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HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: History ThumbnailCameraVP-931 Patch "...VP-931 Flying Eagles Patch..." Contributed by Jack jack@ljmilitaria.com of Lee-Jackson Militaria http://ljmilitaria.com/ [23APR2013]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...Patrol Squadrons In The Korean War By LCDR Rick Burgess, USN (Retired) - Naval Aviation News July-August 2002..." Contributed by Mike Yared mikeyared@yahoo.com [25JAN2003]
VP History ThumbnailCameraPatrol Squadrons In The Korean War Page 1 of 4
VP History ThumbnailCameraPatrol Squadrons In The Korean War Page 2 of 4
VP History ThumbnailCameraPatrol Squadrons In The Korean War Page 3 of 4
VP History ThumbnailCameraPatrol Squadrons In The Korean War Page 4 of 4

UPDATE "...Rick Burgess's VP-931 article (Patrol Squadrons In The Korean War By LCDR Rick Burgess) brought back memories especially the paragraph about the daring crew flying over the Kamchatka Peninsula. I was the radar and ECM operator in that crew, only I didn't know we were handpicked. Our pilot was LCDR Jim Todd, Executive Officer of VP-931. We had just come back from a three day patrol around the Aleutian chain. The next night our crew was awakened about 0200, told to get our gear, go down to the hanger and get the plane ready to fly while the officers were being briefed. At that time we didn't know why we had been called out, where we were going, and what we were going to be doing. After about an hour in flight, Mr. Todd gave us abrief briefing. We flew out to Shemya AFB, a tiny Island in the Aleutian chain. We were joined by an Air Force B-50 and off we went for the next few days flying around who knows where, with radar and radio silence. I did know we were probably over Russia somewhere and could get shot down. There was a heavy cloud cover and every once in awhile I could see snow-capped mountain peaks poking through. But I kept busy up in the nose of the airplane, cranking through frequency after frequency trying to pick up a radar signal from Russian radar, either by seeing it on a small scope or by hearing it on my headset. At 15,000 feet altitude, we needed to use oxygen masks, since the plane was not pressurized. Also there were not enough oxygen stations for the whole crew so we had to share masks. When we saw one of the other crew member's lips and finger tips turning blue someone would give him a mask to revive him. I was fortunate in that being down in the nose compartment there was only room for one person so I had my own oxygen mask. I was not aware that we had been intercepted by Soviet fighters, but that may have happened a few days after we were relieived by CDR Payson (the squadron Commanding Officer) and his crew. It was an interesting experience. I knew it was probably a little bit risky, but I didn't know there was a rescue plane standing. After all, I was just a kid and it all seemed exiciting...Don Brower casdon@earthlink.net..." [30JAN2004]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: VP-931 Misc Thumbnail "...This was taken when we were down at Fallon, NV for gunnery practice. The guy sitting in the foreground is Don Brower. The guy next to him is Hubert Payne, AL3. The fellow standing was one of our navigators. I don't remember his name. I think it was Ltjg Hoff or Hofst..." Contributed by BROWER, Don casdon@earthlink.net [25MAR2001]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: VP-931 Misc Thumbnail "...Milt La Liberte and Tom Freund building a snow girl outside our Kodiak Electronic' shop..." Contributed by Charles V. Gray charles.gray43@gmail.com [06JUN2000]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: VP-931 P2 Thumbnail "...Our Pilot- Bill Rittman..." Contributed by Charles V. Gray charles.gray43@gmail.com [06JUN2000]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: "...This included the recalled VP-933 in the Berlin Wall Reserve callup. That VP-933 was made up three Reserve Squadrons: VP-933 and VP-931 from NAS Willow Grove, Pennsylvania and one from NAS Memphis, Tennessee. Most of whose members were from St Louis, MO...." Contributed by John C Fronefield jfronef1@aol.com [E-Mail Updated 21NOV99 | 20NOV98]

HistoryA BIT OF HISTORY: P2 ThumbnailCameraVP-931 P2 BUNO: Unknown


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