Aviation Fundamentals School, Naval Air station, Norman Oklahoma

This is basic aviation training. We are divided into two groups. One group is for the mechanical people. That is mechanics, sheet metal, hydraulics,and pneumatics. The other group is electronics and electrical. Both groups get the same training for the first two weeks. This is the front of the plane, fuselage construction, this is a main mount and tire, a propeller, a nosewheel, tailwheel, etc. Much of it is pretty obvious but also interesting because they taught the details of how it all developed. The first aircraft we all worked on was an A1 Skyraider.

After the first two weeks we were went to our specialty groups for the next six weeks and were housed in separate barracks dorms with our respective groups. So we could "study" together. We in the electronics group were taught basic skills such as how to solder wires together, into connector pins, and electrical and electronic theory, Morse code, and pertinent math skills used to solve basic math problems as they pertained to electrical work.

After four weeks we were given two weeks leave for Christmas. Norman Brigandi and I hitchhiked from Norman, OK to Boston, MA wearing our dress blues. It was amazingly easy. We'd get out of one car and another would stop and pick us up! Often they were long distance travelers who had us drive while they slept in the back seat. It only took three days but it was tiring and there was some uncertainty. The uncertainty motivated us to take the train back to Norman, on the return trip. On the return trip the train had many many problems and frequent breakdowns. The whole train was all military personnel and we were all AWOL due to the train problems. Hitchhiking might have been better! The adventure of this trip really appealed to me. The new places, the restaurants, the people you met! How exciting! It ignited the fire in me to go places and do things.

Back in class for our final weeks before heading off to our specialty schools. I'm slated for Aviation Guided Missile Tech school. By now I've noticed the guys in my barracks talk to each other in Morse code while I'm out drinking beer with the mechanical guys. Maybe super-tech school is not for me? In a few days I discuss this with an instructor who sends me to a Chief who sends me to the Chief in charge of the school. The School Chief hears me out, asks me a few questions, and says, "There's one school that teaches a specialty that works with ALL the other specialties. A go-between between the mechanical skills and the electronics guys. That might be perfect for you. What do you think about that? It does sound perfect and he changes my specialty from Aviation Guided Missile Technician to Aviation Electrician's Mate. And I'm off to Jacksonville, Florida for Aviation Electrician's Mate "A" school. It would be great to remember that Chief's name. Graduation from Aviation Fundamentals was in January 1959.