November–December 2000
November–December 2000
F
e a t u r e s
Flagship
Publication of Naval Aviation
F
e a t u r e s
C o n t e n t s
The U.S. Navy’s Oldest Periodical, Established 1917
Volume 83, No. 1
November–December 2000
10
20
24
26
28
40
10
Frozen
Chosin: The Naval Air War in
November–December
1950
20
Osprey:
New Wings for Amphibious Warfare
24
Clipper
Joins the Reserve Force
26
In
Search of Sunken Aircraft
28
A
Blackshoe’s Graduation Test aboard
40
2000
Index
De
p a r t m e n t s De p a r t m e n t s
COVERS—Front: this painting by Art Director Morgan
Wilbur depicts
the future SH-60R Seahawk helicopter several
years from now engaged
with hostile patrol boats. Back: Ted Carlson’s photo
captures an unusual
perspective of the MV-22B Osprey at
This page: Ted Carlson caught 1st Lts. Ted Shackleton,
front cockpit,
and Christine Westrich of VMFAT-101 preparing for a
mission in their
F/A-18D Hornet.
246
30
38
39
2
Honoring
the Crew of USS Cole
4
Grampaw
Pettibone
6
Airscoop
30
People–Planes–Places
38
Professional
39
Flightbag
It wasn’t until
a few days ago that we started doing
something I feel may be the first thing I’ve seen in
my
short naval career that has truly made a difference.
Right now, we’re supporting USS Cole and her
crew in
by luck we happened to be on our way out of the gulf,
headed towards the
short amount of time. I know what you all have seen on
CNN, because we have seen it, too. I just want you all
to
know that what you see doesn’t even scratch the
surface.
I’m not going to get into it for obvious reasons, but
I will
tell you that right now there are 250+ Sailors just a
few
miles away living in hell on earth. I’m sitting in a
nice airconditioned
stateroom; they’re sleeping out on the decks
at night.
You can’t even imagine the conditions they’re living
in,
2 Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000
On 19 October aboard NS
saluted the 17 personnel killed and 39 injured on
board
Cole (DDG 67), damaged by a terrorist bomb in
a week before. Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen
summed up: “No one should ever pass an American in
uniform without saying, ‘Thank you, we’re grateful,’
always mindful that they are prepared to risk all
their
dreams so that all of us can reach and realize ours.”
Lt. Brandon Floyd, of HSL-42 aboard Hawes (FFG
PH2 Leland Comer
PH2 Chris Pastol
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 3
RAdm.
Mike McCabe
Director,
Air Warfare
Published
by the Naval Historical Center under the
auspices
of the Chief of Naval Operations
Dr.
William S. Dudley
Director,
Naval Historical Center
Staff
Cdr.
Jim Carlton Editor
Sandy
Russell Managing Editor
Morgan
I. Wilbur Art Director
Wendy
Leland Associate Editor
JO3
Amy L. Pittmann Assistant Editor
Associates
Harold
Andrews Technical Advisor
Cdr.
Peter Mersky, USNR (Ret.) Book Review Editor
Capt.
Ted Wilbur, USNR (Ret.) Contributing Artist
Capt.
R. Rausa, USNR (Ret.) Contributing Editor
LCdr.
Richard R. Burgess, USN (Ret.) Contributing Editor
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yet they are still fighting 24 hours a day to save
their ship and free
the bodies of those still trapped and send them home.
As bad as it is,
they’re doing an incredible job. The very fact that
these people are still
functioning is beyond my comprehension. Whatever you
imagine as the
worst, multiply it by 10 and you might get there.
Today, I was tasked to
photo rig the ship and surrounding area. It looked so
much worse than I
had imagined, unbelievable really, with debris and
disarray everywhere,
the ship listing, the hole in her side. I wish I had
the power to relay to
you all of what I have seen, but words just won’t do
it. I do want to tell
you the first thing that jumped out at me: the Stars
and Stripes flying. I
can’t tell you how that made me feel . . . even in
this God forsaken hell
hole, our flag was more beautiful than words can
describe. Then I started
to notice the mass of activity going on below, scores
of people working
nonstop in 90-plus-degree weather to save this ship.
They’re doing
it with almost no electrical power and they’re
sleeping (when they can
sleep) outside on the decks, because they can’t stand
the smell or the
heat or the darkness inside. They only want to eat
what we bring them
because they’re all scared of eating something brought
by the local vendors.
Even with all that, the Cole and her crew is
sending a message,
guys, and it’s that even acts of cowardice and hate
can do nothing to the
spirit and pride of the United States. I have never
been so proud of what
I do, or of the men and women that I serve with, as I
was today. There
are [17] confirmed dead Sailors who put it on the line
for all of us.
Please take a minute to pray for their families and
say a word of thanks
for their sacrifice—one made so that we can live the
lives that we do.
All of you who serve with me, thank you. All of you
who have loved
ones that serve, thank you.
Opposite, clockwise from top,
Cole(DDG 67) is moored to a platform
after the terrorist attack on 12
October in the industrial harbor of
Aden, Yemen, during a scheduled
refueling; one of the injured Sailors
is assisted from a C-141
Starliftertransport on the tarmac at Naval
Station Norfolk, Va., by CINCLANTFLT
Adm. Robert J. Natter, who,
along with families and friends,
welcomed the personnel as they
were flown home from Germany;
this poignant scene was typical
during the homecoming as an
injured Sailor shares a tearful
reunion with her mother. Above, an
aerial view of the port of Aden
shows the activity around the
disabled
Cole(foreground). Left, during
a memorial service on Pier 12 at NS
Norfolk, a member of the Disabled
Veterans of America places
American flags on wreaths honoring
the 17 Sailors killed on board Cole.
PH2 Joshua Treadwell
Refueling Fiasco
A pair of F/A-18
Hornets launched
on an airto-
air refueling flight with
an Air Force tanker. The
wingman joined on the
leader’s right wing in
spread formation, in which
the wingman flies one
nautical mile abeam the
lead at the same altitude.
The flight sighted the
tanker and began a
descending, left-hand turn
to arrive three miles in trail
of the tanker.
During the turn the
wingman positioned
himself in loose cruise in
right echelon in
anticipation of establishing
a “starboard observation”
position off the tanker. The
Hornets accelerated
to
close on the tanker. The
leader asked the tanker to
start a left turn to expedite
the join-up. The tanker then
cleared the flight to port
observation (a position on
the left side of the tanker
from which the pilots could
clearly see the tanker
before moving in for inflight
refueling) and began
a turn to the left.
The wingman did not
hear the tanker’s transmission
directing the flight to the port side.
Using nonstandard language, the
leader told the wingman to “Match
me on the left.” The wingman
assumed this meant the leader
wanted him in the spread position,
one mile abeam the leader and on
his left.
The leader, meanwhile, assumed
the wingman was moving to a loose
cruise position off his left wing to
rendezvous and to establish port
observation. In fact, the wingman
moved to a slightly acute position .6
miles off the leader’s left wing. As
the flight leader began a left turn,
the wingman realized he was acute
and out of position. He began
reducing power to work himself into
a loose cruise position in left
echelon.
The wingman came back to idle
power and used the speed brake to
continue to work to a position left
and aft of the flight leader at his
altitude. Midway through the turn,
the sun moved to a position behind
the leader, which degraded
the wingman’s ability to
judge distance and closure
rate.
The wingman did not
attempt to break plane with
the sun because he was
attempting to maintain the
same altitude as the flight
leader. The leader was in
the port observation
position while still in the
turn and reported to the
tanker, “Port observation
position achieved.” The
tanker cleared the flight to
switch to the boom
operator’s frequency. The
wingman changed
frequencies, saw the leader
starting to roll wings level
and began a roll to wings
level himself.
The wingman glanced at
the tanker and then looked
at the leader. He noticed
excessive closure and
constant bearing with the
leader. The wingman pulled
full aft on the stick thinking
he would pass above the
leader. The aircraft collided
causing damage to the left
wing, left side fuselage and
left vertical stabilizer on the
leader’s Hornet.
The wingman’s aircraft
sustained damage to its
underside and to the left trailing
edge flap and left horizontal
stabilizer. The planes separated and
headed toward home base. The
leader landed safely, making a
short field arrestment. The
wingman proceeded to an alternate
airfield but while slowing the
aircraft through 170 knots, with the
gear down, the aircraft rolled
rapidly right and the pilot ejected.
The pilot was picked up by a
search and rescue helo and was not
injured.
4 Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000
Grampaw Pettibone says:
Great horned toads. What’s
“Match me on the left” supposed
to mean? Here the Hornets are, in
a critical phase of the mission
closing in on the tanker, and the
leader fails to give clear-cut
instructions to the wingman.
You’ve got one huge bird up there
plus the Hornets, all in a relatively
confined space. This is no time for
creative, nonstandard language.
Wingmen on the receiving end
of such transmissions have every
right to challenge them. But they
oughta remember another
cardinal rule: Whatever you do,
fly your airplane safely—and that
means avoid risky proximity to
other birds in the same section of
sky. Basic airmanship, folks.
Fatal Fatigue
An SH-60F Seahawk launched at
twilight as part of a two-helicopter
sea-air-land team insertion mission.
The flight was also assigned to make
unaided (without night vision
devices, or NVDs) landings on a
guided missile frigate for an
intermediate fuel stop on both the
outbound and return legs of the
mission. Both aircraft conducted
uneventful, unaided landings aboard
the frigate on the outbound leg. On
the post-insertion return leg, the
crew transitioned from aided (with
NVDs) to unaided flight and began
an approach to the frigate. The
aircraft commander in the left seat
was at the controls.
During the approach the aircraft
drifted left of centerline, eventually
regained lineup, but went high on
glideslope. The aircraft then crossed
the stern of the ship extremely high,
flew over the hangar bay and
crashed in the water approximately
100 feet off the starboard bow. The
impact occurred four hours and 46
minutes from the time of takeoff.
The two pilots and two aircrewmen
were killed, the aircraft lost.
Grampaw Pettibone says:
For starters, the pilot in
command of the Seahawk was not
currently qualified for night,
clear-deck landings on small
combatants. That’s like starting a
game and being 7 points behind
before kickoff. This was a tough,
long mission and it could be that
all the crew members were
suffering from some degree of
fatigue. This could have led to
their not allowing enough time to
transition from NVD-aided flight
to unaided flight for
the demanding night
approach to the ship.
There’s no question
that landing a helicopter
on a small
section of deck at
night on a moving ship
is one of the most
challenging evolutions
in Naval Aviation. Not
having the necessary
qualifications, being
tired and changing
from one mode of
vision to another make
it that much more
difficult—and unforgiving.
Operational
risk management
would have highlighted
the scheduling
shortfalls of this flight.
What a terrible loss.
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 5
In the Works
The Joint Precision Approach
and Landing System technology
demonstrator, manufactured by the
Raytheon Co., successfully
demonstrated both pilot-controlled
and fully coupled approaches at
NAS Patuxent River, Md.
Shipboard trials aboard Enterprise
(CVN 65) in November will test
the system’s capabilities using the
differential Global Positioning
System to compensate for a flight
deck’s inherent roll and yaw.
In July the Naval Air Systems
Command awarded four concept
exploration study contracts for the
Multi-mission Maritime
Aircraft/Broad Area Surveillance
program. The contractors—Northrop
Grumman Corp., the Boeing Co.,
Raytheon Aircraft, and Lockheed
Martin Aeronautics Co.—will
explore various options for eventual
replacement of the fleet’s P-3 Orions
and EP-3E Aries IIs.
The Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency and the Navy
awarded contracts to the Northrop
Grumman Corp. and the Boeing Co.
for analysis and preliminary design
of a Naval Unmanned Combat Air
Vehicle.
The first KC-130J aircraft
made its maiden flight on 9 June,
6 Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000
AIRSCOOP
Edited by Wendy Leland
HORNET MILESTONES
The F/A-18 community celebrated the 4
millionth flight hour of the Hornet
in a
unique commemoration on 14 September.
Rather than a single aircraft marking the
milestone, the Navy designated a specific
time for the ceremonial flight hour, enabling
any F/A-18A, B, C or D Hornet or F/A-18E/F
Super Hornet airborne at that time to be part
of the event.
A 25 August ceremony at the Boeing
Company’s St. Louis, Mo., facilities marked
the end of F/A-18 Hornet production.
Marine Aircraft Group 11 accepted D-model
number 161, the last of more than 1,400
Hornets delivered to the Navy and Marines
Ted Carlson captured these F/A-18Ds
from VMFA(AW)-
121 over the Salton Sea.
and the Navy and manufacturer
Lockheed Martin have begun
testing the new tanker/transport
aircraft. Improvements include an
electronically controlled refueling
pod that can pump up to 300
gallons of fuel per minute, glass
cockpit instrumentation
compatible with night vision
goggles, twin head-up displays,
more powerful engines and allcomposite
six-blade propellers.
Eight KC-130Js are on order for
the Marine Corps, with the first
expected to arrive at MCAS
Cherry Point, N.C., in late 2001.
For the Record
The Naval Force Aircraft Test
Squadron, NAS Patuxent River,
Md., is testing an avionics upgrade
package for the C-2A Greyhound.
The upgrade includes a terrain
avoidance warning system, terminal
collision avoidance system and
multifunction digital radios.
The guided missile destroyer
McCampbell (DDG 85) was
christened on 2 July at Bath Iron
Works, Maine. The ship is named
for Navy ace and Medal of Honor
recipient Capt. David McCampbell.
The Standoff Land
Attack–Expanded Response
missile began full-rate production.
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 7
HARRIER HIGHLIGHTS
Following testing at NAWS China Lake, Calif., the LITENING
II
targeting pod for
the AV-8B Harrier will make its way to the fleet. The pod
provides an air-to-ground laser target designation
capability, enhanced day
and night target acquisition, and improved low-level
night flight and air-toair
capabilities.
Marine Corps Harrier pilots at MCAS Yuma,
Ariz., have an
upgraded simulator which incorporates the AV-8B Harrier II’s
APG-65 radar. Augmenting the existing night simulator
at
Yuma, this new version’s flat-panel projection system
provides realistic imagery that can be projected to a
headup
display and used with a simulated night vision
goggle system. When the operational flight trainer at
MCAS Cherry Point, N.C., is upgraded to the
new system in FY 2002, both AV-8B bases will
have two radar night attack trainers.
Left, Ted Carlson captured a VMA-
513 Harrierdischarging infrared
decoys over California.
Mishaps
An F/A-18D Hornet of Marine
All-Weather Attack Squadron 533,
MCAS Beaufort, S.C., crashed into
the water off Beaufort on 7 July.
Both aircrew members were rescued.
A T-38A Talon of the U.S. Naval
Test Pilot School, NAS Patuxent
River, Md., crashed at Pax on 11
July, killing both occupants.
Both crew members of an F-14B
Tomcat of
Fighter Squadron 11,
NAS Oceana, Va., operating from
Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69)
ejected safely over Saudi Arabia on
26 July.
A T-45B Goshawk of the Naval
Strike Aircraft Test Squadron, NAS
Patuxent River, Md., was damaged
by an uncommanded extension of
the starboard landing gear during a
high-G turn. The aircraft landed
safely at Pax.
A Navy-contracted Piper Navajo
Chieftan on
a routine shuttle flight
from NAES Lakehurst, N.J., to NAS
Patuxent River, Md., crashed in New
Jersey on 9 August, killing all 9
passengers aboard.
An MH-53E Sea Dragon of
Helicopter Mine Countermeasures
Squadron 15, NAS Corpus Christi,
Texas, crashed in the Gulf of
Mexico on 10 August. All 6
occupants were killed.
Two F/A-18D Hornets of Marine
All-Weather Attack Squadron 242,
MCAS Miramar, Calif., collided in
midair near MCAS Yuma, Ariz., on
11 September. One plane crashed,
killing both aircrew members; the
other landed safely.
A T-34C Turbo-Mentor of
Training Squadron 10, NAS
Pensacola, Fla., crashed in Alabama
on 27 September, killing the
instructor pilot and student.
The pilot perished when a Strike
Fighter Squadron 25 F/A-18C
Hornet crashed
in the Arabian Gulf
following takeoff from Abraham
Lincoln (CVN
72) on 29 September.
Correction
The web address in the Sep–Oct
00 issue referencing Navy policy on
corrective eye surgery was incorrect.
It is http://navymedicine.med.navy.
mil/prk/refractive_surgery_
information.htm.
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 9
The Naval Force
Aircraft Test Squadron, NAS Patuxent River, Md., is testing a new eight-blade
propeller for
the E-2C Hawkeye and C-2 Greyhound. A
replacement prop was needed because the original prop is no
longer manufactured and there are not enough in the
inventory to last until 2015, the projected date for the
replacement of both aircraft.
The new design includes technologies that were not
available when the original item was created. Narrower,
more aerodynamic composite blades are designed to
incur less stress damage; the hub is made from a modern
steel composite that does not sacrifice strength for
weight; and the electronic prop system, versus the old
hydromechanical system, allows for less maintenance.
Eight blades may look out of place on a relatively small
aircraft, but keeping the number of blades in a
multiple of the original four allows the aircraft’s electronics to
remain the same, rather than be changed to compensate
for different harmonic frequency vibrations emitted by
the prop. After fleet introduction in late 2001, all
C-2s and E-2s are expected to have the new prop by 2006.
ON THE
CUTTING EDGE
10 Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000
By late October
1950, the Korean War
was considered over. North Korea’s
invasion had been defeated, the shattered
North Korean People’s Army (NKPA) was
fleeing north toward the Yalu River pursued by
victorious United Nations (UN) troops, and
talk of Christmas homecomings raised hopes
for a swift peace. One newspaper summarized
the prevailing feelings: “Except for unexpected
developments, we can now be easy in our
minds as to the military outcome.” Tragically
prophetic, “unexpected developments”
exploded upon the scene.
Despite East Bloc warnings since August
1950 that any UN advance north toward China
would be considered an act of war, allied
forces continued their drive north (see “The
Navy’s Air War in Korea, September–October
1950,” Sep–Oct 00). Hoping to end the war
before the onset of the fierce Korean winter,
on 24 October General Douglas MacArthur
ordered his commanders to push northward as
rapidly as possible. Unfortunately, the East
Bloc carried through on its threats, and within
days pilots were spotting signs of an offensive
By
Mark L. Evans
During heavy fighting near Chosin in
December
1950 F4U-5 Corsairs,one of which is
visible in
the midst of the smoke rising from
the strike,
blast the enemy for the hard-pressed
Marines.
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 11
buildup by Chinese “volunteers.” There would be no
more Christmas homecomings until after the cease-fire
of
27 July 1953.
The Yalu River winds almost 500 miles to the Yellow
Sea, marking the borders between China and North Korea
for much of its length. In 1950 the river’s size
restricted
large troop movements to one of 17 bridges. Of the six
major ones, the twin spans (one railway, one highway)
connecting Antung, Manchuria, with Sinuiju, North
Korea, were the two most important. The Chinese were
pouring across these bridges and they had to be
stopped.
It was the fleet’s job to drop the bridges,
which meant a 225-mile flight from the
carriers operating in the Sea of Japan off
Korea’s east coast all the way across the
peninsula to their targets on the west coast.
On station were Leyte (CV 32) with
Carrier Air Group (CVG) 3 embarked,
Philippine Sea (CV
47) carrying CVG-11
and Valley Forge (CV 45) with CVG-5.
Launching primarily close air support
missions were two smaller carriers, Badoeng
Strait (CVE
116) with the embarked Marine
Fighter Squadron (VMF) 323 Death Rattlers
and a Helicopter Utility
Squadron (HU) 1
detachment operating
HO3S-1 helicopters. Sicily
(CVE 118) carried the
VMF-214 Blacksheep, Air
Antisubmarine Squadron
(VS) 21 and another HU-1
detachment.
Each ship’s strike group
numbered from 24 to 40
aircraft, comprising 8
bridge-busting AD
Skyraiders carrying
either
two 1,000-pound bombs or
one 2,000-pounder; 8 to 16
flak-suppressing F4U
Corsairs with
a mixed
package of eight 5-inch
rockets or eight 100-pound
bombs, or a 500-pounder and six 5-inch rockets (some
carried an 11.75-inch Tiny Tim rocket); and 8 to 16
F9F
Panthers as
high cover.
Split-second timing was crucial, since the high fuel
consumption of the jets required special
considerations.
The Panthers took off in three intervals, the
first wave 50
minutes after the initial “props,” and the second and
third
at succeeding 15-minute intervals. This way, the first
Panthers took
the strike in, the second were over the
targets, and the third brought them home. It was a
planning nightmare, but it worked.
The realities of the tactical situation added to the
difficulty in attacking the Yalu bridges. Due to the
high
escarpments rising along both sides of the river, the
approach to Sinuiju had to be made parallel to the
river,
making aircraft predictable targets for enemy gunners.
Normally, the gunners had to make educated guesses at
the pilots’ altitudes and set the fuses of their
shells
accordingly. This prompted pilots to vary their
approach
altitudes. Unfortunately, the topographic setting for
the
Yalu bridges did not allow such niceties. Expecting
pilots
to fly the gauntlet of this shooting gallery was
harsh, but
necessary if the ground war was to be properly
supported.
Not being able to fly over Manchuria, then under
Soviet guarantees of
protection, further
complicated the scenario.
The Fighter Squadron (VF)
51 Screaming Eagles’
command history report
described the scene.
“During all attacks,
antiaircraft fire was heaviest
from the Manchurian side
due, no doubt, to the fact
that they, unlike Korean
gunners, were unhampered
by aerial attack.” VF-33’s
report noted: “Our
photoreconnaissance
revealed that the enemy
guns were being moved from the south side
of the Yalu River where we could hit them
to the north side where we couldn’t. The
Reds were alert to recognize and take
advantage of our self-imposed restriction.
We even noticed that while the guns on the
Korean side of the river were well
camouflaged, the ones on the Chinese side
were not.”
During the initial strike against the
Sinuiju bridges on 9 November, VF-111 Sun
Downers CO
Lieutenant Commander
William Thomas Amen made the Navy’s
first MiG kill. Amen’s group of F9F-2B
Panthers was
flying cover for the strike
force of Corsairs and Skyraiders when
they
were attacked by at least five MiGs flying from
Antung.
Losing no time, the Panthers screamed in to
protect the
strike force, the battle raging from just above ground
level up to 18,000 feet. Turning inside of a tight
loop on
the tail of a MiG-15, Amen closed the gap and opened
fire, downing his opponent with a quick burst.
Like many pilots, Amen had already chalked up quite a
record and numerous medals during WW II and the
earlier strikes over Korea. Following no less than 35
missions over Korea, Amen was further awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross “for extraordinary heroism
and meritorious achievement in aerial flight in
operations
against the enemy in the Korean Theater from 5 August
12 Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000
Top, LCdr. William T. Amen was the
first
Navy pilot to down a MiG-15. Above,
one
of the MiG-15s encountered on 23
November. Opposite, Leyte’s strike
drops
three spans from the highway bridge
at
Sinuiju on 18 November 1950.
1950 to 1 February 1951.”
ADs of the Attack Squadron (VA) 115 Arabs scored
three direct hits and five near-misses on the Sinuiju
bridges during the first strike, and at 1400 went
after the
railroad bridge at Manpojin with 2,000-pounders,
scoring
four hits. Not a single Skyraider was lost,
though the
squadron reported that the ground fire was “heavy,
intense and accurate over the target.”
For all the horror and fear of war, this first tangle
with
the dreaded MiGs produced its own comedy. Upon
returning to the ready room on board Valley Forge (CV
45), VF-51 CO Commander Albert D. Pollack was
surrounded by his admiring Panther pilots. “Were
you
nervous about those MiGs?” they asked. “No, I was just
keeping an eye on them,” Pollack replied. “Then, why
did
you report 20,000 MiGs coming in at five feet?” his
pilots quipped.
Tragically, the grim realities of war returned on 11
November when more strikes by Leyte and Valley
Forge
against the Yalu bridges encountered fierce opposition
from both Yaks and MiGs as well as flak, and a Skyraider
was lost over the target. Altogether, 19 MiGs were
spotted on the 10th and 15 on the 12th, a bleak
portent of
things to come, though VA-115 did drop one span on the
southwestern bridge, as well as damaging the approach
to
the northeastern one.
On the 14th and 15th snow-covered decks and heavy
seas severely hampered operations and gave the enemy
the chance to repair the bridges, so on 16 November
VF-
54 conducted a reconnaissance flight to photograph the
targets. Both aircraft barely made it back through some
of
the most intense and accurate flak of the war,
confirming
the hard way that most of the guns had been
transferred
to the Manchurian side.
The enemy’s supply lines had to be cut, however, so
between 1325 and 1645 on the 18th one of the toughest
fights of the month occurred when the carriers had
another go at the Sinuiju bridges. Just as the F4U-4B
Corsairs of
VF-54 rendezvoused at 31,000 feet with F9F-
2 and F9F-3 Panthers a few minutes prior to the
attack,
the strike group was jumped by no less than 12 MiGs.
As
the jets tangled it up in a wild melee, the Corsairs
went
after the guns with 500-pound bombs, giving the AD-4
Skyraiders of
VA-55 a chance to tackle the bridges.
Unfortunately, hitting the dug-in guns was difficult,
and
intense flak riddled a couple of Skyraiders.
Nevertheless, the twisting dogfight gave the fleet the
chance to even up the score as two VF-52 aircrews each
downed a MiG-15, while VF-31 blasted a third out of
the
sky. Though some guns were knocked out, the bridges
were only damaged, and a VF-54 pilot had a close call
when forced to make an emergency landing at Wonsan
with hung wing bombs. The men were learning in the
toughest school of all. In the unforgiving strikes
over
Korea, pilots did not get a second chance.
The failure to drop the bridges became a matter of
life
or death for the men on the ground as the Chinese
stragglers suddenly burst into a horde. Two Chinese
People’s Liberation Army (PLA) divisions, numbering
over 300,000 men, entered Korea practically undetected
and began closing the jaws of a giant trap.
Retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel Charles A. House
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 13
flew an F4U-4B Corsair with VMF-
323 from Badoeng Strait and
acknowledged just how tough these
Chinese veterans were: “They may
have been poor shots, but they were
highly disciplined. When they heard
us coming, they would kneel in the
snow and hold their rifles close to
their body. Even when we strafed
them with 20mm cannon and rockets,
the survivors would not move. This
made it more difficult to see them.
Only napalm would make the ones on
fire run.”
Now, the PLA rallied the NKPA
and together trapped the outnumbered
allies in a massive double
envelopment. Their revered leader
Mao Tse-tung had prepared them by
ordering every man to memorize one
of his favorite doctrines: “Enemy
advancing, we retreat; enemy
entrenched, we harass; enemy
exhausted, we attack; enemy
retreating, we pursue.” The Chinese
generals further instructed their men in the rudiments
of
strategy by expanding upon these orders with a
seemingly
innocent Confucian lesson, “The Cat in the Sack”:
Confucius decided to visit his family and introduce
his
cat to them. The easiest way to carry his friend was
in a
sack. However, when Confucius opened the sack the
obstinate creature refused to jump in. Confucius
opened
the sack a little wider and then wider and, finally,
the
cat’s curiosity got the better of him and he leapt in.
Singling out the Marines as an example, the Chinese
were
perfectly aware of the Corps’ aggressiveness and
opened
their sack by cunningly striking at the ends of the UN
lines.
The allies never knew what hit them. Deceived by
previous clashes when the enemy slyly disengaged and
retreated, UN intelligence still believed that only a
handful of “volunteers” were
moving toward them. For days,
Navy pilots had reported thousands
of footprints in the snow, and even
when VA-115 knocked out a pair
of medium tanks north of the
Chosin Reservoir on the 14th, the
allies were still unprepared for the
fury that erupted against them
between 25 and 28 November.
There simply were not enough
men to hold the front. Chinese
infiltrators divided into platoons
and companies and slipped through
the gaps at night, breaking the
darkness with terrifying bugle
calls, police whistles and screams
as they struck at the weakest
points. Officers went down so fast
that a Marine platoon commander
found himself in command of the
entire company; in another
instance, after being driven from
his hilltop position three times and
retaking it three more, a company
commander discovered that only
14 of his original 200 men were still standing. Though
badly wounded, another company commander bravely
continued to lead his men from his stretcher.
Newspaper
reports of “human wave assaults“ were exaggerated, but
hundreds of Americans vanished in the chaos, and
within
days the entire front was crumbling.
For the 1st Marine Division caught in the sack, it was
another race against time. Joined by two Army
battalions,
British Royal Marines who had requested the honor of
fighting alongside their U.S. counterparts and some
Republic of Korea (ROK) troops, their only hope was to
fight their way 78 miles down to Hungnam on the east
coast. On 27 November their combined column mustered
25,473 men, but they were pitted against elements of
11
PLA divisions, numbering 60,000 troops.
Time and again the only thing that stood between the
14 Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000
Left, exhausted Marines struggle
through the snow around Chosin
during the retreat. Below, this map
depicts the enemy’s movement
across the Yalu River to “close the
sack” during November–
December 1950. The only hope for
the Marines was to fight their way
down to the coast where the fleet
could get them out. Opposite,
artist John DeGrasse, Master
Sergeant, USMC, and one of “The
Chosin Few,” captures the
desperation of the beleaguered
Marines as they watch a Corsair
pound dug-in enemy soldiers. The
side panel markings reduced
aerial recognition problems.
W. C. Rockwell
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 15
Marines and the enemy were the aircraft of the fleet,
as the
air tempo shifted back to close air support. Sicily
CO
Captain John S. “Jimmy” Thach summarized it well: “It’s
like having artillery right over your shoulders.” Philippine
Sea’s pilots
were told by their Marine tactical air controller
that their support on 28 November had been “very good.
The
enemy has been stopped.” On the 29th alone, 123 aerial
sorties made 1,131 runs over the target, an incredible
average
of 9.2 runs per sortie, while the next day Leyte’s aircraft
flew
five continuous maximum close air support missions.
VF-33 CO Cdr. Horace H. Epes, Jr., remembered these
flights: “Occasionally we caught white-uniformed
Chinese troops in the open. I vividly recall catching
a
couple of Red soldiers hotfooting it down the road
carrying a long pole with a big kettle of what looked
like
soup—that no one ever drank.” On 2 December a Chinese
roadblock was blasted out of existence by no less than
22
aircraft. Two days later Major General Field Harris,
Commander 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), signaled
Commander Task Force 77: “I was up on the hill today
[at Hagaru-ri] and saw the 5th and 7th Marines return.
They thanked God for air. Tell your pilots they are
doing
a magnificent job.”
Forward air controllers marched with each battalion
column, while tactical air controllers flew ahead. On
6
December Marine Transport Squadron (VMR) 152
provided the 1st MAW an R5D Skymaster for a
unique
conversion into a Tactical Air Direction Center with
situation maps and an extra radio; the aircraft took
off just
before dawn and circled the area until after dusk. Air
Force C-119 “Flying Boxcars” also dropped supplies to
the Marines, but on 7 and 8 December the Chinese closed
the sack by blowing the bridge across an otherwise
impassible 1,500-foot-wide gorge south of Koto-ri.
Without help, the Marines would be forced to leave
behind their heavy equipment and make it out on foot,
a
trek many of the wounded and frostbitten would not
survive. Air Force C-119s again answered the call and
dropped eight two-ton spans of a treadway bridge for
Marine engineers, who kept the column moving by
bridging the gap under intense fire.
Another fierce fight broke out on 6 December when
the PLA again hit the Marines. Eighteen Corsairs from
VMF-214 clobbered the enemy with rockets and 500-
pounders, but the Chinese refused to budge. Eight
F4U-4s
from VF-33 followed, led by Cdr. Epes who recalled: “A
ground controller called me by voice radio. ‘I’m in
the
lead jeep; I have a fluorescent panel marker on my
hood.
Fly over me and rock your wings.’ Our empty cases fell
among the Marines, our bullets and light bombs landed
on the Chinese 50 yards ahead of them. Then the ground
controller said, ‘Come back with napalm.’ After the
first
Corsairs’
napalm dropped, the ground controller snapped,
‘Move it closer.’We dropped napalm bombs on the sides
of the hill, with Marines all along the road directly
beneath. If the temperature hadn’t been 25 degrees
below,
I don’t believe the Marines could have stood the heat.”
VF-33’s Corsairs flew so low that Marine 81mm
mortar
rounds arced over the planes as they made their
passes!
Second Lieutenant Patrick C. Roe, assigned as the
intelligence officer of the 3rd Battalion, 7th
Marines,
later recalled what it was like to be a “Mud Marine”
on
the other end of the Naval Aviation chain during the
break through from Yudam-ni on 3 December: “That
morning a truck turned off into the courtyard of an
adjoining Korean farmhouse. A detail began unloading
dead Marines from the truck. They were all frozen
solid, some of them in grotesque poses as they had
fallen. The bodies were stacked in a corner of the
courtyard. The earth was so hard it could not be
dented
by a pick or shovel. The chaplain read the burial
service. There were tears running down his cheeks.
Then he closed his bible, stepped forward and spoke
again to the few who had stopped for the brief
ceremony. ‘Come and help me cover them with rocks,’
he said. It was all we could do for them.”
The bitter Korean winter had set in with a vengeance,
with foot-deep snow and drifts often above the men’s
heads. The enemy had surrounded the Marines and time
had run out. Roe remembered, “Lt. Morgan, the assistant
forward air controller, was standing next to me
scanning
the hills to the north with his field glasses when he
froze
in his position and gave me one of the greatest shocks
of
my life: ‘Here comes a million of them!’
“About two miles to the north, coming over the crest
of
a low hill, was a column of Chinese. I could not see
the
head of the column for there was an intervening hill,
and
the tail was still below the crest to the north of the
hill. I
could only observe about 600 yards, but to me it was
one
of those endless columns. Morgan fired up his jeep
radio
and requested planes. I pointed out the column to Lt.
Col.
William Harris, who immediately called for the mortar
platoon commander: ‘Mr. Caridakis, give them a mortar
barrage.’ George answered, ‘Yes, sir. Both rounds?’
We had to depend on planes.
“It was not long before four Corsairs raced
over the
column in a dry run while Morgan gave them directions
on the radio. At the first run of the planes the
Chinese
scattered and took cover, disappearing completely from
view in the telescope. But the planes banked around
and
commenced several firing runs, strafing and dropping
napalm. When the smoke and flames cleared there was no
more movement on the hill. But more than ever I felt
then
that we must not remain another night in that valley.
“It was getting darker, and little black figures
showed
themselves along the ridges with ever-increasing
frequency, watching us. Artillery fire support was not
available, and our mortars were out of ammo. Planes
were
our only hope again. Morgan was able to get a flight
of
four. They came in strafing and dropping napalm. Lt.
Col.
Harris wanted Morgan to have the planes work the top
of
the ridgeline and Morgan relayed that information to
the
planes. The answer he got from them was that there
were
a hell of a lot more Chinese on the reverse slope,
just over
the top of the ridge, then there were along the crest,
and
that the planes would work that area.”
After that frightening revelation, the Marines got out
of there and marched all night in sub-zero cold. Roe
continued, “First light showed the sky gray and
overcast.
No planes. The men in the column lifted their filthy
faces
upward and scanned the sky, then dropped their eyes to
the ground and shuffled on. Then the column came to a
halt again. The Chinese were across the road ahead of
us.
16 Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 17
We would have to fight our way through.
“Through my glasses,” Roe said, “I watched Marines
fix bayonets and start up the hill toward the Chinese.
At
the same time, we heard the roar of engines and a
flight
of Navy ADs dropped down through the thinning overcast
and passed over the column, rocking their wings. We
had
never seen them before. They were, to us, magnificent
airplanes. The sight of the planes brought the sting
of salt
to the eyes of more than one man in the column. I was
never quite so happy to see planes, especially those
big
Navy ADs with their fat load of bombs and rockets—
sudden death for the Chinese. The Chinese must have
seen them at the same time as we did and must have
felt
the same way for as those planes roared down upon
them,
they gave up the hill.”
The enemy often attacked after dark, and Naval
Aviation did what it could to deny the enemy the
night.
But nighttime missions bred their own problems,
especially where recognition was concerned since the
pilots were naturally worried about hitting their own
men.
Even when the Marines marked the enemy with “Willie
Peter” (white phosphorus) rounds, it was often a case
of
hit and miss. Retired Marine Colonel Lynn Williams
(then a captain in Marine Night Fighter Squadron 513)
described another reason it was dangerous: “It was
very
hazardous for the pilot to dive down into the black
and
not know where the ground was. Even if there were some
ground fires, you often had to pull up into the black
unknown.” To throw off communist fire, VMF(N)-513
pilots developed the trick of turning off their lights
while
making runs and switching them back on as they
finished,
presenting a ghostly image that certainly must have
Freezing winds and blinding snow
almost shut down
Philippine Sea(CV 47) on 15 November
1950.
rattled the enemy.
Life or death for casualties was often only a matter
of
minutes, and the fastest way to save them was by air.
Between 27 November and 10 December, 5,493 men in
the bitter fighting around Chosin owed their lives to
the
dedication of air evacuation crews from the Air Force
flying C-47s, along with Marine R4D Skytrains,
HO3S-
1s, OY-2 Sentinels and TBM-3E Avengers.
On 4 December Ensign Jesse L. Brown of VF-32
embarked on board Leyte was
hit by antiaircraft fire during a
close support run over Hagaru-ri
and was forced to make an
emergency landing in the rugged
mountains northwest of the
Chosin Reservoir. Pilots circling
overhead observed him to be
alive but apparently pinned by
the wreckage of his F4U-4
Corsair. His
plane was burning
and darkness was falling fast,
along with the temperature. The
likelihood of Brown surviving
the night in the subarctic cold
was grim. Without hesitation,
Lieutenant (jg) Thomas J.
Hudner made a successful
wheels-up crash landing and
tried to pull Brown from the
wreck. Unfortunately, Brown’s
legs were pinned in the buckled
fuselage, so Hudner packed
snow around him in an attempt
to extinguish the flames. Going
back to his aircraft he radioed
for a search and rescue helo and
cutting tools. When the helo
arrived, Hudner did everything
he could to cut Brown out of the
plane, but the downed pilot died
before he could be freed. For his
extraordinary efforts to rescue
his squadron mate, Hudner was
awarded the Medal of Honor.
During a run on enemy emplacements near Hagaru-ri
on 7 December, Marine Technical Sergeant Hugh F.
Newell’s Corsair was hit by ground fire and his
napalm
tank erupted in midair, causing him to crash into a
nearby
hill. On 12 December VA-35 Black Panthers CO
LCdr.
Ralph Maxwell Bagwell was downed near a railroad
bridge, where he took refuge. Twenty enemy soldiers
tracked him down, and he spent the rest of the war in
a
prison camp.
Whether loading ordnance, maintaining engines or
fueling aircraft, ground crews had some of the
grittiest
and least appreciated jobs of the entire campaign, yet
without them there would have been no air support.
Working in freezing temperatures, struggling against
the
Manchurian winds that penetrated every layer of
clothing,
they kept the birds aloft. It was hard enough for the
men
ashore, but on board the carriers a wrong step on an
icy,
pitching deck could be the last a man took,
disappearing
into the frigid waters of the North Pacific. On 25
November heavy seas, high winds and low visibility
forced Leyte to cancel flight operations, and
on the 27th a
fierce snowstorm forced 19 aircraft to land at Wonsan
when they could not make it back to the ship. VMF-214
cancelled operations when 68-
knot winds, sub-zero
temperatures and heavy seas
combined to cover Sicily and
her aircraft with a thick
coating of ice.
VMF-212 pilots Capt.
Irving J. Barney and
Technical Sgt. Charles L.
Radford were returning to
their field after hitting targets
at Apungsan. Running into
brutal weather among 6,000-
foot peaks, Radford’s gyro
went out, his pitot tube froze
and a pair of hung rockets
would not shake off. Breaking
through the clouds, they
sighted Badoeng Strait and
decided to try an emergency
landing rather than ditch in
the freezing water. The alarm
brought Marines racing on
deck to taxi their aircraft
forward to make room; with
only a minute’s gas left
Barney just made it aboard.
Coming in out of gas on his
second try Radford caught the
final wire, nicking the barrier
with his prop. It was his first
accident in 120 landings, but
he was understandably not
upset.
It took the Marines 12 days of bitter fighting to
reach
Chinhung-ni, where they linked up with other UN troops
on 9 December, just as MacArthur authorized the
evacuation of the X Corps by sea. Some of the men were
to go through Wonsan, but the main effort was to be
made
out of Hungnam, an ideal choice because it was a
protected port with a tidal range of less than a foot;
the
Eighth Army was to go via Inchon and Chinnampo.
Besides getting the men out, Commander Naval Forces,
Far East Vice Admiral C. Turner Joy was also concerned
over possible Soviet intervention or a Chinese
invasion of
Taiwan, and he ordered the evacuations hurried.
Allied vessels rescued 105,000 troops and 91,000
civilians from Hungnam, 3,800 men and 7,009 civilians
escaped from Wonsan, while 68,913 men were rescued
18 Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000
A detailed view of Chinese attempts
to “close the
sack” as the column fought its way
through
continual attacks to freedom.
from Inchon and 7,700 from Chinnampo. In addition,
between 14 and 17 December, 112 aircraft from the Air
Force’s Combat Cargo Command supported by 10 from
VMR-152 flew over 400 sorties from Yonpo airfield,
lifting out 228 wounded and 3,891 more men, as well as
hundreds of Korean refugees. British Fireflies and
Sea
Furies from
HMS Theseus
covered the Eighth Army
evacuations, while the
carriers operating in the Sea
of Japan were joined by two
more.
Princeton (CV
37) with
CVG-19 embarked began
operations on 5 December,
joined by Bataan (CVL 29)
carrying the VMF-212 Devil
Cats and
VMF-312
Checkerboards, both
equipped with F4U-4
Corsairs,
and HU-1 Det 8
flying HO3S-1s. The
exhausted men of Valley
Forge departed
Yokosuka,
Japan, on 23 November,
arriving home in San Diego
only to suffer the heartbreak
of having all Christmas
leaves cancelled by their
recall. The carrier left on 6 December, this time
embarking CVG-2.
Naval Aviation again proved indispensable, flying over
1,700 sorties. Naval gunfire support kept the enemy at
bay, while radar picket destroyers patrolled 50 miles
out
to provide early warning for MiGs, though the enemy
had
learned their lesson and declined the invitation.
Because
so many evacuees were taken off, not all the ordnance
(including 400 tons of frozen dynamite and 500 1,000-
pound bombs) could be removed, so to deny its use to
the
enemy it was blown up. The entire Hungnam waterfront
was ripped apart by the ensuing mushroom cloud and
after the smoke cleared the PLA began moving in. The
last pilot overhead was Lt. R. B. Mack of VC-3’s Det F
from Princeton, who flew over the city that
night in his
F4U-5N. He recalled, “There were fires everywhere
throughout the area, and flames broke out around the
docks, growing and spreading until the whole
waterfront
seemed ablaze. As I took departure for Princeton,
I called
for Mount McKinley (AGC 7) and we exchanged
[holiday] greetings—for it was Christmas Eve 1950.”
Every effort was made to rescue Korean civilians who
the Communists had designated “enemies,” since no one
who had experienced communist methods doubted the
fate of these people if left behind. When they began
loading them at 0500 on 7 December, the crew of the
transport SS Lane Victory expected to receive
1,000. By
midnight, 7,009 were packed on board. The men of the
fleet did everything they could for the refugees, and
at
Hungnam kept fires going around the clock to warm them
as well as distributing pallet loads of rice.
Following the
evacuation, Rear Admiral James H. Doyle, Commander
Amphibious Group 1, recalled that “two civilian
representatives from the ROK government came to thank
[Vice] Admiral Joy and me
with tears in their eyes for
our compassion toward
their fellow countrymen
during the Hungnam
withdrawal.”
To this day, the Marines
of the 1st Division who
survived the retreat
proudly call themselves
“The Chosin Few,” and
most will unhesitatingly
say that only through the
support they received from
the air did any of them
come home.
Some years after the
war, Cdr. Guy Bordelon,
the Navy’s top Korean ace,
was asked who he thought
was the best pilot he ever
met. After carefully
considering the question,
he responded with a laugh: “Every Navy pilot thinks he’s
the best.” That confidence, combined with tremendous
skills and bravery, enabled Naval Aviation’s success.
Mr. Evans is a historian in the Naval Historical Center’s
Aviation
History Branch. Special thanks to Patrick C. Roe for
his stirring accounts
from The Dragon Strikes, Presidio Press, 2000,
and to W. Stephen Hill,
Marine Corps Historical Center, and members of “The
Chosin Few” for
their contributions to this article.
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 19
A VF-32 ready room scene aboard
Leyte(CV 32) in 1949
includes Ens. Jesse L. Brown, left,
the first African
American to complete the Navy’s basic
flight training
program for pilot qualification and
become a Naval
Aviator.
Begor(APD 127) stands by as the
Hungnam waterfront
erupts on 24 December 1950.
Photos
by Ted Carlson
The U.S. Marine
Corps MV-22B completed
operational evaluation (OPEVAL) in July at
Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River,
N.C., after eight months of extensive flight testing
to
evaluate its suitability for operational use. As with
most
new aircraft, the Osprey has gone through some
teething problems, including an unfortunate mishap in
April during the operational evaluation phase.
However, after a thorough investigation, the aircraft
was cleared to fly again two months later.
The Multi-service Operational Test Team—
comprising Marine and Air Force pilots, aircrew,
maintenance personnel, operations analysts and flight
engineers—put the aircraft through rigorous tests to
evaluate the MV-22’s readiness to join the fleet.
Navy,
Marine Corps and Air Force test sites were chosen for
their diverse climates, altitudes and supporting
assets.
The aircraft conducted operationally representative
missions from air-capable ships, airfields, remote
sites,
confined areas and major range and test facilities.
This
allowed the team to determine how the Osprey operates
with other aircraft, including the CH-46 Sea
Knight,
CH-53 Sea Stallion, F/A-18 Hornet, AV-8B
Harrier II
and Marine Corps and Air Force tankers.
Earlier this year, the Osprey was integrated
into a
Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1
exercise at MCAS Yuma, Ariz., to gain valuable
feedback from the Marine Corps before the MV-22
enters full-rate production, scheduled for late 2000.
In June, the Marine Corps’ four MV-22Bs resumed
OPEVAL at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons
Division China Lake, Calif. To demonstrate his
20 Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000
O S P R E Y :
NEW WINGS
FOR
AMPHIBIOUS
WARFARE
confidence in and support of the aircraft, General
James L. Jones, Commandant of the Marine Corps,
flew as a passenger in the first MV-22 cleared to
carry passengers since the mishap. Gen. Jones
remarked, “Marines pioneered the military use of
helicopters [during the Korean War], creating the
conditions for a new form of maneuver that radically
altered the nature of tactics, with global military
implications. The MV-22 is another such innovation. It
represents a major step in a new direction, and it is
the
best aircraft available today for the missions of
tomorrow.”
The MV-22B’s tilt-rotor design offers some
significant advantages over traditional helicopters. It
o
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 21
Capable of cruising in excess of 300
mph, the MV-22B offers the Marines greater speed and range than the
aircraft it will replace, the CH-46
Sea Knightand CH-53 Sea Stallion.This dramatic photo won the bimonthly ANA
photo contest. Next page: an
Ospreytaxies at MCAS Yuma, Ariz.
It can go into hostile areas at higher speeds, yet in
hover mode can offload troops without having to land
on a runway. With its range, the Osprey is able
to fly
around threats rather than through them, giving the
Marines greater flexibility during sorties. Conversion
from the helicopter hovering mode to forward airplane
22 Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000
flight takes only 12 seconds. The wings become lift
effective between 100 and 120 knots.
With OPEVAL completed, the low-rate initial
production aircraft used during the critical flight
test
phase have been turned over to Marine Medium Tilt-
Rotor Training Squadron 204, the new MV-22 training
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 23
unit. Located at MCAS New River, N.C., VMMT-204
will train both Marine and Air Force Osprey pilots.
The Marines are planning to purchase 360 MV-22s,
the Air Force 50 special operations CV-22s, and the
Navy 48 search and rescue HV-22s.
The MV-22B’s unique capabilities constitute an
exciting platform for the future. “The Osprey,”
Gen.
Jones said, “will provide our Marines with a needed
edge in the complex operations they will face while
defending Americans and American interests in the
21st century.”
Ted Carlson is a professional photographer whose work
regularly appears
in Naval Aviation News. The author acknowledges
Gen. James Jones,
Maj. David Lapan, Capt. Aisha Bakkar-Poe and Mr. Barry
MacDonald
for their assistance. Special thanks to Ms. Gidge Dady
of the V-22 Public
Affairs Integrated Product Team.
The Clipper has
arrived. No, it’s not a Pan Am Clipper
that flew in the late 1930s arriving
through a time warp. This Clipper
is the Navy’s new C-40A transport. The
only thing it has in common with its
historic namesake is the manufacturer,
Boeing.
During a 9 September ceremony at Boeing Field in
Seattle, Wash., the first new Navy aircraft to bear
the
name Clipper was rolled out in front of several
hundred
visitors. This newest edition to the Navy’s inventory
will
eventually replace the Naval Reserve’s aging fleet of
C-9
and DC-9 Skytrain IIs.
“Close to 25 percent of our C-9s are more than 30
years old,” said Rear Admiral John B. Totushek,
Commander of Naval Reserve Forces. “The Clipper will
take over their mission of providing all of the Navy’s
intra-theater medium and heavy airlift.” With a
greater
range and larger payload capacity, more
efficient engines and state-of-the-art
avionics and cockpit equipment, the C-
40A represents a significant boost in
capability over the C-9.
The Clipper is a version of Boeing’s
next-generation 737-700, the 737-700C, modified with a
large cargo door and the strengthened wings and
landing
gear of the 737-800. Five aircraft have been ordered;
a
sixth aircraft was funded in the FY 2001 budget.
The Naval Reserve currently has seven squadrons that
operate its 27 C-9 and DC-9 aircraft, and the Marine
Corps operates two C-9s of its own. The oldest of
these
aircraft are 12 DC-9s that were purchased secondhand
from various airlines in the early 1980s and then
converted to fit the Navy’s needs. A large cargo door
was
24 Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000
Story and Photos by JO1 Mark Faram
Inset, RAdm. Totushek talks with
Boeing’s David Spong at the
rollout in Seattle,Wash., where the
C-40A Clipper, above, made its
debut.
added to each aircraft, which made it possible to
convert
from a passenger to a cargo configuration easily or to
have
a mix of both.
Fifteen C-9s were built for the Navy in the 1970s, the
last of them purchased during the early 1980s just as
McDonnell Douglas was shutting down its production
line. In the early mid-1990s, when the oldest C-9 was
approaching 30 years of service life, the Navy started
to
look for a replacement.
Upgrading the aging Skytrain II airframe with
new
engines and avionics was considered, “but then we’d
have
new equipment in a 30-year-old airframe,” said
Commander Vic Van Heest, Branch Head for Naval
Reserve Air Logistics. “That didn’t make sense.” The
Navy also wanted to increase the range of its
logistics
aircraft to make nonstop flights from such places as
Hawaii to Japan and back to the United States, as base
closures had eliminated previously available refueling
stops. In addition, tougher
noise controls being
instituted in many locations
in Europe and the United
States further limited the
usefulness of the C-9. A
new aircraft was needed to
take Navy air logistics
forward.
Congress approved
funding for the first four
aircraft in 1997. The 737-
700 design was chosen
based on the success of the
737’s reliable airframe in service since 1967. In
addition,
decision makers provided wording in the law that would
eventually allow the Navy to sell some of its DC-9s to
commercial carriers to help offset the costs. To help
the
Navy keep the C-9s up to snuff during the transition,
many of them are receiving upgraded cockpits and
avionics that will make them safer and more viable
until
they are replaced.
The C-40A is able to carry 121 passengers or 40,000
pounds of cargo, compared with 90 passengers or 30,000
pounds for the C-9. In addition, the maximum range for
the Clipper is approximately 1,500 miles more
than the
C-9. The redesigned wings of the C-40A are stronger
and
have an advanced-technology airfoil that provides
greater
efficiency in flight. Under the wings, its General
Electric
CFM-56 engines are very fuel efficient and quiet.
Even after many upgrades, C-9s still have an analog
cockpit, but the Clipper has a fully digital “glass”
cockpit
that will allow for future growth. The cockpit is also
fitted
with a heads-up display, allowing pilots to keep their
eyes
up and outside in low-visibility approaches. One major
improvement is the C-40A’s navigation system based on
satellite global positioning, which will aid in
approaches
to airports in Third World countries with older, less
reliable ground systems.
The cargo area in the C-40A will be available in three
variations: all passenger with a capacity of 121, all
cargo
with a carrying capability of eight pallets totaling
40,000
pounds, and a combination rig that will allow for 70
passengers and three pallets. In this mode, the cargo
compartment is sealed to protect passengers and crews
from the potential danger of hazardous cargo.
The 737-700 is assembled from 375,000 parts, which
could be a nightmare for the Navy’s supply system if
required to purchase and order spares for the fleet.
But,
according to Cdr. Van Heest, “We will be able to
partner
with private industry—airline and cargo carriers—to
purchase parts under a Contract Logistics Supply
system.
A pool of parts will be created that all partners can
access
quickly, and this will lower costs because we won’t
have
to stock millions of dollars of parts.” But this is
for parts
only, he added, “it is not contract maintenance. We’ll
still
have our Navy personnel maintaining these aircraft.”
The first Clipper has been certified by the
Federal
Aviation Administration,
much like civilian cargo
and passenger aircraft.
Because this is a
commercial-off-the-shelf
aircraft, and because the
value for potential resale is
higher, it made sense to
accept FAA certification.
The first C-40A will be
delivered in April 2001 to
Fleet Logistics Support
Squadron (VR) 59, NAS
JRB Fort Worth, Texas.
Delivery of the first four aircraft to VR-59 is
planned for
completion by August 2001. The squadron ceased
operating C-9s on 1 October and began transition
training.
Although limited operations will begin shortly after
delivery of the first aircraft, VR-59 will not be
fully
operational until April 2002. The fifth aircraft,
scheduled
for completion in June 2002, will go to VR-58, NAS
Jacksonville, Fla., along with one of VR-59’s Clippers.
VRs 59 and 58 will operate three and two aircraft,
respectively, until more are procured. Eventually,
each
squadron will have four C-40As. At that time, a third
site
will be selected to receive Clippers.
Although the Naval Reserve believes that a one-for-one
replacement of the C-9 is the best way to continue to
accomplish the Navy’s medium- and heavy-lift mission,
plans have not been finalized. A study is underway to
determine future needs, and aircraft buys will be
based on
those results.
No matter what the number turns out to be, the new
Clipper has
the right stuff to perform the Navy’s logistics
mission well into the future.
JO1 Mark Faram is a reservist whose civilian job is
Content Manager/Photo
Editor at Military.com in Arlington, Va. The author
extends special thanks
to LCdr. T. M. Boulay, Director of Naval Reserve Public
Affairs Officer, for
his assistance with this article.
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 25
C-40A Specifications
Length: 110' 4" (33.63 m)
Height: 41' 2" (12.55 m)
Span: 112' 7"
Max. takeoff weight: 171,000 lb
Fuel capacity: 6,875 gal
Engines: Two General Electric CFM56-7
Thrust (max. sea level static): 24,000 lb each
Cruise speed: 0.78 to 0.82 Mach
Max. altitude: 41,000'
Max. range: 3,800 nm
Max. load: 121 passengers or 40,000 lb
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 1
The side-scan transmitter sends
out acoustic signals which bounce
off the seabed or any object on the
bottom. A computer system receives
the acoustic signal, analyzes the
information and produces an image
of the sea floor. A remote sensing
specialist, who can differentiate
between manmade objects and
naturally occurring objects, analyzes
the resulting image. But this system
can only tell the specialist what is
visible above the sediment, and
perhaps indicate its shape and
relative size. A magnetometer is
needed to determine if the object is
made of ferrous metals, such as steel
or iron. Unfortunately, since aircraft
are made up of mostly nonferrous
materials, magnetometry has limited
use. However, it can eliminate
certain targets depending on the size
and intensity of the signal.
When joined together, side-scan
sonar and the magnetometer indicate
an object of a specific size and
ferrous material at a specific location.
All types of remote sensing
equipment are correlated with a
global positioning system, which
gathers precise information from
satellites to pinpoint a location. In
this way the target can be revisited
and marked on a map, sometimes
indicating a pattern of wreckage that
helps the investigators. By using this
equipment the archaeologist has
already learned a great deal about the
area without ever having to get wet.
Once identified, targets require
visual inspection, and the
archaeologist must physically visit
the site. This is where the long,
tedious hours pay off. The Kaneohe
Bay field school produced many
targets. The students spent two of
their five weeks visually
investigating targets and recording
the measurements and
characteristics of the objects
encountered. Preliminary analysis
suggests they found a portion of a
PBY wing along with other
scattered and disfigured wreckage.
Photographs taken just after the
attack indicate that this plane
burned for some time, leaving few
remnants. In addition to the pieces
of possible wreckage, the students
identified mooring blocks for the
three patrol squadrons (VPs 11, 12
and 14) at Naval Air Station
Kaneohe Bay prior to the attack,
confirming the validity of their
search area.
The sector most likely containing
the remaining two seaplanes is in a
dangerous zone still used by the
military, and therefore could not be
visually inspected. However, the
side-scan sonar and magnetometer
data from this zone will remain on
file to enhance future investigation
when conditions permit.
Although one of the four planes
retains some structural integrity, it
can reasonably be stated that the
other three do not. This means that
the aircraft will not be threatened by
illegal salvage should the base ever
close and the area become
nonrestricted. Little remains of these
aircraft that would be worthy of
display, and the costs of retrieval
and conservation prohibit their
removal. Therefore, there are no
plans to revisit or retrieve any of the
patrol plane wrecks found in
Kaneohe Bay. Instead, they will
continue to serve as testimony to a
devastating attack, as they have for
more than 50 years.
Ms. Coble is the aviation issues specialist in the
Naval Historical Center’s Underwater
Archaeology Branch.
For full details on the field school, please
Above, an underwater archaeologist
prepares to submerge to visually
inspect a target of interest in
Kaneohe Bay. Opposite, a student
archaeologist takes measurements of
the cockpit area of a PBY, being
careful not to disturb tenant
lobsters.
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 27
Execute,” a
signalman aboard the destroyer Aylwin (DD
355) yelled as he watched the flag signal hoisted on
Yorktown (CV
5). Immediately, the task force turned
into the wind. We had to quickly land our planes
aboard
Yorktown and
Lexington (CV 2) before any more enemy
bombers appeared. We had safely survived an attack by
aircraft out of Rabaul, New Britain, in the South
Pacific.
The date was February 1942.
Our fighter pilots had created havoc among the enemy
bombers. One pilot shot down five Mitsubishi G4M
“Bettys,” becoming the first naval ace of WW II. The
folks
back home in Chicago, Ill., later named an airport
after
him. His name was Butch O’Hare.
Fortunately, none of our pilots were lost, but some of
their planes had been damaged so badly that the
tailhooks
wouldn’t catch the arresting wires on the flight deck.
These
planes had to crash into the “barrier,” a screen of
cables
that would pop up from the flight deck. The barrier
also
protected other aircraft parked on the deck.
Crashing into a barrier could be devastating to the
pilot
and the plane. Surely, there must be a better way, and
there
was. But it took the Royal Navy to come up with the
idea.
Years later, in 1953, I was Chief Engineer of the
first, and
at that time the only, “canted” deck aircraft carrier
in the
world, Antietam (CVA 36). We were in
Portsmouth, England,
to let the Royal Navy fly their fighter jets on and
off an
angled-deck carrier, because this brilliant idea
originated with
the British (see “Angled Flight Deck Inventor Dies,”
Jul–Aug
00, p. 46). Now, if the tailhook missed the arresting
wires, the
plane didn’t have to crash into the barrier; the pilot
just
gunned the engine and came around for another try.
The day came for the first Royal Navy touch-and-go
practice. It was a lovely day, but there was no
natural wind.
The sea was flat. In order to get the 30-knot wind
over the
flight deck required for landing and taking off jets,
all of
Antietam’s eight
boilers had to be “on the line.” With those
old boilers huffing and puffing, I offered a silent
prayer
that Murphy’s Law would not apply. But, midway through
the exercise, one of the two forced-draft blowers on
one
boiler locked up. We had to lower the fires on the
boiler to
keep from making smoke that would blind the pilots
while
landing, but by doing so the ship’s speed was
decreased.
After I explained the problem, the captain made the
decision to send the Royal Navy jets to the beach. He
then
summoned me to the bridge, where I assured him the
entire
engineering force would work around the clock to find
the
trouble. “Chief, we are going to sea on Monday, and
that
blower had better be working,” the captain said. “I
don’t want
my command to be the laughing stock of the Royal Navy.
This is your ‘graduation test.’ Do I make myself
clear?”
“Yes, sir,” I replied, fully aware that failure would
result
in something ominous.
We tore that blower down and found that an internal
helical gear had broken. I was shaking after we
learned that
the gear was not on our spare parts list. We handed
the
ship’s top machinist the blueprints and broken gear
and
asked him if he could make a replacement by Sunday
morning. He took one look and said he couldn’t make
the
helical cut. I was crushed. Would failure of my
graduation
test mean that I would get transferred? Almost as bad,
I had
my heart set on seeing Paris, France. Would I have to
cancel my leave?
Early Saturday morning, I headed into Her Majesty’s
Dockyard in Portsmouth carrying a heavy heart,
blueprints and
28 Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000
A BLACKSHOE’S GRADUATION
TEST ABOARD ANTIETAM
By Capt. George W. Folta, USN (Ret.)
the broken gear. When I found the
machine shop, I explained the
problem and played up its
importance to the Royal Navy.
The men were all old, and even
their tools looked ancient. The
leading man examined the gear
and blueprints, then called over a
coworker. They must have
spoken in Old English because
I couldn’t understand a word of
their conversation. Finally, he
turned to me and said, “Son,
you come back this afternoon.
We will have your gear for
you. After all, we built a
battleship in one year. We
can certainly turn out a small
gear in one day.” I thought as
I left, “A battleship in one
year! Is the old man
hallucinating?”
When I returned and
looked at the gear, I saw my
graduation test go down the drain. The gear was not
helical.
The old man put his hand on my shoulder and said, “Not
to
worry. This gear will work perfectly. It may be a
little
noisier, but your blower will never know the difference.”
How could he tell that by looking at the blueprints?
At the
Naval Academy I had done well in mechanical drawing,
but
it wasn’t clear to me that a straight-cut gear would
work.
We had no other choice, so we put the gear in the
blower
and, holding our collective breath, lit it off while
we hid behind
the boiler. It ran like a Swiss watch—and not a bit
noisier.
On Monday
morning, we put to sea
with the Royal Navy
jets. No smoke. The
pilots were happy, the
captain was happy and I
was invited to watch the
flight operations. I knew I
had passed the test and
would get to Paris!
Several mornings later
before I was to go on leave, I
returned to the machine shop
to thank the people there.
Under my arm I carried a
large can of coffee and a
framed picture of Royal Navy
jets taking off from Antietam.
The men were delighted and
asked me to tarry over a cup of
coffee. It was then that I asked the
leading man, “By the way, what
battleship did this dockyard build
in one year?”
“The Dreadnought in 1906,” he answered. I was in awe.
These men had not only been the key to my passing my
graduation test, but they had helped build the
forerunner of
WW I and WW II battle cruisers and battleships.
I passed around American cigarettes, and we had some
more coffee while they regaled me with stories of
building that
great ship. Paris, not as important now, would have to
wait.
Later in his career, Capt. Folta commanded John Hood
(DD 655) and
Monticello (LSD
35). He retired from naval service in 1969.
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 29
Top,
Antietam(CVA
36) underway in 1953. Above,
this page from the carrier’s 1952–1953
cruise book shows the purpose of the
visit to
England: to demonstrate the canted
deck to the British and
invite them to participate in flight
operations.
Awards
Several EA-6B community
awards were presented at NAS
Whidbey Island, Wash., during
Prowler Week
2000 in July:
The Bud White Outstanding
Civilian of the Year was Sherrie
McDaniel of Commander Electronic
Attack Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet. The
award recognizes the government
civilian who has made the most
significant contributions to the
operation or support of the Prowler
community.
The ALQ-99 Excellence Award
went to LCdr. Davis Goodman of
the Electronic Attack Weapons
School for contributing the most to
the technical development and
improvement of the ALQ-99 tactical
jamming system.
VAQ-141 was recognized as the
squadron with the best overall
maintenance department, receiving
the Ground Maintenance
Squadron of the Year (Golden
Wrench) Award.
Lt. Thomas Gibbons of VAQ-129
received the award for Ground
Maintenance Officer of the Year,
given to the EA-6B officer who
demonstrated the best performance
in the field of aircraft maintenance
over the past year.
Lt. Lesley Fierst was awarded the
Northrop Grumman Prowler Tactics
Instructor of the Year, which
recognizes the Prowler tactics
instructor who has contributed the
most in EA-6B tactics training.
The Northrop Grumman
Intelligence Officer of the Year
was Lt. Don Furukawa of VAQ-137.
Lt. Dodd Wambers of VAQ-138
received the Landing Signal
Officer of the Year award as the
first-tour fleet LSO whose waving
skills and dedication to duty had the
greatest benefit to their squadron
and air wing.
VAQ-140 was awarded the
Prowler Tactical Excellence Award
as the squadron that demonstrated
the best overall tactical expertise
over the past year.
Lt. Michael Orr of VAQ-139 was
named the Fleet Replacement
Squadron (FRS) Pilot of the Year.
Lt. Davis Rutter of VAQ-132 was
cited as FRS Replacement
30
Naval Aviation News November December 2000
Edited by JO3 Amy L. Pittmann Above, QM3 Michael Alvarez uses a
sextant as a tool for
navigational positioning aboard
Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72)
on 3 September as the carrier steams
toward the Arabian
Gulf for a six-month deployment in
support of Operation
Southern Watch.
PEOPLE
PLANES
PLACES
PHAA Mason Cavazos
Electronic Countermeasures
Officer (ECMO) of the Year.
Lt. Gregory Davis was designated
Instructor Pilot of the Year and Lt.
Johnathan Jackson Instructor
ECMO of the Year. These awards
recognize the best instructors at
VAQ-129. Winners are chosen by
their peers for their professionalism
and effectiveness in the classroom
and cockpit.
Lt. Matthew Vandersluis received
the “Seadog” Fodor Memorial
Award recognizing
the individual
who best exemplifies the
outstanding leadership traits, loyalty
and dedication to duty and
camaraderie exhibited by the late
Cdr. Fodor.
The Admiral John Perry Award
went to Capt. Donald Duinn of
CVW-9. This award honors the EA-
6B officer who has demonstrated
superior abilities in airborne, tactical
and electronic warfare.
The Navy and Marine Corps
recipients for the 2000 Secretary of
Defense Maintenance Awards are
Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare
Squadron 2, MCAS Cherry Point,
N.C. (small category); NAS
Whidbey Island, Wash., Aircraft
Intermediate Maintenance
Department (medium category); and
Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) (large
category).
Scan Pattern
VP-65 can be
proud of its
victories against narcotics trafficking
while patrolling the skies over the
eastern Pacific and Caribbean.
VP-65 interdicted 34 vessels
involved in the movement of illegal
cargo during the squadron’s fourmonth
deployment with the Joint
Interagency Task Force West out of
Belize, South America, which
concluded in mid-June. With 61
missions conducted and more than
480 flight hours logged, the reserve
squadron’s hard work led to the
seizure of more than five metric tons
of cocaine. Flying low and using
digital imagery, VP-65’s P-3 Orions
patrolled more than 2.5 million
square miles of ocean looking for
drug smuggling speedboats and their
supply ships. Three other reserve
units from Point Mugu, Calif.—
the Mobilization, Operational
Command Center; Mobile Maintenance
Facility-A; and VR-55—
assisted in the counternarcotics
operations.
Six Naval Air Maintenance
Training Group Detachment
officers in charge became
commanding officers on 29 June
when the NAMTRAGRUs were
elevated to the level of authority
exercised by fleet readiness
squadrons: Cdr. Harry Bryant,
Jacksonville, Fla.; Cdr. James
Wirwille, Norfolk, Va.; Cdr. James
Duke, North Island, Calif.; Cdr.
Robert Crisler, Lemoore, Calif.;
On his last flight before retirement,
Commander Naval Air Forces, U.S.
Pacific Fleet VAdm. Mike Bowman flies
a VFA-125 F/A-18 Hornet
(foreground) over the Coronado Bay
bridge near San Diego, Calif., on 22
August. His son, Ltjg. Geoff Bowman,
is flying the other Hornet.
PH1 Dan Smith
Cdr. Luther Kinsey, Oceana, Va.;
and Cdr. Robert Blakley, Whidbey
Island, Wash.
VAQ-128’s Incentive
Flight
Program continues to reward
members of the Fighting Phoenix
who exceed goals which contribute
to the success of the squadron. This
time AT1 (AW) Kevin Monaghan
had the chance to ride in the back
seat of an EA-6B Prowler during a
thrilling low-level training flight. A
member of the squadron since
1997, his superb technical and
leadership skills led him to be
considered a prime candidate for
the program.
Records
Units marking safe flying time:
Unit Hours Years
VP-26 278,000 38
VAW-113 112,500 26
VFA-106 90,000 7
VQ-1 79,486 13
VAQ-132 50,000 30
VAW-120 48,000 7
VPU-1 35, 565 18
VAW-115 32,600 15
Anniversaries
VP-64 and VP-66
celebrated
their 30th anniversaries on 20 and
21 October, respectively.
Rescues
While participating in a routine
exercise off the coast of Hawaii
during RIMPAC 2000, the crew of a
VP-1 P-3 Orion
became a search
and rescue team on 23 June.
Navigator/communicator Ltjg. Ed
Fahrenkrug received a call relayed
from the Canadian frigate HMCS
Adelaide stating
that a Canadian
helicopter intended to ditch at sea.
Lt. Todd Linskey, patrol plane
commander and mission
commander, headed to the area of
the ditching, while AW1 Bill Volk
and AW2 Todd Forest prepared for
possible life raft drops and radar
operator AW2 Paul Mudge passed
range and bearing information to
Adelaide.
The victims were rescued
in less than 30 minutes. The Orion
crew’s quick action in assisting
Adelaide helped
ensure the survival
and rescue of all five downed crew
members.
On 8 July the NAS Whidbey
Island, Wash., Search and Rescue
(SAR) team answered a call for
assistance with an injured hiker. The
Whatcom County Sheriff’s
Department asked the UH-3H Sea
King crew
for help in finding and
rescuing an injured woman with her
husband and son near Mount Ruth,
Wash. The team—aircraft
commander LCdr. Kent
Peckenpaugh, copilot LCdr. Scott
Parrish, crew chief AT2 Jeff
Cornelius, utility crewman/swimmer
ADC Frank Leets and HM1 Mike
Stevens—had limited daylight to
complete the mission. En route, the
helo crew picked up volunteer
spotter Harry Patz of Bellingham
Search and Rescue. When the family
was found, the crew prepared for a
challenging hover close to trees.
Determining they would have to
jettison some fuel to have enough
Left, Airman Frank Brown takes a
moment to contemplate after a busy
round of carrier qualifications
aboard
Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in the
Atlantic Ocean on 29 August.
PH1 Tina M. Ackerman
engine power to hover at 5,100 feet,
there could be no margin for error.
The helicopter was maneuvered near
the injured woman and Stephens and
Leets were lowered to assess her
condition. Severe back injury was
suspected from the fall. The victim
was secured in the litter and
Stephens rode up with her. After
Leets and the family were collected,
the crew transported the victim and
her family to a Bellingham hospital.
To say that the NAS Fallon,
Nev., Search and Rescue (SAR)
team had a busy summer is an
understatement, after seven rescues
in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
between 19 and 31 July. The first of
the action-packed days began with
an 1830 call from the El Dorado
County, Calif., Sheriff’s Department
citing that an injured woman and her
family were stranded near South
Lake Tahoe. The SAR crew of Cdr.
Chris Lindberg, LCdr. Theo
Kulezak, AMS1 Sam Cox, AMS2
Sean Lawson and HM1 Jon Bullman
arrived on scene, and performed a
one-skid landing for rotor clearance
to reach the family on the side of a
steep hill at an elevation of 7,500
feet. A half hour later, the family
was on its way to a nearby medical
facility.
On 21 July, Fallon received a call
from the Mono County, Calif.,
Sheriff’s Department to rescue a
woman who injured her ankle
hiking. The SAR crew of Lt. Dave
Cotts, Kulezak, Cox, Lawson and
Bullman left for the victim’s
location at 11,200 feet on the side of
a steep slope. The high altitude
prevented the team from carrying a
full load of crewmen and equipment
to the victim’s position. Cotts flew
to a base camp and dropped off
Bullman and Lawson along with
extra equipment. Once the crew
located the victim, Cotts
maneuvered the helicopter into a
one-skid landing at the top of the
mountain peak in a bowl area. In
one try, the crew picked up the
victim and her companion. The
victim was then flown to a local
hospital for treatment.
On 24 July, the SAR crew
assisted the Mono County Sheriff’s
Department with a woman who had
become ill while camping. The crew
of LCdr. John Freeburg, Kulezak,
AECS Jim Williamson, AMS2 Jason
Claybaugh and Bullman landed in
an area near the victim, loaded her
and transported her to a local airport
for awaiting medical treatment.
The Mono County Sheriff’s
Department again called NAS
Fallon’s SAR team on 26 July to
help rescue a man suffering from
severe back spasms. SAR crewmen
Lt. Rob Schneider, Kulezak, AD2
Nick Wiscons, Claybaugh and
Bullman flew along the rocky
mountain terrain at an elevation of
9,500 feet and landed in a clearing
about a quarter mile away from the
victim. Bullman and Wiscons
carried the man across the distance
to the helicopter. He was taken to
Reno, Nev., for medical treatment.
The SAR crew of Schneider,
Freeburg, Williamson, Wiscons and
Bullman were called out again on 28
July, to locate a 67-year-old man and
his wife who were overdue from a
hike in mountainous Alpine County,
Calif. The team searched the
suspected area for two hours,
finding the victims in a tight canyon
at 9,000 feet. The helo crew
informed the ground crews of the
position, but running low on fuel
and daylight, returned to NAS
Fallon. The next day the ground
crews got bogged down in their
attempts to rescue the victim and
called the Navy to return to the site
to help. Schneider, Kulezac,
Williamson, Wiscons, HM2 Dan
Vandercook and Bullman arrived to
find the victim and ground crews in
a heavily wooded area with 75-foot
trees. Unable to land, Wiscons and
Vandercook rappelled down.
Vandercook assessed the victim and
discovered that he had injured his
artificial knee. The man was placed
into the litter and he and his wife
were taken to the search base camp
for treatment.
On 31 July the SAR crew of
Cotts, Kulezak, AE2 Mike Spleen,
Lawson and Vandercook responded
to a call from the Alpine County
Sherriff’s Department to help find a
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 33
Lt. Matt
Heckemeyer, a flight
instructor with Training
Squadron 10, NAS
Pensacola, Fla., and
wife Kerry bought
Trader Jon’s from
the
family of Martin
“Trader Jon”
Weissman. The
legendary bar, which
closed in 1998 after
Weissman suffered a
stroke, reopened under
the same name on 2
September. Right, the
couple poses with a
likeness of “Trader”
sporting trademark
mismatched socks.
New Owners Honor Tradition
Wendy Leland
Continued on p. 36
34 Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000
Arrrgh . . . thar be
the “Jolly Rogers”
Just as the Skull and Crossbones
struck fear
into the hearts of sailors past,
VF-103’s Jolly
Rogerscause dread to any potential
enemy
today. Above, VF-103’s AT2
Christopher
Chandler and Lt. Andy Walton conduct
preflight checks on 27 June before
commencement of flight operations
from
George Washington(CVN 73). Right, a
Jolly
Rogers F-14 Tomcatlaunches from the
carrier
on 3 September. CVN 73 is operating
in
support of Operation Southern Watch.
PH2 Shane McCoy
PH3 Class Andrew Kaeding
PH2 Aaron Favereaux
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 35
Above, an F-14 Tomcatattached to
VF-103 rests on
the flight deck of George
Washington(CVN 73) on
18 July. Below, an at-the-ramp
Tomcatheads for the
three wire on 11 July.
PH2 Shane McCoy
PH3 Andrew Kaeding
hiker who was last seen with
his hiking party two days
earlier. The SAR team inserted
two dog search and rescue
teams before beginning an air
search. After two hours the
hiker was spotted in a ravine.
Lawson rappelled to the victim
using the winch and Spleen
hoisted them back to the helo
before they headed to the
search base camp.
This tempo of search and
rescue activity exemplifies
what a valuable asset SAR
teams are to the communities
they serve.
The dedication of two
aviation machinist’s mates
resulted in saving aircraft and,
ultimately, lives.
AD3 Joachimgerard
Ramos, a
troubleshooter with
VAQ-135, was performing a
preflight inspection on an
EA-6B when he noticed two
cracks in the shape of an “X”
on a slat, located on the
leading edge of the wing. The
discovery led him to consult
an airframe specialist, who
confirmed the discrepancy.
The aircraft was grounded
until repairs could be made,
preventing a possible
accident.
AD1 Joseph M. Pollock
of VP-45 was awarded the
Navy and Marine Corps
Achievement Medal on 21
June for averting a possible
in-flight mishap. He
determined the cause of a
36 Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000
Former NANews Editor Dies
Arthur L. Schoeni, editor of Naval Aviation
News from
the mid-1940s to the early 1950s,
passed away in July in Dallas, Texas, at the age
of 94. A journalist with the United Press
Association at the onset of WW II, Art came
into the Navy and joined NANews when it was
expanded from newletter to magazine format by
former Life magazine personnel then in
uniform. After leaving the magazine staff and
the Navy as a lieutenant commander in 1953, he
became a technical writer and photographer for
Chance Vought Aircraft in Dallas. He
established a worldwide reputation as an
aviation photographer with the company and its
successor, Ling-Tempco-Vought. The NANews
staff extends sincere sympathy to his family.
We’ll miss our long association and his annual
Christmas cards adorned with one of his classic
photos of a naval aircraft.
Bon Homme Richard (LHD 6):
Capt. Jeff Connelly relieved Capt.
Douglas W. Keith, 24 Apr.
CVW-2: Capt.
Gerald R.
Beaman relieved Capt. Thomas W.
Trotter, 17 Apr.
CVW-7: Capt.
George B. Dom
relieved Capt. Richard D. Jaskot,
21 Jul.
CVW-11: Capt.
Thomas C.
Bennett relieved William A.
Pokorny, Jr., 8 Sep.
ELECATKWPNSCOL:
Cdr.
Matthew T. Scassero relieved Cdr.
Mark L. Nold, 3 Aug.
Essex (LHD
2): Capt. Robert J.
Gilman relieved Capt. Stephen D.
Gilmore, 18 May.
FITWINGLANT:
Capt. Mark
N. Clemente relieved Capt. Gene
W. Garrett, 13 Jul.
HS-75: Cdr.
James McGovern
relieved Cdr. Jeffery Funderburk,
22 Jul.
HSL-41: Cdr.
Earl L. Gay
relieved Capt. Charles B. Key III,
22 Jun.
HSL-44: Cdr.
Michael Brooks
relieved Cdr. Michael Walley, 29
Jun.
HSL-48: Cdr.
Patrick Crotzer
relieved Cdr. Stephen Senteio, 14
Jul.
HT-18: Cdr.
Paul A. Grosklags
relieved LtCol. Frank D. Mazur, 13
Jul.
NADEP Jacksonville, Fla.:
Capt. Christopher J. Roum relieved
Capt. Gary S. O’Neill, 22 Jun.
NAR San Diego, Calif.: Capt.
R. Kent Hudgens relieved Capt.
Thomas G. Bauer, 6 Aug.
NAS Kingsville, Texas: Capt.
John J. Morrow relieved Capt.
Patrick J. Twomey, Jul.
NAS Patuxent River, Md.:
Capt. Patrick J. Hovatter relieved
Capt. Paul Roberts, 27 Jul.
NAVAIRSYSCOM:
VAdm.
Joseph W. Dyer relieved VAdm.
John A. Lockard, 27 Jun.
NAWS China Lake, Calif.:
Capt. Jim Seaman relieved Capt.
John Langford, 28 Jul.
VAQ-128: Cdr.
Joseph Kuzmick
relieved Cdr. Matthew Straughan,
4 Aug.
VAQ-141: Cdr.
Sterling G.
Gilliam relieved Cdr. David T. Ott,
10 Aug.
VAW-123: Cdr.
Eric R. Hinger
relieved Cdr. Gerald L. Hehe, 14 Jul.
VF-2: Cdr.
Kelly B. Baragar
relieved Cdr. Randy O. Parrish, 25
Aug.
VFA-27: Cdr.
Robert P.
McLaughlin relieved Cdr. Kevin C.
Hutcheson, 12 May.
VFA-87: Cdr.
Thomas Huff
relieved Cdr. Patrick Hall, 22 Jun.
VP-5: Cdr.
Tim Boothe relieved
Timothy S. Tibbits, 23 Jun.
VP-47: Cdr.
Gregory Wittman
relieved Cdr. James Tanner, 30 Jun.
VS-21: Cdr.
Gary Sandala
relieved Cdr. Mike Warriner, 15
Jun.
VS-38: Cdr.
Justin Cooper
relieved Cdr. Paul Hennes, 8 Jun.
VT-2: Cdr.
Kevin J. Hogan
relieved Cdr. Lloyd E. Gilham,
29 Jun.
VT-10: Cdr.
Brian R. Toon
relieved Lt. Col. Richard L.
Anderson III, 7 Jul.
VT-22: Cdr.
Jay M. Chestnut
relieved Cdr. P. Fedyschyn, 8 Sep.
VT-28: Cdr.
Ross L. Kirkpatrick
relieved Cdr. Christopher J. Schulz,
1 Sep.
C h a n g e o f C o m m a n d
recurring malfunction in
one of the squadron’s
aircraft. On two separate
routine training missions,
the aircraft experienced fire
warning light indications
that led to the shutdown of
the engine each time. After
two post-flight maintenance
inspections were
performed, AD1 Pollack
discovered the swirl vane
straightener clamp was
warped, allowing hot air to
blow by the turbine casing
and activate the fire
warning system. Pollack
was recognized for
displaying superior
commitment and
knowledge in discovering
the problem.
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 37
By AA Jennifer Lewis
The “Boneyard” is a place of antiques and historic
symbolism, a burial ground for aircraft. On 6
December 1999, P-3 Orion side number PR-44
(BuNo
153433), inset, one of many aircraft used by Fleet Air
Reconnaissance Squadron
(VQ) 1, brought to a close its
life as a logistics support
aircraft.
When VQ-1 received PR-44
on 20 August 1991, the aircraft
had already accumulated
15,614.8 flight hours, and served
well in VQ-1’s tactical reconnaissance mission.
The Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration
Center (AMARC) aboard Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.,
is the location of the “Boneyard” and PR-44’s final
resting place after logging 3,532 flight hours and
9,426
landings at VQ-1. The facility was created in 1946 for
storage purposes, and the Air Force used it first to
preserve its B-29 bombers. It wasn’t until 18 years
later that the Navy began using the facility for
aircraft
storage.
After an aging or retired aircraft is inducted into
the
inventory at AMARC, it goes through a complete
system check. This involves removing or setting
safeties for all explosive devices and removal of all
classified gear, which is stored in a vault on site.
AMARC personnel eventually put in 10/10 oil, give it
a power turn and spray preservative on the exterior.
“The aircraft is like a person in the military. It
lives
and works for 20 years or longer
and when it gets too old, it
retires,” said AMARC’s Senior
Chief Brooks. But to some, the
place is more than a retirement
community for aircraft. It holds
sentimental value. “There are
many things one remembers by
just looking at an old airplane,” Brooks added, “such
as a squadron you were in or people you knew. There
are many memories attached to just one bird.”
Now PR-44 waits with 5,000 other aircraft to be
used again, either for war reserves, foreign military
sales or government agency purposes. About 25
percent of such aircraft actually return to the fleet.
When the last crew members of PR-44 said
goodbye, they left their signatures for posterity,
demonstrating that wherever the aircraft ends up they
are grateful for the part it played in accomplishing
the
mission.
Airman Apprentice Lewis is assigned to VQ-1.
If These Planes Could Talk
Once known as the
“Queens of the Pacific,”
Martin Mars aircraft are still
flying after retiring from U.S. Navy service nearly 50
years ago. In 1999 the
California Department of Forestry rented the Hawaii
Mars from Forest Industries
Flying Tankers Ltd., British Columbia, to help
extinguish fires in the Sequoia
National Forest. The Hawaii Mars is one of two
remaining Mars aircraft that once
belonged to the Navy and were attatched to VR-2. Four Mars
aircraft—Marianas,
Philippine, Hawaii and Caroline—were delivered to VR-2 during 1945 and 1946
and were operated between California and Hawaii
until 1956.
Above, the largest flying boats ever
operated by the
Navy, Mars aircraft set several
records before being
retired and sold. Right, today, the
Caroline and Hawaii
Mars fitted with 7,200 gallon water
tanks provide an
unmatched force against forest fires.
FIREFIGHTING
FLYING
BOAT
38 Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000
By Cdr. Peter B. Mersky, USNR (Ret.)
Holland, W. J., Jr., Rear
Admiral, USN (Ret.), Editorin-
Chief. The Navy. Naval
Historical Foundation, 1306
Dahlgren Ave. SE,
Washington Navy Yard, DC
20374-5055. 2000. 352 pp.
Ill. The book is available at
the Navy Museum gift shop
for $70 (minus a discount for
foundation members). For an
order form, see the
foundation’s website at
www.mil.org/navyhist/
or call 202-678-4333.
Acompanion to a
previously published
volume on the U.S.
Marine Corps and to an
upcoming effort on U.S. Naval
Aviation, this book is a truly
fine effort that uses the writing
talents, operational experience,
knowledge and decades-long
dedication of many well-known
and not-so-well-known
veterans. Its large format allows
a spacious layout for graphics
and type. With this luxurious
coffee table book, as well as the
Marine Corps volume, good
things come in big packages.
Juggling the weighty tome
might be considered good
exercise.
That said, this is one of the
best overviews of the American
Navy I have ever seen. It is
impressive in every respect, and
I highly recommend it for
anyone with an interest in the
subject. It’s a great ready reference as well as a
fine gift for
any occasion. The chapters are essays on a full range
of
topics, from the earliest history to today’s fleet and
the
people who man it. Well-chosen photos, paintings and
illustrations complement the text.
The early chapters detail America’s emergence as a
world
naval power, with interesting sidelights on the “society”
of
the Navy. There is a particularly poignant assessment
of the
Civil War and its effect on American history on page
45.
Surprisingly, the otherwise authoritative section on
WW I has
nothing on U.S. Naval Aviation, which was very active
from
British and Italian bases in the last 15 months of the
war.
Succeeding chapters do portray Naval Aviation’s growth
and
include a good display of photos.
The conflict between the Navy
and the Army during the 1920s
regarding the Navy’s role,
especially that of its aircraft, is
covered as well as the development
of the aircraft carrier. In that era,
flag officers like William Moffett
and Joseph Reeves took positions as
proponents of naval air, even when
it wasn’t popular to do so.
The book’s lengthy WW II
chapter is appealingly written. U.S.
Naval Institute editor and former
battleship sailor Paul Stillwell
knows his subject and chats away in
his unique, folksy style, pulling
together a huge panorama of the
two-ocean war of the 1940s using
interviews and memories. The
Korean War is well described, and
Naval Aviation enjoys a short
portion of this large chapter dealing
with post-WW II events. Dr. Ed
Marolda does a fine job of covering
the 40-year Cold War, including the
1962 Cuban Missile Crisis and the
Vietnam War. Marolda discusses the
building global confrontation
between the Free World and
communism, and the role U.S. naval
forces played in deterring the
adversaries in Moscow and Peking.
The 1991 Gulf War rounds out this
large essay.
Retired Navy Captain and Naval
Aviator, Rosario “Zip” Rausa, a
former editor of this magazine,
writes the chapter on carrier air. His
personal experience and knowledge
of the subject make it more than
another review of sea-based
aviation’s history. It is a beautifully written
description of
what carrier air power has become in the 1990s,
developed
from the preceding eight decades.
Other chapters in the book describe various
communities
in the Navy, including the judge advocate corps, civil
engineers, medical corps and supply corps. Author and
publisher retired Vice Admiral William P. Mack offers
a
special chapter on the traditions that are so much a
part of the
Navy. There is even a section on museums and displays
that
highlight the sea service and its people and history.
The Navy is
a unique, well-done book in which everyone
will find something of interest, and will enjoy as a
detailed
overview of our service.
One chapter of The Navy eloquently
describes carrier
air power in the 1990s. Above, a Navy
aircrewman
mans the door gun of an SH-3 Sea King
from HS-9
aboard Theordore Roosevelt(CVN 71)
during Operation
Desert Storm in 1991.
Lt. Gerald B. Parsons
Naval Aviation NewsNovember–December
2000 39
Chosin–Hungnam
Symposium
U.S. Navy and Marine Corps
operations in Korea during November
and December 1950 will be the subject
of a symposium sponsored by the
Naval Historical Center, Naval
Historical Foundation (NHF), U.S.
Navy Memorial Foundation and the
Marine Corps Heritage Foundation.
The symposium will be held at the
Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C.,
on 12 December, beginning at 1 pm.
For details, contact the NHF, 202-678-
4333; nhfwny@msn.com.
Ramsey Fellowship
The Ramsey Fellowship in Naval
Aviation History is a competitive, inresidence
fellowship in “U.S. Naval
Flight History,” including Navy and
Marine Corps aviation, the history of
rocketry, missile and space activities in
U.S. naval service, biographical
studies of Naval Aviators, and
multinational comparative studies that
include the United States. It is open to
all interested candidates with
demonstrated skills in research and
writing; an advanced degree is not
required. A stipend of $45,000 will be
awarded for a 12-month fellowship,
with limited additional funds for travel
and miscellaneous expenses.
Send requests for fellowship
application packages to: Collette
Williams, Fellowship Coordinator,
Room 3313, National Air and Space
Museum, Smithsonian Institution,
Washington, DC 20560-0312;
collette.williams@nasm.si.edu.
Application packages are available on
the museum’s website:
www.nasm.edu/nasm/joinnasm/
fellow/fellow.htm.
Color Slides Wanted
Author wishes to contact anyone
who took color slides of Navy or
Marine Corps aircraft dating from
WW II through the Vietnam War to be
used in articles and books. Contact
Warren Thompson, 7201 Stamford
Cove, Germantown, TN 38138; 901-
754-1852; migaley@attglobal.net.
Thank
You, Veterans!
Some
veterans bear visible signs of their service: a missing limb,
a
jagged scar, a certain look in the eye. Others may carry the
evidence
inside them: a pin holding a bone together, a piece of
shrapnel
in the leg, or perhaps another sort of inner steel—the
soul’s
ally forged in the refinery of adversity. Except in parades, the
men
and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or
emblem.
You can’t tell a vet just by looking.
So,
what is a vet? A veteran is . . .
The
cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia
sweating
two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel
carriers
didn’t run out of fuel.
The
barroom loudmouth whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is
outweighed
a hundred times in the cosmic scales by four hours of
exquisite
bravery near the 38th parallel.
The
nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing
every
night for two solid years in Da Nang.
The
prisoner of war who went away one person and came back
another—or
didn’t come back at all.
The
Quantico, Va., drill instructor who has never seen combat
but
has saved countless lives by turning slouchy no-accounts and
gang
members into Marines, and by teaching them to watch each
other’s
backs.
The
parade-riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and
medals
with a prosthetic hand.
The
career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and medals
pass
him by.
The
anonymous heroes in The Tomb of the Unknowns, whose
presence
at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve
the
memory of all the anonymous heroes whose valor dies
unrecognized
with them on the battlefield or in the ocean’s depth.
The
old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket, palsied now
and
aggravatingly slow, who helped liberate a Nazi death camp
and
who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold
him
when the nightmares come.
An
ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being who offered
some
of life’s most vital years in the service of country, and who
sacrificed
ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs.
A
soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and
nothing
more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the
finest,
greatest nation ever known.
Each
time you see someone who has served our country, just
lean
over and say, “Thank you.” That’s all most people need, and in
most
cases it will mean more than any medals they could receive.
Remember,
November 11th is Veterans Day.
—
Author unknown
Aerospace Maintenance &
Regeneration Center Nov–Dec 37
AIMD Oceana Mar–Apr 11
Aircraft
AH-1W, mishap Mar–Apr 8
AH-1Z, development Mar–Apr 7
AV-8B, LITENING II
targeting pod Nov–Dec 8
mishap Jul–Aug 9
Sep–Oct 8
night attack simulator Nov–Dec 8
C-2A, mission Jan–Feb 18
C-40A, construction Mar–Apr 8
first flight Jul–Aug 9
named Sep–Oct 6
rollout Nov–Dec 24
CH-46, mishap Jan–Feb 9
CH-46E, mishap May–Jun 8
CH-53E, mishap Sep–Oct 8
CH-60S, first flight Mar–Apr 7
first production Sep–Oct 7
E-2C, mishap Sep–Oct 7
EP-3E, avionics upgrade Sep–Oct 6
F-5E, mishap May–Jun 8
F-14, mishap Sep–Oct 8
F-14A, mishap Sep–Oct 8
F-14B, mishap Jan–Feb 9
May–Jun 8
Nov–Dec 9
F/A-18, 4 millionth flight
hour Nov–Dec 6
final production Nov–Dec 6
new radar May–Jun 6
F/A-18A, mishap Jan–Feb 9
F/A-18C, mishap Jan–Feb 9
Nov–Dec 9
F/A-18D, mishap Mar–Apr 8
Sep–Oct 7
Nov–Dec 9
F/A-18E/F
first to VFA-122 Jan–Feb 6
full-rate initial prod. Sep–Oct 6
OPEVAL concludes May–Jun 6
traps aboard Lincoln Jul–Aug 6
HO5S-1, history Jan–Feb 24
HU-25C, mission May–Jun 30
KC-130J, first flight Nov–Dec 6
Martin Mars, firefighting Nov–Dec 37
MH-53E, mishap Nov–Dec 9
multi-mission maritime
aircraft, contract Nov–Dec 6
MV-22, OPEVAL Jan–Feb 8
mishap May–Jun 8
flights resume Sep–Oct 7
update Nov–Dec 20
naval unmanned combat
air vehicle contract Nov–Dec 6
OE/O-1, history Mar–Apr 26
P-3, mission May–Jun 22
PBM vs. U-boat Jan–Feb 22
S-3, mishap Jan–Feb 9
SH-60R, first prototype Sep–Oct 7
T-34C, mishap Jul–Aug 9
Nov–Dec 9
T-38A, mishap Nov–Dec 9
T-45A, mishap Sep–Oct 7
T-45B, mishap Nov–Dec 9
UH-1Y, development Mar–Apr 7
UH-60A, mishap Jan–Feb 9
Awards
ANA Sep–Oct 34
Battle E May–Jun 34
Beacon, SECNAV Mar–Apr 28
Bronze Star Jul–Aug 43
CHINFO, NANews Jul–Aug 42
Collier, Robert J. May–Jun 34
E/A-6B community Nov–Dec 30
Grampaw Pettibone Sep–Oct 32
Helicopter Pilot, CNO Jul–Aug 42
Maintenance, SECDEF Nov–Dec 31
Navy League Jul–Aug 43
Radford, ADM Arthur W.
Electronic Combat Jul–Aug 42
Naval Aviation History
and Literature Jul–Aug 45
Safety, CNO Jul–Aug 43
Safety Ashore, SECNAV Jul–Aug 43
Sailors of the Year, 1999 May–Jun 34
SAR Excellence, CNO Jul–Aug 42
Smith, R. G. Jul–Aug 45
Book Reviews
Aircraft of the United States’
Military Air Transport Service,
1948 to 1966 Mar–Apr
32
Around the World with the
U.S. Navy: A Reporter’s
Travels Jul–Aug
47
Dark Sky, Black Sea: Aircraft
Carrier Night and All-Weather
Operations Jul–Aug
47
F-4 Phantoms, U.S. Navy
and Marine Corps:
Gray Ghosts Sep–Oct
39
Honor Bound: American
Prisoners of War
in Southeast Asia
1961–1973 Jan–Feb
31
John Glenn: A Memoir Jan–Feb 31
Lindbergh Jul–Aug
47
Marine Corps Air Station
El Toro May–Jun
39
Navy, The Nov–Dec
38
75 Years of Inflight
Refueling Highlights,
1923–1998 Mar–Apr
32
Sidewinder; Creative Missile
Development at
China Lake May–Jun
39
Stepan Anastasovich Mikoyan:
Memoirs of Military Test
Flying and Life with the
Kremlin’s Elite May–Jun
39
TBF/TBM Avenger Units
of World War 2 May–Jun
39
U.S. Naval Aviation
1946–1999 Mar–Apr
32
Campbell, RADM Dennis,
dies Jul–Aug 46
Carrier onboard delivery Jan–Feb 18
Caruso, Hank, sketchbook
U.S. Navy in Space Jul–Aug 23
A Show of Force Sep–Oct 20
China Lake, Calif.,
weapons museum Sep–Oct 9
Christensen, Naval Aviation
family Jan–Feb 30
CGAS Miami May–Jun 30
Combat Action Ribbon,
retroactive May–Jun 7
Command history, how to Sep–Oct 30
Distinguished Flying Cross,
belated awards Sep–Oct 32
Eastwood, Clint Jul–Aug 4
Grampaw Pettibone
AD-1Q Jul–Aug 4
AV-8B Jan–Feb 4
CH-53D Sep–Oct 4
EA-6B Jan–Feb 4
F/A-18 Mar–Apr 5
Nov–Dec 4
F-14 Sep–Oct 5
F-14B May–Jun 4
MH-53E Mar–Apr 4
SH-60B May–Jun 4
SH-60F Nov–Dec 5
Hudson, JO1 Joshua M.,
departs NANews May–Jun 36
Joint Precision Approach &
Landing System,
shore tests Nov–Dec 5
Korea, Republic of, Service
Medal Sep–Oct 6
2 0 0 0 I N D E X
Korean War Series
air war Sep–Oct 1950 Sep–Oct 22
Chosin Reservoir,
Nov–Dec 1950 Nov-Dec 10
early days Jun–Sep 1950 Jul–Aug 10
interwar period May–Jun 10
photo essay May–Jun 18
Maintenance, AIMD Oceana Mar–Apr 11
Malin, DM2 Robert A.,
artwork Mar–Apr 22
Midway, Battle of,
commemoration Sep–Oct 38
Moulder, LT Erich, artwork May–Jun 29
Museum of Armament and
Technology, USN Sep–Oct 9
NANews, CHINFO
award Jul–Aug 42
Nathman, RADM John N.
Maritime Patrol & Reconnaissance:
A Bright Future May–Jun 2
New Helicopters Enhance
Force Fighting Power Jul–Aug 2
Netting Naval Aviation for the
Information Age Jan–Feb 2
Super Hornet Success
Story—
Only the Beginning Mar–Apr 2
Naval Force Aircraft Test
Squadron Sep–Oct 10
Naval Test Pilot School Jan–Feb 10
Operation Bright Star Mar–Apr 19
Patrol mission May–Jun 22
Personnel
Aviation Career Continuation
Pay for TARs Mar–Apr 6
Aviation Storekeepers become
Storekeepers May–Jun 7
Career Enlisted Flyer Incentive
Pay established Jan–Feb 7
Information Systems Tech
rating Jan–Feb 7
vision correction
approved Jan–Feb 6
Photo Contest, ANA
annual winners Jan–Feb ibc
bimonthly winners Jan–Feb ibc
Jul–Aug ibc
Sep–Oct ibc
Nov–Dec C4
Rausa, Rosario M. “Zip,”
Radford Award Jul–Aug 45
Remains identified Jan–Feb 7
Mar–Apr 7
May–Jun 7
Research & Development
E-2/C2, 8-blade prop Nov–Dec 9
Electromagnetic Aircraft
Launch System Mar–Apr 6
F/A-18 radar May–Jun 6
F/A-18E/F concludes
OPEVAL May–Jun 6
Joint Precision Approach &
Landing System,
shore tests Nov–Dec 5
Joint Strike Fighter May–Jun 7
Jul–Aug 7
LITENING II targeting
pod for AV-8B Nov–Dec 8
multi-mission maritime
aircraft, contract Nov–Dec 6
naval unmanned combat
air vehicle, contract Nov–Dec 6
remotely piloted
helicopter Sep–Oct 7
thrust vectoring short
takeoff and landing May–Jun 6
vertical takeoff and
landing UAV May–Jun 8
Schoeni, Arthur L., dies Nov–Dec 36
Ships
Antietam (CVA
36),
anecdote Nov–Dec 28
Cole (DOG 67),
tribute to crew Nov–Dec 2
Iwo Jima (LHD
7),
commissioned May–Jun 6
Langley (CV
1), first
deployment May–Jun 38
McCampbell (DDG
85),
named for aviator Nov–Dec 7
Pinckney (DDG
91),
named for aviator May–Jun 7
Smith, R. G, Smithsonian
exhibition Jul–Aug 40
Squadrons
HC-2, mission Jul–Aug 27
new recruit Jul–Aug 29
Naval Force Aircraft Test
Squadron Sep–Oct 10
VAQ-128, spotlight Jul–Aug ibc
VF-103, spotlight Nov–Dec 34
VFA-122, receives
Super Hornet Jan–Feb
6
VMO-6, Korean War Sep–Oct 29
VP-40, demonstrates
command history Sep–Oct 30
VP-45, mission May–Jun 22
artwork May–Jun 29
VT-10, anniversary Sep–Oct 16
VT-23, deactivated Mar–Apr 9
VT-35, established May–Jun 9
VQ-6, deactivated Jan–Feb 9
VQ-11, deactivated Jul–Aug 9
Stokes, Stan, R.G. Smith
Award Jul–Aug 45
Training
AV-8B night attack
simulator Nov–Dec 8
flight simulator for PCs Mar–Apr 6
night attack AV-8B Nov–Dec 8
T-45, 1,000th student Jul–Aug 6
U.S. Naval Test Pilot
School Jan–Feb 10
gliders Mar–Apr 24
Training Squadron 10,
40th anniversary Sep–Oct 16
Underwater archaeology
PBY-5 wreck, Kaneohe
Bay, HI Nov–Dec 26
Weapons
AIM-9X Sidewinder,
milestone Jul–Aug 8
testing Sep–Oct 6
ATFLIR, first flight Jan–Feb 7
JDAM, extended range Jul–Aug 8
SLAM/ER, live warhead
launch May–Jun 8
full-rate production Nov–Dec 7
Weissman, Martin “Trader Jon,”
dies Jul–Aug 44
Whitcomb, LTJG Roy S. Jan–Feb 22
Year in review, 1999 Jul–Aug 18
Zumwalt, ADM Elmo R.,
deceased Mar–Apr 29
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