WW2 RAF Pensacola USA Training

[Union Jack]

Originally Posted by megan

I was Oz Navy and trained to wings standard at Pensacola graduating early '68, was standard practice to be pinned with USN wings, couldn't wear them when arriving home of course.

I promise I'm not being cheeky, especially having done exchange service with your lot, but do you get a lot of double-takes from French people?

Jack

[megan]

Can't say we had anything to do with the French, ships visiting French Pacific islands would have been about the extent of it. Understand the point you make, Nelson would have found himself quite at home.

[Union Jack]

Originally Posted by megan

Can't say we had anything to do with the French, ships visiting French Pacific islands would have been about the extent of it. Understand the point you make, Nelson would have found himself quite at home.

My dear Sir, As a keen reader of your posts, I was actually referring to your more than passing resemblance to the handsome young President of France. I went to the same school as him in Paris - albeit not quite at the same time! - and, as the only qualified French interpreter in the East Australia Area, I was more than happy to be called on as the liaison officer for the visiting ships to which you refer in view of the excellent parties they held.

Jack

[Pat Atkins]

Nothing to add re Catalinas, sorry! Just wanted to add that my uncle Don Atkins followed the Moncton-Gross Isle-Pensacola route of the Towers Scheme. He received his wings there in ‘43 but then ended up on Stirlings at HCU. He did all but one of his 36 ops with 148 (Special Duties) Sqdn flying Halifaxes out of Brindisi; the other (his first) was with 624 (SD) Sqdn at Blida.