User:2bmeiam/F-4 Phantom Pilot James C Ronning and the USA Coverup of 1967 by Phil Pyland

In the fall of 1966 James C Ronning was a student at Abilene Christian University working on his MA in Counseling Psychology. He had a very low draft # and managed to get the Dept. of Psychology under the leadership of Dr. Norris Campbell to give him special permission to try and do something that no graduate student had ever done. He was to finishe his Masters Degree in one year. At the same time he would work on getting flight training at Dyes Air Force Base in Abilene and join the Air Force Reserves. He had already been offered a professorship at York University as soon as he graduated from ACU. He would then transfer to an Air Force Reserve Unit in another city closer to York University. This was late in August. In Sept. he got the dreaded draft notice to report for his physical to be drafted into the US Army. James took the physical, but failed it due to hypertension. James knew this was probably due to the stress he was under. He was not trying to avoid the war in Vietnam. He just would rather fly over it then walk through it. The failure of the physical was such a blessing and gave him a month or so to return for another test of his high blood pressure. James contacted the Air Force at the air base in Abilene to see if he could join the Air Force and they could wait until he finished his Masters. He was told to come on down and take a battery of tests. One was for qualifying for Basic Training to become an officer and go to ATS and others for what areas of competence he would be the most proficient in. James Ronning immediately went to the Dyes Air Force Base. He was told that this would take only one day. After the first day of testing he got a late call from a Major who told him he had scored higher then any candidate in their history and they needed to see him the next day. This Major claimed that the war in Vietnam was changing and the Airforce was lacking in Jet fighter Pilots. He was so cordial and friendly that he got James so excited. He already had been taking flying lessons at a private academy either in Beaumont, TX or the surrounding area called the "Golden Triangle". (I am trying to recall as much specific details as I can. These incidents I am writing about were well over 40 years ago.) He had already started flying solo, but limited to a radius around the Nederland Municipal Airport. Even then he would pretend to be flying a jet aircraft. He reported to the Airbase in Abilene the next day and was told they wanted him to take a series of test to see if he was capable of becoming a pilot. Again he did better then any candidate in their history. He was told this anyway. They also told him they had given him an IQ test the first day and his score was over 200 ! James already knew he had a very high IQ from the testing done through the years at school. His high IQ did not impress him. He was always more interested in his physical abilities. He wa 6' 1" and only weighed 160 when he was 18. But he could run faster, jump higher, jump farther, throw a baseball farther, etc, then just about any other kid he knew in high school. These tests were simulated flying tests where he told me he could barely remember, except how fun they were and how he never failed to shoot down any enemy aircraft on this moniter. He was told he had qualified for AIT in the Airfoce, but there was a waiting list. TOO BE CONT.