Newsgroups: sci.military
Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!att!cbnews!military
From: gwh%sandstorm.Berkeley.EDU@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (George William Herbert)
Subject: Re: Side arms for Fly boys.
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Approved: military@att.att.com
Message-ID: <1990Oct17.010034.11817@cbnews.att.com>
Summary: Yes, standard issue...
Sender: military-request@att.att.com
Lines: 28



From: gwh%sandstorm.Berkeley.EDU@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (George William Herbert)


From: gwh%sandstorm.Berkeley.EDU@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (George William Herbert)

In article <1990Oct15.033827.12908@cbnews.att.com> cbl@uihepa.hep.uiuc.edu (Chris Luchini) writes:
>I was watching the ABC news last night and noticed that of of the
>crew members climbing into a f111 (?) had a revolver in a shoulder
>holster. Are side arms standard issue for Jet-jockies?

Yes.  They usually are issued the Berretta 9mm M9, though they used to have a
.38 Smith & Wesson as standard.  Individuals often carry something else.

The main reason is survival after a ejection over hostile territory.  The
pistol makes it a bit easier for the pilot to stay free long enough to be
rescued.

Interesting tidbit: the USAF bought a bunch ( ~3000 ) of the Berrettas with a
silencer on them.  

  == George William Herbert ==   **There are only two truly infinite things,**
 == JOAT for Hire: Anything, ==  *   the universe and stupidity.  And I am   *
=======Anywhere, My Price======= *  unsure about the universe.  -A.Einstein  *
 ==   gwh@ocf.berkeley.edu   ==  *********************************************
  ==     ucbvax!ocf!gwh     == The OCF Gang:  Making Tomorrow's Mistakes Today