---
title: "Two Marine Pilots Grounded While Being Investigated Over ‘Sky Penis’ Episode"
date: "2018-11-06"
modified: "2018-11-06"
authors:
  - name: "Paul Szoldra"
    job_title: "Editor"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/paul-szoldra.md"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/sky-penis-investigation/"
categories:
  - "Aircraft"
  - "Fighter Aircraft"
  - "Marine Corps"
  - "Military Branches"
  - "News"
  - "Tech & Tactics"
tags:
  - "scandals"
---

# Two Marine Pilots Grounded While Being Investigated Over ‘Sky Penis’ Episode

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/18990832-2.jpg>)

Two Marine Corps pilots have been grounded amid an investigation into allegations they drew a giant penis with their flight path over Southern California last month.

The Corps opened an investigation after the military-grade sky dong was made by a T-34C trainer aircraft from Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 101 out of Miramar, California. The phallic image was first spotted just west of an aerial gunnery range by a Twitter user known for surfacing interesting flights:

https://twitter.com/AircraftSpots/status/1054807774842875904

“The T-34C crew that are being investigated for flying a pattern resembling an obscene image are currently not flying pending the results of an ongoing investigation," Maj. Josef Patterson, a spokesman for 3rd Marine Aircraft, [told](<https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/two-marine-aviators-grounded-amid-sky-penis-investigation>) The Washington Examiner.

"Although not flying for the time-being, the two Marine Corps aviators are still providing vital squadron ground support functions."

The Marine pilots seemed to be competing against the Navy for aerial sky dong supremacy. Two Naval aviators were disciplined after the infamous sky dick episode of 2017, in which an EA-18G Growler aircraft flew a penile pattern in the skies over the state of Washington.

## Author
Paul Szoldra was the Editor in Chief of Task & Purpose from October 2018 until August 2022. Since joining T&P, he has led a talented team of writers, editors, and creators who produce military journalism reaching millions of readers each month. He also founded and edits [Duffel Blog](<https://www.duffelblog.com/>), a popular satirical newsletter for the military. Before becoming a journalist in 2013, he served as a Marine infantryman in Afghanistan, Korea, and other areas of the Pacific. His eyes still go up every time a helicopter from Camp Pendleton flies over his office in Southern California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/paulszoldra>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulszoldra/>)  
[Facebook](<https://www.facebook.com/pszoldra>)  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/paulszoldra/>)

## More

- [Marines Confirm That Yes, They Drew That New Sky Penis Over California](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marines-fly-sky-dong.md>)
- [Cocksure Marine Aviators Can Keep Flying After Grounding Over Sky Penis](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marine-aviators-sky-penis-disciplined.md>)
- [Mischievous Navy Pilot In Hot Water For Drawing Enormous Penis In The Sky](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/mischievous-navy-pilot-hot-water-drawing-enormous-penis-sky.md>)
- [Air Force claims ‘no intent by the pilots’ to draw sky penis near Russian base in Syria](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-kc-135-tanker-sky-penis-russia-syria.md>)
- [In Defense Of Military Pilots Drawing Dicks In The Sky](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/in-defense-of-sky-penis.md>)
- [F-35 becomes first fifth-generation aircraft to draw a ‘sky penis’](<https://taskandpurpose.com/tech-tactics/f35-sky-penis.md>)
- [The transcript of the pilots talking through their creation of ‘sky dong’ is even better than their drawing](<https://taskandpurpose.com/tech-tactics/navy-sky-dong-investigation.md>)
- [Navy Hands Down Ballsy Punishment To Cocksure Aviators Behind Giant Sky Penis](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/sky-penis-navy-aviators-punishment.md>)