While our class was in training, the Navy sent a reporter to observe the training activity and prepare a story for publication. Excerpts from that extremely flowery story explaining LSO training are set down below:

 

"It's no cinch for even a hot pilot to land a speed fighter plane on the pitching, tossing flight deck of an aircraft carrier. And the fact that the deck looks about the size of a postage stamp from the air, or that returning planes and pilots are sometimes badly shot up, doesn't make it any easier"

"Chiefly responsible for getting these planes aboard is the flat-top's landing signal officer. This fellow, who executes frantic maneuvers with ping pong-like paddles on the LSO box in the fantail, is considered the most important man on a carrier during landings and take-offs. On his judgement and lightning decisions often rest the safety of the ship and its planes"

 

"To qualify naval aviators for this highly important task requires intensive training and plenty of practice. Here at NAS Jacksonville is the Navy's only basic Landing Signal Officer's School. Students are mostly fleet-returned carrier pilots ranging in rank from Ensign to Lieutenant, and usually volunteers"

 

"The course given here averages about eight weeks. First comes a series of lectures. Then, cockpit checkouts. All this ground work takes about a week. Next in the syllabus is familiarization. There's slow air work and regular flying so that the pilots can regain the feel of the plane.  

 

There are touch-and-go landings, tactics, and observation. Two to three more weeks have passed."

 

"Now the students are almost ready for their work with the paddles' or 'flags.' The class is broken down into flight groups of ten. For the following three or four weeks they spend their time making 'bounce' hops at a nearby auxiliary field while an advanced class handles the 'paddles,' waving them in"

 

"After this, their turn with the 'flags' comes. Another class flies the 'bounce' hops for them, and in eight or ten days each student practices bringing in about 400 planes."

 

"This goes on hour after hour, one plane after another. The instructor demonstrates a few, then each student, in turn, tries his hand at it. In ten days most of them have mastered the art."

 

"The basic course completed, Lt. Ralph M. Bagwell, officer in charge, goes into a huddle with the instructors. Each student is passed upon. Full Lieutenants and senior jaygees must qualify as number one LSO's. Ensigns and other jaygees must meet the standards of assistant LSO's. Otherwise they are dropped."

 

"Many of the fleet-returned pilots taking training here as LSO's are the cream of the crop, so to speak, of the combat pilots. Nearly all of them have won decorations for achievement as pilots."

 

"The school is considered so highly in Naval Aviation circles that all fleet-returned landing signal officers back in the States for reassignment in the Naval Air Operational Training Command go through a week of observation at the LSO school here."

 

"SO's have no easy job. Their responsibility is heavy. They have to be able to judge a plane's altitude, speed and attitude with complete accuracy. They must see everything, notice everything, and act fast."

 

By the 6th of August our class had completed LSO training, and received our paddles signifying we were junior ALOS's. The next item on the agenda was to await orders.

While awaiting orders, we had been wondering how the Atomic Bombs dropped on Japan might affect the progress of the war. We didn't have long to wait for the answer. The next thing we knew it was 15 August 1945 and World War II was over.

 

For the past couple of months Marine Pilots had been arriving from the various Primary Training Command bases such as Hutchinson, Kansas and Norman, Oklahoma, and from the Air Training Centers at Pensacola, and Corpus Christi, Texas. These fellows had completed their two year assignments as instructors, and were now being sent to Florida for Operational Training. One group was integrated into a Marine squadron at NAS Jacksonville. As part of their training they would become qualified aboard a carrier.

 

Rogers, Kiley, Egbert, and I were temporarily assigned to this squadron to provide Field Carrier Landing training, as well as help the assigned LSO of any available carrier in the area, to carrier qualify these pilots.