Feild Maneuvers, May 1950 by Bill Baley

From MemoryArchive

Who: Bill Baley
What: Field Maneuvers
When: May 1950
Where: Germany

In May, 1950, field maneuvers were being held in Germany. USAFE had two fighter wings -- the 36th at Fürstenfeldbruck and the 86th at Neubiburg. The 36th had F-80s and the 86th had F-47 piston-engined Thunderbolts (DCG: probably F-47Ns, the last model of Republic's "Jugs" of WW II fame and "grand-daddy" of the F-105). Whenever field maneuvers were held, the 36th and 86th were always on opposing sides. In 1950, we, the 36th, were the "Red" side and the 86th was the "Blue." For the duration of the field maneuvers, the 36th moved to Giebelstadt, a former Luftwaffe test base which now consisted of only a very long runway. There were no habitable buildings remaining, so we were billeted in tents. The field was surrounded by a forest of pine trees.

Lt. McDonald was our supply officer and he had been grounded by the austerity program I mentioned above. Early one morning, several of us flight line types were just outside the supply tent talking with the Lieutenant when a squadron of 86th F-47's came at us from behind the pine trees at treetop level. As they got over the field they dropped even lower. There was a loose stack of GI tent pegs laying nearby. As the planes rapidly approached, McDonald grabbed a tent peg, said "I'll show those SOB's" and threw that peg at the nearest plane just as it got to us.

Now keep in mind, these planes were really low -- the damn peg hit the F47's prop!! The plane appeared to start vibrating and the pilot landed at our base. Three of us jumped in a jeep and drove out to where he had parked the plane and "captured" him. He thought he had hit a tent pole!! We didn't tell him he was brought down by a tent peg!!

At the time, we were afraid that Lt. McDonald could get in trouble for bringing down that F-47. I now wish that we had told him. I would venture a guess that this is the only time in history that a plane has been brought down with a tent peg...

Co-opted from Personal Recollections and War