Key behind those efforts was the talent of Vought test pilot Boone T. Guyton. Like many of his 1930s contemporaries, Guyton was enamored with the exploits of Charles Lindbergh but felt that pursuing a career in aviation was an economic hardship his family could least afford.
Fortunate to attend college in St. Louis, Guyton arrived in the 1935 job-deprived Depression with little opportunity other than a local teaching position. Fortune arrived in his mailbox just in time to redirect his entire career as the Navy was sending out packets to new graduates about the recently instituted Aviation Cadet Program. With a strong academic and athletic background, the Pensacola training was a perfect fit for Guyton, ranking 10th in his graduating class that had a 44% washout rate. He was posted to NAS North Island and saw service on the carriers Lexington and Saratoga with VB-2 and VB-5 and various port facilities, cementing his knowledge of naval fighter and bombing practices.
This story is from the July - August 2024 edition of Flight Journal.
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This story is from the July - August 2024 edition of Flight Journal.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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