Winston
Lorenzo von Matterhorn
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70th birthday - USAF born on 18 September 1947
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SS/EA 6BBL 71 Cuda
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Three generations of my family (including German born/raised) have PROUDLY served in the US Army/Air Force and, USAF. All while receiving honorable discharges at the end of their career's.
Thank-you to the hard working men and, women that continue the tradition to this day...day in and, day out with so little adknowledgement (unless there is a conflict happening.)
Thank-you to the United States of America for ALLOWING me to PROUDLY call MYSELF an American.View attachment 328200
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Winston
Lorenzo von Matterhorn
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About the official song, "The U.S. Air Force" which I'm not that found of myself:
In 1937, Assistant Chief of the Air Corps Brig. Gen. Henry H. Arnold persuaded the Chief of the Air Corps, Maj. Gen. Oscar Westover, that the Air Corps needed an official song reflecting their unique identity in the same manner as the other military services, and proposed a song competition with a prize to the winner. However, the Air Corps did not control its budget, and could not give a prize. In April 1938, Bernarr A. Macfadden, publisher of Liberty magazine stepped in, offering a prize of $1,000 to the winning composer, stipulating that the song must be of simple "harmonic structure", "within the limits of [an] untrained voice", and its beat in "march tempo of military pattern".[1]
Over 700 compositions were received and evaluated by a volunteer committee of senior Air Corps wives with musical backgrounds chaired by Mildred Yount, the wife of Brig. Gen. Barton K. Yount. The committee had until July 1939 to make a final choice. However, word eventually spread that the committee did not find any songs that satisfied them, despite the great number of entries. Arnold, who became Chief of the Air Corps in 1938 after Westover was killed in a plane crash, solicited direct inquiries from professional composers and commercial publishers, including Meredith Willson and Irving Berlin, but not even Berlin's creation proved satisfactory, although it was used as the title music to Winged Victory by Moss Hart.
Two days before the deadline, music instructor Robert Crawford, a rejected World War One Air Service pilot and professional musician billed as "the Flying Baritone," personally delivered a sound recording of his entry, which proved to be a unanimous winner. (not "Off We Go" or "Wild Blue Yonder") was created when Liberty Magazine promoted a contest for a song for the then Army Air Force back in 1938. "The magazine actually offered a $1,000 prize to the composer with the song that suited the Army Air Force the best. A committee of Army Air Force wives selected Robert MacArthur Crawford (1899-1961) composition which was officially introduced to America at the Cleveland Air Races in 1939 by Robert Crawford himself."
I much prefer this recruiting song originating in 1957 to the official song. It's "Air Force Blue" by Marilyn Scott and Keith Textor (1956) performed by Mitch Miller and His Orchestra. I own a copy of the promotional record which was sent to radio stations and have digitized it.:
[video=youtube;kL3Pxc4v0ZA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL3Pxc4v0ZA[/video]
The full version, but unfortunately with sound in left channel only. Lots of old military jet aircraft shots:
[video=youtube;pos1BzW_t2A]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pos1BzW_t2A[/video]
In 1937, Assistant Chief of the Air Corps Brig. Gen. Henry H. Arnold persuaded the Chief of the Air Corps, Maj. Gen. Oscar Westover, that the Air Corps needed an official song reflecting their unique identity in the same manner as the other military services, and proposed a song competition with a prize to the winner. However, the Air Corps did not control its budget, and could not give a prize. In April 1938, Bernarr A. Macfadden, publisher of Liberty magazine stepped in, offering a prize of $1,000 to the winning composer, stipulating that the song must be of simple "harmonic structure", "within the limits of [an] untrained voice", and its beat in "march tempo of military pattern".[1]
Over 700 compositions were received and evaluated by a volunteer committee of senior Air Corps wives with musical backgrounds chaired by Mildred Yount, the wife of Brig. Gen. Barton K. Yount. The committee had until July 1939 to make a final choice. However, word eventually spread that the committee did not find any songs that satisfied them, despite the great number of entries. Arnold, who became Chief of the Air Corps in 1938 after Westover was killed in a plane crash, solicited direct inquiries from professional composers and commercial publishers, including Meredith Willson and Irving Berlin, but not even Berlin's creation proved satisfactory, although it was used as the title music to Winged Victory by Moss Hart.
Two days before the deadline, music instructor Robert Crawford, a rejected World War One Air Service pilot and professional musician billed as "the Flying Baritone," personally delivered a sound recording of his entry, which proved to be a unanimous winner. (not "Off We Go" or "Wild Blue Yonder") was created when Liberty Magazine promoted a contest for a song for the then Army Air Force back in 1938. "The magazine actually offered a $1,000 prize to the composer with the song that suited the Army Air Force the best. A committee of Army Air Force wives selected Robert MacArthur Crawford (1899-1961) composition which was officially introduced to America at the Cleveland Air Races in 1939 by Robert Crawford himself."
I much prefer this recruiting song originating in 1957 to the official song. It's "Air Force Blue" by Marilyn Scott and Keith Textor (1956) performed by Mitch Miller and His Orchestra. I own a copy of the promotional record which was sent to radio stations and have digitized it.:
[video=youtube;kL3Pxc4v0ZA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kL3Pxc4v0ZA[/video]
The full version, but unfortunately with sound in left channel only. Lots of old military jet aircraft shots:
[video=youtube;pos1BzW_t2A]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pos1BzW_t2A[/video]
Winston
Lorenzo von Matterhorn
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In the first video I learned that it's the CIA's birthday today, too:
[video=youtube;R0PkMjwkWlE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0PkMjwkWlE[/video]
[video=youtube;L8uPK87oQaA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8uPK87oQaA[/video]
[video=youtube;R0PkMjwkWlE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0PkMjwkWlE[/video]
[video=youtube;L8uPK87oQaA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8uPK87oQaA[/video]
SS/EA 6BBL 71 Cuda
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Winston- First off, i want to thank-you for taking the time to post the fact that it was the Air Forces Birthday yesterday. I'm sure that more people knew that it was...
1. The forty seventh anniversary of the passing of Jimmy Hendrix.
2. National Cheeseburger Day.
You see the Marine Corps has a Birthday and, this forum lights up with Bulldogs grunting and, shouting about that fact. (Rightfully so, Thank-you to all our former and, present Marines for the job you've done to protect this country over the years...)
All i can say is that-
1. The Air Force got me out of a dead end Union Mill town in North Central Wisconsin as a kid with no future ahead.
2. Taught me very valuable skills that have allowed me to succeed in life over the last 31 years.
3. Gave me more responsibility than anything i have ever done since.
4. Allowed me to know and, work with some of the finest people i will unfortunately never see again in life.
Ever since-
1. I never have asked anyone to thank me in anyway shape or form for serving.
2. I pay $160 more a year to plate TWO vehicles in the state of Indiana stating that i am a Veteran...(That money goes to Disabled Vets in ALL branches that live here.)
3. Used that heck out of the skills i learned- mentally and, physically...
4. Always felt that i owed them for getting me off to a good start in life.
So if i'm the only one on this forum that wanted to thank his first employer...let it be known that with all the former Air Jockeys on this forum...
I'm a little disgusted.
1. The forty seventh anniversary of the passing of Jimmy Hendrix.
2. National Cheeseburger Day.
You see the Marine Corps has a Birthday and, this forum lights up with Bulldogs grunting and, shouting about that fact. (Rightfully so, Thank-you to all our former and, present Marines for the job you've done to protect this country over the years...)
All i can say is that-
1. The Air Force got me out of a dead end Union Mill town in North Central Wisconsin as a kid with no future ahead.
2. Taught me very valuable skills that have allowed me to succeed in life over the last 31 years.
3. Gave me more responsibility than anything i have ever done since.
4. Allowed me to know and, work with some of the finest people i will unfortunately never see again in life.
Ever since-
1. I never have asked anyone to thank me in anyway shape or form for serving.
2. I pay $160 more a year to plate TWO vehicles in the state of Indiana stating that i am a Veteran...(That money goes to Disabled Vets in ALL branches that live here.)
3. Used that heck out of the skills i learned- mentally and, physically...
4. Always felt that i owed them for getting me off to a good start in life.
So if i'm the only one on this forum that wanted to thank his first employer...let it be known that with all the former Air Jockeys on this forum...
I'm a little disgusted.
SMR
Entropy Demonstrator
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Thread started 17 Sep. Some of us still have jobs and don't get on TRF daily. 3 days and you're "a little disgusted". Hey, buddy, you've missed some threads for much longer than that! (Brave move posting your license plate on line. You know we all have Photoshop...)
So, thank you to my third employer, for taking the chance on me as a kid, paying my college tuition, and giving me flying lessons. All based on the potential you saw in one written test with no practical skill demonstration, administered when I was 17 and you were a ripe old 25. Happy Birthday, old fella. We had some good times.
SS/EA 6BBL 71 Cuda
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You are my hero Sather-
O'Captain my Captain...
O'Captain my Captain...
I can remember my Dad telling me he was so proud when he got a blue Air Force uniform and never had to wear Army green.
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I buried my Dad with his Army Air Force ring and a B-24 tie-tac. He flew for the entire 26 years he was in. I was crushed when I volunteered and flunked the physical, as I hoped to be the third generation serving (Grandad got to America from Scotland in the late 1800's and served in WWI) in our military. I did get to travel the world and ironically grew up mostly in Britain and Scotland during the Cold War (my wife thinks it's hilarious I have an accent when I'm drunk). Looking back, I've had best friends from all the services and lost a few too. My father was my hero, and by proxie, all who have served are also. Despite all the negatives out there, I thank each and everyone of you for the freedom and life I live in America, that came from your dedication and sacrifices. In a small way, I like to think I helped a little- I got to be on the team building the first cruise missiles (GLCM and SLCM) that were pretty successful at door-to-door advertising in the Middle east. Even nerds can help fight a war....LOL!
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