VP-5 Squadron Shipmates
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ShipmateVAH-123 ShipmatesShipmate

CASEY, AO1 Robert B. (Bob) shipmate pixshipmate pix ...Circa 1958/1959... spec439@yahoo.com "...I served with VP-2 (Ordnanceman Crew 12 "Ass end of Hank's flying circus") and VP-1 (Crew 8 "Barne's Stormers") for five years from 1958 to 1962. Made two WestPac deployments to NAS Iwakuni, Japan and one to NAS Kodiak, Alaska/ NAS Adak, Alaska. I then served with VAH-123 from April 1962 to April 1964 as a AO1 Weapons Instructor..." [BIO Updated 02DEC2003 | E-Mail Updated 09JUL2002 | E-Mail Updated 08FEB2002 | E-Mail Updated 02JUL2001 | E-Mail Upated 25MAY2000 | 19MAY99]


FAAS, ARM3 Dan c/o Mr. Frank Holmes Shipmate PixCirca 1944 fholmes101@aol.com "...I retired from the Navy in Nov '68 & lived in Oak Harbor right outside NAS & they have had many FAW-4 Reunion at the CPO club & golf tournaments & I know some people in passing. I never went to the Reunions, but I would ask people who had attended. If they mentioned the "SCOUTS" NADA. I said that's how they treated us, so why would it be any different now. In fact. I just attended a reunion for Heavy Attack Squadron Ten, VAH-10. I was in it on the USS Constellation CVA-64 when the Viet Nam fiasco started in 1964. I also belong to the Fleet Reserve Association and (VP-45) Patron Forty Five Assn, an outfit I was in for 4 yrs. During the Korean affair NAS Norfolk, Virginia & NAS Coco Solo, Panama, Canal Zone flying PBM-5s. I guess I've been in every sort of outfit imaginable. I started in PBYs, went to a VJ-3 outfit utility squadron, then to VS-48, to instructor duty in NAS Corpus Christi, Texas to NAS Memphis, Tennessee to VF-61 NAS Oceana, Va. We had F8F's made a North Atlantic Cruise on FDR straight deck. Came back and got F9Fs. They didn't rate any Aviation Radiomen & I got transferred to USS USS Valcour (AVP-55) as an RM TX to VP-45 PBM - shore duty NAS Boca Chica, Florida & flew in F3D's radar operator. Then to "B" school in Memphis - to Hawaii 56-59 VW-12 Early Warning Squadron, flew many 16 hour flights WV-2 (Constellations). Changed rate from AL1 to AT1 and got transferred to next hangar VP-6 and deployed to Japan for 7 months flying off Kaua & USSR measuring their radar & locating them & getting chased by MIG's. Every hop was 14-16 hours. Used the jets and the recips for take off, carried 4000 gallons of fuel. Shore duty again, a RAG outfit VAH-123. I was electronic shop chief, we had 30 A/C and lots of maintenance. I did fly for a while as a radioman in a P2V-3 till they got A3D2T's & A3D2Q's & A3D2P's (thats trainer/transport) "q" countermeasure & "P" photo plus basic A3D2. They called it shore duty - we had three shifts around the clock plus I was making carrier quals every month or so. Lets see Coral Sea CVA-43, Bon Homme Richard CVA-31, Ticonderoga CVA-14, Independence CVA-62, Lexington CV-16. More sea duty VAH-10 A3D2, could have flown as a crewman. By that time I had in 20 & declined -- let the young studs do that. Med 9 month cruise in '63 and 1 yr in '64 (Viet Nam) I was gone 30 mos out of a 3 year tour. When we came back from Viet Nam in 3 mos they sent our squadron to Air Group 1 on the FDR for a Med cruise. About that time my children were young teenagers & I figured I had enough of that BS so I got shore duty at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington in VAH-123 again. Formed VA-128 Light Attack with A-6s and the RAG outfit. I was Electronics shop Chief again & some BS. Going on carrier qual for pilots. They had beach dets and ship dets. Seemed like I always got the ship det. While on the FDR I was CAG Maintenance Chief. The ship was out of Mayport, Fla. When we went on carrier quals on the Independence, we flew to NAS Norfolk, Virginia to get aboard & the Lexington out of NAS Pensacola, Florida all the other carrier quals were out of NAS Alameda, California or NAS North Island, San Diego, California & Fleet Logistic A/C junk. Now they have nice jet transports. That's all behind now. I worked for the Navy for about 9 years as a electronic tech then the FAA and my wife and I went to Alaska over the Arctic Circle as a electronic tech. It was like living in the 20's and 30's, no TV and not much radio. We were at a place called Bettles Field a lot of local flying in small planes. I maintained equipment VHF for over the poles flights, they talked to Anchorage but was all keyed through our equipment. Also had TACAN & OMNI also had glide slope equipment. I had to maintain teletype equipment as an electronic tech. But the money was in the wage grade positions so when an opening came, I Tx to Juneau where I had the teletype shop. I took care of all the teletype in SE Alaska for the FAA & Weather Service. There were 8 people in Anchorage that took care of the rest of Alaska. So when I had 40 years service I quit. For a number of years we had a 5th wheel trailer and did the snow bird bit to Arizona & California, even went to Key West and Corpus Christi played a lot of golf. Had 2 children,daughter Sidney & Mark. Sid born in Panama, Mark in Memphis. Sid worked around the world in banking London, Jobere, Melbourne, Vienna, NYC. Then she decided to work out of Seattle. We sold our house out of Oak Harbor, Whidbey Is and we live with her. Mark lives in Reston, he is a heavy truck mechanic and has our two grand persons. Lets see who have I run into. There was a fellow named Bass in Dutch and he made Ens there. That was in 44-45. In '45 I went aboard the FDR and who should be the JOOD but Ens Bass. In the early 50s flew from NAS Coco Solo, Panama, Canal Zone to NAS Norfolk, Virginia to go to a FAETU School & Fleet exercises & ran into "Scratch", we called him that, his name Gene Foreman AOM3/c, I know 3 incidents involving ordnance he had a hand in -- two in Dutch Harbor. I ran into Mr Mathwick in Memphis in 1955. He was a Commander and the Legal Officer. Also Burt Johnson - he was another radioman at Dutch. He got married while we were back to Seattle to train for the SBW4Es. I was his best man and I got married a week or so later and he was my best man. They came up and visited us a few years back. Also Bill Pietz, we visited them in Calif when we went there several times. I also ran into Pena AOM3/c in Corpus in 1946. Also ran into Ortega AM1/c , I'm sure he stayed in & retired. I have a lot of pictures (snapshots). I'm looking at a 8x10 of Det 3 Dutch Harbor. It was taken while Johnson, Peitz and I were back in Seattle. 14 EMs and 4 Officers and I have all the names on the back. I have a nice picture I think of an SBD Taxiing in blowing snow. I also have some of the new birds SBW4Es and the USS Teal AVP-5. In case you are wondering I didn't get to fly back with the planes, came back on the Teal - 65 normal complement, 250 VS48 people. Sleep where you can find a place. 19 days from Dutch Harbor. I slept in the main whale boat. I had a sleeping bag. Most people slept on army cots on the fan tail except we hit the tail end of a typhoon and everybody had to sleep inside. For a few days we only made 1 knot, a real rough ride. After we hit the inside passage they dropped the hook every night, didn't seem like they were in any gig hurry to get back. Say, I'm running out of spit. Maybe you can make some sense out of all this rambling..." [20JUN2005]

FORBES, CAPTAIN Donald. K. (Deke) Retired http://www.anawhidbey.org/forbesbio.htm "...Deke Forbes enlisted in the U.S. Navy in July1944. He attended Boot Camp at Farragut, Idaho. Prior to his assignment to the pre-commissioning crew of he USS PROVIDENCE, CL-82, he attended Fire Control Operator's School at Fort Lauderdale, FL. He was subsequently ordered to the Naval Academy Prep School, Bainbridge, MD in September 1945. He was admitted to the U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY on a Fleet Appointment in June 1946. Graduating with Distinction from the Naval Academy in June 1950, he reported for flight training at Pensacola, FL in September 1950, earning his wings in February 1952. He then attended All-weather Flight School at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas and Jet Transitional Training at NAS Kingsville, Texas prior to reporting to VF-61, the "Jolly Rogers", based at Oceana, VA. While attached to VF-61 he made two extended deployments to the Mediterranean and several shorter deployments. While in VF-61 he flew the F9F-2, F9F-5, F9F-6, F9F-7 and F9F-8. In July 1955, he reported to the U.S. NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL, Monterey, CA., earning his BS, Aeronautical Engineering in June 1957. The following year he was awarded an MS, Aeronautical Engineering form the University of Michigan. After completing his postgraduate education, he was ordered to VX-4 at Point Mugu, CA., where he participated in air-to-ground missile projects and the APG-53A Terrain Clearance and Ryan Doppler Radar Navigator project. While in VX-4 he flew the A4A, A4B, F9F-8T, FJ-4B and the F3D-2, as well as the squadron "Bugsmasher"--SNB. Deke was assigned to the Command and Staff Course, NAVAL WAR COLLEGE, as a student in August 1960. After completing that course, he and several other NWC fighter/attack classmates were ordered to VAH-123, NAS Whidbey Island, Washington for A-3 training. Upon completion of VAH-123 training he was ordered to VAH-4 where he became the Officer-in-Charge, VAH4-DETACHMENT GOLF, part of CVG-16 in USS ORISKANY, CVA-34. He completed an extended WESTPAC cruise in ORISKANY in December 1962, while flying the A3B-2. Leaving VAH-4 in February, 1964, he reported to USS CORAL SEA, CVA-43 as Nuclear Weapons Officer. He deployed with CORAL SEA in December 1964, returning to CONUS in November 1965. While deployed, he was heavily involved in Strike Planning for air operations against North Vietnam from carrier decks in the Tonkin Gulf. While in CORAL SEA he qualified as OOD and CDO Underway(Task Force Steaming). He also flew the C1A, T-33B and A3B while attached to CORAL SEA. He was ordered to VAH-2 as XO in November 1965. He became Officer-in Charge of VAH-2 DETACHMENT FOXTROT, joining them on USS RANGER,CVA-61 in the Tonkin Gulf in January 1966. Completing the USS RANGER cruise in August 1966, he became C.O. VAH-2 in January 1967. In December 1967 he was ordered to report to the NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, Washington, DC where he became the Assistant Project Manager, Logistics for the VFX(F-14) and VSX(S-3A). One year later he was ordered back to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington to serve as C.O. VAH-123. In January 1970, he was detached as C.O. VAH-123 and reported to COMCARDIV TWO as Operations Officer, serving in that role until August 1971. He was then ordered to the INDUSTRIAL COLLEGE of the ARMED FORCES(ICAF), Washington, DC for a course of study. Graduating with Distinction from ICAF in June 1972, he then reported to NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island as Commanding Officer. A year later he reported to the Superintendent, U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY as the 65th Commandant of Midshipmen. Upon being relieved as Commandant, USNA in July 1976 he reported to OPNAV to become Head, OP-602. Captain Forbes chose to retire in June 1977, after 27 years of Commissioned service and 33 years of continuous naval service. He immediately joined Dean Witter Reynolds as an Account Executive and 18 months later joined Booz, Allen & Hamilton, subsequently becoming a Principal in the company and Project Manager of the multibillion Saudi Naval Expansion Program He retired from Booz,Allen in 1986 and has since spent his time relaxing at golf and travel. Forbes is a former member, SOCIETY of EXPERIMENTAL TEST PILOTS, and a current TRUSTEE, U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY FOUNDATION..." [14JUL2003]


HUGHES, CAPTAIN Ivan E. Retired IEHughes@aol.com "...Joined the Navy in 1958 and went to Boot Camp at Great Lakes then AVPREP School at NAS Norman, Oklahoma and AE "A" School at NAS Jacksonville, Florida. Served with VR-6 at McGuire AFB from November 1959 until December 1961. Assigned first to the Engine Build Up Shop (EBU), then to the AE shop, and finally to a "Pre-Flight/Block-Out Crew" where I worked until I was transferred to VR-3 while awaiting orders to AE "B" School after re-enlisting. Made AE1 right after I got to "B" School, and then on to HU-2/HC-2 at NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey. Selected for the Integration Program (Seaman to Admiral Program) in 1965, went to OCS in Newport, RI, and then to Naval Flight Officer Training at NAS Pensacola, Florida, NAS Glynco, Georgia, and finally to VAH-123, the A-3 RAG at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. VQ-2 was my first assignment as an officer, and I flew EA-3Bs and EC-121s as a Navigator. Leaving NS Rota, Spain as an LT, I next went to NAS Pensacola, Florida for three years of Instructor duty, and then to VAQ-33 in NAS Norfolk, Virginia where I flew ERA-3Bs, EA-4Fs, and EF-4s, and left the Squadron as a LCDR. Did a three year tour as the Staff Electronic Warfare Officer at the Fleet Electronic Warfare Support Group (FEWSG) in NAS Norfolk, Virginia then was selected as OinC of the VP-26 Special Projects Detachment in NAS Brunswick, Maine where I made CDR in 1980. In 1981, I was screened for Aviation Command and was ordered to VQ-1 on NAS Agana, Guam as Executive Officer and later became Commanding Officer. After NAS Agana, Guam, I was ordered to Washington DC to OP-05 (DCNO Air) on the CNO Staff where I was selected for CAPT in 1986. In 1987 I was ordered to the Naval War College in Newport, RI where I earned two Master's Degrees; one in Strategic Studies and International Affairs from the War College and another in Personnel Management from Salve Regina University in Newport. I guess I do things the hard way! I still do not have a bachelor's degree, but I do have an MA and an MS! After Newport I received orders to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) where I was assigned as the Command Support Plans and Programs Branch Chief until I retired in 1990. Now living in Pensacola, FL and enjoy fishing at least three or four days a week! Email me if you get the time!..." [BIO Updated 27SEP2013 } 22DEC98]


McKAY, AQ1 Robert A. Retired macsie@atlantic.net "...After "A" school I served with ATU-212 NAS Kingsville, Texastwo years later I transfered to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington and after an orientation period with VAH-123 I went to permanate assignment with VAH-4. Three years later and after a cruise with Det Lima on board the USS Hancock, I transfered to VAH-123. In 1967 I left the Heavies and joined the A6 progran in module repair with VA-42 then VA-75 then VA-85. Made WestPac's on the Kitty in 68/69 and Connie 69/70. Made 1st Class AQ on the Kitty. Last assignment was Ships Company on the USS Forrestal where I retired in 1976. Would like to hear from any of the old crew..." [15SEP2003]


SALISBERRY, AMH3 Gary texgab@windstream.net "...I served with VAH-123 and VAH-10 (1960-1962)..." [01SEP2013]

SPARKS, YNC(SS) Don Retired aspks@cox.net "...I was assigned to HATUPAC/VAH-123 from October 13, 1956 to October 2, 1961 as a SN/YN3..." [20OCT2002]


WOODALL, Douglas douglaswoodall@att.net "...I served with VAH-123 at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington from 1962 to 1963. I would like to hear from Chief KE Pearson, PO1 Thomas Riley, AN Joseph Torie or any other former Shipmates..." [29OCT2009]

WOODS, ATN3 Jim w4547@mindspring.com "...I served with VAH-123 in the Electronics shop my last 10 months of active duty. We had many a poker game in each others homes. I would like to hear from anyone that attended these games..." [27JUL2003]


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