Good evening. I am Lauren Rosenberg with smithsonian associates. I would like to welcome you to this program. To our members, its your support that makes events like this possible. If you are joining for the first time, and equally warm welcome and invitation to explore the wide range of programs we offer. Now is the perfect time to talk off your cell phone or anything that may make noise. This past march marked the 50th anniversary of the u. S. Navy fighter weapon program. We welcome the programs founder, dan pederson. He formed he served in combat during the vietnam war with a flying crew on the uss hancock and three on the uss enterprise. He retired as a captain, having accumulated 6000 flight hours and 1000 flight carrier landings with 39 different types of aircraft. For those of you who know his story from the 1986 movie top gun, Jerry Bruckheimer is producing a sequel in 2020. His book is available for purchase and signing. Here to keep the conversation going is larry burke, cura
I was the one that was drafted because i was a senior. I ended up being the boss man in the initial phase of this and we can get into hour it was done shortly. One of the benefits to writing this book was it allowed me to think back. I do a come pparison with what know today, and i compare what i saw and what i see in writing about the navy at it existed today, and i think it did a pretty fair job i started in 1953, two jobs going to college, and everyone was breathing on my nec, and we went in the reserves. So there is a squadron. And i worked here is the first good one. I was working for a chief named brown and he was my mentor. Mentor is a keyword you will hear a lot from me. I carried his tool box and i got his coffee when i wanted and he spent an inordinate amount of time teaching me how to maintain those airplanes. We went on and it was right down here. Im in dc tonight, forgive me i make mistakes. But we had the first jet squadron. A young lieutenant. A twin compact. And they sa
Discussing his book top gun an american story, Aerial Combat and how his book inspired the 1986 movie to the gun. Good evening. Im Lauren Rosenberg with smithsonian associates. Welcome to tonights program. To our members, im so glad youre here. Its your support that makes events like this possible. And if youre joining us for the first time, an equally warm welcome and open invitation to explore the wide range of programs we offer at smithsonian associates. Now is the perfect time to turn off your cell phone or anything else that might make noise during the program. Thank you for doing that. This past march marked the 50th anniversary of the u. S. Navy Fighter Weapons program. We are thrilled this evening to welcome the programs founder, dan pederson. He entered the u. S. Navy in 1953 and went on to become the senior officer in the group of nine men who formed the navys legendary Top Gun Program at naval station miramar in march 1969. He served in combat during the vietnam war with the
Smithsonian associates. Now is the perfect time to turn off your cell phone or anything else that might make noise during the program. Thank you for doing that. This past march marked the 50th anniversary of the u. S. Navy Fighter Weapons program. We are thrilled to welcome the programs founder, dan pedersen. He entered the u. S. Navy in 1953 and went on to become the senior officer in the group of nine men who formed the navys legendary Top Gun Program at miramar in march 1969. He served in combat during the vietnam war with the flying crews on uss hancock and three on uss enterprise. He retired as a captain having accumulated 6,100 flight hours and 105 carrier landings while flying 39 types of aircraft. For those of how know pedersens story from the 1986 movie top gun youll be happy to know that jerry brook heimer is producing top gun maverick a sequel scheduled to be released in 2020. Pedersens book top gun is available for purchase and signing following this conversation. And here
Good evening. I am Lauren Rosenberg with the smithsonian associates. I would like to welcome you to this program. Its your support that makes events like this possible. If you are joining for the first time, and equally warm welcome and invitation to explore the wide range of programs we offer. Now is your perfect time to turn off your cell phone or anything that may make noise. This patch this past march marked the 50th anniversary of the u. S. Navy fighter weapon program. We welcome the programs founder, dan patterson. He formed he served in combat during the vietnam war on the uss hancock and three on the uss enterprise. He retired as a captain, having accumulated 6100 flight hours and 1000 flight carrier landings with 39 different types of aircraft. For those of you who know his story from the 1986 movie top gun, Jerry Bruckheimer is producing a sequel in 2020. His book is available for purchase and signing. Here to keep the conversation going is larry burke, curator of us Naval Av