I am so proud to be able to say that my first squadron as an AT (Aviation Electronics Tech) fresh out of A-School at NAS Memphis was the same one that Hoot called his first as well, VF-111 Sundowners...Of course he preceded me by a little over 20 years. He was already an astronaut with at least one flight under his belt by then. I still have an autographed official NASA 8x10 of Hoot that he sent back in return to a letter that I sent him (and quite a few other astronauts) in the mid-late 80's. I never knew that down the road we would actually be connected in some kind of way. Such an iconic squadron too...one of, if not the most recognizable paint schemes ever. Saw action in WW2, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Restore hope (Somalia), and Southern Watch. VF-111 scored the first air to air kill by a jet in 1948. Disbanded in 1995 after returning from WESTPAC cruise as F-14 were being phased out. I'm glad to say I was a Sundowner, and Son of Omar, on her next to last deployment in 1992-1993 where we saw action in Somalia as well as airstrikes in Iraq from our station out in the Persian Gulf on board the Kitty Hawk. The Sundowner tradition lives on in Key West with VFC-111, if not the lineage.
A very humble gentleman , he was blessed with all these experiences behind him because of who he is, he was determined to do it. Thank you so much for this presentation.
I went on board the 'Coral Sea' around 1971 when it visited Sydney Australia. I recall a Phantom there with Lt.Cdr 'Soup' Campbell being stencilled on (or near) the canopy frame..
I’ve had the opportunity to visit with Hoot… he’s very humble. Don’t kid yourself, luck had nothing to do with it… HARD WORK and dedication is what opens doors!
April 1973 graduating ADJ "A" school at NAS Memphis, recieving my first orders, shore duty, NAS Miramar VF-121. Drawing shore duty orders in San Diego and not a carrier of the coast of Vietnam was surprising. VF-121 was a training squadron. Ended up being a Plane Captain, which I really liked. Prior to reporting to the Navy I had earned my Private Pilot's licence, so working with the F4's was a dream.
I was a door gunner on a slick (Huey)during the Easter offensive spring of 72 Viet Nam.. Our air cav troop was stationed at Marble Mountain south of Danang...We were taxing to the runway for a hunter killer mission when we were told to hold for two f4s ...I have never seen an F4 land at Marble Mountain ...they were based at Danang 15 miles north of us...When i saw them land they were white with a sun on the tail...all the F4s we saw were came (Air Force) to this day i can still see them white f4s side by side on the runway .. we found out later they were from a carrier...
Great listening to you. It always brings back memories for me when someone mentions Miramar NAS. I was anATC in the tower there starting in late 1967 to October 1969. Saw many squadrons fly in from the ships. Saw it on the other end as well when I was on the USS Constellation in 1966 and part of 67. I might add that activities in the tower did not resemble anything as it was depicted in Top Gun the movie.
Never heard of Hoot before but just watched two of his interviews and I’m in love with him. So entertaining to listen to, a great storyteller. Such a humble and down to earth person despite being so accomplished , very rarely do you come across someone like this. Salute to you sir
He's come to enjoy some career milestones most at best can only dream of. What an absolute pleasure to listen to him recount anecdotes of times, places and people that played a part in the events of a turbulent and equally exciting era in modern History!!!.
Luck is a thing --but Hoot made his luck. He got picked for all those things because he was a top notch pilot. He is too humble to say otherwise which makes him that much better
Really reminds me of that period of my life. VAQ-135 flying the EKA-3b Skywarrior. Flew several missions with that bird. Attack Carrier AirWing 115 led by Cdr. Sheets.
Promise you that someone who has accomplished everything that “Hoot” has, it is not a result of luck lucky things happen but no one gets to that level without intense work ethic
i was 1-A in the draft in 1969. I was never drafted as the draft law got filibustered so it couldn't be renewed during my year in the lottery. I thought we were fighting the wrong war, essentially their civil war, which put our soldiers in very difficult situations. I didn't hate veterans, many of my friends went, and they all told me to stay out of it if i could. They came back with varying degrees of mental scarring. In hindsight, maybe we should have just reinforced our presence in Thailand and other surrounding countries. It's how things played out anyways. RIP to all those who paid the ultimate price.
I can salute this gentleman. Nice talk. This conversation reveals what the Vietnam War was like from the US soldiers' point of view. It's too sad that they were not respected enough.
USN, 68-74, ETR-2, NAS Miramar, 70-74. I maintained GCA and TACAN, got to see unbelievable amounts and types of aircraft come and go from Miramar, including the C-5, Blackbirds and at least one U-2. Countless Navy, Marine, and even some USAF aircraft. Our RADAR shop was way out just N of the high speed taxiway, about Q7. Nearly in line with the boresight range building, where the aircraft with guns were sighted.
i don't think luck had that big a part. the fact that Hoot excelled as a aviator and leader got him noticed by his superiors and recommended by them is pretty much a pattern.
Oh, Hoot may have known my dad! Jerry “Bushwacker” Kowlok. He was one of the original instructors (F-14 RIO) at Miramar and flew CAP for the evacuation of Saigon from the Enterprise.
OMG, so Hoot was on the Enterprise in 74?...How I wish my late dad ( passed away 6/2/1986 ) was still around because he served on the Enterprise during that time as well. My late dad was Chief Petty Office E7. I wonder if they had cross path that year?..
What an amazing life and what an amazing man! I grew up just outside of Patrick AFB in Cocoa Beach Fl. as a kid in the late 50's and 60's/early 70's. My Dad was an Engineer with GE Aerospace out at The Cape. As boys we used to love riding our bikes and later parking our cars down A1A to get as close to the runway as possible at Patrick to watch the mighty F4's takeoff right over us. I had a meticulous model of an F4 hanging from my bedroom ceiling and as I was very good in any academic subject i took an interest in (scoring in the top 1% in a nationally standardized science test in the 10th grade) and had always been a good athlete, playing CB/RB on my H.S. football team. I expected to get into either the Navy or AF jet pilot program. I was crushed when I found out I didn't have uncorrected 20-20 vision, which was a requirement in the early 70's. After considering other military occupations and looking at all three of the service academies, I decided if I couldn't get into the fighter jets pipeline that I would just join The Marines for one stint and then go to Engineering College (a retired Principal Aerospace/Computer Engineer with a large American defense contractor's Aero company, B.S. Computer Engineering, Georgia Tech, '84, M.S. Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, '92. The last program in my career was being one of the Principal Computer Engineers on the 35's Flight Dynamics and Battlespace Management Software Suites).
I did Top Gun twice as a Phantom Ordnanceman in the east 80’s. One of our Phantoms cut an opposing birds (not sure what airframe but not a Phantom) turtle back with its wingtip. The opposing bird ejected successfully and our Phantom landed safely with no outer wingtip. They wouldn’t let us paint the “kill” on the bird. That bird was back in the air with a Davis Monthan wing tip in time to leave Miramar. The Aim 9 Sidewinders were awesome through my entire career ending with F18’s in ‘99. Lots of memories.
I don't know if Hoot is aware of it, but we're 'bouta get a very good digital model of the F-4E in DCS World. 😎 Yes, it is not the same as flying a real plane, but you get any Phantom pilot on VR with a nice control setup and that's sure to bring the Good'Ol Times back for a moment. 🙃 Besides, we could learn a ton just by flying with him. Ze boyz would love he joinnig in and spreading some wisdom! 😊
Give this man DCS flight simulator. Really all the pilots...you would be giving them Their aircrafts back to them. (search it.) Wasn't Hoot in Top gun Book? Or red eagles?
Watch all Hoot Gibson's episodes at: ruclips.net/p/PLBI4gRjPKfnO5CF3r1r0FHXLAytdsO-J-
Hoot's a truly inspiring gentleman. Thanks for the memories of the times.
👍🇺🇸
I can’t get enough of all these interviews. Could listen to Hoot talk for ever.
I am so proud to be able to say that my first squadron as an AT (Aviation Electronics Tech) fresh out of A-School at NAS Memphis was the same one that Hoot called his first as well, VF-111 Sundowners...Of course he preceded me by a little over 20 years. He was already an astronaut with at least one flight under his belt by then. I still have an autographed official NASA 8x10 of Hoot that he sent back in return to a letter that I sent him (and quite a few other astronauts) in the mid-late 80's. I never knew that down the road we would actually be connected in some kind of way. Such an iconic squadron too...one of, if not the most recognizable paint schemes ever. Saw action in WW2, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Restore hope (Somalia), and Southern Watch. VF-111 scored the first air to air kill by a jet in 1948. Disbanded in 1995 after returning from WESTPAC cruise as F-14 were being phased out. I'm glad to say I was a Sundowner, and Son of Omar, on her next to last deployment in 1992-1993 where we saw action in Somalia as well as airstrikes in Iraq from our station out in the Persian Gulf on board the Kitty Hawk. The Sundowner tradition lives on in Key West with VFC-111, if not the lineage.
A very humble gentleman , he was blessed with all these experiences behind him because of who he is, he was determined to do it.
Thank you so much for this presentation.
You are welcome! Thanks for the kind comment
Indeed !
I went on board the 'Coral Sea' around 1971 when it visited Sydney Australia.
I recall a Phantom there with Lt.Cdr 'Soup' Campbell being stencilled on (or near) the canopy frame..
I’ve had the opportunity to visit with Hoot… he’s very humble. Don’t kid yourself, luck had nothing to do with it… HARD WORK and dedication is what opens doors!
You might think no one will remember what you did 50 years ago, but then there’s Hoot Gibson who absolutely will remember every detail. 😂
He's an excellent interview!! Really well spoken!
This is a very smart and courageous gentleman 👏 you deserve the best usa can give, love you sir.
April 1973 graduating ADJ "A" school at NAS Memphis, recieving my first orders, shore duty, NAS Miramar VF-121. Drawing shore duty orders in San Diego and not a carrier of the coast of Vietnam was surprising. VF-121 was a training squadron. Ended up being a Plane Captain, which I really liked. Prior to reporting to the Navy I had earned my Private Pilot's licence, so working with the F4's was a dream.
Hoot is howing the biggest trait of a great pilot; humbleness
I was a door gunner on a slick (Huey)during the Easter offensive spring of 72 Viet Nam.. Our air cav troop was stationed at Marble Mountain south of Danang...We were taxing to the runway for a hunter killer mission when we were told to hold for two f4s ...I have never seen an F4 land at Marble Mountain ...they were based at Danang 15 miles north of us...When i saw them land they were white with a sun on the tail...all the F4s we saw were came (Air Force) to this day i can still see them white f4s side by side on the runway .. we found out later they were from a carrier...
Welcome back
So realistic, thank you very much. First time I heard there was a fighter jet 🛩️, Tom Cat flew in last day of Saigon April 30 1975. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Thank you for bringing us a chance to appreciate this country, warts and all, through a great pilot and a good person!
Hoot would be a great president! I wish the world would have more hoots !
I think he would not be as stupid as to accept that lousy job
Hoot is an amazing pilot and even more amazing person
This guy is a real life Maverick.
I could listen to Hoot Gibson all day.
👍👍
Great listening to you. It always brings back memories for me when someone mentions Miramar NAS. I was anATC in the tower there starting in late 1967 to October 1969. Saw many squadrons fly in from the ships. Saw it on the other end as well when I was on the USS Constellation in 1966 and part of 67. I might add that activities in the tower did not resemble anything as it was depicted in Top Gun the movie.
Never heard of Hoot before but just watched two of his interviews and I’m in love with him. So entertaining to listen to, a great storyteller. Such a humble and down to earth person despite being so accomplished , very rarely do you come across someone like this. Salute to you sir
👍👍
You said what I was thinking very well ! I never heard of Hoot until he started popping up in my feed today. What a fine gentleman.....what a life!
He's come to enjoy some career milestones most at best can only dream of.
What an absolute pleasure to listen to him recount anecdotes of times, places and people that played a part in the events of a turbulent and equally exciting era in modern History!!!.
🙏👍
Luck is a thing --but Hoot made his luck. He got picked for all those things because he was a top notch pilot. He is too humble to say otherwise which makes him that much better
I bet this guy was cool under pressure! Seems like one of the few who just have IT!
The Tomcat looks gorgeous in the VF-1 livery. Great interview
Agreed!
Really reminds me of that period of my life. VAQ-135 flying the EKA-3b Skywarrior. Flew several missions with that bird. Attack Carrier AirWing 115 led by Cdr. Sheets.
I was there. AME2 VF111 AME shop. This brings back lots of memories. Thanks
The F-4B/N wore those VF-111 colors the best. Thanks for this wonderful video.
Thanks for the memories.
You are welcome Mike.
Great Interview! I loved It 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Promise you that someone who has accomplished everything that “Hoot” has, it is not a result of luck lucky things happen but no one gets to that level without intense work ethic
I could not agree more
The best of the best.
Great interview!
Fine man and a cool guy
luck follows, a good attitude and a hard worker...
Fantastic interview!🇺🇸❤️
i was 1-A in the draft in 1969. I was never drafted as the draft law got filibustered so it couldn't be renewed during my year in the lottery. I thought we were fighting the wrong war, essentially their civil war, which put our soldiers in very difficult situations. I didn't hate veterans, many of my friends went, and they all told me to stay out of it if i could. They came back with varying degrees of mental scarring. In hindsight, maybe we should have just reinforced our presence in Thailand and other surrounding countries. It's how things played out anyways. RIP to all those who paid the ultimate price.
In hindsight we were fighting the war wrong. We made the mistake then that Russia is now making in Ukraine…direct involvement in a proxy war.
SO FORTUNATE to have seen that Beautiful F-4 @ Key West on a F-14 Detachment! Lotsa fun!
I can salute this gentleman. Nice talk. This conversation reveals what the Vietnam War was like from the US soldiers' point of view. It's too sad that they were not respected enough.
I could listen to him read the phone book. He must be an absolute encyclopedia of aviation knowledge.
USN, 68-74, ETR-2, NAS Miramar, 70-74. I maintained GCA and TACAN, got to see unbelievable amounts and types of aircraft come and go from Miramar, including the C-5, Blackbirds and at least one U-2. Countless Navy, Marine, and even some USAF aircraft. Our RADAR shop was way out just N of the high speed taxiway, about Q7. Nearly in line with the boresight range building, where the aircraft with guns were sighted.
Great interview, good 💯. Please keep up the good work too!
🙏👍
23:00 "F-8 Crusader" *** show footage of A-7 Corsair...
i don't think luck had that big a part. the fact that Hoot excelled as a aviator and leader got him noticed by his superiors and recommended by them is pretty much a pattern.
Oh, Hoot may have known my dad! Jerry “Bushwacker” Kowlok. He was one of the original instructors (F-14 RIO) at Miramar and flew CAP for the evacuation of Saigon from the Enterprise.
Hey Hoot.hello sir.
OMG, so Hoot was on the Enterprise in 74?...How I wish my late dad ( passed away 6/2/1986 ) was still around because he served on the Enterprise during that time as well. My late dad was Chief Petty Office E7. I wonder if they had cross path that year?..
And good show, by the way. 👍🥳
Unnecessary wars should be unpopular.
I put that plane on the pole in Key West. Capt Ench? Was the base commander.
Vf 111 had highest f 8 loss as well 😮😮😮
Old nick was on coral sea 😎😎😉😉
Where did you find this amazing thumbnail?
Honestly, I do not recall
Great video. Any idea what year it is when the VF-102 bird is shown coming aboard the Big E.?
Yes til MIG 21 came around😂😂😂
What an amazing life and what an amazing man! I grew up just outside of Patrick AFB in Cocoa Beach Fl. as a kid in the late 50's and 60's/early 70's. My Dad was an Engineer with GE Aerospace out at The Cape. As boys we used to love riding our bikes and later parking our cars down A1A to get as close to the runway as possible at Patrick to watch the mighty F4's takeoff right over us. I had a meticulous model of an F4 hanging from my bedroom ceiling and as I was very good in any academic subject i took an interest in (scoring in the top 1% in a nationally standardized science test in the 10th grade) and had always been a good athlete, playing CB/RB on my H.S. football team. I expected to get into either the Navy or AF jet pilot program. I was crushed when I found out I didn't have uncorrected 20-20 vision, which was a requirement in the early 70's. After considering other military occupations and looking at all three of the service academies, I decided if I couldn't get into the fighter jets pipeline that I would just join The Marines for one stint and then go to Engineering College (a retired Principal Aerospace/Computer Engineer with a large American defense contractor's Aero company, B.S. Computer Engineering, Georgia Tech, '84, M.S. Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, '92. The last program in my career was being one of the Principal Computer Engineers on the 35's Flight Dynamics and Battlespace Management Software Suites).
So, the Tomcat fighter never got engaged in North Vietnam ?
Is the plane simply not good enough or what?
..just starting this video, but I was gonna say that the Navy now uses the F-4 for target practice, with or without a pilot. Would love that job.
No doubt he’s had great timing to get moved along! But I’m sure he was a top of the line pilot and great soldier and just to humble to say it
I did Top Gun twice as a Phantom Ordnanceman in the east 80’s. One of our Phantoms cut an opposing birds (not sure what airframe but not a Phantom) turtle back with its wingtip. The opposing bird ejected successfully and our Phantom landed safely with no outer wingtip. They wouldn’t let us paint the “kill” on the bird. That bird was back in the air with a Davis Monthan wing tip in time to leave Miramar.
The Aim 9 Sidewinders were awesome through my entire career ending with F18’s in ‘99.
Lots of memories.
I well known rich Australian business man said “the harder he works the luckier he gets”
You make your own luck.
If you aren't in the poker game luck won't come to you. And if your in the game you don't get in half added. You go for it.
I don't know if Hoot is aware of it, but we're 'bouta get a very good digital model of the F-4E in DCS World. 😎
Yes, it is not the same as flying a real plane, but you get any Phantom pilot on VR with a nice control setup and that's sure to bring the Good'Ol Times back for a moment. 🙃
Besides, we could learn a ton just by flying with him. Ze boyz would love he joinnig in and spreading some wisdom! 😊
Either you worked hard to get the luck, or it was the hand and will of God guiding your career and life. Just saying 😉🧙
Give this man DCS flight simulator. Really all the pilots...you would be giving them Their aircrafts back to them. (search it.) Wasn't Hoot in Top gun Book? Or red eagles?
Sorry to say this Hoot, but, back in your day, "All Waves Were Female"! That may be different today..
LBJ and money!
Love these episodes. Please keep them coming. Thanks again for your sacrifices Hoot. ✈️🛩🛬🛫🌍