1954: Making a Marine Pilot Warrior

To quote a pithy Kansas farm maxim: “Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a Rain Dance.” Back in March of 1954, Marine Drill Instructor Dave Ferman could not have picked a worse time to sign up with the Navy Flight Program at Pensacola, Florida. The worn-out, pre-World War II Navy basic training aircraft, the SNJ Texan, was on its last legs and rapidly becoming “unglued.” As a result, Navy maintenance and repair crews could not keep up with the excessive wear and tear. Various parts s...