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  Astronauts' military call signs used in space

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Author Topic:   Astronauts' military call signs used in space
dabolton
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Posts: 419
From: Seneca, IL, US
Registered: Jan 2009

posted 05-18-2015 09:09 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for dabolton     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Is there a list anywhere of military astronaut pilot call signs? i.e. "Goose," "Maverick," etc? Have any of them ever been used in flight?

Robert Pearlman
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Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 05-18-2015 09:53 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I don't know of a definitive list, but some have indeed been used in space.

For example, Ken Ham's call sign in the Navy was "Hock," which his shuttle crewmates used on STS-124 and 132.

Another example, Scott "Scooter" Altman. (I don't believe Altman's other Navy call sign "D-Bear" was used in space.)

Duane "Digger" Carey described how he got his call sign:

Well sir, I'm gonna' tell you the truth and the sad thing about the truth in this case is, it's boring. When I was in the Air Force I flew a couple different jets and as you know there's a lot of competition between flying communities in the Air Force. When I started flying, I flew A-10s and my call sign back in those days was Spider. Later, when I transferred to F-16s, they asked me what my nickname was and I told 'em and they said, "Well, you're a filthy, dirty A-10 driver and we gotta' give you a new nickname." As it turns out they just had a guy leave the squadron and his handle was Digger and they said, "We need a new Digger and you're it." I told 'em I despised that name with every fiber in my being. My squadron commander put his arm around my neck, smiled and said, "Well, that's exactly why we're gonna' call you Digger."

cycleroadie
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Posts: 452
From: Apalachin, NY USA
Registered: May 2011

posted 05-18-2015 11:07 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for cycleroadie   Click Here to Email cycleroadie     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
And of course Robert "Hoot" Gibson.

india-mike
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Posts: 76
From: Linnich, Northrine Westfalia, Germany
Registered: Jan 2012

posted 05-18-2015 02:44 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for india-mike   Click Here to Email india-mike     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
...and what about:
  • Charles Hobaugh - Scorch
  • James Kelly - Vegas
  • Lee Archambault - Bru
  • George Zamka - Zambo
  • Gregory H. Johnson - Box
  • Gregory C. Johnson - Ray Jay
  • Barry Wilmore - Butch

Joel Katzowitz
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Posts: 808
From: Marietta GA USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 05-18-2015 03:45 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Joel Katzowitz   Click Here to Email Joel Katzowitz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I believe Dave Walker's call sign was Red Dog. That was the inspiration for his "Dog crews". STS-53 - Dogs of War; STS-69 - Dogs of Summer; and STS-88 - Stealth Dog Crew. Although Walker was not a member of the STS-88 crew.

p51
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Posts: 1642
From: Olympia, WA
Registered: Sep 2011

posted 05-18-2015 04:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for p51   Click Here to Email p51     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
One thing many people don't know is that call signs are usually assigned at a squadron level for many aviators, and contrary to popular belief, many military pilots don't have them at all.

There's also a lot of repetition. Imagine how many pilots named "Rhodes" have the call sign of 'Dusty'.

They also change over time. Many pilots can have several over the course of a career as they're often connected to something they once did or a funny comment on their name. I knew of a Marine F-18 pilot who had the same last name as a certain feminine hygiene product, and you can imagine what his call sign was...

Then, you have call signs for your specific flight or mission for that day, and call signs which are specific for the unit you're in. In "Top Gun," remember when Mav also went by "Ghost Rider" and a number? That was his unit call sign.

Skylon
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Posts: 274
From:
Registered: Sep 2010

posted 05-19-2015 07:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Skylon     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
With astronauts, what I find rough is differentiating a call sign from a military nickname. For example, Deke Slayton recounted that he was Don Slayton until he was at Edwards — it sounded like it started as a call sign then was adopted as a nickname. On the other hand, "Shaky" was a nickname for Jim Lovell, but was it treated as a call sign?

Anyway, here are a few other potential call signs:

  • Ken Cockrell - Taco
  • Scott Horowitz - Doc
  • Kent Rominger - Rommel
  • Steve Lindsey - Pinto (not sure, but I recall hearing that at STS-133's wheel's stop).
  • Rick Sturckow - CJ

Joel Katzowitz
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Posts: 808
From: Marietta GA USA
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 05-20-2015 07:57 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Joel Katzowitz   Click Here to Email Joel Katzowitz     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Following up on the Dog Crew names, Cockrell (STS-69) was known as "Cujo" and Sturckow (STS-88) as "Devil Dog".

Hart Sastrowardoyo
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Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 05-20-2015 10:00 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Hart Sastrowardoyo   Click Here to Email Hart Sastrowardoyo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Parazynski says his was Doogie. If you can make the apparent connection, good for you!

Hart Sastrowardoyo
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Posts: 3445
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 05-20-2015 10:06 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Hart Sastrowardoyo   Click Here to Email Hart Sastrowardoyo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
And on thinking, Bresnik did give an explanation for Komrade, but I don't recall offhand. Something to do with the school he went to.

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