Issue 41.13
In 1943 and 44 we Army Air Force people learned discipline the Army way. We learned to march as in a parade. That is marching smartly in perfect step and with straight lines. When we see marching soldiers in the movie news reels, there may be ten thousand men but not one reaches up to scratch his itching nose or swat a fly. That is the beginning of discipline. Military discipline is learning to take responsibility. In the military, there is but two answers if asked whether a task is completed or not. The first answer is “Yes sir”. The second answer is “No sir, no excuse”. At an operational combat air base, discipline is much different. A bomber air crew is basically a family and our discipline is slanted that way. Even though as a gunner, I was an enlisted man and each crew had officers as members. We never used the formality of saluting the flying officers or calling them “Sir” That did not mean that we had any less discipline than ground soldiers. We all knew that our pilot was our absolute boss and what he said was law. First Lt. Robert Parnell didn’t go for spit and polish soldiering. He was the airplane commander not because of a college degree or starting out in the ROTC but because he was the best man and the best pilot for the job. I know that General Patton chastised his men and officers for not being properly dressed with neck ties and leggings in battle. It was far different for combat air crews. We dressed to keep warm and for flexibility. One crewman on a different crew flew all of his missions with his girlfriend’s undies as a scarf. Sometimes a finished crewman would give to a starting crewman a certain clothing item to wear. He would say “I wore this for all of my missions and it kept me safe so you wear it and perhaps it will keep you safe”. When we had visitors from the pentagon, they were flabbergasted to watch how crew men were disciplined. The military newspaper published in England, the Stars and Stripes” once had an article to the editor written by a officer stationed at a combat air field. He complained that the paper neglected to write about the enlisted gunner at air bases showed too little respect to the officers of their crews. What that officer did not understand that nowhere in the military is there any finer discipline than in the Army Air Force in the air. Our officers were officers because they were leaders, not leaders because they were officers.
One evening about dusk, one of my barracks buddies said to me, “Sam, I see by the Squadron
Bulletin board that you were advanced in rank from Sergeant to Staff Sergeant”. I had been expecting the promotion but I wanted to make sure so I hurried down to see for myself. While I was reading the board, another person walked up beside me. From the corner of my eye, I could see that it was an officer but I thought perhaps it was a flying officer. I kept on reading that, yes I was promoted on rank. He made an off hand remark so I turned to see him. I did not then salute. He asked for my name and serial number which I gave to him. He then said “If you are looking to see if you have a promotion, forget it because tomorrow you will be a private for not saluting me. Sure enough, the next day I was a buck private. My pilot, Robert Parnell saw the C.O. that day and told him he refused to have a private on his crew, so the following day, a new order was cut that made me a sergeant again.
Sam Wyrouck may be contacted at 801-707-2666.