Hoyt, Stuart, Maj

PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE AIR FORCE.
I have always loved airplanes as long as I can remember. My dad worked at the Boston Naval Shipyard and during WWII, he would take us aboard the big aircraft carriers to see some of the Navy fighters still aboard. I built models of balsa wood and paper and had them hung from my ceiling. I joined the Civil Air Patrol as a teenager and got my first chance to fly. It was in my blood. I tried for the first two classes of the Air Force Academy but since the school was not finished, they limited enrollment while in temporary facilities. They only took the cream off the top. Since I couldn't afford college, I looked into other avenues to attain my goal. The Air Force had a program called Aviation Cadets.

They were accepting applications from those with two years of college or Air Force enlisted applicants who passed the test. My only option was to enlist. My recruiter told me that I needed to go to Basic training then I could apply. At Basic, they sent me to Tech school and told me to apply there. At tech school they told me to apply once I reached my first unit assignment. Once there, they told me I must give them a minimum of one year because of the investment in the technical training. At the appropriate time, I applied and passed the test. Then they told me that I scored higher in the Navigator side than the Pilot side. There was an eighteen-month waiting list for Pilot training but I could leave for Nav training almost immediately. They added that I could apply for pilot training after I graduated and do all that as an officer. I weighed the options and what I had been told so far, and then took the bird in the hand. Just for the record, the story was consistent throughout my career.

WHETHER YOU WERE IN THE SERVICE FOR SEVERAL YEARS OR AS A CAREER, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH YOU TOOK. WHERE DID YOU GO TO BASIC TRAINING AND WHAT UNITS, BASES, OR SQUADRONS WERE YOU ASSIGNED TO? WHAT WAS YOUR REASON FOR LEAVING?
After one month in Basic training we were given a battery of tests. I scored high in all five areas. My counselor told me I could have my choice of careers. I told them I wanted to fly and his reply was, 'Wait until you get to'? Then I told him I wanted to do anything that had to do with airplanes but keep me as far from a typewriter as possible. They sent me to Reciprocating Engine Mechanics School. I worked on the R4360's of the KC-97 in the dead of winter in Maine until my class assignment to cadets.

I scored high in my Nav class and had my choice of assignments. I had no desire to sit between the legs of the co-pilot on a B-47 or in the back of a 'Gooney-bird'. They offered this class as an 'RIO' (Radar Intercept Officer). No one had any information on it other than it was in fighters. That was enough for me. During the initial phase of Vietnam, a number of RIO's were accepted into pilot training then our career field became critical. Guess where I fell? Air Defense then went to a single seat fighter and all the RIO's that were left went to the F-4 and Vietnam. I flew reconnaissance in SEA and the fighter version in Europe but came back to reconnaissance in the states where I retired

IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON YOU AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY?
While a combat crewmember in the Air Defense Command, we were all put on alert status and deployed with Nuke weapons during the Cuban Crisis. That was a tense game of 'Chicken' with the Russian. We all thought that WW III was right around the corner and were so relieved when they backed down. I spent a year flying reconnaissance over Vietnam and Laos. I was stationed in Thailand. Our mission was to fly the northern areas. Thankfully, route-pack VI (Hanoi-Hyphong) was closed during my tour (69-70) but we still had our share of excitement. All we wanted to do was take their picture and they kept throwing rocks at us. Our motto was, 'kill 'em with film'. We were alone, unarmed and scared to death. A few didn't come back but I am thankful that I lived to tell the story.

OF ALL YOUR DUTY STATIONS OR ASSIGNMENTS, WHICH ONE DO YOU HAVE FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY? WHICH WAS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE?
My first flying assignment was my most memorable and still is today. There is a certain camaraderie and bonding in a fighter squadron and, I believe, the first even more so. My first fighter squadron was the 75th FIS, which was the last of the original "Flying Tigers" of WWII (China). The 23rd Pursuit Group consisted of the 74th, 75th, and 76th squadrons. The 74th (Rome, NY) and the 76th (Westover, MA) deactivated shortly after I joined the squadron, leaving us the "Last of the Flying Tigers". It is an A-10 Squadron the last time I checked but we have more reunions than any other squadron of which I was a member. We are becoming fewer and fewer each year but everything reverts back to the early 60's when we are together. Our last reunion was at our old base in Bangor, ME, in 2012, when we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the "Cuban Missile Crisis. The most trying assignment was my F-4E assignment in Spain. Although the airplane and the mission were great, being deployed almost six months out of the year, after a year remote in Vietnam, was toughest on my family.

FROM YOUR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY MEMORIES YOU STILL REFLECT BACK ON TO THIS DAY.
Even as a boy, my love for flag, and country, has always been strong. My family date back to 1630 in Boston and have served in every war since. I love the military and am proud to have been able to do my part in the service of my country. I've seen the military give direction to those who had none. It certainly guided me. I was rather a shy and quiet boy. The military helped bring the man out of me. It taught me to brief generals and congressmen. Today, I love to teach, instruct and lead those who wish to learn.

WHAT PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF FROM YOUR MILITARY CAREER?
While in SEA, I was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with eight Oak Leaf clusters. You can see my merit badges on my profile page. I tell my kids that I receive them for doing my job and that was what I was trained to do. My DFC was received for running a search for a pipeline used to service trucks running supplies along the HCM trail. We were assigned to search a pass running between North and South Vietnam. We did this while being hosed by at least one 23MM gunner. We picked up the pipeline on the last run and the fighters were able to take it out.

OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES YOU RECEIVED, OR OTHER MEMORABILIA, WHICH ONE IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?
I recently attended a DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross) Society reunion. Of all my medals, it is one set apart, and I am proud to display that honor on my lapel and license plate. I know that the brotherhood displayed by the "Medal of Honor" Society is like no other but I feel set apart to be a member of the DFC Society. I covet a Commendation Medal that came as an award for an ROTC Summer Camp that I planned and participated in as a Tactical instructor, which was unheard of, for a flying officer not assigned to a university, but it is second to the DFC.

WHICH INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM YOUR TIME IN THE MILITARY STAND OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?
There were many who were a positive influence on my Air Force career but two stand out. One was the Operations Officer in my first flying squadron. His name was Major Bill Gutches. I could do no wrong under Bill's direction and he had the confidence in me to allow me to excel in whatever assignment he gave to me. The other was one of my fellow officers and a member of my flight in my first squadron. His name was Lt. Tom Havel. Tom helped me to understand his unique relationship with God. That relationship has lasted over 47 years and although we probably get together once every 10 years, we haven't missed a day. He helped me establish God's standard for my life and living it before other. My time in the Air force has supported that goal and I proudly walk that walk.

LIST THE NAMES OF OLD FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH, AT WHICH LOCATIONS, AND RECOUNT WHAT YOU REMEMBER MOST ABOUT THEM. INDICATE THOSE YOU ARE ALREADY IN TOUCH WITH AND THOSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH.
There were a lot of them but after spending an hour typing the TWS timed me out. Maybe another day.

CAN YOU RECOUNT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM YOUR SERVICE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FUNNY AT THE TIME, BUT STILL MAKES YOU LAUGH?
I mentioned the deployment during the Cuban Crisis. We were flying McDonnell's F-101B, 'The Voodoo', at that time. It had an armament bay door under the crew cockpit that housed missiles on one side and nuke rockets on the other. We were returning from our deployed site. Since we were carrying no armament we used the armament bay to store our baggage. We would manually rotate the door enough to push the bags in then close the door. A strange electron found its way into the armament circuit of one of the returning birds and rotated and ejected their baggage somewhere over New York State. The crew felt the action but couldn't confirm their horrors until they landed. Funny part was that two hunters found their bags about three months later and returned them to the crew. Another time, one of the pilots, on a cross-country trip, couldn't fit his shoes into his bag and set then inside the armament bay along side his bag. As he retracted his landing gear, on take off, the armament door crept open just enough to let the toes of his shoes slip out. As soon as the gear was fully retracted, the door cycled shut and cut the toes right off his shoes. We think back and laugh at those tragedies.

WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU FOLLOW AFTER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY SERVING, WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY?
There wasn't a demand for fighter navigators in the civilian world. Yes, I was a professional backseat driver but in civilian life I couldn't tell anyone where to go. At least if I did, they wouldn't listen. A friend offered me a job in sales with his company. It was selling solar hot water installations in sunny Texas. The problem was that the public wasn't quite ready to go green back then. My job lasted a year. The first six months were fine then the well went dry. I lost my first civilian job. A friend told me of a company that was looking for somebody with college and military experience to work the graveyard shift in a warehouse.

I finished my degree in night school and through the Boot-Strap Program while in the service. Then Motorola hired me. This division made semi-conductors for the emerging electronics market. I worked my way up to Customer Service Manager for one of the divisions in 21 years, then got caught in a 'down-sizing' exercise. I was forced into retirement at 62 with two girls in high school. Another friend convinced me to get my Life and Health Insurance license, which has managed to keep me solvent for the last few years. Today I am almost retired but busier than ever.

WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIPS?
Why do you prefer the one? I am a lifetime member of the Air Force Association and I joined it because of an insurance program that I held at the time but I am not currently involved in any other service related organizations, at this time. Not true! In filling out my profile, I found a number of organizations that I have since joined. I am a member of the DFC Society, the AF Navigator/Observer Association, the American Legion,and the Disabled Veterans Association. They all promote the "Band of Brothers" of which we are an elite group across the different services.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU HAVE APPROACHED YOUR LIFE AND YOUR CAREER? WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT YOUR TIME IN THE SERVICE?
Serving in the military helped to give me a goal and direction. Before I entered the service, I had people tell me that I would never make anything of myself in life. That only gave me determination to succeed. The square corners and browbeating of cadet life helped me to dig in and maintain my course. Nothing can deter the one who never takes his eye off his target. That is what got me through and what keeps me on course today.

BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE AIR FORCE?
A military career is a go or no-go condition. If it is go then give it your all and stay the course. If not, then get off the train while you are still young, take advantage of the military's educational benefits and start a career in civilian life. Military life is a good life but it is not your own. Anyone who thinks it is, is in the wrong business.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU REMEMBER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND THE FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH.
Thankfully, I was a member of some great units with great camaraderie. We meet in reunions as often as possible. We are all much older and fewer in numbers but when we are together it is just like we were back there then. I joined Together We Served because it has a great vehicle to organize my 21 year career in picture form. One of my hobbies in genealogy and this collection of history fits right in with my plan. If it helps others to share, I am better for it.

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