Ormeside28 (# 89),
..."I was on 18 and 19 Courses at 1 BFTS at Terrell, Texas in 1943/44. Put back a course due to mumps!! We had 20 per cent American Cadets. Virtually the same percentage British/American cadets were eliminated. Several American cadets with whom I corresponded after returning to U.K. Went to their Ferry Command. We were appalled at their tales of Pre Flight hazing etc"...
The Thread Opener of the "Pilot's Brevet" Thread (Clifford Leach [RIP], aka "cliffnemo", was at Darr Field BFTS (Miami or Ponca City [?] both ALA). He had an American buddy "Hank Olbers" (?). So it was 20%, not 10% (my mistake). Hank went on to ferry B-17s all over the world.
I've written about "hazing", but of course it could take place only on Class42A, when they followed the last Class of US "Kay-Dets" through the Arnold system. There was no particular animus against us: they would have treated their own chaps just the same. The legend was that at Carlstrom Field (FLA), our 42A rebelled in a body, fell upon their tormentors in unarmed combat, prevailed and threw them and all their kit into the Camp swimming pool.
They could hardly send them all back to Canada (it would provoke a Diplomatic Incident), so hazing was quietly abandoned on the spot. When 42A became "top dogs" in their turn, they were followed by a RAF 42B, and hazing became a distant memory.
Curiously, I have never been able to find any evidence to back this up. Any hope now ?
Danny.