The Flying/Aviation Cadet Pilot Training Program was originally created by the
U.S. Army to train its pilots. Originally created in 1907 by the
U.S. Army Signal Corps, it expanded as the Army's air assets increased.
Requirements
Candidates originally had to be between the ages of 19 and 25, athletic, and honest. Two years of college or three years of a scientific or technical education were required. This requirement was relaxed in January, 1942, after research on the qualifying exam showed that its scores were sufficiently predictive.
Army Air Forces Cadets were supposed to be unmarried and pledged not to marry during training. From 1907 to 1920, pilot officers were considered part of the Signal Corps or the Signal Officer Reserve Corps. After 1920, they were considered part of their own separate organization, the
U.S. Army Air Service (1918–1926).
Locations
The U.S. Army Air Corps Training Center (USAACTC) was at
Duncan Field,
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio ( ; Spanish for "Anthony of Padua, Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the List of Texas metropolitan areas, third-largest metropolitan area in Texa ...
, from 1926 to 1931 and
Randolph Field
Randolph Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Bexar County, Texas, ( east-northeast of Downtown San Antonio).
Opened in 1931, Randolph has been a flying training facility for the United States Army Air Corps, the United ...
from 1931 to 1939. Two more centers were activated on 8 July 1940: the West Coast Army Air Corps Training Center (WCAACTC) in
Sunnyvale, California
Sunnyvale () is a city located in the Santa Clara Valley in northwestern Santa Clara County, California, United States.
Sunnyvale lies along the historic El Camino Real (California), El Camino Real and U.S. Route 101 in California, Highway 1 ...
, and the Southeast Army Air Corps Training Center (SAACTC) in
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama. Named for Continental Army major general Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River on the Gulf Coastal Plain. The population was 2 ...
. The SAACTC was later renamed the Gulf Coast Army Air Corps Center (GCAACTC). In 1942, the Army moved the WCAACTC from
Moffett Field to
Santa Ana Army Air Base (SAAAB),
located on West 8th Street in
Santa Ana, California.
On 23 January 1942 the USAAF created the separate
''Air Corps Flying Training Command'' and the ''Air Corps Technical Training Command'' to control all aspects of technical and aviation training. Originally formed in
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, they moved to facilities at
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...
, in July. They were renamed the ''Army Air Forces Flight Training Command'' and ''Army Air Forces Technical Training Command'' respectively in March, 1942. They were later unified as the ''Army Air Forces Training Command'' (July 1943 – June 1946).
Aviation cadet centers
* Gulf Coast Army Air Corps Center (GCAACTC)–
Randolph Field,
San Antonio
San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...
, Texas (1931–47).
* West Coast Army Air Corps Training Center (WCAACTC) –
Moffett Field,
Sunnyvale
Sunnyvale () is a city located in the Santa Clara Valley in northwestern Santa Clara County, California, United States.
Sunnyvale lies along the historic El Camino Real and Highway 101 and is bordered by portions of San Jose to the north, ...
, California (1940–41).
Santa Ana Army Air Base (SAAAB); Santa Ana, California (1942–1947).
* Southeast Army Air Corps Training Center (SAACTC) –
Maxwell Field,
Montgomery, Alabama (1940–47). From 1942, classification and pre-flight took place at Nashville AAC,
Tennessee
Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
.
From 1947, the Aviation Cadet program was run by the now-independent
U.S. Air Force from
Lackland,
Kelly,
Randolph, or
Brooks AFB, all located in
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio ( ; Spanish for "Anthony of Padua, Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the List of Texas metropolitan areas, third-largest metropolitan area in Texa ...
. The Air Force program stopped taking civilian and enlisted pilot candidates in 1961 and navigator candidates in 1965.
Enlisted pilots (1912–42)
The first enlisted U.S. Army pilot was Corporal
Vernon L. Burge, a crew chief at the U.S. Army's flight school in the Philippines. When Captain Frank P. Lahm, the school's commander, couldn't find enough commissioned officer applicants, he trained Burge, who received his
FAI pilot's license on 14 June 1912. Although the practice was officially condemned, the Army later relented, as Burge was already a trained aviator.
The second was Corporal
William A. Lamkey. Lamkey entered the Army Signal Corps in 1913, but had already received his FAI license from the
Moisant Aviation School in 1912. Lamkey later left the Army to work as a mercenary pilot.
The third pilot was Sergeant
William C. Ocker. Ocker was denied pilot training because he was an enlisted man, so he became an aircraft mechanic instead. In his off hours he exchanged work for flight lessons from the nearby Curtiss Flying School. Eventually, he qualified for his FAI license on 20 April 1914, receiving certificate #293.
Ocker did mostly test pilot work to accrue flight hours and tested many experimental or early prototype aircraft. He is famous for inventing "blind flying" training to teach pilots to fly by instruments in cloudy or dark conditions.
World War I (1914–18)
Only 29 enlisted pilots were created by 1914 and most were commissioned as second lieutenants in 1917.
From 1914 to 1918, sixty mechanics were trained as pilots. They were used as ferry pilots and did not fly in combat. Their primary job was to transfer new and repaired aircraft from rear areas to air bases and forward air fields. They would then fly patched-up damaged aircraft back for more thorough repairs.
The ''Army Air Corps Act of 1926'' set certain standards as part of a five-year program to expand and improve the aviation arm of the U.S. Army. It set a quota that 20% of a tactical aviation unit's pilot billets must be manned by enlisted pilots by 1929. By 1930, only 4% of all pilots were enlisted. New pilots were usually commissioned to meet the need for pilot-rated officers in Air Corps administrative and command billets. Enlisted pilots didn't have a place in the hierarchy when they stopped flying and either reverted to their old pre-flying trade or were discharged.
In 1933, the training and creation of enlisted pilots was discontinued due to budget cuts and lack of funds.
World War II (1939–45)
In 1939 there were only 55 enlisted pilots in the then-U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC).
On 3 June 1941, Public Law 99 was enacted, allowing enlisted men to apply to flight training. Candidates had to be between the ages of 18 and 22, have a high school diploma with at least 1.5 credit hours worth of math, and have graduated in the top half of their class. In November 1941, this was reduced to being at least 18 years old and possessing a high school diploma. After demand lifted in mid-1944, the requirements went back to college-educated or college graduate candidates.
Enlisted pilots were called ''flying sergeants''.
Graduating enlisted pilots were graded as flight staff sergeants while pilots who graduated at the top of their class were graded as flight technical sergeants. They were usually assigned to flying transport and
liaison aircraft
A liaison aircraft (also called an army cooperation aircraft) is a small, usually unarmed aircraft primarily used by military forces for artillery observation or transporting commanders and messages.
Operation
The concept developed before Worl ...
. Their pilot status was only indicated by their pilot's wings, often leading to enlisted aviators being mistaken for air crew or harassed for impersonating a pilot. This caused a lot of bad feelings between the enlisted pilots (who had more dangerous jobs for lower pay and no privileges) and the officer pilots (who received the same pay, promotability, and privileges as officers).
The first enlisted pilot cadets were part of class 42C (enrolling in November, 1941 and graduating on 7 March 1942), which trained at
Kelly Field
Kelly Field (formerly Kelly Air Force Base) is a Joint-use airport, Joint-Use facility located in San Antonio, Texas. It was originally named after George E. M. Kelly, the first member of the U.S. military killed in the crash of an airplane he ...
and
Ellington Field
Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base is a joint installation shared by various active component and reserve component military units, as well as aircraft flight operations of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) under the aegi ...
, Texas. 93 enlisted graduates became
P-38 fighter pilots and were assigned to the
82nd Fighter Group in North Africa. Members of this class shot down 130 enemy aircraft and nine became aces.
The program created 2,576 enlisted pilots from 1941 to 1942. 332 enlisted pilots served overseas and 217 of them flew combat missions. Enlisted pilots destroyed 249.5 enemy aircraft and 18 became aces. Lt.
William J. Sloan was the leading ace of the 12th Air Force with 12 victories.
When Public Law 658 (Flight Officer Act) was passed on 8 July 1942 most enlisted pilots were promoted to the new rank of
flight officer
The title flight officer was a military rank used by the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, and also an air force rank in several Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries, where it was used for female officers and was equiv ...
and newly-graduating enlisted pilots were graded as flight officers or second lieutenants depending on merit.
This ended the creation of enlisted pilots in the U.S. Army.
Overview
The U.S. Army created almost 3,000 enlisted pilots from 1912 to 1942. Seven pre-War enlisted pilots and four World War II enlisted pilots became U.S. Air Force generals.
Last enlisted pilot
The U.S. Air Force's last enlisted pilot was Master Sergeant
George H. Holmes (1898–1965). Holmes had enlisted in the Army as a mechanic in 1919, became a pilot with the rank of corporal in 1921, and was promoted to lieutenant's rank in the Army Reserve in 1924. The Army later made Holmes an enlisted man and he served as both a mechanic and a pilot in the 1920s and 1930s. He was promoted to captain in 1942 and achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1946. He resigned his commission and reverted to his enlisted rank of master sergeant in 1946. He continued to fly as a non-commissioned officer until he retired in May 1957.
Flying Cadet Program (1918–40)
In 1918, flying cadets wore standard Army uniform and were differenced by a white
piqué hatband on the
service cap or
service hat and white brassards on both sleeves. Flying cadets were dubbed "Twelve-and-a-halfs" because they were considered between pay grade 12 (officer cadet) and pay grade 13a (regimental sergeant major) in rank, being neither officer nor enlisted. Cadets were paid the same as Privates, but earned a 50% bonus for flight pay.
In June 1918, the Air Service insignia of a winged single-prop propeller replaced the Signal Corps insignia. In 1925, they were allowed to wear the
overseas cap and had branch of service piping of ultramarine blue with threads of golden orange.
From 1928 to 1942, flying cadets wore a distinctive slate-blue uniform.
Visor-cap insignia was a pair of gold wings (3 inches wide) and a silver propeller (2 inches high).
Flight cadet insignia was worn on the lower right sleeve. Rank insignia was worn on the upper sleeves and consisted of 1 to 4 point-down black
mohair
Mohair (pronounced ) originated from the Arabic word �هيرand it is a fabric or yarn made from the hair of the Angora goat (not Angora wool from the fur of the Angora rabbit). Both durable and resilient, mohair is lustrous with high shee ...
chevrons on slate blue backing to indicate the following equivalent ranks: cadet corporal (1 chevron), cadet sergeant (2 chevrons), cadet lieutenant (3 chevrons), and cadet captain (4 chevrons).
Chevrons were 2.875-inches wide for jackets and shirts and 7-inches wide for overcoats.
1907–17
The U.S. Army Signal Corps Aviation School was first based at
College Park, Maryland
College Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, located approximately from the northeast border of Washington, D.C. Its population was 34,740 at the 2020 United States census. It is the home of the University of Mary ...
, from 1907 to 1912. It later moved in 1912 to
Rockwell Field
Rockwell Field is a former United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) military airfield, located northwest of the city of Coronado, California, on the northern part of the Coronado Peninsula across the bay from San Diego, California.
This airfield ...
, North Island, San Diego, California.
In 1912 the requirements and rank of
''Military Aviator'' were created for heavier-than-air aircraft pilots; the rank of ''Military Aeronaut'' was for lighter-than-air aircraft pilots. (Previous to this all American military pilots were certified by civilian aviation bodies). The first 24 certified pilots awarded this distinction (and the accompanying Signals Corps Military Aviator badge) were listed in ''War Department General Order No. 39'' (27 May 1913). This was later split in 1914 into the ranks of ''Student Pilot'' (which granted a 25% increase in pay), ''Junior Military Aviator'' (for certified Enlisted Pilots and Lieutenants, granting a 50% increase in pay) and ''Military Aviator'' (for Captains and above; granting a 75% increase in pay but also requiring 3 years of flight experience). Junior Military Aviators who participated in regular and full-time flight would be paid at the next pay grade (e.g., Flight 2nd Lieutenants would be paid the same as a 1st Lieutenant). ''Reserve Military Aviators'' had a commission in the Army Reserves; this meant they had fewer billets, a slower career progression, and less job security than Regular Army pilots.
1917–18
To meet the increased demand for pilots, the Signal Corps Aviation School was shut down during
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
and its functions moved to other facilities. Rockwell Field was closed in 1920 and just used for storage.
Student training was in three stages:
# Ground School was created on 12 May 1917. Students were taught the basics of flight, airplane operation and maintenance, meteorology, astronomy, military science, and officer etiquette. It lasted 8 weeks (extended to 12 in 1918) and took place at the U.S. Schools of Military Aeronautics at
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...
,
Cornell University
Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...
,
University of Texas
The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 1883, it is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. With 53,082 students as of fall 2 ...
,
University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, U of I, Illinois, or University of Illinois) is a public land-grant research university in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois, United States. Established in 1867, it is the f ...
,
University of California at Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after the Anglo-Irish philosopher George Berkele ...
, and
Ohio State
The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one of the largest universities by enrollme ...
.
# Preliminary Flight School was next. This was taught at flight centers across the country. Facilities included
Selfridge Field,
Michigan
Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
;
Chanute and
Scott Fields,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
;
Wilbur Wright Field
Wilbur Wright Field was a military installation and an airfield used as a World War I List of Training Section Air Service airfields, pilot, mechanic, and armorer training facility and, under different designations, conducted United States Army ...
,
Ohio
Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
;
Kelly,
Taliaferro,
Love
Love is a feeling of strong attraction and emotional attachment (psychology), attachment to a person, animal, or thing. It is expressed in many forms, encompassing a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most su ...
,
Call
Call or Calls may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Games
* Call (poker), a bet matching an opponent's
* Call, in the game of contract bridge, a bid, pass, double, or redouble in the bidding stage
Music and dance
* Call (band), from L ...
,
Rich
Rich may refer to:
Common uses
* Rich, an entity possessing wealth
* Rich, an intense taste, flavor, color, sound, texture, or feeling
**Rich (wine), a descriptor in wine tasting
Places United States
* Rich, Mississippi, an unincorporated c ...
, and
Ellington Field
Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base is a joint installation shared by various active component and reserve component military units, as well as aircraft flight operations of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) under the aegi ...
s Texas;
Post Field, Fort Sill,
Oklahoma
Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
; and
Gerstner Field,
Louisiana
Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
. Cadets had about 40–50 flight hours in
Curtiss JN-4 Jenny
The Curtiss JN "Jenny" is a series of biplanes built by the Glenn Curtiss Aeroplane Company of Hammondsport, New York, later the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. Although the Curtiss JN series was originally produced as a training aircraft f ...
biplanes: 4–10 hours of dual training, 24 hours of solo flying, and a 16-hour cross-country flight. Graduates were certified as Reserve Military Aviators in the Army Signal Corps.
# Advanced Flight Training took place in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
,
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, or
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. Cadets were trained on their assigned aircraft for about 90 hours before being sent into combat in Europe.
During World War I the rank of Junior Military Aviator was indicated by a US Shield with one wing. The rank of Military Aviator was indicated by a US shield flanked by a pair of wings.
On 9 July 1918 the rank of Flying Cadet was created by act of Congress.
1919–21
Cadet training was in two stages.
# Preliminary Training was for four months (combining Ground and Preliminary Flight School) and was held at
Carlstrom Field
Carlstrom Field is a former military airfield, located southeast of Arcadia, Florida. The airfield was List of airfields of the Training Section of the United States Army Air Service, one of thirty-two Air Service training camps established in ...
, Florida, or
March Field, California.
# Advanced Training was for three months. It was held at Post, Kelly, or Ellington Fields.
1922–26
The Air Service consolidated all its training at
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio ( ; Spanish for "Anthony of Padua, Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the List of Texas metropolitan areas, third-largest metropolitan area in Texa ...
, in June 1922. This was to save money and provide good year-round flying conditions.
# Primary Training was extended to five months at
Brooks Field.
# Advanced Training was extended to six months at
Kelly Field
Kelly Field (formerly Kelly Air Force Base) is a Joint-use airport, Joint-Use facility located in San Antonio, Texas. It was originally named after George E. M. Kelly, the first member of the U.S. military killed in the crash of an airplane he ...
.
1926–38
The ''Army Air Corps Act'' of 1926 set certain reforms as part of a five-year program to expand and improve the aviation arm of the Army. The U.S. Army Air Service would have its name changed to the U.S. Army Air Corps, to reflect its new role as a combatant military force. The post of "Assistant Secretary of War for Air" post was created to foster development of military aviation and an Aviation Section was added to each division of the Army General Staff. Around 90% of an aviation unit's officers had to receive pilot or observer rating and only flight-rated officers could command aviation units.
The Air Corps Training Center was built at
Duncan Field, near
Kelly Field
Kelly Field (formerly Kelly Air Force Base) is a Joint-use airport, Joint-Use facility located in San Antonio, Texas. It was originally named after George E. M. Kelly, the first member of the U.S. military killed in the crash of an airplane he ...
, in 1926. This was moved to
Randolph Field
Randolph Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Bexar County, Texas, ( east-northeast of Downtown San Antonio).
Opened in 1931, Randolph has been a flying training facility for the United States Army Air Corps, the United ...
on 1 October 1931.
# Primary and Basic Training were extended to eight months each and were held at the Air Corps Training Center.
# Advanced Training was reduced to four months and was held at
Kelly Field
Kelly Field (formerly Kelly Air Force Base) is a Joint-use airport, Joint-Use facility located in San Antonio, Texas. It was originally named after George E. M. Kelly, the first member of the U.S. military killed in the crash of an airplane he ...
.
1939–40
In 1938 the U.S. Army Air Corps was expanded to 24 groups by 1939. This required an influx of cadets to meet the requirements. There were three 12-week cycles (or about nine months total).
# Primary Flight Training was performed by contracted civilian flight schools.
# Basic Flight Training was performed at
Randolph Field
Randolph Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in Bexar County, Texas, ( east-northeast of Downtown San Antonio).
Opened in 1931, Randolph has been a flying training facility for the United States Army Air Corps, the United ...
.
# Advanced Flight Training was done at
Kelly Field
Kelly Field (formerly Kelly Air Force Base) is a Joint-use airport, Joint-Use facility located in San Antonio, Texas. It was originally named after George E. M. Kelly, the first member of the U.S. military killed in the crash of an airplane he ...
and
Brooks Field.
Aviation Cadet Program (USAAF), 1940–47
1940–41
Cadet flight training was reduced in 1940 to seven months of training
and only 200 flight hours to meet a potential demand for military pilots. From 30 June 1940 to 30 June 1941 the
US Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical ri ...
tripled in size from 51,165 men (19.1% of the Army's total strength) to 152,125 men (10.4% of the Army's total strength).
1941–47
On 20 June 1941, the air arm of the U.S. Army previously known as the
U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) became the "
U.S. Army Air Forces" (USAAF). The grade of Aviation Cadet was created for pilot candidates and the program was renamed the Aviation Cadet Training Program (AvCad). Cadets were paid $75 a month ($50 base pay + $25 "flight pay") – the same rate as Army Air Corps privates with flight status
– and a uniform allowance of $150. As junior officers, cadets were addressed as "Mister" by all ranks. The program was expanded in May 1942 to also cover training navigators and bombardiers and
Moffett Field became the first center to give "pre-flight" training to them. Other specialties covered included communications, armament, meteorology, and radar operation; they were conventional Army warrant officers who attended an appropriate USAAF warrant officer school.
From May 1942 to 1947, aviation cadets wore the same uniform as Army officers, except they lacked the mohair cuffband of a full officer. The
service cap differed in that it had a blue hatband (with olive drab uniform) or brown hatband (with Khaki uniform) and the general issue eagle was replaced by the winged propeller insignia of the Army Air Forces. The
garrison cap was worn with the Army Air Forces insignia on the left side.
Rank stripes were light olive drab (brown) on a dark blue backing and were 3.125-inches wide on shirts and coats and 7.5-inches wide on overcoats. This created a problem because the new stripes were just being produced and the old stripes were becoming scarce. Therefore, in January 1943 the Army authorized training center commanders to procure commercially-made versions to meet demand. This led to non-standard designs (like dark blue or black chevrons on olive drab backings) and unique duty position insignias.
The USAAF rank of flight officer was created by Public Law 658 (Flight Officer Act). Its insignia was similar to the warrant officer (junior grade) insignia except for the color of its enamel backing. It was in blue enamel for Air ratings (pilot,
navigator
A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation.Grierson, MikeAviation History—Demise of the Flight Navigator FrancoFlyers.org website, October 14, 2008. Retrieved August 31, 2014. The navigator's prim ...
,
bombardier,
flight engineer
A flight engineer (FE), also sometimes called an air engineer, is a member of an aircraft's flight crew who is responsible for monitoring and operating its complex aircraft systems. In the early era of aviation, the position was sometimes referr ...
, or fire control officer – graduates of the aviation cadet program) and brown enamel for Ground ratings (radar operator, armorer, meteorologist, etc. – graduates of the USAAF's warrant officer schools). Air ratings were promotable to second lieutenant and ground ratings were promotable to chief warrant officer. Air ratings outranked ground ratings.
The warrant officer's bars were worn horizontally on the shoulder straps of the shirt or jacket, like a lieutenant's or captain's bars. Co-pilot flight officers – an air rating – wore brown-enamel ground chief warrant officer insignia when flying. This was so they would not be confused with a pilot flight officer, the plane's commander.
After the
attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Territory of ...
and the United States' entry into the war, the number of volunteers for pilot training was enormous. Fearing that they would lose them to the general draft, aviation cadet-applicants were given exemption from 1942 until the demand lessened in July, 1944.
Demand for pilots meant that training had to be modified to accommodate the large numbers of pilot candidates. Training came in four stages (extended to five stages in April 1942 with the creation of the pre-flight stage). Classification lasted one week and the education and training stages were nine weeks each. Each 9-week stage was divided into two 4.5-week (63-day) halves: a lower half and an upper half . The lower half was made up of students just beginning the stage and the upper half was made up of the students who were half-finished. The more experienced cadets would hopefully help the new cadets get through the section before they were promoted to the next stage.
* On-line Training was the term for busy work given to cadets when there were no open spaces in the next level. They did any unskilled menial task that needed doing until a billet opened up.
* Classification stage processed the cadet and issued him his equipment. This was the stage where it would be decided whether the cadet would train as a navigator, bombardier, or pilot. Candidates who failed the testing or the advanced physical were returned to the regular Army.
* Pre-flight stage was divided into two parts and was attended by pilots, navigators, and bombardiers. The first six weeks was a compressed "boot camp" that concentrated on athletics and military training. This was followed by four weeks of academics. They were taught the mechanics and physics of flight and required the cadets to pass refresher courses in mathematics and physics. Then the cadets were taught to apply their knowledge practically by teaching them aeronautics, deflection shooting, and thinking in three dimensions. Cadets were evaluated for 10 hours in a crude flight simulator called a
"blue box", then performed a harrowing "ride-along" with a pilot-instructor for an hour. Those that passed were given Cadet Wings and were promoted to Pilot School.
USAAF schools
Pilot School
# Primary Pilot Training taught basic flight using two-seater training aircraft. This was usually done by contract schools (civilian pilot training schools) through the
Civil Aeronautics Authority
The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) was an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the federal government of the United States, formed in 1940 from a split of the Civil Aeronautics Authority and abolished in 1985, that regulated A ...
–
War Training Service (CAA-WTS). Cadets got around 60 to 65 flight hours in
Stearman Stearman is a surname. Notable people with the name include:
* Josiah Stearman (born 2003), American chess master
* Lloyd Stearman (1898–1975), American aviation pioneer
* Richard Stearman (born 1987), English footballer
* William Stearman ( ...
,
Ryan, or
Fairchild Fairchild may refer to:
Organizations
* Fairchild Aerial Surveys, operated in cooperation with a subsidiary of Fairey Aviation Company
* Fairchild Camera and Instrument
* List of Sherman Fairchild companies, "Fairchild" companies
* Fairchild ...
primary trainers before going to Basic.
# Basic Pilot Training taught the cadets to fly in formation, fly by instruments or by aerial navigation, fly at night, and fly for long distances. Cadets got about 70 flight hours in
BT-9 or
BT-13 basic trainers before being promoted to Advanced Training.
# Advanced Pilot Training placed the graduates in two categories: single-engined and multi-engined. Single-engined pilots flew the
AT-6 advanced trainer. Multi-engined pilots learned to fly the
AT-9,
AT-10,
AT-11 or
AT-17 advanced trainers.
[United States Armed Forces](_blank)
National Museum of the USAF, "AAF Training: Advanced Flying School" Cadets were supposed to get a total of about 75 to 80 flight hours before graduating and getting their pilot's wings.
# Transition Pilot Training Single-engined pilots transitioned to fighters and fighter-bombers and multi-engined pilots transitioned to transports or bombers. Pilots got two months of training before being sent into combat duty.
Graduates were usually graded as
flight officer
The title flight officer was a military rank used by the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, and also an air force rank in several Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries, where it was used for female officers and was equiv ...
s (warrant officers). Cadets who graduated at the top of their class were graded as
second lieutenants. Aviation cadets who washed out of pilot training were sent to navigator or bombardier school. Aviation cadets who washed out of navigator or bombardier training were usually sent to Flexible Gunnery School to become aerial gunners.
Liaison Pilot School lasted 60 flight hours. It was an option for cadets who had passed primary training, but had washed out of basic or advanced training. They were trained to fly single-engined light aircraft similar to the light trainers they flew in Primary and were given training in takeoffs over obstacles, short-field landings, and low-altitude navigation. Their duties included transportation of troops and supplies,
medical evacuation
Medical evacuation, often shortened to medevac or medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to patients requiring evacuation or transport using medically equipped air ambulances, helicopters and ...
,
aerial photography
Aerial photography (or airborne imagery) is the taking of photographs from an aircraft or other flight, airborne platforms. When taking motion pictures, it is also known as aerial videography.
Platforms for aerial photography include fixed-wi ...
, and low-level
reconnaissance
In military operations, military reconnaissance () or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, the terrain, and civil activities in the area of operations. In military jargon, reconnai ...
. Graduates received liaison pilot wings. They were originally graded as flight staff sergeants until 1942, when they were graded as flight officers.
Bombardier School lasted 18 weeks. It consisted of 425 hours of ground instruction in the proficiencies of a bombardier (plus familiarity with the tasks of the pilot, radioman, or navigator in case of an emergency). After 3 weeks this included 120 hours of air training in which the cadet began with practice runs and ended by performing bombing runs with live ordnance. Graduates received a bombardier's wings.
Navigator School lasted 18 weeks. It consisted of 500 hours of ground instruction in the duties of a navigator (charting, directional bearings, computed headings, airspeed, radio codes, celestial navigation, etc.). This was combined with familiarity with the tasks of a pilot or radioman in case of emergency. After four weeks the cadet acted as a navigator in day and night flights in Advanced Navigator trainers like the
AT-7 Navigator or AT-11A Kansan. Graduates received a navigator's wings.
Radio Operator School lasted 18 weeks and was run by the U.S. Army Signals Corps. Graduates received the rank of sergeant, with the top percentage receiving the rank of staff sergeant. They wore the Army Air Corps insignia. There was no official Radio Operator's wings – there were many tailor-made ones cast or made from regular wings by jewelers or embroidered on cloth.
Flexible Gunnery School was a six-week program that taught the cadet how to man a flexible-mount machinegun or a powered turret. All aircrew had to attend gunnery school in case of emergencies and had to qualify before they could join an aircrew. Flight engineers manned the top powered turret as one of their jobs. Bombardiers and navigators attended either before or after they attended their training school. Aircrew assigned as gunners who graduated received Aerial Gunner wings.
Aviation Cadet Training (USAF), 1947–1961/1965
In September 1947, the U.S. Army Air Forces became a separate and independent service, renamed the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
(USAF). At the time, the newly created Air Force had no service academy of its own yet (the
USMA and
USNA
The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy is the sec ...
had options for their cadets and midshipmen, respectively, to become USAF officers). Separate
Air Force ROTC and
Officer Candidate School
An officer candidate school (OCS) is a military school which trains civilians and Enlisted rank, enlisted personnel in order for them to gain a Commission (document), commission as Commissioned officer, officers in the armed forces of a country. H ...
(later retitled
Officer Training School) programs were still being established. The Aviation Cadet Training Program continued to remain as a principal source of the Air Force's pilots and navigators and they wore the same basic uniform as Air Force officers.
1952–1961
In 1952, the
Air Training Command
The Air Training Command (ATC) is a former United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command designation. It was headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, but was initially formed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. It was re-designated ...
(ATC) implemented a four-phase pilot training program: pre-flight, primary, basic, and advanced / crew.
* Pre-Flight weeded out unfit applicants and sorted candidates into pilot, navigator, and other aircrew categories.
Pilots
* Primary Training had pilots fly
T-6 Texans for about 130 hours, soloing for 20 to 25 hours. In the mid-1950s, the T-6 was replaced by the
T-34A Mentor.
* Basic Training had pilots fly
T-28 Trojans for 55 hours.
* Advanced Training had pilots destined for fighter aircraft flying jet trainers like the
T-33 Shooting Star for 75 hours; pilots destined for large multiengine bomber, tanker/transport or reconnaissance aircraft flew a similar number of hours in the
TB-25 Mitchell, while helicopter pilots would follow a similar track in training helicopters of various types. In the final two years of the program, all fixed-wing pilots merged into a single training track flying the
T-37 Tweet and
T-38 Talon as the T-6, T-34, T-28 and T-33 were phased out of the ATC inventory.
Navigators
Navigator training of the period commenced in the
TC-45 Expeditor or
TB-25 Mitchell, followed by transition to the
T-29 Flying Classroom, although by the late 1950s, all aircrew training had been consolidated in the T-29. Navigator training for Aviation Cadets was merged with that for commissioned officers and conducted at
James Connally AFB, Texas;
Harlingen AFB, Texas;
Ellington AFB, Texas and
Mather AFB, California. Follow-on training qualified some of these navigators in additional fields, such as radar navigator/bombardier, electronic warfare officer or radar intercept officer.
End of AvCad
The USAF Aviation Cadet program ended for pilots in 1961 and navigators in 1965.
In 1960, the Air Force implemented the Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) and Undergraduate Navigator Training (UNT) concept. From now on the
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academies, United States service academy in Air Force Academy, Colorado, Air Force Academy Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Colorado Springs. I ...
(started in the fall semester of 1959), the
Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, and the
Air Force Officer Training School were to provide all of its pilots and navigators.
Last Aviation Cadet pilot
The last Aviation Cadet pilot classes were
Webb AFB class 61G and
Reese AFB
Reese Air Force Base was a former U.S. Army Air Base located near Lubbock, Texas. It was closed in 1997 and converted into a research center.
History
Reese Air Force Base began as the Lubbock United States Army Air Corps, Army Air Corps Advance ...
class 62A. The last Aviation Cadet pilot to graduate was 2nd Lieutenant
William F. Wesson, the only member of Reese AFB class 62B-2, on 11 October 1961. Wesson was originally a member of class 62A but was injured during a training accident and had to recover and requalify before he could graduate.
Last Aviation Cadet navigator
The last Aviation Cadet navigator class was 65–15 at
James Connally AFB.
It was made up of Eulalio Arzaga, Jr., James J. Crowling, Jr., Ronald M. Durgee, Harry W. Elliott, Timothy J. Geary, Robert E. Girvan, Glen D. Green, Paul J. Gringot, Jr., William P. Hagopian, Steven V. Harper, Robert D. Humphrey, Hollis D. Jones, Evert F. Larson, Gerald J. Lawrence, Thomas J. Mitchell, Ronald W. Oberender, Raymond E. Powell, Victor B. Putz, Milton Spivack, Donald E. Templeman, and Herbert F. Turney. These aviation cadets became USAF 2nd lieutenants. and were awarded their navigator wings on 3 March 1965. Class 65-15 chose classmate Cadet Steven V. Harper of
Miami
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
, Florida, for the honor of "Last Aviation Cadet" based on his high academic, military, and flying grades.
Last Aviation Cadet in USAF service
On 1 November 2002, Lt Gen
Russell C. Davis retired after 44 years of service (5 years in the regular Air Force and 39 years in the Air National Guard). He was the first Black USAF officer to reach the rank of brigadier general in the Air National Guard and was the first Black general officer to command the
National Guard Bureau (1998–2002).
See also
*
Sergeant Pilot
*
Aviation Cadet Training Program (USN)
*
Department of Air Training (US Army Ground Forces).
*
Civilian Pilot Training Program
The Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP) was a flight training program (1938–1944) sponsored by the United States government with the stated purpose of increasing the number of civilian pilots, though having a clear impact on military prepare ...
Notes
Further reading
* Callander, Bruce D. "The Aviation Cadets,"
*
External links
Aviation Cadets Page 1
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aviation Cadet Training Program (Usaaf)
United States Army Air Forces
United States Air Force
Training programs