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Republic P-47 in the Pacific - History

Republic Aviation Corporation

Republic Aviation Corporation Photo: courtesy American Airpower Museum via Gary Lewi

Republic Aviation Corporation was established in 1939 when the board of directors of Seversky Aircraft ousted Alexander de Seversky as company president because of mounting losses and changed the company's name to Republic. W. Wallace Kellett became the new company president.

One of the last planes produced by Seversky aircraft had been the AP-4, an adaptation of the P-35, the first modern fighter. The AP-4 was equipped with a Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial engine enhanced by a supercharger. In March 1939, the Army ordered 13 of these AP-4 test models, designated YP-43. They were delivered in September 1940 as Republic P-43 Lancers. By 1941, new air combat technology had overtaken the Lancer's technology, and Republic's chief designer, Russian migr Alexander Kartveli, began planning what would turn into the P-47 Thunderbolt. But since the engine that would power the P-47, Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp, was not yet available, the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) ordered some almost 2,000 P-43 Lancers to be used in the meantime. Another 108 went to the Chinese Air Force through the Lend-Lease program. None of the U.S. P-43s saw combat duty but served in a training, and later in a photoreconnaissance, role.

The P-47 Thunderbolt that was on Kartveli's drawing board in 1940 is ranked as one of the three best fighters of World War II along with Lockheed's P-38 Lightning and North American's P-51 Mustang. The P-47 sported a massive fuselage, used the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine enhanced with a turbocharger, and was the heaviest single-engine fighter to fly in the war. The USAAC ordered the 171 prototype XP-47B in September 1940, and 773 planes more soon after. The plane was designed around the turbocharger from the start, which was situated in the rear fuselage to keep the plane balanced, and was connected to the engine by a long piece of ducting. It also had an unusual telescopic landing gear that allowed room for all the guns.

The plane entered production in early 1942, and early in 1943 began service with Britain's Royal Air Force as escorts to the B-17 and B-24 bombers. The P-47s could also carry bombs, which turned the fighters into fighter-bombers with the P-47D "Juggernaut," the first large-scale production model. The Juggernaut version carried out strafing and bombing missions with deadly effect in the European and the Pacific theaters until the end of the war. The U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) ordered 850 in October 1941. (The Army Air Corps had been reorganized as the Army Air Forces.) Republic produced 12,602 P-47Ds, the largest number of a single sub-type of any fighter in history. Total P-47D production was 15,660.

Production of the P-47 ended in November 1945. The company tried two other aircraft with little success. The Seabee amphibian incurred large losses after good initial sales. The F-12 reconnaissance aircraft was the fastest multiengine piston-powered aircraft ever flown. It was cancelled, however, and Republic transformed the design into the commercial 40-seat RC-2 Rainbow ordered by American and Pan Am airlines. It, too, was cancelled, and the company was left in precarious financial position.

The new postwar P-84/F-84 jet fighter-bomber returned Republic to profitability. The company built three main varieties of this plane to replace the P-47. The first, the P-84 Thunderjet (changed to F-84 on June 11, 1948), first flew on February 28, 1946. It was the last of Republic's straight-wing jet designs. The Thunderjet was a high-performance aircraft, and briefly set an American speed record, flying at 611 miles per hour (983 kilometers per hour) in September 1946. It kept the record for one day, when a Gloster Meteor flying at 616 miles per hour (991 kilometers per hour) set a new record. The last in the Thunderjet series, the F-84G, could deploy nuclear weapons and was the first fighter capable of in-flight refueling. Used by American forces in Korea, by NATO troops, and by some nonaligned nations, approximately 4,450 Thunderjets were built between 1947 and 1953.

The second F-84 was the swept-wing F-84F Thunderstreak. After several manufacturing delays and a switch to a more powerful engine, the first production F-84F flew in the fall of 1952. About 2,700 were built, with 1,300 going to NATO forces. The F-84F served with the Tactical Air Command (TAC) and with the Strategic Air Command (SAC). Those with the TAC were equipped to deliver nuclear weapons using the Low Altitude Bombing System (LABS). The strategy was for the F-84F to race toward the target at treetop level. When near the target, the F-84F would make a half loop upward, release its bomb, and then escape the nuclear blast with a rapid high-speed maneuver and head back from where it came. Fortunately, the Thunderstreak never had to carry out this mission in real combat.

The RF-84F Thunderflash was the final F-84. It was the first of the modern jets to be designed specifically for photoreconnaissance and the first fighter-type plane to carry cameras that could take horizon-to-horizon pictures. Republic produced 715 of the aircraft. First flown in 1953 and used for many years, the plane was eventually withdrawn from service in 1971.

At the same time that Republic was working on the F-84, Kartveli and his team were designing Republic's first swept-wing plane, a high-speed experimental interceptor designated the XF-91 Thunderceptor. Begun in 1946, it was America's first combat-type fighter to fly faster than the speed of sound. The plane used a variable-incidence wing that could be adjusted in flight for the most effective angle during takeoff, cruise, and landing. The plane first flew at Edwards Air Force Base on May 9, 1949. In December 1951, it became the first U.S. combat aircraft to go supersonic in level flight. The Thunderceptor never went into production because it could not carry fuel for flights lasting longer than 25 minutes and did not have the latest type of fire control system but it led to further developments in advanced fighter technology.

In 1951, Republic began to develop a supersonic fighter-bomber to replace the F-84F. The F-105 Thunderchief, also nicknamed "Thud" (some say with affection and others say because the plane was too heavy), made its first flight on October 22, 1955, although the first production version, the F-105B, was not delivered until May 1958. This supersonic aircraft had an internal bomb bay, the first ever on a fighter aircraft, and was capable of deploying nuclear weapons. It was the heaviest and most complex fighter used by the Air Force to date. The F-105 exhibited the pinched-waist fuselage to conform to the new "area rule" concept for reduced aerodynamic drag at transonic speeds.

The F-105D first flew in 1959 and was the main production version with more than 600 built. It was used extensively in Vietnam, flying 75 percent of the air strikes against North Vietnam during the first four years of the war and participating in "Operation Rolling Thunder," which began in March 1965. Featuring highly sophisticated electronics, its navigation system automatically supplied the pilot with current position coordinates, ground speed, distance to target, and other information. The F-105D was considered the first "black box" fighter and was the only aircraft that could penetrate the Soviet-provided air defense system protecting North Vietnam.

The final production version was the F-105F, of which 86 were converted for "Wild Weasel" missions against North Vietnam beginning in 1967. Sixty F-105Fs were redesignated as F-105G and outfitted with greatly improved avionics. The sophisticated electronics on these planes were used to counter hostile radar-controlled surface-to-air weapons by jamming the enemy's radar.

Thunderchiefs flew more than 20,000 combat missions in Vietnam. More than half of the planes built were lost in combat, not considered a bad record when considering the number of missions flown. The F-105 was Republic's last independent design.

Republic attempted to diversify, establishing a helicopter division in December 1957 and building the French Alouette helicopter under license. It also introduced a turboprop airliner the Rainbow for short to medium-distance routes, but interest was light and the project ended. Republic acquired a minority interest in the Dutch aircraft firm Fokker and attempted to market an attack plane in 1960. None of these efforts was successful.

Meanwhile, after acquiring Republic stock, the aerospace company Fairchild acquired Republic in July 1965. In September, Republic became the Republic Aviation Division of Fairchild Hiller, ending Republic's existence as an independent company.

Judy Rumerman

This excellent article was written by Judy Rumerman.
Here is the orginal article!

FOR SALE: P-47 Thunderbolt – Not Very Often These Come onto the Market….

The Thunderbolt was one of the heaviest and largest fighter planes ever built it was also only powered by a single piston engine. It was only built from 1941-1945 and was equipped with eight .50-calibre machine guns, four per wing which were absolutely devastating.

When it had a full payload the Thunderbolt weighed around 8 tons it would carry five-inch rockets or just a single bomb that weighed 2,500 pounds it could even carry over half of the B-17 which was insane for a fighter plane.

It even out killed the P-51 Mustang during the first three months of 1944, having 540 kills to the Mustang’s 389, but eventually the Mustang over took it in kills, 972 for the Mustang and 409 for the P-47 in the second quarter of the year. The Thunderbolt even flew more attack missions than the P-51s, P-40s and P-38s combined.

Not only was the Thunderbolt one of the main fighters for the U.S. in World War II, but also served with the British, French, and Russians. Brazilian and Mexican squadrons were given the P-47 instead.

The cockpit was roomy and very comfortable, the pilot had an amazing line of sight. Even today the Thunderbolt name lives on with the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II.

The Fijian military has both land and naval forces. Before the overthrow of the government in 1987, Fijian military forces had a largely ceremonial role, though they bore much of the burden of rebuilding and organizing after natural disasters and of civilian development projects. Military forces continued to perform those services after the coups, with the added role of agricultural distribution, together with their major preoccupation with the enforcement of internal security policies.

While the government provides some primary and secondary education, most schools are controlled through local committees run by and for a single ethnic or religious community. Entry to secondary schools is by competitive examination. Students pay fees but not the full cost of their education, which is subsidized by the government. Fiji National University (2010), based in Nasinu, has campuses and centres throughout the country. The University of the South Pacific, near Suva, is a regional institution Fiji and other Pacific Islands governments fund its budget, and foreign aid meets the costs of buildings and capital development. There are campuses in other countries of the region. To extend the reach of the university farther, lessons are broadcast to distant regional centres by a satellite network. Fiji also provides for its own technical, agricultural, and medical education and teacher training. There are private medical practitioners in all large towns, a national network of clinics and small hospitals, and major hospitals in Suva, Lautoka, and Labasa.

French Polynesia

The main administrative region of the French Pacific. Papeete, located on the island of Tahiti is the also the capital of this region.

Clipperton Island

The farther most island of the RFP, located off the coast of Central America. It is the only uninhabited island among the administrative region. The RFP has no current plans to station any troops to strengthen its claim on the island due to the impracticality of the situation not to mention the lack of water. The only symbol of French administration over the island is a the French tricolor planted on the beach facing the lagoon. So far, no Central American country has placed its claim on this uninhabited island.

New Caledonia

New Caledonia is the biggest island of the RFP administrative divisions. It is strategically important since it is close to the neighboring countries of the Solomon Islands and Australia, one of the main economic and security partners of the RFP.

Wallis and Futuna

A French island collectivity in the South Pacific between Tuvaluto the northwest, Fiji to the southwest, Tonga to the southeast, Samoa to the east, and Tokelau to the northeast. Spanning a land area of 142.42 km 2  (54.99 sq mi) with a population of about 12,000. Mata-Utu is the capital and biggest city. The territory is made up of three main volcanic tropical islands along with a number of tiny islets, and is split into two island groups that lie about 260 km (160 mi) apart, namely the Wallis Islands (Uvea) in the northeast, and the Hoorn Islands (also known as the Futuna Islands) in the southwest, including Futuna Island proper and the mostly uninhabited Alofi Island.

Map of the Wallis and Futuna Islands.

Possible Future Claims

Although the RFP is center on the Pacific, it has made no plans to see what became of its territories in the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean, Antarctica and North America. However, it is possible the RFP may soon explore Indian Ocean to place their claim Reunion Island and the French Antarctic territories.

An Interview with World War II Ace, Robert S. Johnson

When one thinks of the traditional straightforward, quiet hero of World War II, Robert Samuel Johnson is someone who naturally comes to mind. Bob Johnson served with the 56th Fighter Group, known on both sides of the Channel as ‘Zemke’s Wolfpack, so named for its colorful leader, Lieutenant Colonel Hubert Zemke. That group would produce some of the highest-scoring fighter pilots in the U.S. Army Air Forces during the war in Europe–including Johnson, with 27 aerial victories.

Johnson frequently has traveled around the country educating young people about the reasons for America’s involvement in World War II. In this way he has preserved interest in the men who fought he makes us remember the sacrifices of those who never returned, regardless of their nationality.

The interview was conducted before his death in December 1998.

Military History: Tell us some details of your family and childhood.

Johnson: I was born on February 21, 1920, in Lawton in southwestern Oklahoma, 52 miles north of the Red River. I had no siblings. I went through high school, plus two years of junior college at Cameron College, which is now Cameron University. I majored in engineering, did some boxing and played football. As for further education, I joined the Army Air Forces in World War II, where I went through several courses. I never had any further schooling.

MH: How did you develop your interest in flying?

Johnson: I was sitting on my dad’s shoulders at Post Field near Lawton one day. I had always been, as most kids were in those days, interested in becoming a cowboy or a railroad engineer. I was at this airshow given by the military in 1928 with the old fabric-covered biplanes. They had three little fighters in a V-formation, and they did all kinds of stunts, twisting and turning below 5,000 feet. Then and there I changed my goal from cowboy or engineer to Army aviator. I started flying when I was 13 and got my first license, which I still have, the day before I turned 16. As soon as the civilian pilot training program was started, about 1939 or 1940, I went through that. I borrowed money from the dean of the college, and I paid him back with interest. Then came the time when Adolf Hitler was overrunning all of Europe, so our football team went Army, Navy, Army Air Forces and Marines, everywhere. I went through Sikeston, Missouri, for primary training, flying open-cockpit Stearmans in about 5 degrees below zero in December 1941. I then went to Randolph Field for the next session, and then to Kelly Field near San Antonio, Texas, for the final training. I initially trained as a bomber pilot, thank God, because we ended up in England, where we had to fly instruments and in close formation. I had no gunnery training except for my little .22-caliber rifle, shooting rabbits from the fender of a Model T Ford. Well, upon graduation I requested Douglas A-20 Havoc bombers, with duty near home at Oklahoma City. My second choice was Seattle, Washington, and third choice was Florida. I got Republic P-47s in Connecticut. Wherever the people are needed, that’s where the bodies go! Well, I was just tickled to death, and we were the first ones to get P-47 Thunderbolts.

MH: Which model of the P-47 were you flying?

Johnson: The B model, which killed a couple of boys in training. Then we went to the C and later D models. We left the United States on January 5, 1943, and arrived in England on the original रानी एलिज़ाबेथ liner on about January 13. Our planes were given to the 4th Fighter Group, whose three squadrons had already been in the war as the Eagle Squadrons, flying Supermarine Spitfires for the Royal Air Force. We instructed them on how to fly our planes, they showed us a little bit about combat, and later we received our own planes.

MH: When was your first mission in the P-47B?

Johnson: That was in mid-April 1943. On June 13, I got one of the very first enemy aircraft destroyed by our unit and broke all the rules and regulations to do it. I was supposed to fly top cover, but I flew past Colonel Hubert Zemke to shoot down the leader of an eight-plane formation of Focke-Wulf Fw-190s. With more experience I might have been able to shoot down two more. I arrived home late because I was looking for more enemy planes, and upon my arrival I was thoroughly chewed out by my squadron and group commanders. I was congratulated for getting the kill then I got the reprimand. They were right and I was wrong.

MH: Tell us about some of the types of missions that the 56th Fighter Group performed.

Johnson: We started flying bomber escort. The first missions were just flights over the coastline into France to get a feel for the terrain and the enemy-controlled area. We occasionally met the enemy over the North Sea, and sometimes they came over to visit us. They would strafe the fields and that type of thing. As time went on, we pushed them back from the coastline, but that comes later in the story. That was where I received my combat and aerial gunnery training, against the best the Germans had.

MH: That’s true, you were flying against जगदीशश्वदेर 2 (JG.2) and JG.26 a lot–and they were definitely a sharp group of pilots.

Johnson: Yes, that’s correct. They were at Abbeville and along the coast, right across from us.

MH: I understand that ओबेर्स्ट्ल्युटनेंट Hans Philipp, leader of JG.1, was one of your victories?

Johnson: That was on October 8, 1943. My wingman and I had become separated, as sometimes happens in combat. We were trying to find some friendly airplanes to fly home with. I had just shot down a Messerschmitt Bf-110, which was my fourth kill. As I pulled up from that dive I saw four Fw-190s attacking the bombers. I rolled over until I was upside down so I could watch them, as they were some 5,000 feet below me. I was inverted and continued my dive, shooting while pushing the nose forward to give the necessary lead for my bullets to intercept one of the planes. I was shooting at the leader, and his number three or four man pulled his nose up, shooting at me as I was coming down. I continued the attack, and just as I hit the leader, knocking him down, I felt a thump in my airplane. How badly I was hit I didn’t know, as I was very busy. I leveled out after that, and I found out 50 years later that my fifth victory was Hans Philipp, a 206-victory ace from the Russian Front. I pulled up right in the path of a group of Bf-110s and Fw-190s coming in behind the four I had engaged. I immediately threw the stick left and dropped the nose. Nothing happened when I hit left rudder, and then I knew that my rudder cable was shot away. I had no rudder control at all, only trim tabs.

MH: What went through your mind at that time?

Johnson: Well, the main thing was to get clear of that cluster of enemy fighters. I dived away with the throttle wide open, and I saw some friendly P-47s and joined up with them. My first thought was to bail out, but I pulled up alongside them and found I could still fly, even with 35 feet of rudder cable piled up in the cockpit. Those planes were from the 62nd Squadron, part of our group. They said, Sure, come aboard. Ralph Johnson turned out to be leading the flight. I still had the throttle wide open, and he said, Jesus Christ, Johnson, cut it back! I was running away from them. Well, I chopped the throttle back and we returned to England, landing at Boxsted, which was the first base we came to. Ironically, we were later stationed there as a group. There was one little opening in the clouds below, and I saw there were some runways. At the time, we had a bomber and a Piper Cub­type airplane ahead of us, and we let them land first. They said, Bob, since you’re banged up, you go in first. I told them: No, I have plenty of fuel, and if I mess it up none of you could get in. I’ll just stay up here and come in last. They all landed and got out of the way. I came in a little hot, but I still had aileron control–no problem there. I came in, touched the wheels first, then the tail wheel dropped. I had to hold the left rudder cable in my hand so that I could get to my brakes. The minute I touched down I was pulling on the cable, using the brakes, and was able to stop. I pulled off the runway in case anyone had to come in behind me. I climbed out and walked the entire perimeter of that base I could not see due to the foggy weather. I later found the other guys at the control tower, waiting on me. The next morning we looked at the airplane, which was only 50 yards from the tower, but I had walked in the opposite direction for about 2.5 miles to get to that point. We had some guys come over and put a new rudder cable in.

MH: How many combat sorties did you fly, and what was your final victory count?

Johnson: I flew 91 missions and got my 26th and 27th victories–a Bf-109G and an Fw-190–on my last mission, May 8, 1944. Later, they gave me credit for an additional airplane, which made number 28. About a year ago, however, I was informed that they had gone through and recounted the records, and I was officially credited with 27. They had given me credit for two on one mission, and Ralph Johnson one. Actually, it should have been reversed I got the one. I didn’t fly on the day of the double victory.

MH: Well, 27 victories in 91 missions was phenomenal in any case. Only one pilot in Europe did better, and he was another 56th man, right?

Johnson: Yes–Francis S. Gabreski continued to fly after I had left. He went down on July 20, 1944, soon after scoring his 28th victory, and was taken prisoner. As you know, he also became an ace in Korea, with 6.5 more victories.

MH: Were you around when Colonel Zemke was shot down and became a POW?

Johnson: No, I had already left by that time. I left our base on May 8, 1944, coming home on June 6. I was kept in a rest and recuperation home, where I damn near went nuts. There was nothing to do it was a miserable place. They did that so I could be in England on D-Day, but I was not aware of that until it happened. I tried in every possible way to fly combat for two more weeks. Their answer was, No, go home and get fat. I was never allowed to fly combat again.

MH: Why do you think they did that?

Johnson: I had broken Eddie Rickenbacker’s World War I record, and they did not want to take that away from me. Perhaps that is one reason I’m still here.

MH: Tell us about some of your most memorable combat missions.

Johnson: Well, four P-47 groups pushed the Germans back from the French and Dutch coasts to about a north-south line from Kiel to Hanover. They knew what our range was because they had captured a couple of P-47s and they knew it was a big gas eater. They set their defensive line at the limit of our operational range, where we had to turn back. On March 6, however, we had one of the biggest aerial battles right over Dümmer Lake. They attacked the bombers, and about 69 of the heavies were shot down. I had eight guys to protect the bombers against about 150 German fighters, so we were not very effective at that time. We were split into groups A and B, spreading ourselves thin since the Germans had not come up to fight. They showed up then on March 6, 8 and 15, and I was on all three missions. I was in Group B on March 8 and Group A on the other days, which was right up in front. I was the lead plane on those occasions. We lost 34 bombers on March 8, and on the 15th I was the lead plane moving north trying to find the Germans. Well, I found them. There were three groups of Germans with about 50 planes per group, and the eight of us went right into them head on. Two groups were level, coming horizontally, and the third was up high as top cover. We went in, since we had no choice, and fired line abreast. That stalled them a little bit. I was pushing every button I could find on my radio, including SOS. I gave the location where I found the Germans and what they were. In just a matter of minutes we had scores of planes–P-47s, North American P-51s and Lockheed P-38s. It was a big turmoil, but we lost only one bomber that day, due to flak. Usually when we could find no Germans in the air on the way home, we would drop down near the treetops and strafe anything of military value–airfields, marshaling yards, trains, boats, anything like that. Later, the Ninth Air Force took that up as they pushed ahead of our ground forces.

MH: I know that ground attack was not considered a choice assignment.

Johnson: I think that is another good reason why I’m still alive. An awful lot of guys who flew aerial combat with me ended up either as POWs or badly shot up doing that kind of business. Also, after my first victory I had a reputation as a sort of a wild man, and other pilots would say, Don’t fly with Johnson, he’ll get you killed. Later they decided to make me a flight leader and then a squadron leader. I felt that even though I was a leader, the other guys were as good as I was, and we decided that if they were in a good firing position, they should have the lead. In our one flight of eight boys we had the four leading aces in Europe. Then we got aggressive, and everyone became competitive. We were competing not only against the guys in our squadron but also against other squadrons. Later, it was our group against other groups, that kind of thing. We had Gabby Gabreski, myself, Jerry Johnson, Bud Mahurin and Joe Powers, who was one of our leaders at that time. He was killed in Korea when his engine was hit as he was trying to make it back across Inchon Bay on January 18, 1951. He went down with his plane.

MH: Pilots generally swear by their aircraft. Günther Rall and Erich Hartmann praised the Messerschmitt Bf-109, Erich Rudorffer and Johannes Steinhoff the Me-262, and Buddy Haydon the P-51 Mustang. I have to say after seeing all of the old photos of the various Thunderbolts and others that were shot up, I can’t imagine any other plane absorbing that much damage and still flying. What is your opinion of your aircraft?

Johnson: This is very similar to the German debate. As far as the 109, all of the German pilots loved that plane, but the Fw-190 was harder to shoot down. Just like the controversy over the P-51 and P-47. The P-47 was faster it just did not have the climb and range the Mustang did. But it had speed, roll, dive and the necessary ruggedness that allowed it to do such a great job in the Ninth Air Force. As far as aerial kills go, we met and beat the best the लूफ़्ट वाफे़ had when we first got there. It was the P-47 groups that pushed them back, as I said before. The P-51s had the advantage of longer range, and they were able to hit even the training schools, hitting boys just learning to fly. As the war dragged on, many of the old German veterans had been killed–so much of the experience was gone. As far as the 109 versus 190 argument, the 109 had the liquid-cooled engine whereas the 190 had an air-cooled radial engine, much like ours. One hit in the cooling system of a Messerschmitt and he was going down. Also, none of the German fighters were as rugged as a P-47. When I was badly shot up on June 26, 1943, I had 21 20mm cannon shells in that airplane, and more than 200 7.92mm machine-gun bullets. One nicked my nose and another entered my right leg, where the bullet split in half. I still have those two little pieces, by the way they went in just under the skin. I had been hurt worse playing football and boxing. However, I had never been that scared, I’ll tell you that. I was always scared–that was what made me move quick. Hub Zemke liked the P-51 because it had great range, but he put one in a dive and when he pulled out he ripped the wings off that airplane–that was how he became a POW. Adolf Galland, who was a very good friend of mine and who I had known since 1949, flew the Me-262 and loved it, but he still swore by the 109, although it was still easier to shoot down.

MH: What was it like for you when you came home from the war?

Johnson: When I came home, Dick Bong from the Pacific theater had just shot down his 27th plane about two weeks before I got mine, and was already home when I returned. He was a quiet guy and did not like all of the publicity. He just did not like the questioning by the press. When I walked in, he said: God, am I glad to see you! Take a little of the pressure off of me! We were both given regular commissions and were assigned new airplanes. I flew across the country giving talks at universities, businesses, political gatherings, what have you. We were primarily trying to boost support for the boys still fighting the war over there, selling war bonds and the like. We were both sent to gunnery school shortly after this, and Bong did well with his computing gunsight, and I found I could do pretty well, too. I felt that as far as staying in the service, I could do more for the pilots in the aircraft industry, rather than being stuck on some base in Okinawa as an Air Force officer. When I left to go to work for Republic, I stayed in the reserve. The first thing I did was work on the standardized cockpit for pilots, rather than for engineers. That helped the pilots see the weather outside and the gauges inside–all of the instruments with just a slight drop of the head or a raising of the eyes. I spent 18 years with Republic Aviation then Republic was bought out by Fairchild. I was just about to go with Northrop when someone talked me into the insurance and securities business. I am very happy they did, from a financial standpoint. I have basically retired from that, but I am still available to some of my old clients. I travel quite a lot and I enjoy it, but sometimes the pressure gets to be too much. I will give you an idea of what I’m talking about. I was at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for the air show last week, then I went to McDill Air Force Base for the last flight and the breakup of the 56th Fighter Group. Two of the squadrons are out at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona now, and they may be coming back. I hope they do. I came home for a couple of days, then I was off to Knoxville, Tennessee, for a P-47 fighter pilots’ reunion. That’s the way it’s been going.

MH: Colonel Gabreski was quite lucky to get through the war in Korea. You also were in Korea, weren’t you?

Johnson: हाँ, यह सही है। I visited Korea in December 1951. I was in uniform half the time, and at other times in civilian clothes representing Republic Aviation. As a lieutenant colonel I was an observer at Panmunjom. That battle is still going on, and it may never end. We must be very cognizant of their nuclear capability.

MH: Since retirement, you’ve spent a lot of time on the lecture circuit.

Johnson: Yes, I’m still doing that–going around to schools talking about World War II, what happened and why. Generally I get my expenses paid, but I never ask for money. Unfortunately, they keep me pretty busy.

MH: Reflecting on how times have changed since your youth, what is your opinion on the future of the youth of America?

Johnson: अच्छा प्रश्न। Well, today we don’t have the standard family, the mother taking care of the kids at home so the young ones have little or no guidance. They take their lead from other little kids, and that’s not good. We all admit it–and I think it’s true–that the mother had a lot to do with the taming of mankind.

MH: If you had any advice for today’s youth, what would it be?

Johnson: I would tell them to look forward to where they want to go, what they want to be, and work toward that. What can they do to improve the world? First, as they go through school, find their favorite subjects and push that to the limit. Drive to be the best! They have to realize that they are going to be on their own one of these days, and, in fact, they are going to have people depending on them. If they are nothing but bums, who can they help and what can they do? You have to fight hard for what you want.

MH: What would you say contributed to your success and longevity?

Johnson: I guess you could say I’m a fatalist, a strong believer that when your time is up you’re gone, out of here. Why worry about that?

Robert S. Johnson died December 27, 1998.

This article was written by Colin D. Heaton and originally published in the August 1996 issue of सैन्य इतिहास पत्रिका। For more great articles be sure to subscribe to सैन्य इतिहास पत्रिका आज!

वह वीडियो देखें: गणततर दवस (मई 2022).

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