Washout! The Aviation Cadet Story

Description

During World War II, the industrial might of the United States turned out combat aircraft at a miraculous rate, becoming one of the major factors which led to victory. The other part of the miracle was the training of the Army Air Forces’ flight and ground crews to make up the offensive force that did the job. Most of those who trained as pilots, navigators and bombardiers did so as aviation cadets. Hundreds of thousands were needed. One of the constant fears of the trainees was the fear of being washed out, or eliminated, from the programs in any of a myriad of ways. In the pilot training program, especially, one could easily become a washout. Out of five who began pilot training, only three would be successful. This book tells the story of that struggle to win wings and a commission, from the personal experiences of the author, anecdotes of other former aviation cadets and histories of the wartime period.

Washout! The Aviation Cadet Story

by Charles A. Watry

Paperback

191 pages