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I was an F-86F crew chief when Capt. Jack Magee, flight leader of Mike
Flight at the time and a West Point graduate, came to fly my airplane.
After preflight and before he put on his helmet, he said to me, "I
know this is a combat area, and you crew chiefs are very busy, but that's
no excuse for long hair and sideburns."
He
continued to tell me that being neat and well groomed shows self-pride.
Then came the crowning blow. He said, "If you can't afford a haircut,
I will be happy to pay for it." He put his helmet on, started the
engine, and taxied out. He never raised his voice nor used a curse word,
but when he finished I knew I had been "ripped."
Before
he returned, I had my hair cut and sideburns removed. As he was signing
the logbook, he looked over at me, smiled, and said, "Good man,
deGanna," and left smiling.
I have been chewed out several times since then,
but can't remember by whom, or for what. I guess you can call Capt.
Magee's a royal chewing if you can remember by whom and why you were
"ripped" over 50 years later.
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