THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 17, 1996 TAG: 9604160347
SECTION: MILITARY NEWS PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: My Turn
SOURCE: ALVA CHOPP, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Naval aviation is more than brown shoes, leather flight jackets and colorful squadron patches, according to Amy Waters Yarsinske.
For this author and historian, naval aviation is filled with rich tradition and experiences that have an important role to play in today's aviation community.
Naval aviation has gone through some tough times lately, she said, recalling the ``Tailhook'' scandal and recent concerns about the safety of Navy fighter aircraft. ``If your roots are not strong enough, you can't get through the rough times of life,'' she said.
Yarsinske, a Norfolk native who used to fly with her dad from grassy air fields in Chesapeake as a child, spent the past six years researching old documents, legal forms and historical photo archives to uncover the rich history of naval aviation in Hampton Roads.
She talked to countless historians, active-duty aviators, and the families of the men and women who left their mark on naval aviation.
Her efforts resulted in ``Wings Over the Bay - Where U.S. Naval Aviation Really Began,'' a 450-page book recounting local naval aviation milestones from the Civil War era to present day.
A sampling of local facts she discovered include: Man's earliest attempts at naval flight were in a hot-air balloon launched off a ship near Fort Monroe in 1861; the first catapult from a naval ship in the Hampton Roads harbor was by Eugene Barton Ely; and the birth of the nation's first aircraft carrier was at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in 1922.
Norfolk is truly the ``birthplace of naval aviation,'' she said.
But what Yarsinske uncovered in her research was that naval aviation was a lot more than machinery and technology.
Although she admits it was fascinating to look back on the historical ``firsts'' in Hampton Roads, Yarsinske says she was even more impressed with the personal side of naval aviation.
``Naval aviation is different from other services,'' she said, ``it has been a pass-down process from generation to generation.
``These are the people who have jumped into cockpits and died for their country. They could've picked other careers, but their love of flying and love of their country made them do this.''
She said knowledge of the past is the best way to appreciate the present.
Yarsinske's book looks back to the prelude to sustained flight with the Wright Brothers through the recent decommissioning of Navy squadrons . . . a practice she feels threatens Navy traditions.
During her research, she often met young aviators who had little or no knowledge of historic aviation heros.
``Their training doesn't include an emphasis on naval history as much anymore,'' she said.
Realizing that Eugene Ely only wore brown leather boots in his cockpit may not seem important to many, but it's just a reminder of the link between early aviators and the ``brown shoe'' tradition of present-day airmen.
The traditions of naval aviation and pride in their squadrons is what makes the community strong, she said, noting that naval aviation includes the enlisted ground crew as well as those who fly the planes.
Perhaps in light of current criticisms, naval aviators would be wise to revisit the rich traditions of the past and acknowledge their link with other Hampton Roads men and women who made their mark in naval air.
Yarsinske shared her views recently through a lecture series sponsored by the Hampton Roads Naval Museum. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Amy Waters Yarsinske
by CNB