VP-5 Squadron Shipmates
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VPNAVY Address

ShipmateVP-202 ShipmatesShipmate

Memorial Picture "...KREITZER, CDR William Rutherford...William Rutherford Kreitzer, 88, of Town Creek, died March 25, 2007, at his home. Born Oct. 25, 1918, in Savannah, Ga., he was the son of the late William Clausen Kreitzer and Elizabeth Rutherford Kreitzer. He was the husband of Madeleine Moon Kreitzer, whom he married on Oct. 23, 1943. He graduated from Savannah High School in 1936 and enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an apprentice seaman and served aboard the USS Tennessee. After two years of duty he entered the Naval Academy Prep School in Norfolk, Va. After a year at the U.S. Naval Academy he spent two years at Georgia Tech. He then re-enlisted in the Navy, went through flight training and was commissioned as an ensign on May 15, 1942. After qualifying as a naval aviator the next month, he joined VP-202, and conducted antisubmarine flights in the Gulf of Mexico and the mid-Pacific during World War II. He flew 1,500-mile flights toward Japan aboard PBM seaplanes to prevent surprise attacks against U.S. forces. This part of the war effort started at New Guinea and proceeded up the Pacific from atoll to atoll. As Marines landed on each atoll, seaplane squadrons arrived and established a system of buoys to tie up and begin flights. He was awarded three Air Medals for his activities in the Pacific. He then participated in the atomic bomb test at Bikini Atoll in 1946, flying safety and rescue missions. His next assignment was with Operation Highjump in 1947, an exploratory and mapping project of Antarctica. Kreitzer Glacier was named for him, as were Kreitzer Bay and Kreitzerizen, which was named by the government of Norway. He spent one year as a student at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., and later taught there for two years. From 1949 to 1951 he served in VH-4 at NAS Guantanamo Bay, Cuba as well as VP-44. He served one year as navigator aboard the aircraft carrier USS Tripoli in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He spent three years in the office of the chief of naval operations in the Pentagon and two years at the Naval Hydrographic Office making charts and graphs. He retired as commander in 1968. Following his retirement, he earned a bachelor's degree from George Washington University, a master's degree from American University and completed work for a doctorate from George Washington University. He also completed an internship in clinical psychology at Springfield State Hospital. He began a second career as a school psychologist for the St. Mary's County public schools. He also provided psychological therapy services for a youth organization and taught psychology at St. Mary's College of Maryland. In addition he conducted a private psychology practice in St. Mary's County. Later he was a psychological consultant in the emergency room at St. Mary's Hospital. Following a second retirement, he and his wife joined the Peace Corps and spent two years in Belize, between 1986 and 1988, where he worked as a psychologist and his wife worked in a free medical clinic. His hobbies included travel, beekeeping and stereographic photography. For a time, he owned and operated a beekeeping supply business. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, James Frederick Kreitzer. He is survived by his wife, Madeleine; and their seven children; Susan Norlund of Sky Forest, Calif., Thomas Richard Kreitzer of Lovettsville, Va., Nancy Kreitzer of Huntingtown, Joan Ellis of Kingston, N.Y., Katy Boyd of Leonardtown, Robert E. Kreitzer of Bangor, Maine, and Janet Kreitzer of Santa Cruz, Calif. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Visitation will be held today, March 28, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Lexington Park. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, March 29, at 10:30 a.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, followed by refreshments in the parish hall. A military service with full honors and interment will take place May 30 at 3 p.m. at Arlington National Cemetery. Arrangements are being provided by Brinsfield Funeral Home in Leonardtown..." WebSite: The Enterprise http://www.somdnews.com/stories/032807/enteobi174624_32111.shtml [30MAR2007]

KREITZER, William wkreitze@us.hsanet.net "...Served in VP-202, VP-44, and VH-4..." [E-Mail Updated 11DEC98 | E-Mail Updated 12NOV98]


OTIS, CDR Gordon R. Retired gro@asp.navair.navy.mil "...It was a great WV Reunion Oct 14-17 at Solomons Is. MD. Got together with over 300 former Shipmates in the WV Navy. I was in VW-13 from 1957 to 1960 as AC of Air Crew 6. Apparently none of my crew were at the Reunion. If anyone remembers any of them, please contact me. The only crew member I remember is Russ Gilmore - one of the CIC Officers as a LTJG, now a retired CDR living in Eugene Oregon. I was also an AC in VP-202 and VPB-215, and have been to one of their annual Mariner/Marlin Association Reunions. I do have the names of my crew in VPB-215 and a photo of same if anyone wants a copy..." [13NOV99]


PARRISH, LCDR James A. https://naval-air.org/flightlog/moreinfo.asp?UID=2917 "...LCDR James A. Parrish, USNR - NFL Number: 2917 - Date of Birth: 4/29/1918 - Date In: 3/1/1942 - Date Out: 5/27/1955 - City, State: Merrick, NY - School Attended: Univ. of Missouri - Aircraft Flown: PBY-5/5A, PBM-1/3C, PB4Y-1/2 - Ship or Unit: Anti Sub Patrol - VP-112 - VP-202 - Pilot Desg.: Naval Aviator - Theaters, Campaigns, etc.: North Africa - Associations/Service Organizations: FAW-12 - FAW-7 - Highest personal decoration or award: Air Medal Gold Star - Significant Achievements: Assisted in two sub kills. Logged 845 hours in PBMs, logged 2,062 hours in PB4Ys. Served with VP-112 in N. Africa & England. VP-202 NAS Key West, Florida. In Memoriam? No..." [25NOV2005]


WILSON, AOM Harold E. "Buddy" c/o his son Keith E. Wilson Shipmate Pix kewilson@cyberzone.net "...My father was AOM Harold E. "Buddy" Wilson who served from October 1942 through 1945. He was in VP-213 from 10/1/43 to 2/26/44 and in Rescue Squadron 1 (VH-1) from 5/9/44 through 4/3/45 among other assignments. I have been in contact with Bob Bodge who served with him in Basic, then in Florida. Later he was in VP-202 which was stationed with VP-213. I owe him for pointing me to this site and the Navy Memorial Log. My Dad passed in 1993 but his picture is on the log (the only AOM). Any remembrances of Dad or his squadrons would be great..." [29NOV99]


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