VPNAVY Operation Poppy by Captain Edward M. Brittingham
http://www.vpnavy.org
VPNAVY Address

Books VX-6/VXE-6 MiscellaneousBooks

HistorybookBOOK: "Courage, Sacrifice, Devotion" - The history of the antarctic squadron VX-6 - by Noel Gillespie noel.design@xtra.co.nz [17MAY2006]

Book Description - A truly remarkable story of endurance, bravery, so immersed in the demands placed on them by the US Navy- the Puckered Penguins, a group of men and women flighting the odds in the name of Antarctic exploration, carrying out their duties on the frozen continent with danger was lurking everywhere. This epic story is an insight and challenging chronicle of their young life's flying aircraft on the world's harshest continent- yet their compassion for their mates will leaves readers stunned.

About the Author - The author is a part time free lance aviation writer in Christchurch, New Zealand and architectural design consultant and has been covering the US Navy's Antarctic operations since the late 1950s. His love for aviation and the Antarctic brought about the writing of this book about a select band of aviators on the frozen continent. His zest for life and his second marriage after 44 years to his late wife Shirley, to which he has three sons, at the age of 70 he enjoys life to the full and dabbled in water colour painting and various writing projects.

UPDATE "...In August my wife and went to the reunion in Rhode Island and I was able to collect a large amount of information from talking to the guys. Also we spent four days down at Ocean City ,NJ as guests of Commander Eddie Ward and his family and a chance of looking over a mountain of material he had as the squadron's first C0 in 1955 -sadly Eddie passed away a week after we me. Also at the end of our US travels, we were invited down to San Diego as guest of Betty-Lou Frankiewicz, wife of the late Commander Eddie Frankiewicz a aviator during DF I II AND III and again looking over his papers-books etc. and was given a copy of his log for his three years in Antarctica. So I have revised a second edition-adding over 50 pages of text and maps-at present its with my publishers and should be on sale later in the year or early next year- same price. Cheer, Take care, Noel Gillespie noel.design@xtra.co.nz..." [21NOV2006]


HistoryBOOK: "Flight of the Puckered Penguins" by Commander James Edgar Waldron JWALDRON@aol.com, U. S. Naval Reserve (Ret.)..."The author tells of his volunteering to winter-over in the Antarctic and his subsequent transfer to Air Development Squadron Six (VX-6), located at Naval Air Station, Quonset Point, Rhode Island. After giving a brief description of this unusual squadron, with its mixed aircraft and differently trained pilots and air crewmen, he tells of his first flight in an R4D with skis and a near accident when the skis failed to retract. Note: The early chapters are followed by a short item, called Antarctic Facts. These are encyclopedic drawn items which tell of the geological and historical facts concerning the Antarctic..."

The complete story can be read on WEBSITE: http://www.icair.iac.org.nz/history/flight/index1.html ... Please note that for a two year period of time, while CDR Waldron was attached to the Anti-Submarine Warfare Laboratory, at Naval Air Development Center, Johnsville, Pa., he flew the P2V-4 and P2V-5 as co-pilot on R&D flights with sonobouys and Infrared experimental equipment. Lots of nighttime, overwater flying... CDR Waldron welcomes all e-mail!!!"


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