I was in USAF ROTC until it was clear my eyes would prevent (paid) flight training. My brother qualified for Warrant Office helo training until a jealous recruit intentionally slammed into his knee and thigh causing a career-ending injury. That said, my wife's uncle (P-38s, 9th FS Pacific) and her father (B-17 navigator, 91st BG, Horham, ETO) were both WWII combat aviators.
Both survived the war. My wife recently published "Man Bar Crew" based on her father's tour and is currently working on a follow up on P-38s. Her uncle flew with Dick Bong. I gave a copy to Ollie North, explaining "Man Bar Crew" was fiction. He replied "That's OK: most military memoirs are fiction, too."
I was in USAF ROTC until it was clear my eyes would prevent (paid) flight training. My brother qualified for Warrant Office helo training until a jealous recruit intentionally slammed into his knee and thigh causing a career-ending injury. That said, my wife's uncle (P-38s, 9th FS Pacific) and her father (B-17 navigator, 91st BG, Horham, ETO) were both WWII combat aviators.
Both survived the war. My wife recently published "Man Bar Crew" based on her father's tour and is currently working on a follow up on P-38s. Her uncle flew with Dick Bong. I gave a copy to Ollie North, explaining "Man Bar Crew" was fiction. He replied "That's OK: most military memoirs are fiction, too."