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On March 26, 1954, those of us that were not commissioned officers were assigned to Aviation Cadet Class 55-Q-07 and arrived at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas to begin Preflight Training, the first of three phases to be completed prior to earning our wings and commission as a Second Lieutenant in the USAF. We were from all walks of life, age nineteen to twenty seven and a half, with various backgrounds, and not a clue of what was about to happen, and were beginning a 15 month adventure that would forever change our lives, attitudes, ideals, and mold us into a unified brotherhood that would last forever. Most of the Allied students were attending the USAF Language School at Lackland AFB, gaining proficiency in English.
Upon completion of Preflight, June '54, two hundred thirty three of the Aviation Cadets were sent to Harlingen, Texas and assigned to Navigator Training Class 55-07. The remaining three hundred twenty two were assigned to Pilot Training Class 55-Q and were joined by the Allied students and one hundred five Student Officers. The Student Officers had been commissioned prior to being accepted into pilot training. We were assigned to three civilian contractor operated Primary Undergraduate Pilot Training bases, one hundred thirty six to Spence AB, Georgia, one hundred forty four to Bainbridge AB, Georgia, one hundred twenty three to Bartow AB, Florida. Twenty-three of us were 'holdbacks' for various reasons and would join other classes as others would join us before it was over. At these Primary Training bases, we mastered the PA-18 and the mighty T-6 on our way to becoming pilots for the USAF. More academics. Principles of Flight, Weather, Navigation, Morse Code, Instrument Flight, Leadership, and the mechanics of flight (takeoffs, landings, acrobtics, navigation, night). By December '54, some were no longer with us. In such an intensified training program that is to be expected.
When we graduated from Primary in December 1954, we were divided into two groups for Basic Undergraduate Pilot Training, Single Engine and Multi Engine. In January '55, Williams AFB, Arizona, Greenville AFB, Mississippi, and Webb AFB, Texas, became home for two hundred five of us who were going to fly the T-28 and the T-33. Goodfellow AFB, Texas, and Vance AFB, Oklahoma., took one hundred fourteen of us for training in the B-25. And what training it was! We were beginning to be molded into something resembling a pilot. More academics, formation flying, instrument flying, acrobatics, cross country navigation. . As graduation day approached, various additions to our ranks swelled our numbers to a total of 464. On June 30, 1955 the Student Officers received their wings and the Aviation Cadets received their wings, except for those Aviation Cadets assigned to Greenville AFB who received their wings on August 1, 1955, and were commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the USAF.
We were pilots and officers and had that "every man a tiger" spirit. That spirit and that training carried us on to exciting careers. It helped some to endure POW camps. It propelled some to become General Officers. Some who did not complete the training for some reason or another, became aviation experts on their own. It bonded us and made us care for and emote over each other and our families. That was then, it still is working now. We are USAF Pilot Training Class 55-Q, and we'll never forget it.
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