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How many generations of flying in your family?


brickhistory

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Grandfather flew for 40 years in C-130s USAF/MOANG

Grandmother worked in Operations for 40 years USAF/MOANG

Father works in maintenance with USAF/MOANG

Brother is in fire and rescue with USAF/MOANG

Step-brother is C-130 loadmaster USAF/MOANG - currently deployed comes home soon!

Myself - recently accepted as a CSO with the USAF/MOANG - will be the first officer in the family, cant wait to get started!

Gee...wonder how you got your hired by that unit? :beer:

Grandpa: Drafted for WWII (in less than 2 years, war ended before he deployed)

1x Uncle: career Coast Guard, retired as an O-6

1x Uncle: career enlisted Army

Dad: Joined up during Vietnam, 4 years in the Navy

1x Cousin: enlisted Army medic, just back from Afg

Me: ROTC, f*ckin' nav, first aviator in family

Edited by nsplayr
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3rd generation aviator:

Grandfather (mother's side): B-17 gunner

Grandfather (father's side): PBY Pilot

Grandmother (father's side): Unofficial observer in WWII on PBYs (different theater from my grandfather), Civil aviatrix

Father: B-52D EW, RC-135S, RC135X, among others

Me: B52H EW

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Lets see, I am the first in my direct line to fly, but there were other servicemen:

My family:

-Grandfather was an Army ordinance Officer, commissioned through the Citadel in 1945, among his postings were Rocket Recovery for the V2 program at white sands, and artillery development at Aberdeen.

-Great Uncle was a navy Radar operator in WW2, went to the Citadel on GI bill, served as a Naval Officer in Korea

-Grandfather's cousin flew P-51's in WW2

Wife's family:

-Great Grandfather was in the Navy in WW2

-Both of her uncles were army, 1 Guard tank mechanic, 1 AD Airborne Infantry (82nd Airborne)

-Her great uncle was the 3rd CMSAF, Richard Kisling

My parents were volunteer EMTs and my Dad a volunteer Firefighter. I was a volunteer firefighter through HS and college, and drove ambulances for my college's student run volunteer ambulance squad. So with the above family history and my civil service experience, I knew I loved service. I did a year as a normal civilian college student, then realized I wanted to be in the military. I joined AFROTC (Det 750 at St Joe's in Philly, as a cross town student from Rowan University in NJ). I was always interested in aviation as a kid, so I put in for a rated slot. Got picked up for CSO, Dropped HC-130P's out of NPA, my first choice because of my love of rescue work. I just finished the C-130 Nav initial qual at LRF, I go to ABQ for HC-130 mission qual in December.

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Old man flew helos (HH-52/HH-3/HH-65/HH-60J) and herks (old AF hand-me-downs) for 20+ years. My kid brother and I didn't know any better....both of us went AF. He's a 'fighting falcon pilot' and I'm starting my third aircraft in 3 years. Guess I can't make up my mind. Powered lift time.

Two of my cousins also serve(d): one was an ANG life support guy for a bit, the other is currently an EOD tech with a bunch of deployments.

edit for cousins

Edited by contraildash
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Grandfather (mother's side): B-17 Tail Gunner - Italy WWII

Wife's Uncle: JU-52 Pilot, German POW Soviet Union - Eastern Front WW II

Father: Naval Aviator (Hellcat, Demon, Fury, Crusader)

Father in law: Lt Col National Volks Army (Band Leader/Composer)

Me: ABM (AWACS/JSTARS)

Daughter: USAF Pilot (RC-135/T-1)

Nephew: Naval Aviator Student Pilot (T-45)

Edited by hobbitcid
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Grandfather was a FE on the EC-47 in Vietnam and C-118 out of Pete Field in CO. Worked as a mx inspector for the FAA until he retired, now inspects/certifies home-built aircraft as a FAA designated airworthiness representative.

Other grandfather was in Army Corps of Engineers.

Father: USAFA grad, FAIP, flew F-15s then spent most of his career as an instructor in UPT and PIT. Retired, put on a blue flight suit, and is now a sim instructor.

Fiance's brother & brother-in-law are are both USMC aviators, CH-53 and Osprey, respectively.

I'm currently preparing for an upcoming OTS board and waiting to hear back from my most recent guard interview.

Edit: I spells good.

Edited by Sasquatch
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- Grandfather (dad's side): Bombardier on B-26 during WWII, bailed of stricken bomber over occupied France, made his way back to England via French underground.

- Father: Pilot (Moody AFB UPT, F-100 Cannon, F-4 Holloman ( deployed Ubon early 70's), New Mexico Guard A-7s / F-16s, retired '99)

- Me...your humble T-6 FAIP

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I do not have any aviators in my immediate family but during WWI and WWII I have relatives that were aviators for the United States and for Germany.

The oldest aviator in my family was a WWI pilot that has at least two kills. He was shot down and became a POW. He was a member of Jasta 81 Hunting group. This was back when fighter squadrons were called hunting groups. Below is a picture of a LFG Roland D.II which is the type of aircraft he flew.

Rolandd.jpg

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Only 1 (me). But a total of 102 years of service in 2 generations. The impressive part is my dad who served 3 tours in Vietnam and has 3 Purple Hearts for it. Sorry, but I want to brag about something he thinks is no big deal. And it is....

  • Upvote 3
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Mom's side had uncles that had pilots' licenses that were in the first 100 issued in the US. One was a mail carrier that hit a hill in Nebraska and died (so you know the weather was low for that to happen). The other flew as Henry Ford's private pilot.

Dad was a 25 year AF vet who flew heavies, fighters, and helos. 2 DFC's in Vietnam and some really funny (in retrospect) and awesome stories that make you proud to be an American.

And then there's my dumbass...

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3

Grandfather was an FE on B-29s, great Uncle was a bombardier on B-17s, shot down over France

Dad was U-2s mostly

Herks for me

Your mother is going to be pissed if she sees this (C-9 flight nurse)! Your uncle is a retired F-4 WSO, and your cousin is an airline dude. BTW, Uncle Lloyd walked out of France after he went down and later became a pilot and flew F-84s with the GA guard.

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Whoa, getting all personal and down home up in here!

Maybe we should rename the thread to "How many generations of your family are on BOps.net"

Edited by Rainman A-10
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Grandfather flew a bunch of different fighters, back in the "good ol' days" of rapidly advancing technology. P-51, F-86, and ended his career in the mighty F-100 down in Austin.

Father was an Army MP.

Brother and I both are Viper dudes.

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My great grandfather flew for the Army Air Service during WWI. He never made it to Europe though...the war ended and he was discharged as a 2LT. He never flew again although he took his knowledge of cameras (he was in an observation unit) and started a photo studio.

My paternal grandfather was the son of a Navy sailor. When WWII started, he and my great uncle Rusty went to enlist in the Navy. Grandpa was told he was going in the Army instead. He went to airborne school and eventually jumped into Normandy. After the war he got out, got a degree and promptly rejoined as an officer, spending 2.5 years in Korea as an infantry platoon leader (and getting a BSM for Valor the old fashioned way). That experience drove him to get into Army aviation and he flew mostly fixed-wing to start and later helos...mostly flew the U-1, U-6, O-1, CH-23, CH-37, UH-1, UH-19 and UH-34. His favorite was the U-1 and flew those in Vietnam on his first tour...second tour he flew UH-1s.

Dad followed in his footsteps and went Army via ROTC and flew UH-1s, OH-58s and spent most of his career flying the AH-1. He also briefly flew C-12s and U-8s.

I flew for the Army for almost 4 years, flying UH-1s. Transferred to the USAF and have flown C-21s and C-130s.

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Only 1 (me). But a total of 102 years of service in 2 generations. The impressive part is my dad who served 3 tours in Vietnam and has 3 Purple Hearts for it. Sorry, but I want to brag about something he thinks is no big deal. And it is....

Maybe you should tell that to the waitress next time!!

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