The Country Ham

DQ was the “A” Flight Commander at ’38 PIT when I was the Chief of Check Section.  I liked DQ.  He was (somewhat) an ‘intense’ individual, hardly ever smiling.  In addition he could be quite “sharp”upon occasion.  But hey, he was from New York City – it came naturally to him!  But I liked DQ.

One morning he went up with Steve U. on a flight.  Steve was the Class Leader for DQ’s current class at the time.  From my understanding, the flight was rather nondescript, except in Steve’s eyes.  Apparently DQ had shown Steve a particular way of flying a maneuver that totally impressed him.  When they finished the debrief, Steve was apparently still unable to contain amazement with what DQ had shown him, to where he declared, “Maj. Q, that was so impressive, I am going to bring you a country ham!”  And the next morning, Steve walked into the flight room, carrying a country ham!

DQ was speechless!  I don’t know if anyone in the history of Air Force pilot training ever received a country ham for showing a student a particular way or another of performing a maneuver.  Perhaps a beer or two, but never a country ham.

I can still see DQ coming down the hallway with that ham in his hand, and a very perplexed look on his face!  Maybe you had to have been there, but DQ was obviously “rattled!”  And the look on his face, priceless… A country ham!

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