Military Aviation

[CALinSC]

It’s been a very popular topic in other forums where I have started it.

My more than 40 years aviation career was almost exclusively in support of Naval Aviation. I did 31 years active duty with the Navy and another 10 Years as a Navy civilian employee at The Naval Aviation Depot, Jacksonville, FL. I also worked for Eastern Airlines as their ramp manager at Jacksonville, FL until they folded.

I’ll kick this off with aircraft I worked on and move on from there to my extensive picture files.

I graduated out of Navy boot camp at Great Lakes, IL in March of 1957 as an Airman Apprentice (AA). I did that because I started flying with my father at age 8 and knew enough about theory of flight to bypass initial Naval Aviation training.

My first duty station was at the Naval Air Station, Barbers Point, Oahu, TH. Hawaii was not yet a state.

The squadron was AIRBARSRON2 which would become one of the largest squadrons in the Navy.

The squadron operated three types of aircraft. There were two versions of the Super Constellation. Their Navy designations were WV-2 & R-7V. The other was an older two engine conventional landing gear Beech Craft, Navy designation, SNB.

Airbarsron2 - 1957.jpg WV-2.jpg

R7V.jpg SNB.jpg

[CALinSC]

My tour of duty in Hawaii was limited to two years because it was charged as overseas sea duty and I would have to transfer to a deploying squadron to complete my sea tour.

In April of 1959 I transferred to Patrol Squadron 9 at NAS Alameda. They had recently transitioned to the P2V-7 aircraft. I changed my PRM striker designation to AME and was advanced to 3rd class petty officer (E4).

In the first tattered picture I’m seated on the far left. The picture was of the personnel of the Aircraft Division. I was assigned to the oxygen shop where I tested and repaired gaseous oxygen regulators. The Navy had not yet developed liquid oxygen systems/regulators for large aircraft.

The next picture is of a P2V-7 aircraft on display at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, FL. The F-14 in the same picture has the VF-84 color scheme used on their aircraft for the movie; “The Final Countdown”, filmed in part, on the (USS Nimitz). I was working for the Commander of Carrier Air Wing 8 as a flight deck maintenance coordinator during the filming of that movie.


Alameda - 1959 - VP-9.jpg NAS JAX - P2.JPG

[CALinSC]

After some shore duty and than almost a year as ships’ company on the US Boxer (LPH-4), I got to my first tail-hook squadron. It was Fighter Squadron 41 out of Naval Air Station Oceana at Virginia Beach, VA.

The squadron was in the final stage of transitioning from the F3H Demon to the F4 Phantom II.

For my first year I was assigned to the aircraft check crew where I would learn all about the major systems I would work on and some others like engine and liquid oxygen servicing.

In early 1965 we were doing qualifications aboard the USS Independence (CVA-62) in Cuban waters. The word came that we would deploy with the Indy to the Pacific Fleet in support of USA actions in Vietnam. I was then assigned to the Line Division as a squadron Airframes flight deck troubleshooter. I would stay in that billet until I transferred to shore duty.

Here are some great USN photos of our squadron’s activity aboard the INDY. The first one was taken right after completion of our first combat line period. We were heading to Yokosuka, Japan for a much needed 2 week R&R pit stop.


VF-41- 1965.jpg Aircraft_launching_for_strike_from_USS_Independence_(CVA-62)_1965[1].jpg

33058377162_8788a50d92_b[1].jpg 1965 Indy - 1.jpg

[GTM]

Very cool career. I have a Niece that is a Naval aviator flying Sub hunters she is stationed in Washington. My Nephew has just started flight school and is in Pensacola. They are having the time of their lives.

[CALinSC]

Soon after returning to Norfolk from a 7 month deployment I got my shore duty orders. I was going to TX for 4 months advance cadre training on the Navy’s newest attack aircraft; the A7A Corsair II. Once that was completed I reported to Attack Squadron 174 (a training squadron) at Naval Air Station, Cecil field, FL. At VA-174 I was on the maintenance team that accepted the first A7A into a fleet squadron. My off and on 12 years with that aircraft had just begun.

Here is a factory pix, a LTV pretty pix and one of the VA-174 hangar at Cecil Field.


LTV Factory.jpg ltv file photo.jpg

VA-174 - Cecil Field.jpg

[CALinSC]

When my tour of duty was completed with VA-174 I was sent west to Naval Air Station Miramar. I was once again going to sea with the F4 Phantom II. The squadron was VF-151. I would be there a little over three years and make 2 long combat deployments (7 & 11 months) with them aboard the USS Midway (CVA-41).

When I reported in I was assigned to the Line Division as their supervisor. That was short lived. With just 3 years as an E6 I was relatively junior to more than two thirds of the 21 1st class Petty Officers in the squadron. The Line Division supervisor gets hazardous duty flight deck pay. Once we left port on our first deployment, a more senior 1st class asked for my job and replaced me. I was reassigned to the check crew as their supervisor. I would stay in that position until I transferred to shore duty.

VF-151 Line Div Super - .jpg VF-151 XC Super .jpg

VF-151 - USS Midway 1 .jpg VF-151 - USS Midway 2 .jpg

VF-151 formation .jpg

[CALinSC]

In mid 1973 The USS Midway and its air wing were scheduled to forward deploy to a new home at Yokosuka, Japan. My sea tour with VF-151 would not be completed until July 1974 which would require me to go to Japan. I had a close friend with the same rating and rate as me stationed at NAS Miramar. He wanted to go to Japan for personal reasons. The Navy allowed him to swap duty with me if he would agree to a four year sea tour. He did and the Navy just detailed me to shore duty early.

In Sept, 1973 I transferred to VA-125 (A7 aircraft) at Naval Air Station, Lemoore, CA. For those that don’t know, that’s just about in the middle of the San Joaquin valley. I moved my family to NAS Lemoore and then reported to Naval Training Command, Memphis for advanced Aviation Structural Mechanic schooling. My training was completed in Jan 1974 and I reported back to VA-125. The following month they sent me to the Marine Corp Recruit Depot (MCRD), San Diego, to attend Navy instructor training where I earned a 9501 enlisted classification code for stand-up instructors. Upon returning to VA-125 I was assigned to the training department as an instructor supervisor. I spent my entire shore tour in that position and was advanced to E7 (chief petty officer) and became my division’s supervisor.

What VA-125 was doing with me was take advantage of my knowledge and experience with the A7 aircraft.

The picture of me was taken right after I returned home from the Chief’s initiation where I got my anchors.

VA-125 pictures.


I make Chief - 1975.JPG

116389790_10157785537424585_8753364016127637131_o.jpg 116344395_10157785537224585_7324143571016991732_o.jpg

116343830_10157785537724585_2718812930129539294_o.jpg 115995362_10157785537239585_4895951134563298902_o.jpg

[ARaustiff]

Though not an RV topic, I enjoyed your story. When did you retire and what are you doing now? Hope to see you in a campground!

[Notanlines]

Cal, even though I believe that photo is of you and your youngest daughter, DW and I want to thank both you and your DW for all those years service. We have many friends who are veterans and the wives/spouses suffered hard times also. When Brenda went to Camp Butler in Okinawa for a year (I had already been discharged) I was hard to be around sometimes. Those tours of duty are mighty hard on those left behind also!

[CALinSC]

Originally Posted by Notanlines

Cal, even though I believe that photo is of you and your youngest daughter, DW and I want to thank both you and your DW for all those years service. We have many friends who are veterans and the wives/spouses suffered hard times also. When Brenda went to Camp Butler in Okinawa for a year (I had already been discharged) I was hard to be around sometimes. Those tours of duty are mighty hard on those left behind also!

Thank You.

Due to great strides in medical sciences in our great country I’m still in the game.

Linda and I will celebrate our 62nd wedding anniversary on Oct 4th this year.


Our 5 years of full time RVing were exciting. I'll be posting aviation pictures from those years soon.

DSC00303.jpg

[CALinSC]

While RVing America, we used many different highways and byways. We never had a schedule or agenda. Just point the rig and go. For about 50% of the time we had long time Navy friends traveling with us.

On this particular occasion we were traveling west on US-2 from the MI UP all the way to Minot ND. Whenever our travels took us close to military RV Parks/CGs we would stop for a week to 10 days and catch-up on our shopping needs.

Almost all Military bases that have something to do with aviation will have an aircraft display area. At Grand Forks, ND AFB there was a large tanker aircraft right at the main gate.

ND - Grand Forks AFB - 1.jpg ND - Grand Forks AFB - 2 .jpg

[CALinSC]

During our full time years we wintered at Yuma twice. The Marine Corps Air Station is right down town. It was very convenient to use for shopping and medical prescriptions.

These pictures were taken of aircraft on display at the main gate to the base.


MCAS Yuma, AZ (1).JPG MCAS Yuma, AZ (2).JPG.JPG

MCAS Yuma, AZ (3).JPG.JPG

[CALinSC]

Once while parked at Dickinson, ND we were riding around exploring yard sales one weekend and found this aircraft on display out in a field near a smallish rural airport at Devils Lake, ND.


Devils Lake ND 104.jpg

[terry and jo]

Cal,


I enjoy your photos. If you are ever in Oklahoma City, there is the 45th Infantry Division Museum near NE 36th and Martin Luther King Blvd. While most of their displays are of Army artifacts, they do have some aircraft in their outside displays. Inside are lots of firearms dating back to flintlocks and cap and ball weapons.


Here is a link to my Smugmug website where I've posted a bunch of photos taken at the 45th Infantry Museum.


Oklahoma's 45th Infantry Division Museum


Terry

[CALinSC]

Army Aviation:

When we went to visit the Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker, AL we parked at a KOA in Ozark, AL.

Their Aviation Museum has large inside and outside display areas. Below are pictures taken at each display area.

8 Aviation Museum Ft Rucker, .jpg 8a Aviation Museum Ft Rucker, .JPG.jpg

[CALinSC]

My only tour of duty with the F-14 aircraft was with the Black Aces of VF-41 operating off the USS Nimitz, 1977-1980. My duties there were being the Line Division Chief, Maintenance Control Chief and Flight Deck Maintenance Coordinator.

9 VF-41 formation .jpg

[CALinSC]

For many years the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi has been a naval pilot training base. Many naval aviators that have went on to become major leaders in Naval Aviation and beyond, received their basic aviation skills and wings at NAS Corpus Christi.

There is a very popular RV park at the base and is now open to civilian visitors.

I took this picture at the main entrance to the officers club.

NAS Corpus Christi 8.JPG

[terry and jo]

I forgot a museum the other day when I wrote about the 45th Infantry Division Museum and its planes. If you are ever in Nampa, Idaho, there is a warbirds museum located there.


Warhawks Museum - Nampa, ID


Terry

[CALinSC]

Camp Blanding Joint Training Center: Even though it’s basically a Florida National Guard training center its land mass is quite large and many other military units use it for training. It’s quite isolated with the nearest town (Stark) being about 12 miles west of the main gate. There is no air field there, yet there is a display of Navy/Air Force aircraft at the main gate.

There is a medium size RV Park on the base, mostly located on the banks of a large clear water lake. “Snow Birds” will nearly fill it up in the winter months.

10 Camp Blanding, FL.jpg 10a Camp Blanding, FL - 2010 (2).jpg

[CALinSC]

Aboard aircraft carriers during the 60s & 70s this aircraft was the sailor’s friend. It delivered mail to the carriers and was commonly called the COD (Carrier on board delivery).

I took these pictures while serving with VF-151 aboard the USS Midway, 1971.

11 Midway Launch and Recovery - 1971 (5).jpg 11a Midway Launch and Recovery - 1971 (7).jpg