AMERICAN FIGHTER ACES
FOREWORD
Senator Barry Goldwater
A warm feeling of satisfaction came over me when I was asked to write a foreword to the "Aces Album" which is being published by the American Fighter Aces. There are good reasons for this feeling, mostly ased on the fact that I am an extremely frustrated fighter pilot type myself. Next year (1978), I will have been flying airplanes fifty years and during the course of that time I think I have flown every fighter plane developed from the mid-30's on. In fact, when I went on duty in WWII, it was to serve at Luke Air Force Base whose main job at the time was to turn out fighter pilots. I learned what I could aout this fine art of flying an airplane with a gun attached to shoot at other aircraft and ground targets, and I pled and pled with my commanders to allow me to accompany those young graduates I helped train; but, no, Goldwater was just too old for combat. So I had to sit on the sidelines, continue to develop better techniques of teaching and watch with extreme pride as students of mine piled up victories over the enemy.
What dies it take to become a Fighter Ace? Or, for that matter, just what does it require to be a fighter pilot? I would say, first, that intense love and desire to fly an airplane all by one's self and to have complete mastery over its maneuverability, speed, both in climb and in dive, and a perfect understanding of where to aim the weapon to hit the enemy. I have found invariably that those men who shot down five or more enemy aircraft to become Aces were primarily very superb pilots, and once having mastered that skill, the rest was somewhat easy.
I'll never forget my first visit with Captain David McCampbell, the leading Navy Ace of the South Pacific and a Congressional Medal of Honor winner, with whom I attended military school, but who was quite a bit younger than I. When I asked him how he was able to perform so brilliantly in the skies against the Japanese, he said, "Hell, Barry,all I did for six hours a day for four years was to practice aerial gunnery and teach it; so when I finally got the enemy in the sky with me, shooting him down was almost by instinct." And so it was with the others whom i helped to teach or knew and talked with about their exploits - their ability was wrapped around their mastery of the machine.
But not just that, there was the desire to perform well in uniform, to perform in the capacity of one protecting the freedom of our country and helping promote the freedom of the world. I have found that these men that I knew first when they were eighteen or nineteen years old who are now in their fifties, have never lost touch with the fact that their service to their country wass the most important part of their career. And I believe as I have gathered with them on numerous occasions at their meetings, that I too have felt the never-ending, ever-living patriotism of these men who would, I am sure, without one second's hesitancy answer the call to the colors once again.
They are a group of men in whom we can all be proud, just as we can be proud of every man who wore the uniform in any of the services of our country. To receive the special distinction of being an Ace, having shot down five or more enemy aircraft is an honor these men will carry proudly on their shoulders and in their hearts for the rest of their lives, and their families will reflect on the achievements of that particular man in the family.
I am honored to have been asked to write these few words to introduce this book - American Fighter Aces Album. I hope as people read it, they will understand my deep feelings toward these men and what they accomplished. I am proud of every one of them. - Senator Barry Goldwater
Source: American Fighter Aces Album
Copyright (C) The American Fighter Aces Association
First Printing 1978
Second Printing 1979
Edited by: William N. Hess, Recording Secretary
Produced by: Kenneth Davidson
Printed by: Taylor Publishing, Dallas, TX, Covina, CA
Layout Editor: Ann Ankney
Library of Congress Catalog Card No: 78-65455
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