Aviator Sunglasses

OK it is summer 1971 in San Antonio.  Basic Training Flight #796 is about three weeks into our six weeks of basic training,  we won't see an operational flight line for months, we are getting paid about 2 cents per hour,  and we get our first day of on-base liberty.  The next thing I know about half the flight is wearing expensive aviator sunglasses that they just purchased at the BX.  They blew about a week's pay on these things which they can't even wear outside until we get our civilian clothes back at the end of training.  And we have four years of active duty ahead of us during which we can visit assorted base exchanges throughout the free world - all of which will be selling aviator sunglasses. 

During the 1970's, basic training production numbers averaged over 85,000 a year - with a decade high of 105,323 in 1971;

Vietnam was, of course, the main reason for this.

It is possible to see your basic training flight photo here:

https://www.bmtflightphotos.af.mil/1970s/1971/

The above image is of my flight.  It is a high resolution image,  if you save the image to your desktop you should be able to zoom in.  The image below is the back,  with the signatures of my basic training friends.  Two of us went to San Angelo after this for training.  One went to Sheppard AFB and I stayed in touch with him for a couple of years.