GRANVILLE LASSETER
Hello my name is Granville Lasseter inventor of Granville's Aircraft Strut and Hydraulic Sealant®. Before you buy my FAA approved product I would like for you to get to know me.
When I was 21 years of age I made one of the most important decisions of my life, I volunteered for the United States Air Force. Before I reported for duty I was asked to bring a letter of recommendation from Senator Mixter who lived in Exeter, California, where I attended school. I was doing well in sports and I was well thought of by Senator Mixter, so it wasn’t a problem when I asked him for the letter. As soon as I arrived to my destination I delivered the letter. I never found out what the letter said, but I’m sure it was nothing but good things.
My journey began at Minter Field in Bakersfield, California, where I took a 500 question test. Thank goodness the test was multiple choice because at the time I only knew about 50% of the material, luckily I still passed. I then went to Santa Anna, California for my pre-flight school where again I had to take another test. In order to pass I needed an 80, unfortunately I only scored a 79 ¾ so I was held over for a measly ¼ of a point. I waited another three months before I took the test again, but when I went back the second time I aced the test with a 96. From there I went to Primary school where I began flying stearman airplanes at Cal-Aero in Ontario, California where I was the 1st of 325 students to fly solo. They put red streamers on my airplane to let other pilots know to get out of my way since I was still a student. I graduated from this school with flying colors, but I didn’t have much time to enjoy it since I was almost immediately transferred to Basic training in Merced, California where I started flying BT 13 airplanes where I also finished with flying colors. After that I was transferred to advanced school in Stockton, California which I also finished with no problems. When I graduated this school I was finally awarded my wings and commission for twin engine airplanes.
The school was so impressed with my thorough knowledge that they asked me to become an instructor where I would receive all the weak students and try to help them to get through their classes. Of the entire time I was there I only had to eliminate one student, which later sent me a letter thanking me for saving his life and the life of a crew because he could have never flown the plane. From there I was asked to go on to Randolph Field in San Antonio, Texas and go through C.I.S. (Central Instructor School). So I went San Antonio thinking I knew all that there was to know, but of course I was wrong. I finished this school and went back Stockton Field, where I (a 2nd lieutenant) was asked to re-teach the old Instructors, Majors, and Colonels. Of course this went over like a lead balloon. But they eventually got over it and learned to take orders from me.
I had been teaching for approximately one year, but when the B-29 came out I was instructed to go to Hobbs, New Mexico so I could attend a four engine transitional school. I finished my transition there in Hobbs, and anxiously awaited the call to go to the big B-29. Later that night I was with some other guys partying when a sergeant came in and said to me, “Granville you are requested at the Director of Flying office in 20 minutes in Class A Uniform”, I had not shaved and I was in my flying coveralls, but I was determined to make it, so I ran to my barrack and quickly shaved and dressed into my class A uniform and went to the Direct Flying Office. When I arrived I was greeted by three or four boys that said, “You are going to be our instructor in Hobbs, like or not”. I never made it to the B-29, but instead stayed in Hobbs, New Mexico until the war was over.
I finished my career accomplishing l4,000 hours of flying time the most of which was in a four engine aircraft. I continued flying for eleven years in crop dusting and spraying.
