The War Face

Warthawgs have attitude and most of the people in the USAF don’t appreciate that.
A Lonely Job

It’s a lonely job, and let’s face it, if you dressed up like a bat every day, 
it would be difficult to maintain your day job.
Name the Movie
Barbarians are always trying to get ahead.

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20 COMMENTS

  3. Is it a cultural phenomena that the USAF want to remove the A-10? From the outsiders view it looks like they feel uncomfertable having a plane that operate close to the battlefield and being appreciated by boots on the ground.

  5. It's one of my top 5 favorite movies of all time. And with the new social distancing rules, I have more time to sit around, pop corn and view the favorites.

  6. (1) The Warthog isn't expensive enough to satisfy the USAF.

    (2) You are uncomfortably close to the action. The concept of pickling a smart weapon from a safe distance doesn't apply to Warthog drivers.

    (3) If USAF doesn't want them, give them to the Marine Corps, who would appreciate them.

  7. As I may have written before, put the USAF back under the US Army.

    Thanks for the post.
    Paul L. Quandt

  8. Thanks. Thought so. Always had the impression that USAF like it to be very very expensive technology, sophisticated and kept far away from the battleground.

  9. I retired from the USAF in 2004. I was Combat Comm the last 8 years and Joint Services Comm before that. I never worked for a squadron that had tail numbers as I was a ground troop. All ground troops loved the A-10 because if you were in a world of shit and heard the GE turbofan jets whining there would soon be a burrrp that would solve your problems.

    The other problem with the majority of the USAF not liking the A-10 is that the Eagle drivers, F-22 nuts, and bomber bums don't like how popular A-10's are with Army infantry and Marine grunts.

  10. Gladiator of course. It was interesting in that the barbarians pumped themselves up for battle with the same war cries later used by the Zulu at Rorke's Drift in 1879 as depicted in the film Zulu.

  11. From an outsider looking in, the USAF is a top heavy REMF organization. Warthogs are "Boots on the Ground" with big ball (and ovarys) drivers.

    Not every REMF is one by choice, but the ones who are, resent warriors. Same, same other branches, just not as severe.

  14. I have a friend who flew with the Ravens in Laos. He lives near me, and flew the O-1, later in Vietnam, the OV-10A and ended up as an Eagle driver. So he had a breadth of flying experience both in FAC and in fast movers. I haven't asked him about the Warthog, but am sure that he would have enjoyed flying it.

    The troops love it because it's lethal to the enemy and it's directly overhead pumping ordnance at them. The A-10 is not corporate. The pilots who fly it tend not to be so corporate. And in that context, corporate, to me, takes on a negative connotation.

  15. I think that it would take a lot of motivation to charge a formation of entrenched redcoats firing the .577/450 Martini–Henry cartridge at point blank range.

    Likewise, the Romans specialized in combined arms defensive warfare. Julius Caesar would march into enemy territory, set up a defensive position that was unassailable (in that day) and wait for the barbarians to attack. And the Roman army excelled at close range butchery like none other in history. I can't imagine the motivation necessary to throw yourself on those formations.

  16. In more recent wars, the technology gap between the US and the enemy has been significant. The corporate types have grown in number.

    During World War 2 in particular, in the Western Theater most of the bomber types didn't make 50 missions. They had huge brass ones. The B-52 crews who bombed Hanoi, likewise took heavy losses.

    The Warthog drivers are their descendants.

  17. I did a pretty cool 4 day 3 night motorcycle tour in Laos two years ago with a Welshman that operates out of Kasi as Uncle Tom’s Trails. He’s kind of like you in that he hates crowds. He was in Vang Vieng before he decide there were too many people. Don’t even get him started about Luang Prabang.

  18. My experiences in Laos are arcane, having happened a long time ago now. But the motorcycle tour sounds like a lot of fun. Nobody is shooting at you these days (from all reports) and the Plain of Jars has calmed down. It's a beautiful country filled with beautiful people. The war was a horrific tragedy there and wiped out a generation of young men.

  19. "LLMarch 15, 2020 at 8:16 AM

    I don't know many zoomies who would agree."

    Then they are wrong. I write this as an AF brat and one who spent about half of my military time in the USAF/USAF(Res). The USAF brass still piss my off.

    Paul

  20. WSF: Thank you, your comment has given me the excuse I needed to air a thought I have had.

    To wit: To the point soldier of the lead squad of the lead platoon of the lead company in an advance, everyone behind him is a REMF.

    Paul

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