharing that, I love reading stuff like this.

[unforgiven]

Great story brother Jon <thumbsup> Definetly better than the tale of two caccas. :o <lmao>

[shepp]

great story thanks for sharing!!!!!

[NoFail]

Jon, thank you for this story telling. Your father a hero. Rest In Peace, Stan  <thumbsup>

[planeflyer21]

Thanks guys!

I wish he'd been around more but now understand why he made the choices he did.

Jon

[MikedaddyH]

Great story Jon ! Liked the pics  <thumbsup> . The underside of the plane is the view I had. Also Mt. Rainier in the background is so cool . Your dad was one hell of a pilot !!!

[washguy]

Jon  Excellent!  <thumbsup> Wash

[edgecrusher]

Jon, awesome, just awesome.