VP-5 Squadron Shipmates
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ShipmateV-1/12 Naval Pre-Flight School ShipmatesShipmate

Memorial Picture "...AYERS, Robert J...My late father was in the Naval Pre-Flight Program circa 1943-1945 with Battallion II Co. A N.A.R.U. (V-5) from William Jewell College, Liberty, Missouri...Sara Brewer sarab@nc.rr.com..." [12OCT2009]


BRANNEN, Carl Andrew Jr. c/o His Brother Frances Brannen Vick vick@unt.edu "...Carl Andrew Brannen, Jr. was part of the Navy V-5 program at St. Mary's College Pre-flight. He was at the SMU V-12 program. His Selective Flight training was at Idaho State. He left the flight program in 1944 and went to VP-102 as part of the flight students who opted to go to the fleet as aerial gunner/navigators on PB4Y1 with VPB-102. At the end of 6 months he was to return to flight training. His friend Jimmy Babbitt did return and wrote my parents after his return here. Andy chose to stay. He was with Crew 17 that was shot down at Marcus Island. The raid is written up in Above an Angry Sea by Alan Carey. Are there other aviation cadets who did what he did, that is, opt to stay with their crews rather than return to finish flight training?..." [01SEP2001]


CARROLL, David carrollda@yahoo.com "...I served 1963 to 1966 V-5 operations. This was very good duty. I grew to love the bay area. the bay area is still my favorite area of the US..." [13AUG2000]

CAVAZOS, AO2 Jesus (Jesse) CavazosJ@navair.navy.mil "...Was AO 3/2 from 61-64 with V-3 DIV retired in 78 now working at China Lake anyone remember the Sally?..." [08FEB2001]

CORY, ARM2 Bob jobob52@earthlink.net "...I served in the USNR from June 1944 to June 1946 as part of the V-6 program (CAC). Boot camp at NAS Jacksonville, Florida, Radio school at NATTC Millington (Memphis), TN, then to NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. Became Aviation Radioman (ARM) on a PBM-3. LT Kracker was our PPC from March 1945 to July 1945. Ended operational training and shipped to NAS North Island, San Diego, California as part of crew of 180-C in August and September 1945, but Squadron VPB-98 was disestablished after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Was shipped back to Chicago, IL, where I was assigned to Shore Patrol duty until discharged as an ARM 2/C in Minneapolis, MN, June of 1946. Wonder if any of the crewmen are still around: Leo Trottier, Richard Marston, Eddie Stone, Bill Mehlenbeck, Eldon Waters, Gordon Stillwell, Howie Levine, and Ogdon Hansen. Recently visited the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, AZ, where the only refurbished PBM is on display. Quite a thrill after all these years. Would like to hear from any of the crew!..." [02JUN2001]


HARDY, Russell russmina@aol.com "...I entered the Navy V-5 (Naval Pre-Flight School) program in November 1943 and when the V-5 program was cancelled I transferred to V-12. In February 1944 I transferred to the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) and in June 1945 (St. Mary's pre-flight school reopened) back to V-5 and basic flight training in January 1946 at NAS Glenview, Illinois. I was discharged in April 1946..." [18JUN2011]

HOLLIS, CDR Robert H. rhhollis@sky.net "...I have enjoyed sixteen years of retirement from my business and from the navy. The wife and I are still going strong and hope to have many more. For those of you who might be reading this brief history, may it jog your memory and start a post our way. While at Kansas State College, Manhattan, KS in 1942 I joined the V-5 program in Kansas City, Missouri and was deferred until Aug 1943 when I reported to NAVAL FLT. PREP. SCHOOL in Momouth Il. class 8/43; departed 10/43 for WTS at Ontario, OR. class 44E; 12/43 to 3/44 was at PREFLIGHT SCHOOL at St Marys, CA. class 12C-43; 4/44 to 8/44 PRIMARY FLIGHT TRAINING at Livermore,CA. class 4A-44; 8/44 to 2/45 INTERMEDIATE FLIGHT TRAINING at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. class 8-44; Graduated Ensign on Feb. 5, 1945. 2/45 to 4/45 PRE OPERATIONAL (PBY) at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas; 4/45 to 6/45 OPERATIONAL TRAINING (PBY) at NAS Jacksonville, Florida; 7/45 to 12/45 OPERATIONAL TRAINING (PB4Y) at NAS Hutchinson, KS. 10/50 to 1/56 Squadron VP-771 at NAS Los Alamitos, California. In 1951 the squadron won the NOEL DAVIS TROPHY for VP. 9/51 married Margaret W. Parrish and son Larry was born 3/54. 1/56 to 8/56 VP-774 at NAS Los Alamitos, California. Moved to Overland Park, KS. to join my brother in the firm of Hollis & Miller Arch-Engr. 9/56 to 6/65 VP-882 at NAS Olathe, Kansas. 7/59 to 6/65 was the squadron Executive Officer. 7/65 to 9/67 VP-883; 10/67 to 12/69 NARS-88 at NAS Olathe, Kansas where I transferred to the Retired Reserve..." [30AUG99]

HOLMES, CDR Francis M. (Frank) Shipmate Pix2005 Shipmate Pix1966 Shipmate Pix1947 Shipmate Pix1945 Shipmate Pix1942 fholmes101@aol.com "...Frank Holmes was called to active duty in the US Navy on August 1942 as a V5 Aviation Cadet and completed Primary Civilian Pilot Training (CPT) at Quincy, Illinois; Secondary (CPT) at Iowa City, Iowa; USN Preflight School at Iowa City, Iowa and Primary Flight Training at NAS Glenview, Illinois. He completed all other phases of Flight Training at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas and was commissioned as Ens USNR on April 8, 1944 with operational qualifications in OS2U aircraft. His first assignment, following some leave and travel, was with Scouting Squadron 48 (VS-48), flying OS2Us, doing inshore patrol in Southeastern Alaska. VS-48 soon moved to NAS Attu, Alaska where they continued inshore patrol and flew air sea rescue for the Navy squadrons on bombing missions against the Kurile Islands. In a few months VS-48 was split into detachments and moved to other areas in the Aleutians, one of which was Dutch Harbor. Although he had only been commissioned a few months, he drew the assignment as Senior Aviator (Officer-in-Charge) of VS-48 Detachment Dutch Harbor. At Dutch Harbor they soon transitioned from OS2Us to SBD-5s and continued their mission of inshore patrol. The Aleutian challenge was the weather, seldom good and always unpredictable. As a squadron, VS-48 lost five aircraft; three due to weather and two because of mechanical malfunctions. Ens Holmes lost one of the five -- when the engine quit, he ditched in the bay off Dutch Harbor. His crew member and he survived with minor injuries -- the only surviving crew from the five who were lost. In June 1945 he returned to the states for reassignment and operational training in TBMs at NAS Ft Lauderdale, Florida. When World War II ended he sought release from active duty and was granted same. Caryl and Frank were married in Ft Lauderdale and lived there for a few months before returning to the Chicago area where they lived with her parents as they struggled with what to do with their lives. Frank wanted to return to college but colleges were crowded and worst of all housing was practically non-existent and by now they were expecting. All this was settled for them when Frank received an invitation from the Navy for a change in status from USNR to USN and an immediate return to active duty. He returned to active duty Dec 13, 1946. Following years included duty with: VA22a - TBM Operational Training Squadron at NAS North Island, San Diego, California (Carrier Qualification), VA12a - TBM Squadron in Air Group 11 aboard the USS Valley Forge, FASRON-11 - NAS Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Oahu and Yokuska Japan, NAVAL AIR TECHNICAL TRAINING UNIT - NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey (PC R4D), VR-1 - R5D & R7V Squadron at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland (PC R5D & PC R7V), USN Post Graduate School Monterey, CA -- Line School, NROTC Tulane -- College Refresher, Naval Preflight School Pensecola - Military Science Instructor USN Post Graduate School Monterey CA -- Engineering School (BS Aeronautical Eng), NROTC Ames Iowa (MS Nuclear Engineering), VP-16 -- P2V squadron at NAS Jacksonville, Florida and NAS Sigonella, Sicily (PPC P2V), BUWEPS -- Project Manager Navy Navigation Satellite System at Washington D.C., NAS Point Mugu, California - Operations Officer Navy Astronautics Group where upon completion of his assignment there Frank retired from active naval service on July 1, 1966 as a Commander. Frank believes that his greatest contribution to Aviation and Space programs came during the six years that he spent as Project Manager of the Navy Navigation Satellite System (TRANSIT) during its development at BUWEPS and subsequently as Operations Officer at the Navy Astronautics Group during its initial operational deployment. After completing 24 years in the Navy, Frank started a second career with TRW Systems in Redondo Beach, California where he was to complete another 24 years in a wide variety of interesting and challenging assignments in the world of Aerospace systems and Computer related mission applications. In 1968, he completed the requirements for and received a Master of Engineering degree from UCLA. He managed the first study of what is now the Global Positioning System (GPS) that has become so widely used today. Among other interesting assignments, Caryl accompanied him to: Australia where he served at the US/Australia Joint Defence Research Facility and, Italy where he led a multinational team of engineers in the development of command and control computer system requirements for Commander Naval Forces South (NATO). On July 1, 1990 he left employment for pay and started working on his next 24 year tour as a volunteer with: AARP Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (VITA/TCE) program as a Local Coordinator; The Retired Activities Office (NRAO) at Naval Station Long Beach/ Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach as Assistant Director; The WWII USN Scouting Squadron's Association as Vice President; and St Paul's Lutheran Church as Men's Group Leader..." [07DEC2005]


LUPI, Richard F. richlu@aol.com "...I served in U.S. Navy during WWII, as a S1/C (ARM) flying in PBM Mariners out of NAS Banana River, Florida during 1945 - 1946. I enlisted 9/44 in a V6 program for aircrewman training. Boot Camp was at NAS Jacksonville, Florida; radio/radar school at NATTC, NAS Memphis, Tennessee; and gunnery school at NAGS Yellowwater; and operational training at NAS Banana River, Florida. No squadron assignment, war was ended and USRN's were dropped from flying. Finished up my active service at NAS Floyd Bennett Field, New York and was honorably discharged 6/46. Served an additional 8 years in the inactive naval reserve. While at NAS Banana River, Florida, I participated in the 12/45 air/sea search for Flight 19 TBM's. Flew 3 or 4 search missions. Found out later had a buddy from boot camp & radio school on that flight..." [27FEB2007]


McCAUSLAND, LTJG Orrin J [Deceased] c/o His Sister Barbara McCausland Peterson barbypete@home.com "...My brother Lt(jg) Orrin J McCausland was at NAS Pensacola, Florida in 1938-10/39 then stationed in San Diego until still in 1939 was sent to Honolulu HA. He flew PBYs with VP-24. In about June of 1941 he went to the new base at MCAS/NAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii and was there on Dec. 7, 1941, he was lost at sea in Dec. 1942. What I have is his letters from the time he left Minneapolis MN in 1938 telling us all about his days going through the sqd I to V-explaining all his flying and school work. Who would be interested in this bit of history? He explains all the sqd. flying from 3 to 9 planes. All the Ups and Downs-- some downs he liked so he got extra hours... troubles with learning the code-getting up to 22 wpm. Troubles with all the rainy days- night flying- he loved the big planes--sqd IV--how it felt to be catapulted- and how it worked..." [04FEB2001]


OWENS, Robert C. Jr. Rcowens126@aol.com "...Enlisted in USNR V-12 College training program Jan 1943 but was deferred to graduate from Wichita Falls High School. After a year at North Texas Agri Col, Arlington, TX transferred to V-5 Aviation Cadet program and stationed at several universities for flight prep but never flew as a navy pilot. Transferred to aerial gunnery training in NAS Jacksonville, Florida. Then joined aircrew in Jan 1945 and trained in PB4Y-1 and PB4Y-2's. Lt. W.D. Crawford was PPC of our crew with Ens. P.L.Smith and S.D. Henderson co-pilots. Joined VP-117 as relief crew in May 1945 at McGuire Field, Mindoro, PI. Completed 23 combat patrols over French Indo China and was awarded DFC and Air Medal with three gold stars before Japanese surrender. Crew was credited with shooting down 2-1/2 fighters. After discharge graduated as engineer from Cal-Aero Tech, Glendale, CA and was employed at Lockheed in Burbank, CA in Oct 1948. Worked on design of Constellation, Electra, TriStar, Orion and F-117A Stealth Fighter. Served as an FAA Designated Engineering Representative (DER) on FAA certification of the above comercial aircraft. Retired after 42 years at Lockheed. Holds certificates as Private Pilot w/Instr rating and A&P Mechanic. Still an active pilot and current in an experimental homebuilt Van's RV-6 built by son and myself. Attend annual Reunions of VP-117 Association with 4 crewmembers..." [07FEB2001]


PERKINS, BERNARD C. BUNPER@AOL.COM "...FLEW WITH BRADDOCK, COPILOT/NAVIGATOR CREW 16 CAME FROM BOAT NAVY (VPB-109 OUT OF CAMP KEARNEY) AS AM1/C TO V-5 PROGRAM,WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE OF CREW 16 OR OTHERS THAT REMEMBER ME..." [27FEB99]


RUSSELL, William Rexlee@email.msn.com "...In December 1941, I joined Scouting Squadron One, First Naval District (VS-1D1) at NAS Squantum, Massachusetts, as an aviation radio man. The aircraft were Vought Sikorsky Kingfishers, some on floats but most on wheels. Our area of ops was from the approaches to New York harbor to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Our skipper was LCDR "Rosy" Rosasco, a good guy. Our aviators were first rate. It was a fine outfit. I left the squadron in January 1943 to become a V-5 aviation cadet. I later became a patrol plane commander flying the Vega Ventura PV1 in VPB-149, in the Philippines at Samar when the war ended..." [12FEB2000]


TURNER, S1C William J. billandflo@aol.com "...I served with VPB-103 as a tail turret gunner and my pilot was LT(jg) Audra Bozarth. I participated in 33 missions from mid-1944 to March 1945 when I returned to U.S. for V-5 Pilot Training. Got credit from British Admiralty for sinking HALF a sub in early Feb 1945 (too dark to photograph sub's wreckage). First "Zombie" got hung up in starboard bomb bay...second torpedo got sub. Hairy Hail Mary landing at nearest RAF base. Now living in Melbourne, Florida. I am 90-plus and still playing passable golf. Any NAF Dunkeswell, Devonshire, England (or NAS Chincoteague, Virginia) Reunions on the horizon?..." [BIO Updated 03APR2013 | 15JUN2011]


WAACK, Richard E. c/o his son Matthew Waack, CAPT MC USN (FS) Matthew.waack@brooks.af.mil "...My father, Richard E. Waack, who was one of the original 300 Navy Aerial Navigators, flew with VPB-98 and VPB-143. He was at NAS Banana River, Florida from Sept 45 to Nov 45 and joined VPB-143 in in Dec 1945. Here is his Navy assignment history...August 1943, to June 1944 V-5 Training (Cadet ) - Student...June 1944 to August 1944 NTC, Great Lakes A/s Reclassification...August 1944 to December 1944 NATTC, Norman, OK Seaman 1/c, Student...Jan 1945 to June 1945 Ft. Lauderdale S1/c Temporary, AOM...June 1945 to Sept 1945 NAS NANS, Clinton, OK - Commissioned as an Aerial Navigator, August 25, 1945...Sept 45 to Nov 45 NAS Banana River, Florida Air Bombing Training Unit (Student)...Nov 45 to Dec 45 to FAW-2 (West Coast) San Diego - VPB-98 Dec 45 to March 46 -VPB-143 (Flew out of MCAS/NAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii-Canton Island, Palmyra Island, etc.). Went into the ready reserve 1954. 1954 to 1957 VP-762, Lincoln Nebraska. 1957 to summer 1965 VR 723 NAS Glenview, Illinois 1965 to retirement (officially 1971) last flew in 1969. NAS Dallas, Texas. Squadrons in Dallas: VR 701 VR 701 VR21D2 While at Lincoln and Glenview, mostly flew in P2V4s, and some in R5D-3s, also SNB-5s. Later years at NAS Glenview, Illinois flew in C54Qs. In 1965 (summer of) started flying in C118s and that is all that they flew out of Dallas. They flew all over the world..." [07JAN2000]

WATER, CDR Wayne Waters Retired wwaters@slonet.org "...DOB 4/19/19 at St. Louis Park , MN. Attended U of Minnesota. In January 1941 enlisted in the Navy V-5 (flight training) Program at USNRAB Minneapolis. Underwent elimination flight training in N3N's at Minneapolis in March 1941. Having survived my first encounter with the Navy, in April 1941 I was sent to a personnel pool at NAS Jacksonville, Florida. This NAS had just opened and started flight training. In May 1941 I was sent to NAS Pensacola, FL, designated an Aviation Cadet in Class 5C-41-PC. Primary training was at NAAS Saufley Field, Florida. Chose and was placed in multi-engined training. Other choices were Carrier aircraft training and VO/VS training (cruiser/battleship scouting). I had completed all flight training except for two navigation flights on December 7th. I received my commission and wings on December 15, 1941. My orders were to proceed to an advanced training unit at NAS San Diego and upon completion report to the CO Utility Squadron Two (VJ-2). I got my advanced training 5 days later aboard a ship in a 5-ship convoy headed for Pearl Harbor. On January 15 1942 I reported to the CO VJ-2 at NAS Ford Island. The squadron had about 8 J2F's and three PBY-1's. For you young buckos the J2F was a amphibian biplane equipped for landing on aircraft carriers, land or water. Tasks consisted mostly of inshore patrol, task unit and convoy air coverage, subarine escort and torpedo chasing, ship photos, target towing, delivering mail and pay to outlying units on other Hawaiian Islands, etc. In November 1942 the squadron received three PBY-5A's (amphibians) and in January 1943 the squadron departed for the South Pacific on the way we found out that our destination was the New Hebrides Islands. The route south was Palmyra Island, Canton Island, Fiji Islands to Efate Island in the New Hebrides. Two detachments were located at Espiritu Santos and Noumea, New Caledonia. Headquarters remained at Efate where operations took place from Havana Harbor as there was no nearby field to operate from. Each location had one PBY and one J2F. The J2F proved to be a very versitle aircraft as it could take personnel and/or equipment to remote island locations, land in the water and deliver or pick up whatever was required in a matter of hours. No other method of transportation could do that, I was located at Bomber Strip Two on Espitiru Santos. There was a FABU (Carrier aircraft repair Unit) outfit located there so our detachmant pilots checked themselves out in various carrier aircraft that were awaiting overhaul. As a result of that we did extra duty picking up aircraft that were orphaned at various locations (TBM's at Fiji Islands) and delivered repaired aircraft F4F' to Guadalcanal). The F4F cockpit and landing gear was almost identical to that in the J2F's but had awful short wings. In addition to these two aircraft types we also flew SBD's. In September we returned to the West Coast, USA (19 days on a liberty ship across the South Pacific alone), After 30 days leave I was assigned to Utility Squadron Seven (VJ-7) at NAS San Diego. Here the primary aircraft was newly acquired JM-2's (B-26's). In June 1944 the squadron deployed to NAS Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, TH. In February 1944 I departed for Aerology PG school at the Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD (one year course). In March 1945 I was assigned as Staff Aerological Officer to COMNATSASIA at NAS Agana, Guam, MI. In November 1947 I was assigned to the Naval Air Technical Training Unit, Lakehurst, NJ after 3 months TAD at the Instrument Filght School at NAS Corpus Christi, TX. NATTU Lakehurst consisted of the parachute riggers school and the aerographers matesschools. My job was flying an R4D flying classroom for the aerographers mate schools and providing for graduation jumps for the parachute riggers. The R4D was the largest heavier-than-air craft at the NAS among many blimps and helicopters. In 1950 I was assigned to the General Line School at Monterey, CA for the one year course. Upon completion I was ordered to the Seaplane Tender, USS Pine Island (AV-12) which just happened to be at Iwakuni Japan, The Pine Island also operated from Buckner Bay, Okinawa and the Pescadores Islands in the Formosa (Taiman) Straits. The seaplane tended tasks were to operate a seadrome for seaplanes. In this case PBMs My job aboard ship was Operations Officer. After 18 months I was ordered back to Fleet Air Wing One at NAS San Diego where I was placed in charge of the physical plant while the FAW deployed to the Western Pacific. They returned in a year and I was ordered to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington as senior Aerological Officer. In August 1959 I received orders to Airborne Early Warning Squadron 12 (VW-12) at NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii. A few months after reporting, VW-12, VW-14 and the VW maintenance squadron were combined into the Airboren Early Warning Barrier Squadron Pacific (AEWBARRINPAC). This was the largest aircraft squadron in the Navy with 36 WV-2's and 3 R7v's (Lockheed Super Constellations). The "Barrier" was a 1500 mile extension of the DEW Line that extended from the Aleutian Islands to Midway Island. Crews rotated from Barbers Point to Midway on a 15 day basis and flew the Barrier about every 18 hours. These were 15+ or- hour flights and ended right where they began at Midway Island. The goal was to keep 4 AEW aircraft airborne on the Barrier at all times. Every so often familiarization flights were made to emergency alternate airfields at NAS Adak, Alaska, King Salmon, NAS Kodiak, Alaska and Elmendorf AFB. After 3 years on the Barrier, I became the squadron XO and rarely flew the Barrier after that. I extended my tour for one year and then retired from the Navy on August 31, 1963..." [12AUG98]


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