The Ultimate Ground Speed Check - Tales From The Back Seat.

"McMike" (mcmike) 11/07/2020 at 13:29 • Filed to: speed, sr-71, plane-lopnik, walter, shuld

95

26

We’ve all heard Brian’s story about the speed check - but what about Walter?

Brian’s incredible story (we have all read) revolves around his struggle not to cue the mic. He had to learn to respect his RSO, as it was the RSO’s duty to manage all communications while in the air.

Without Walter, the Ultimate Ground Speed Check story would have never been told.

Then, I heard it. The click of the mic button from the back seat. That was the very moment that I knew Walter and I had become a crew. Very professionally, and with no emotion, Walter spoke: “Los Angeles Center, Aspen 20, can you give us a ground speed check?” There was no hesitation, and the replay came as if was an everyday request. “Aspen 20, I show you at one thousand eight hundred and forty-two knots, across the ground.”

If you asked Walter about that day, he would probably thank Brian for driving him to work. Because that’s what Navigators/RSOs/WSOs do. They’re far too busy doing important stuff to worry about the small things. Like driving.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , Colonel, USAF (Retired), was born in Columbia, South Carolina. He is the oldest of four children of the late Walter L. Watson, Sr. and Mildred Platt Watson. He attended public schools in Richland School District One and graduated from C. A. Johnson High School and Howard University in Washington, DC. At Howard, he earned a Mechanical Engineering degree and commission as an Air Force Officer via the ROTC program. Colonel Watson is the Senior Aerospace Science Instructor (SASI) of the C. A. Johnson Preparatory ROTC unit (SC-065).

He entered the Air Force as an avionics maintenance officer. However, in 1973, he was selected for aviation training. This began a journey on a very diverse and distinguished flying career in the Air Force. He became a flight instructor, flight examiner, and flight commander in tactical fighter and strategic reconnaissance squadrons that flew F-4C/D/E, F-111D, and SR-71 aircraft. Colonel Watson’s distinctive and unique aviation accomplishment is that he was the first and only African American to qualify as a crew member in the SR-71, a super secret aircraft that set altitude and speed records that still stand today. The SR-71 routinely cruised at altitudes in excess of 80,000 feet at speeds over Mach 3 (2,100 mph).

After his flying career, he continued to impact the Air Force in officer production and training. As Commander and Professor of Aerospace Studies at North Carolina A&T State University, his leadership helped his unit to achieve the following production milestones: 1) 20% of all African American Second Lieutenant pilots, 2) 50% of all African American Second Lieutenant navigators, and 3) 25% of African American female commissionees in 1993.

These accomplishments led to assignments to a number of leadership positions at HQ Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps (AFROTC at Maxwell AFB, AL). As the Chief of the AFROTC Scholarship branch, he supervised all scholarships for over 5,000 students across the nation with a budget exceeding $22 million annually.

While at Maxwell AFB, Colonel Watson was a key decision-maker for Air Force relations with the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCO). He created scholarships aimed specially for HBCUs Science Instuctor (SASI). In 1999 Colonel Watson developed a student award program for the Tuskegee Airmen Inc. The Tuskegee Airmen Inc award recognizes superior student performance for AFJROTC cadets and impacts 744 AFJROTC unitsand 104,000 students aroung the globe. In 1998 Colonel Watson was selected Teacher of the Year for C. A. Johnson Preparatory Academy. Additionally he was twice designated by Headquarters Air Force JROTC as an Outstanding Instructor (1998-1999 and 2001-2002). The Columbia Housing Authority selected him for the Wall of Fame induction in April of 2003 because of his distinguished military service and sustained contributions to his community. In August 2003, the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. awarded him their highest award, the Noel F. Parrish Award. This award recognizes outstanding endeavors to enhance access to knowledge, skills, and opportunities.

In addition to his Howard University engineering degree, Colonel Watson holds a Masters degree from Chapman College of Orange, CA, in Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management. He is married to Joice P. Middleton Watson. They have a daughter, Major (Select) Alexandria R. Watson, son, Walter III, and a grandson, Isaiah S. Watson.

Colonel Watson has received numerous awards, including the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Humanitarian Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, and the Legion of Merit Medal.

!!! UNKNOWN HEADER TYPE (MULTI-LINE BREAK?) !!!

!!! UNKNOWN HEADER TYPE (MULTI-LINE BREAK?) !!!

!!! UNKNOWN HEADER TYPE (MULTI-LINE BREAK?) !!!

 > McMike 01/01/2015 at 17:05

4

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > McMike 06/17/2015 at 08:46

1

The stories about these guys are just awesome. One day I’ll be able to afford a copy of that book...

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > McMike 06/17/2015 at 09:40

5

What an amazing follow up.

Thanks for reposting this! I had missed it the first time

McMike > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 06/17/2015 at 09:47

13

I bump it whenever Brian spends more than three days in a row in the sidebar.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > McMike 06/17/2015 at 09:58

6

I feel a missed opportunity by not titling it the “Black Seat”

McMike > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 06/17/2015 at 10:26

6

There were several opportunities, and I decided to miss every. Single. One of them.

RallyWrench > McMike 06/17/2015 at 13:14

0

I’d missed this before, thanks for sharing. Walter sounds like a hell of a guy!

McMike > RallyWrench 06/17/2015 at 13:18

9

The whole story was “Listen to how awesome my RSO is” and I felt like ol’ Walt needed his own post.

Imirrelephant > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 06/17/2015 at 14:18

0

That’s how I first read it...

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > McMike 07/08/2015 at 08:52

2

Read this as “I’ve got your SpeedCrack”. I have no idea why.

McMike > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 07/08/2015 at 09:01

12

Son, I forbid you to hang out with those “friends” of yours any more. I don’t want you smoking speedcrack.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 07/08/2015 at 09:14

9

I’m not sure if that’s racist

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 07/08/2015 at 09:41

1

Rest assured I was thinking no such thing, but it’s whatever you want to make it, my friend.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > McMike 09/21/2015 at 22:27

1

REMEDY IT

Birddog > McMike 09/21/2015 at 22:34

0

McMike, you never disappoint.

Long Live McMike!

PS9 > McMike 10/14/2015 at 20:37

0

I heard that he’s a complicated man, and that no one understands him but his woman.

shop-teacher > McMike 10/14/2015 at 22:59

0

Wow! I feel very ... lazy ... right now.

Prome > McMike 01/04/2016 at 07:25

2

I’ve known Colonel (RET) Walter Watson Jr. for years. He’s one hell of a guy. I used to live in Columbia, South Carolina for many years. You’d never know how much he impacted the Air Force unless you looked him up before hand.

ToeMotor > McMike 01/05/2016 at 00:24

2

Aside from his greatness.....

How bad ass would it be to have those patches on his blue flight suit?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > McMike 08/10/2016 at 11:35

1

Well played, Sir; well played.

Ash78, voting early and often > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 08/10/2016 at 12:01

1

Maybe it’s really a stab at the CIA for pushing crack all over America, all while using the SR-71 to spy on our supposed "enemies"!

haveacarortwoorthree2 > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 10/19/2017 at 10:17

1

Please tell me this was tongue-in-cheek. Please. Oppo is one of the few places I have left where race doesn’t matter and we all just enjoy each other’s company.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > haveacarortwoorthree2 10/19/2017 at 12:33

0

It was 2 years ago, but I definitely think I made it tongue-in-cheek

haveacarortwoorthree2 > SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman 10/19/2017 at 14:38

0

lol. I never even thought to look at the date. Damn, I need to get more sleep.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > McMike 11/05/2019 at 01:26

0

Old Home Week: oh the memories. But that's a great story. And I read it first here.

SarcasmDisclaimer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! > haveacarortwoorthree2 04/29/2020 at 16:48

0

Well, that speed crack can make one lose track of time, after all!