An NROTC cadet performs well in a Grumman aircraft

[PolyestherDuck]

On September 3rd, 1951, a strike force of U.S. Navy Grumman F-9 Panthers was going in to hit the railroad freight yards at Wonson, North Korea.

The formation was from VF-51, the "Screaming Eagles," staging from the aircraft carrier USS Essex.

While over the target area, one of the aircraft, tail number 125122, was struck by anti-aircraft artillery fire and lost elevator control.

The pilot, a 21 year old NROTC aviation cadet, managed to nurse his crippled aircraft back across friendly lines, then, unable to land,

ejected from the aircraft near a friendly air base.

He then parachuted to earth safely and without injury, though certainly shook up for the ordeal.

The pilot was fortunate that he was not injured or killed that day.

Though only an obscure young aviator in those days, Neil Armstrong would later fly another Grumman-built machine to a place far more distant than Korea,

and into the pages of history forever.

"When the going gets tough, a Grumman will get you home."

[StoleIt]

The plane took a nose dive, and sliced through a cable strung across the valley by the North Koreans at a height of about 500 ft (150 m). This sheared off an estimated six feet (2 m) of its right wing.

Armstrong was able to fly the plane back to friendly territory, but could not land the plane safely due to the loss of the aileron, which left ejection as his only option. He planned to eject over water and await rescue by navy helicopters, so he flew to an airfield near Pohang. Instead of a water rescue, winds forced his ejection seat back over land. Armstrong was picked up by a jeep driven by a roommate from flight school.

That bolded part is just the icing on the cake!

And yes ROTC has changed...for the worse.

[PapaJu]

Would it be germane to point out that CAP sunk two U-Boats in WWII?

[contraildash]

Wait so they are saying aviation cadets flew in combat? Never heard that before...

[M2]

Wait so they are saying aviation cadets flew in combat? Never heard that before...

Not quite, read Neil Armstrong's history on Wikipedia.

In 1947, Armstrong began studying aerospace engineering at Purdue University under the Holloway Plan. Applicants were committed to four years of study, followed by three years of service in the Navy, then completion of the final two years of the degree.

But in January 1949 he was called-up to the Navy and reported to NAS Pensacola for flight training. During his 18 months of training, he qualified for carrier landing aboard the USS Cabot and USS Wright; and on August 12, 1950--a week after his 20th birthday--he was notified that he was a fully qualified Naval Aviator.

He then served, to include flying combat missions in Korea, until 1952 when he transferred to the Naval Reserve and returned to Purdue. After he graduated, Armstrong decided to become an experimental, research test pilot.

More details at the link, but while it was NROTC, things were very different then than they are today...

Cheers! M2

[StoleIt]

Yea he was infact an Ensign when the event happened.

-First carrier landing on June 7, 1950

"That same week he would advance from the rank of Midshipman to Ensign"

"By the end of the month, Armstrong and the Essex were headed for Korea..."

(Source: Neil Armstrong: One Giant Leap for Mankind)

-Flight incident occurred on September 3, 1951

Edited January 8, 2011 by stoleit2x