Quote:
Originally Posted by sammyg2
Influencing and teaching. Not just technical details but how to look at things and approach problems, character, leadership.
Leaving a legacy of people who are going to be really good at what they do, and knowing I had at least something to do with it.
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That is perfect, Sammy. In your honor, I'll post an email that has been exchanged between a bunch of Navy Pilots (and please, the rest of you don't PARF it up because of who wrote it):
Thank you, Rabbit, for that very kind introduction. There are many people here tonight who rank among the true heroes of Naval Aviation, including George Walsh, Tom Hudner and ADM Tom Heyward. I thank you for your service to our country and your leadership in this wonderful profession we all cherish."
"On behalf of all the McCains who have served in Naval Aviation - from my grandfather who earned his wings as a Captain in 1936; my oldest son, Doug, who earned his wings in 1985; to my son, Ltjg Jack McCain, who earned his wings this past January - I thank you for the very generous recognition you have given my family. It has been a privilege for all of us to serve and to have played a small part in the first 100 years of Naval Aviation history.
"Ever since reporting to Pensacola more than 50 years ago, I have had the pleasure of being involved with Naval Aviation in some capacity. I acknowledge that my early involvement was at times 'eventful' - and that my mishap record certainly contributed to the national debt. I doubt that I would last very long in today's Navy
"One of the benefits of living as long as I have, is that you get to see a lot of history in the making. And if you are paying attention, you can learn the lessons of what we did right, and what we did wrong. Both should be carefully studied. At the very least, we should make it our goal to repeat what worked well - and to avoid what didn't.
"Tonight I would like to talk briefly about what I believe to be the key factor in the success of Naval Aviation over the past century. It is one of the things we did right. It has to do with leadership.
"Although we just celebrated the 69th anniversary of the Battle of Midway, I want to return to that battle to make a fundamental point. At Midway, barely six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, we faced an enemy supremely confident in their ability - not just to defeat, but to annihilate - the battered remnants of Halsey's Pacific Fleet. We were overwhelmingly outnumbered and outgunned. The Japanese brought 8 carriers, we had barely three; they had 11 battleships, we had none. And the Japanese had the best fighter aircraft in the Pacific - the Mitsubishi Zero - that easily dominated the slower, less agile TBDs, SBDs, F4Fs, and Marine F2As.
"Making matters worse, our forces were plagued by faulty equipment. The Mk 13 torpedo was notoriously unreliable. In fact, not a single torpedo dropped at Midway by Torpedo 3, Torpedo 6 or Torpedo 8 even detonated. And the new electrical arming system on the SBD's had the annoying habit of randomly releasing the bomb when the Master Arm switch was selected.
"But in the end, the battle turned not on numbers or equipment - but rather on the actions - and the leadership - of some truly extraordinary men What they did at Midway has become the stuff of legend.
"Men like LCDR John Waldron, skipper of Torpedo 8, who led his 15
TBD Devastators against one of the enemy carriers at wave-top height and barely 100 knots, while trying to fend off the far more capable - and deadlier- Zeros. With no fighter cover of his own, Waldron's fate was sealed. His last transmission to his squadron-mates was simple: 'We will go in. We won't turn back. We will attack. Good luck.'
"And men like Marine Major 'Joe' Henderson, who led his mixed squadron of F4Fs and F2As against the carrier Hiryu. Struck by anti-aircraft fire, his aircraft in flames, Henderson pressed the attack - on what would be his last flight.
"And LCDR Wade McClusky, who, despite being dangerously low on fuel, kept searching for the Japanese carriers until he found them, and whose extraordinary leadership - according to Admiral Nimitz - 'decided the fate of our carrier task force and our forces at Midway.'
"My friends, the Battle of Midway was won not by superior equipment, and certainly not because we outnumbered the Japanese. We won because of the stout hearts and uncommon leadership that for one hundred years has been the hallmark of Naval Aviation.
"My grandfather, who commanded a carrier task force in the Pacific during WWII, lived large and was always larger than life to me. He rolled his own cigarettes, smoked constantly, swore and drank more than he should have. He was known as one of the Navy's best cussers, probably not the sort of recognition one would want today. 'Slew' was his call sign. James Michener described him in Tales of the South Pacific as 'an ugly old aviator' but he was more than that, especially to his men. He was revered for his gregarious, salty attitude, and for his keen interest in his sailors and their thoughts on just about any subject. He made it a point to talk with pilots after they returned from a strike, asking them, 'Do you think we're doing the right thing?'
Here was a 3-star admiral, taking time during the course of war to receive honest feedback from men under his command. My grandfather knew that if you ever stopped learning, especially from your men, then you also stopped leading. And he knew how to lead.
"Today, we hear a lot about 'management' and not enough about leadership. That worries me. One thing of which I am certain - there is a great difference between managers and leaders. Good managers are plentiful - in fact, our nation graduates over 150,000 MBAs ever year. But true leaders are rare. And believe me, there is a difference:
--Leaders inspire people; managers, well, they "manage" people and assets.
--Leaders think about protecting and promoting their people; managers think about protecting their own careers.
--Leaders take charge and accept responsibility; managers often pass the buck to higher authority for fear of making a wrong decision.
--Leaders take risks when necessary; managers are taught to avoid risks whenever possible.