Any Experts On American Fighter Aircraft On The Forum?

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mawnansmiff

Lifer
Oct 14, 2015
7,385
7,295
Sunny Cornwall, UK.
I've been working on my family tree on and off now for twenty years and have an astonishing 74,591 individuals on my tree which is kept on a database designed for the purpose (PAF5).

I always knew I had many relatives settle in the US, mostly (but not exclusively) in the Mormon states of Utah, Missouri, Idaho etc.

Well one of these relations is a chap called Dale B Palfreyman, my 6th cousin once removed. Born 22 Sep 1922 in McCammon, Bannock County, Idaho and died 13 Mar 2017 at Corona Del Mar, California.

The only picture I have of him is enclosed and I wonder if anyone might shed some light on what the aircraft is.

I presume he fought in the Vietnam war (just watched Ken Burns' box set of the same and that spurred this interest). In 1967 he is ranked Lieutenant Commander in the United States Naval and Reserve.

So guys, any help would be much appreciated.

Regards,

Jay.

14281
 

Bowie

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 24, 2019
980
4,352
Minnesota
Jay,

Based on the position of the air inlets, this is likely a Grumman F9-4 Cougar or one of its variations (e.g., a trainer). The Cougar's predecessor - the F9 Panther - had a similar design, but the inlets were placed a little farther back along the fuselage than the Cougar.

See:

14282


(My later father-in-law was a Naval Reserve LTC and pilot in the same era as your family member.)

Regards,
Bowie
 

mawnansmiff

Lifer
Oct 14, 2015
7,385
7,295
Sunny Cornwall, UK.
Blimey, that was a quick response.....many thanks Bowie.

I was surprised that being of the Mormon faith so many of my relatives joined the armed services, assuming their religion would preclude them from serving but no, I have plenty that served so that's my theory out the window.

Thanks again.

Regards,

Jay.
 
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mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
Since the aircraft is a trainer, and your relative was in the reserves, he might or might not have been deployed in Vietnam despite his pilot status. During the Vietnam era, reserves were not as generally deployed in the combat zones as they have come to be since 9/11. President George W. Bush, for example, was trained as a qualified helicopter pilot in the Texas National Guard, I believe it was, but was never assigned to Vietnam though he was trained during the Vietnam War. Not an issue to me, but just pointing out that the reserve status is quite different today than it was during the Vietnam War era. Because of the Selective Service at the time, the military could get most of the "volunteers" it needed, beyond people who were actually drafted.
 
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mawnansmiff

Lifer
Oct 14, 2015
7,385
7,295
Sunny Cornwall, UK.
Thanks for your input Tom. Perhaps he was training other pilots prior to their deployment to active zones?

My knowledge of US military affairs is very limited.

Regards,

Jay.
 

Akousticplyr

Lifer
Oct 12, 2019
1,155
5,712
Florida Panhandle
Jay,
Here's some more info about him. He was born in 1922 and entered the service on Oct 12, 1942. His date of rank for LCDR was Nov 1, 1955.

His designator is 1315, which is Navy code for reserve Naval Aviator. Active duty pilots are all 1310's. Up until not that long ago, all Naval Academy commissioned officers were "1310's" and Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS) commissioned officers were "1315's".

I'd be willing to bet he flew other tactical fleet aircraft, and quite likely in WW2 and Korea. The photo of him in a Cougar could be one of him as an instructor or while getting his jet transition mid aviation career.

(I'm a former F-14 Tomcat guy, still serving as a Captain in the Navy Reserve).

Register of Retired Commissioned and Warrant Officers, Regular and Reserve, of the United States Navy and Marine Corps - https://books.google.com/books?id=hqf0JQVmSfUC&pg=RA6-PA38-IA30&lpg=RA6-PA38-IA30&dq=lcdr+Dale+B+Palfreyman&source=bl&ots=UkyP7MXWAc&sig=ACfU3U0fDRGg5kCJ85Mf78IhIhmGAMhi8w&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwimxebTxeXmAhVWrp4KHU3IDCsQ6AEwDXoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=lcdr%20Dale%20B%20Palfreyman&f=false
 

Bowie

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 24, 2019
980
4,352
Minnesota
Jay,
Here's some more info about him. He was born in 1922 and entered the service on Oct 12, 1942. His date of rank for LCDR was Nov 1, 1955.

His designator is 1315, which is Navy code for reserve Naval Aviator. Active duty pilots are all 1310's. Up until not that long ago, all Naval Academy commissioned officers were "1310's" and Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS) commissioned officers were "1315's".

I'd be willing to bet he flew other tactical fleet aircraft, and quite likely in WW2 and Korea. The photo of him in a Cougar could be one of him as an instructor or while getting his jet transition mid aviation career.

(I'm a former F-14 Tomcat guy, still serving as a Captain in the Navy Reserve).

Register of Retired Commissioned and Warrant Officers, Regular and Reserve, of the United States Navy and Marine Corps - https://books.google.com/books?id=hqf0JQVmSfUC&pg=RA6-PA38-IA30&lpg=RA6-PA38-IA30&dq=lcdr+Dale+B+Palfreyman&source=bl&ots=UkyP7MXWAc&sig=ACfU3U0fDRGg5kCJ85Mf78IhIhmGAMhi8w&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwimxebTxeXmAhVWrp4KHU3IDCsQ6AEwDXoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=lcdr%20Dale%20B%20Palfreyman&f=false
This link/book was also helpful to me and my wife. It was nice to find her dad in there. Thanks for posting it. (He was a training instructor at NAS Pensacola.)
 
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Akousticplyr

Lifer
Oct 12, 2019
1,155
5,712
Florida Panhandle
Maverick is that you!??

?
Thank you for your service!??

Some of my colleagues from NAS Fallon and the Blue Angels filmed the flying scenes for the upcoming Top Gun 2. The footage is fantastic. Unfortunately I missed my chance at being a extra. Oh well.

This link/book was also helpful to me and my wife. It was nice to find her dad in there. Thanks for posting it. (He was a training instructor at NAS Pensacola.)

I was also! Still here as a contract flight simulator instructor....
 
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hoppes

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 15, 2017
188
189
Interesting history gentlemen. MSO489: I believe George W. Bush was a member of the 147th Fighter-Intercepter group of the Texas National Guard.. He was trained and flew the F102 for the Guard. I don't know of any history of his being a helicopter pilot. Hoppes
 
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