A Dark Day for Naval Aviation

| October 22, 2020


Naval Aviator Wings of Gold

Or, “The Day Naval Aviation Died.”

The history of Navy Flight has been one of sacrifice, heroic deeds, honor, and above all dignity. The standards to become a Navy Flyer are purposely high, the training is grueling both physically and mentally, and qualifications must be maintained for one’s entire career or be grounded, the nightmare of everyone wearing wings of gold.

Something has occurred to besmirch that fine tradition. A travesty so egregious as to be beyond belief. The worst part? It is self-inflicted, an assassins knife wielded by none other than the Commander, Naval Air Forces Vice Adm. DeWolfe H. Miller III. With the wave of a pen he has committed what was thought to be impossible.

What could be so dire? He has crushed the dignity of generations of Navy Pilots, and by association Naval Flight Officers and Enlisted Air Crew. What was the evil act he committed?

ninja sends.

Tom Cruise, Jerry Bruckheimer made honorary Navy aviators ahead of ‘Top Gun’ release

J.D. Simkins

The long-awaited sequel to “Top Gun” is just one of hundreds of films to delay its release due to the ongoing pandemic, but that hasn’t kept its star actor Tom Cruise or film producer Jerry Bruckheimer from basking in the naval aviation spotlight.

Prior to a screening last month at Paramount Studios of the upcoming “Top Gun: Maverick,” Vice Adm. DeWolfe Miller III, commander of Naval Air Forces, designated Cruise and Bruckheimer as honorary naval aviators, meaning they are officially authorized to wear the Navy’s “wings of gold,” according to a Navy release.

“In the history of motion pictures, there is not a more iconic aviation movie than the 1986 Paramount Pictures film Top Gun,” the citation read. “Its characters, dialogue and imagery are ingrained in the minds of an entire generation of Americans. The movie captured the hearts of millions, making a profound positive impact on recruiting for Naval Aviation” and “significantly promoted and supported Naval Aviation and put aircraft carriers and naval aircraft into popular culture.”

I may be ill. True, the first film was a recruiter’s wet dream, and many enlisted because if it. Those of us more familiar with real Navy aviation were deeply insulted by the egregious errors portrayed, from ribbon racks to flight violations, the contrived story line and bullshit interactions between characters.

After the initial shock, I regarded the film as low comedy and pointed out every flaw and error, to the point my own family would leave the room if the movie was being shown. My coping mechanism, perhaps.

In a single fell swoop, and or reasons known only to himself, Vice Admiral Miller has sullied Naval Aviation. It will take a very long time to overcome this act, but overcome it will be.

*sigh* Read the entire article here: Military Times

Thanks, ninja. I appreciate the opportunity to post this myself.

Category: "The Floggings Will Continue Until Morale Improves", Blue Falcons, Navy

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chooee lee

In exchange he gets to be an Honorary Hollywood Liberal, and hang with all weirdos in Hollywood.

Ex-PH2

Do either of these wingless nutskulls actually have a pilot’s license, training or even fly remote control model aircraft?

No. They’re just H-wood oiling itself up to preen.

MI Ranger

As the article stated Tom Cruise “who can do anything in an airplane” (according to Jerry B.) owns and flies a P-51 Mustang…so presumably he does have some official document that allows him to do so. Did any of the other 34 people awarded honorary wings have pilots licenses? Bob Hope? Jim Neighbors?

My hope is that they allowed some criticism of the “pre-release” and took in to consideration whether they could actually correct anything that did not effect the story line. You know go fix someone’s ribbon rack, edit some dialogue, add some key piece of information that would be present on the wall behind someone…etc.

Not being an aviator, I am forced to always make fun of the “advanced civilizations” who can’t figure out how to assault a fortified position except in a big gaggle in an open field…with short range weapons! At least in Star Wars (Episode V, The Empire Strikes Back) they chastised the idiot who revealed their sneak attack, and began with aerial bombardment, while using specially designed equipment to transport troops across rough terrain in order to take out a vulnerable defense system! [Even if they didn’t think about someone using a cable to wrap up the legs and trip the thing!]

Messkit

So, Cruise is a well trained narcissistic prick?

Andy11M

Cruise is a aviation fanatic befitting the money and clout he has, he even did his own helicopter flying and stunts in one of the Mission Impossible films that required several months of training prior to filming.

Mason

That was a pretty epic scene. I’ll give him props for doing that and a lot of other of his own stunts.

Buckeye Jim

Totally agree. What a bunch of bull crap. Just like all of the actors who “go through boot camp” in order to prepare for a role.

ninja

At first, I felt sorrow when I shared this with our AW1Ed…(felt real sorrow for our Mick)

And then I remembered our resident Gun Bunny….

And last years Army/Navy Game…

Suddenly, I don’t feel the sorrow…I feel “Bad”… as in Michael Jackson’s “Bad” (🎶”You Know I’m Bad, I’m Bad…”🎶)

*evil grin*

gabn

weloveaw1ed

😉😎🐎🐐

5th/77th FA

Bwaahahahahahahahahagaspgasphahahahahahahasnortgigglehahahahahahaha *stop you killing me* hahahahahahahahahahahahaSALUTE 2 NINJA hahahahapantpanthahahahahahahahahaha

GO ADMIRAL, GO ADMIRAL, GO ADMIRAL ALL of Naval Aviation will rejoice and get that loving feeling for your recognition of this Historic Work on the History of Naval Aviation! Let use cook up the Holiday Goose and have a ball on the beach. Somebody pick up some ice, man! Will the CODs be bringing the new Boxed Sets of this Part 2 Documentary on the next supply run?

Told you the other day when you showed that poor Mule being abused by that horny goat, “keep it up, Fuzz Ball”. GO NINJA! GO NINJA!! GO NINJA!!! hahahahahahahahahahahaha

ninja

I shared with AW1Ed ” KoB is gonna have a Field Day with this one…..”

Now how did I know that…*evil grin*

😅🤣😂😅🤣😂😅🤣😅😆🤣😅😆🤣

gabn/hbtd/rtd

AW1 Rod

Un-fucking-believable. These two useless Wallyhood softcocks are unworthy of sharing oxygen with real naval aviators.

And Vice Adm Miller is a douche rocket.

The Other Whitey
Sparks

“In the history of motion pictures, there is not a more iconic aviation movie than the 1986 Paramount Pictures film Top Gun,”

REALLY!!! I mean, you gotta be shitting me!

Not a more iconic Naval aviation movie than Top Gun? Oh, I can think of at least a half dozen off-hand that did a far greater service to the Navy and REAL Naval aviators.

Yes, I am sure it was a recruiter’s wet dream. It was also a fag’s wet dream.

Seems to me, this Vice-Admiral was just star-struck at rubbing elbows with Hollywood’s elite.

I bet every Naval Aviator is saying, “I don’t know about you guys, but my wings, they just don’t seem to shine quite as brightly now”.

I was not in the Navy nor an aviator but I know how insulted I would be if they gave an honorary CIB to any actor who never served but played an Infantryman in a movie no matter how good it was.

Jay

Cue the ‘laughs in Marine Aviator’

Sparks

Thanks, Jay. I just thought after you wrote this that the Marine Aviators must be saying, “I’m so fucking glad it was a Navy movie!.

Andy11M

The only Marine Aviator film I can think of is “The Great Santini”.

Combat Historian

“Flying Leathernecks” with John Wayne and Robert Ryan…

A Proud Infidel®™

WTF was he stoned on when he thought of doing that? I just pray that the Army never does anything that harebrained!

5JC

Oh come on, they make disabled kids honorary sailors all the time. Dont hate on the cult leader guy just cut he is a little older than most.

Scramjet

Dude, take a deep breath and stay away from sharp objects.

Name edited to protect PII.
AW1

Martinjmpr

Eh, this is just a predictable effect of the Navy’s gargantuan PR machine.

Ever wonder why there are so many more movies and TV shows about the Navy and Marines than there are about the Army or Air Force?

There’s no such TV show as “Criminal Investigation Division” (Army) or “Office of Special Investigations” (Air Force) but there are probably half a dozen “NCIS” franchises out there. Ditto for “JAG.”

There are enough books by former Navy SEALs to fill a decent sized library.

It’s because the Navy LOOOOOVES to get its name in public view through pop culture.

So no surprise here that the Navy will prostitute itself for a little bit of Hollywood Glory.

(Wait, didn’t Tom Cruise renounced all his patriotic posturing after playing a paraplegic in “Born on the Fourth of July?” Didn’t he burn his leather flight jacket or something? Or was that just another performance?)

As for me, I’m trying to figure out why a guy who was an LT (O-3) in 1986 is still in Active Navy service 34 years later. He should be an admiral by now if he’s still on active duty.

RGR 4-78

To enjoy a movie you need to be able to look past the obvious flaws and outright lies.

Having said that, Hollywood seems to be pushing the flaws/lies into the danger zone. 😉

Trent

Where is Anthony Edwards’ recognition in all this? He lost his character’s life in the original.

I was aboard the Ranger when they filmed some scenes aboard while we were in port. Edward’s came down to our Maedet area to meet us. He came across as very genuine and a nice guy. Cruise, on the other hand, was a prima donna and a pain.

Hack Stone

Hack Stone read somewhere that he disavows his tole in Top Gun because it encouraged people to join the military. This is the only link that Hack can find at the moment, but the article he read a few years back he went further on the “military industrial complex” tirade.

https://www.promipool.com/celebrities/anthony-edwards-regrets-appearing-in-top-gun-this-is-why

Trent

Well, that is disappointing if truly feels that way. We never asked him about his attitude towards the military. But I damn sure asked him about his former TV costar Helen Hunt.

ninja

And to further torture our AW1Ed as well as Mick, am reposting “Tom Cruise 2020: Presidential Campaign Announcement”…

*evil grin*

gabn

ninja

Let’s try it again!

KoB

Heh heh! Give it another turn ninja, he works better under pressure!!!!

Bwahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Hey, I was wondering, if TC runs will he need a running mate? Or just someone to mate with? Think he’s picked out someone for the SecNav Slot yet?

GO ARMY!!!!!! BEAT NAVY!!!!!! RTR/HBTD

Devtun

As far as I remember there was AC back in 1986. What’s with the profuse sweating? Especially Commander Stinger (James Tolkan) when he informs Maverick & Goose they are being sent to Top Gun. The dude is sweating buckets.

IMO Top Gun sucks dicks. YMMV.

Combat Historian

“The Bridges at Toko-Ri” and “Flight of the Intruder” were much more realistic and authentic naval aviation movies worthy of praise and honors than ”Top Gun”, which was nothing more than a movie-length naval recruiting music video infomercial, but what do I know? I was just a grunt…

A Proud Infidel®™

How big of a stepstool and a pile of thick phone books does Tom Snooze have to stand on to see eye to eye with everyone else?

David

Who knew Hollywierd could be untruthful? I’m shocked, SHOCKED to hear it. John Wayne and Errol Flynn didn’t win WWII? Custer may have been less than a post-Civil War hero? People didn’t carry 1873 pistols in the 1840s?

ChipNASA

Even as an Air Force guy, I have to post this…..I’m so so sorry, you guys….

timactual

Anybody here ever watched a John Wayne movie?

Grow up, folks. It’s entertainment, not a documentary.

5JC

If you want to watch a good movie about aviation watch Bat21. Plus Hackman at least served and comes off as believable.

Skyjumper
HMCS(FMF) ret

Damn… so fucking WRONG. Cruise was the assclown who compared working on location to being deployed.

VADM Miller needs to have his head pulled out of his ass by a member of the CPO community ASAP for this stunt.

STSC(SW/SS)

Next thing you know they’ll give honorary dolphins to Alec Baldwin for the Hunt for Red October.

Mon Dieu

NHSparky

Oh, fuck that!

Only two submarine movies even come close to realistic for me: Das Boot, and Down Periscope.

Most other boat movies I either don’t watch or rattle off inaccuracies at their bullshit someone else ends up turning it off.

Skyjumper

One of my favorite actors who actually served in WWII as a Marine PFC and was awarded the Purple Heart (wounded by machine-gun fire & shot in the foot by a sniper) & Navy Commendation Medal with “V” Device. He was given a medical discharge.

One of my favorite scenes was when he was in a burnt out tank trying to deliver a French woman’s baby in the movie “The Big Red One”.

A simple headstone for this great actor & Marine.

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Martinjmpr

I think we can all agree that the best “war movie” Tom Cruise was ever in was Tropic Thunder (where he played producer Les Grossman.)

Man I love that movie!

Forest Bondurant

So when is the Army going to make Nicholas Cage an honorary helicopter pilot…or the Air Force make Lou Gossett, Jr. An honorary F-16 pilot?