Fallon was not a fighter pilot

Bill Gertz:

...

The Esquire magazine article that led to the resignation of U.S. Central Command commander Adm. William Fallon was written by former Naval War College professor Thomas P.M. Barnett, and it angered naval aviators — but not because of Adm. Fallon's resignation over policy differences with President Bush.

Two fighter pilots contacted us to take issue with Mr. Barnett for falsely reporting that Adm. Fallon was a "fighter pilot" whose call sign was "Fox." Mr. Barnett said Adm. Fallon is knowledgeable because he's "had his hand on the stick for a very long time," another pilot reference.

"In the naval aviation community there is an unspoken code of honor," one former fighter pilot said. "Navy-Marine combat aviators take great pride in their courage and professionalism. Naval aviators [pilots] and naval flight officers, especially flying off carriers, work, fly, fight and at times die for each other. All take great pride in what they do, but a line is never crossed in confusing their professional responsibilities. So for Fox Fallon to be identified as a 'fighter pilot' or naval aviator by a Naval War College professor when Fox actually flew as an A-6 bombardier navigator in the now famous Esquire article, he crossed the line."

...

The A-6 was a unique plane where the pilot and bombardier navigator set side by side. Stephen Coonts wrote a great novel The Flight of the Intruder about a pilot who decided to ignore orders and attack North Vietnam's government in Hanoi.

The A-6 was a much more capable plane than the A-4 flown by John McCain. The A-4 was originally designed to carry nuclear weapons and there was some thought of not having a landing gear, because it was believed that there would be no ship for the pilots to return to in such a war. Pilots didn't go for that idea though.

Coonts' book begins with this sentence:

The starboard bow catapult fired, and the A-6A Intruder accelerated down the flight deck with a roar that engulfed the aircraft carrier and reverberated over the night sea....

It was a well written book.

Gertz is right about the difference between the pilot and the bombardier navigator. They are awarded differently designed wings and have very different jobs. For Fallon to rise to the level he did coming from that back ground is very unusual.