Naval Aviation News Vol.96 no.1 Winter 2014

• NavalAviationRespondstoSuperTyphoonHaiyan

• HornetMemoirs

• AviationEnlistedRatingsSeries:Aviation Ordnanceman

W i n t e r 2 0 1 4

t h e F l a g s h i p p u b l i c a t i o n o F n a v a l a v i a t i o n

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2 Naval Aviation News 3Winter 2014

Volume 96, No. 1 , Winter 2014

InThisIssue:

Features10George WashingtonCSGSupportsPhilippineDisasterRelief

16MRTandtheHornet22Steichens’Boys28AviationEnlistedRatingSeries: Aviation Ordnancemen

32WalleyeRememberedon50thAnniversary

Departments4Flightbag6GrampawPettibone8Airscoop36ProfessionalReading39People–Places–Planes43SquadronSpotlight

The U.S. Navy’s Oldest Periodical, Established 1917

Naval aviatioN News is online at

www.navalaviationnews.navylive.dodlive.mil

Director, air War fare

Rear Adm. Michael C. Manazir, USNeDitor in chief

Capt. Patrick Herring, USN

eDitor ial BoarD

Cmdr. Kevin Stephens, USN, Naval Air ForcesCmdr. Christopher Marsh, USN (Ret.),

Air Warfare N98Robert Ghisolfi, Naval Air Systems CommandStanton Coerr, Headquarters, Marine Corps

FORCM Kenneth Daniels, USN, Naval Air Forces Atlantic

suBmission GuiDelinesCommands may send news and announcements such as changes of command, awards, rescues, milestones, and other achievements to [email protected] at any time. Photos of Naval Aviation-oriented activities are always welcome. For longer feature articles, contact the managing editor in advance. Military contributors should forward articles about their commands only after internal security review and with command approval. For more information contact the managing editor at [email protected] or by phone at 301-342-6024.

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eDitor ial staff

(Alutiiq/OMNITEC Solutions)Joan Holland, Managing Editor

Josh Phillips, Senior EditorDave Bradford, Art Director

Angela Walters, Associate Editor

columnists

Cmdr. Peter Mersky, USNR (Ret.), Book Review EditorCapt. Ted Wilbur, USNR (Ret.), Contributing Artist

Cmdr. Bryan Dickerson, USN (Ret.), Contributing Editor

official suBscr iPtions anD aDDress chanGesSubscriptions to military and government agencies, schools, and libraries are provided free of charge through the Naval Aviation News office. Email at [email protected] or send mail to Naval Aviation News, Naval Air Systems Command, 47122 Liljencrantz Road, Building 440, Room 24, Patuxent River, MD 20670 or call 301-342-6024. Naval Aviation News (USPS 323-310; ISSN 0028-1417) is published quarterly for the Chief of Naval Operations by the Naval Air Systems Command. Periodicals postage is paid at Washington, DC, and additional mailing offices.The Secretary of the Navy has determined that this publication is necessary in the transaction of business required by law. The use of a name of any specific manufacturer, commercial product, commodity, or service in this publication does not imply endorsement by the Navy. Any opinions herein are those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Naval Aviation News, the Department of the Navy, or the Department of Defense.Photographs are U.S. Navy unless otherwise credited.Postmaster: Send address changes to Naval Aviation News, Naval Air Systems Command, 47122 Liljencrantz Road, Building 440, Room 24, Patuxent River, MD 20670.

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Back cover: Sailors assigned to the HSC-6 Indians perform maintenance on an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter

aboard USS Nimitz (CVN) 68. (Photo by MCSN Eric M. Butler)

This page: Sailors wait to board three helicopters to return to USS George Washington (CVN 73) after delivering food, water and other

humanitarian supplies in support of Operation Damayan. (Photo by MC3 Paolo Bayas)

Cover: Lt. j.g. Joe Gramata operates the landing signal officer station during the recovery of an MH-60R Sea Hawk on the

flight deck of USS Gettysburg (CG 64). (Photo by MC3 Lorenzo J. Burleson)


“Flightbag”Fall 2013, p. 7.Larry Duthie

Editors:

Since I am mentioned in a piece on page 7 of your Fall 2013 edition of Naval Aviation News, I would like to offer a few corrections and a little added information for your publication.

Here are the errors:

1. My first name is Larry (not Larrie). This error continues to be picked up by various publications. It would be nice to see it is not perpetuated.

2. We had not made it to the target when Dick Hartman’s A-4 got hit, so he wasn’t pulling off the target as reported. We had been inbound to the target — just a few miles short of it — when we were chased down to the deck by a pair of tracking surface-to-air missiles. This was our second evasion of missiles, and we were headed back to a quieter valley to once again climb and then head back to the target (the Co Trai Rail and Auto Bridges). Dick had climbed from treetop level to about 1,000 feet and was just crossing a karst ridge when he was hit by 37mm. His airplane exploded and he immediately ejected from one of the two fireballs. He got two swings in his parachute before he landed on the ridge.

3. Lt. j.g Barry Wood was not on this strike as reported. He ejected the following morning after he and his division leader, Cmdr. Bob Arnold, had been providing flak suppression for the ill-fated rescue attempt. Barry did eject off the coast as reported. The error of date has been repeated in many accounts and may be due to a date error in an official report, but in reality Barry’s aircraft was lost almost 24 hours after Dick and I were hit.

4. I was the sole aircraft overhead Dick, and I was climbing to an altitude that would allow me to drop on the gathering troops below the ridge that Dick was on, when my A-4 was hit, also by 37mm (perhaps even the same gunner that nailed Dick Hartman’s aircraft). I made it about 12 miles closer to the coast — flying with trim alone. My airplane was on fire, smoke was in the cockpit and I had lost oxygen. Both hydraulic systems had failed. Electric trim and a good engine were all I had. I didn’t want to exit, so I continued flying toward the coast until the trim also went and the airplane rolled 135 degrees and the nose came steeply down. Time to go. I had just barely made it to the relative safety of another karst ridge (which today is a national park).

5. Indeed both the Air Force and Navy had rescue assets inbound. The first helicopter — the very same SH-3A (Big Mother 67) that would be lost the next morning with Lt. Dennis Petterson and his crew was inbound to my leader’s location when it came across my beeper. It was flown by

F l i g h t b a gLt. John Bender and Lt. j.g. John (Mike) Schloz. Although Bender was the pilot in charge, it was Schloz’s turn in the right seat, so he was at the controls. Bender was at the left window looking for me. They got directly overhead, but hadn’t yet spotted me. At that time Aviation Antisubmarine Warfare Technician Second Class (AX2) David Chatterton, who was at the door, took a small-arms round in the chest. Big Mother was forced to depart in an effort to save him. However, Chatterton died en route. Among the 28 holes counted in Big Mother were two in the plastic window next to Bender’s face. He came within inches of taking a round. An Air Force Jolly Green from a secret field in Laos had made it to my little hill and it was directed in by Air Force Sandy A-1s. The Jolly was piloted by Maj. Glen York with Lt. Billy Privette in the left seat. Privette was hanging out the window and spotted me on the ground. He later said the small arms fire sounded like popcorn. York, as correctly reported, was awarded the Air Force Cross. The rest of the crew were awarded Silver Stars, as were the crew on Big Mother.

This fifth “correction” is not of an error, but instead supplies information about the bravery of those two helicopter crews that should be included in any report of these events.

It is worth mentioning too, the extraordinary dedication of the support personnel aboard the carriers that kept these battle-damaged assets airworthy. Big Mother’s 28 small-arms hits were assessed and repaired in less than 24 hours so that Petterson and crew could man it early the next morning. Phenomenal.

As an aside, I and four other members of VA-164 attended the funeral of the four Big Mother crew members when they were interred together in a single coffin at Arlington National Cemetery in the Spring of 2013. We (Adm. Paul Engel, Don Purdy, Larry Cunningham, and Mike Mullane were the Ghostriders among the nearly 200 at the funeral) wanted to honor the four incredibly brave men who lost their lives trying to rescue one of our fellow Ghostriders. As a survivor of events that took the lives of five helicopter crew members and my section leader of seven months, Dick Hartman, I feel it is my duty to ensure the events that cost them their lives be accurately remembered.

Need to set the record straight? Any stories out there you’d like to share with the fleet? Naval Aviation News wants to hear from you! Drop us a line at [email protected], or call 301-342-6024, to send us your article ideas, submissions, and/or corrections.

An A-4E Skyhawk aircraft (BuNo 151194) from the VA-164 Ghost Riders en route to a target in North Vietnam in

November 1967.

Crewmen aboard USS Oriskany (CVA 34) rush to a Sikorsky SH-3A Sea King (BuNo 149735) from the HS-6 Indians to retrieve oxygen breathing apparatus to fight a fire aboard the carrier.(Photo courtesy of the U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation)


g r a m paw p e t t i b o n eIllustration by

helo harD DoWn! A section of UH-1N Hueys was selected to provide assault support for the operational test and evaluation of a new mobile ground-based air-defense system. After an initial flyover of the ground forces, the Hueys set up for section terrain flight (TERF) maneuvers prior to commencing random attack profiles. During these initial maneuvers, the co-pilot of dash 2 was flying and fell into what was characterized as “excessive trail.” The lead helo instructed dash 2 to “catch up or blow up.” After 10 minutes of section TERF, the section set up for the random attack profiles. Attacks were performed at low altitude and at one point the ground forces commented on how low the lead was on ingress, to which the lead replied “It’s all relative.”

On the final run, the section separated with the lead attacking from the east and dash 2 from the north. As dash 2 pulled off from its run, their crew chief and a qualified observer saw the lead in their attack run, low in a wash. As dash 2 completed its pull off, they heard the ground forces on the radio call “Helo hard down!” Ground witnesses told

mishap investigators that except for occasional glances of the main rotors they could not see, but only hear, the mishap aircraft as it ingressed. One very experienced infantry officer stated “I have never seen a helo fly as low as the helo that crashed flew. Ever.”

As the mishap aircraft came into view it was in a left turn, apparently attempting to avoid a large bush and remain masked. As the helo began rolling out of the turn, the main rotors struck the left side of the wash, causing the fuselage to pitch forward resulting in additional contact of the main rotors with the wash floor. As the aircraft struck the wash floor, the tailboom became partially severed and dragged along as the fuselage slid and rolled, crushing the cockpit and cabin compartment. Marines on the ground, including two corpsmen, provided immediate assistance. Two of the crew were killed instantly. The other two crew members were airlifted to a nearby medical center, where they later succumbed to their injuries.

Post mishap investigation revealed the flight schedule called for a 0500 brief and a 0700 launch. However, the brief began late because the mishap pilot, who was also

Gramps from Yesteryearshucks anD f lashliGhts

An instructor pilot was scheduled for three flights in one day in a T-34C. Upon completion of the first flight,the aircraft

mission commander, was 10 minutes late while the co-pilot in dash 2 was 50 minutes late because he didn’t know he was on the flight schedule and had to be awakened by the squadron duty officer. Although all pilots were aware that TERF would be required as part of the mission, there was no discussion about it during the section brief.

Grampaw Pettibone Says:

Durn it. Just durn it all! I got a big ‘ol lump in my throat just thinking about this one. It’s good that we learn from these events – but in this case

the price was way too high for any learnin’ we are gonna squeeze out of it.

You know Gramps understands and even endorses a warrior mindset of fly hard, fight hard, and win. I ain’t a soapbox safety officer and won’t preach being careful over being tactical because this is, after all, a very dangerous business and sometimes we have to take risks. But here’s the thing kids, if you are gonna push it and train hard so you can fight hard, you gotta do it right – exactly right. No matter how salty you are, you gotta be disciplined as you lean forward.

I’m just not seeing it here – two pilots late to the brief, one of them didn’t even know he was flying, no discussion of TERF procedures and tactics, and a couple of radio calls that made the little grey hairs on the back of Gramp’s neck hackle-up and what appears to be overly aggressive flying based on the situation all add up to what appears to be a general lapse of discipline.

Aviation and strike warfare are about daring and precision. If you have one of those without the other, life’s gonna be tough. Think of all the things we do that require precision: pushing from an initial position on an attack, putting a sonobouy in the right spot of the great briny, and landing on the boat on a dark night are just three of the basics we have to nail every time. The closer you get to the rocks or water, the more precise you better be because touching the ground unintentionally while in the act of operating your flying machine is generally the last thing you do. So put your eyeballs on me kids and let’s learn a lesson from this painful tragedy: Preparation for flight, and the execution of every flight demands precision and attention to detail, and the lower your altitude, the more focused you have to be. Do not, do not, DO NOT accept a lack of discipline from yourself or anyone you fly with.

Now you kids get back to work – Gramps needs to go wash his socks.

landed at home field as planned and was refueled. During the preflight inspection of the TurboMentor for the next sortie, the instructor discovered fluid on the cowling. He asked maintenance to check for a possible leak. A mechanic looked over the engine area and stated there was no problem and the aircraft was ready for launch.

The pilot took off and flew the next flight to another air base. Upon landing, the pilot was advised to call his home air station regarding a possible problem. He did and was told the mechanic who had checked out the fluid on the cowling was missing his flashlight and that the instructor needed to examine the engine area for the missing item.

The pilot looked inside the engine compartment for the flashlight but was unable to locate it. The mechanic recommended the pilot check again and pay special attention to the area above the engine. The pilot returned to the aircraft and this time found the flashlight. It had become jammed against the overhead of the engine section. It was removed and the pilot continued with a safe flight.

Grampaw Pettibone says:

Anyone familiar with Louis L’ Amour western novels knows the phrase “light a shuck,” which refers to the husk around Indian corn that frontier

folks lit to help them find their way home after dark. They kept pretty good track of those shucks, so vital were they to their well being. Flashlights are the shucks of today and no less important.

Bravo Zulu to the mech who owned up to missing his flashlight, albeit belatedly. As to the pilot’s preflight inspection, he lucked out. Had the missing item jarred loose it could have raised holy you-know-what with the power plant. Bet that pilot has elevated his preflight focus of the engine area, and that’s a plus.

(Originally published in January-February 2004.)


a i r s c o o p By Josh Phillips

Blue anGels BackThe Navy’s Blue Angels flying team resumed their community and public outreach duties on 18 October 2013, after budget cuts caused by sequestration grounded much of their 2013 show dates. The Navy’s demonstration team is on deck to fly a full schedule of air shows this year, with their next performance scheduled for the NAF El Centro Air Show at NAF El Centro, Calif., on 15 March.

PoseiDon BeG ins reiG nThe P-8A Poseidon achieved initial operational capability (IOC) after the first two P-8A Poseidons assigned to the VP-16 War Eagles departed NAS Jacksonville for deployment to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan on 29 November 2013. By achieving IOC, the Navy can deploy the P-8A for operational missions, while continuing the transition from the legacy P-3C.

“This IOC declaration is the culmination of years of careful planning and coordinated effort by the fleet, resource sponsor, acquisition community, and industry,” said Capt. Scott Dillon, program manager for the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft Program Office. “The program office is continuing to support the needs of the fleet and deliver an aircraft that recapitalizes and improves upon the capabilities of its predecessor; greatly enhancing the effectiveness of the Navy’s forward deployed squadrons.”

mh-60 famil y Gets uPG raDes

The Navy’s MH-60 Seahawk helicopter is getting a little extra muscle with the addition of some new weaponry. According to Capt. James Glass, the H-60 Multi-Mission Helicopters program manager, the MH-60S is in the process of upgrading to the M197 20mm Gatling gun. The MH-60S is slated to receive the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) laser-guided missile this

Spring with the MH-60R slated to receive the capability by March 2015.

The MH-60R is currently equipped with Hellfire anti-ship missiles, Mk-46 and Mk-54 torpedoes, and .50-caliber guns, while the MH-60S is armed with Hellfire missiles, 2.75 inch rockets, 20mm gatling gun, .50-caliber guns from the port and starboard cabin doors , and 7.62 mm guns located at the port and starboard cabin windows.

AO1 Eli Lang, crew chief for the Blue Angels, recovers “Fat Albert,” the Blue

Angels C-130 Hercules, as it arrives at NAF El Centro, Calif., on 23 January, in preparation for the 2014 show season.

(Photo by MC2 Kathryn E. Macdonald)

Vice Adm. John Miller, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. 5th Fleet, Combined Maritime Forces, left, and Rear Adm. Eric Chaperon, commander of French Task Force 473, second from left,

observe flight operations aboard FS Charles de Gaulle (R 91) on 14 January. (Photo by CPO Francois Marcel)

Sailors assigned to the VP-16 War Eagles walk to a P-8A Poseidon aircraft before departing

NAS Jacksonville on 1 December 2013. (Photo by MC2 Eric A. Pastor)

An MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the HSM-74 Swamp Foxes flies in front of USS San Jacinto (CG 56)on 20 January during joint operations with the French Task Force 473.

(Photo by CPO Bruno Gaudry)

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On 7 November 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in Guiuan, in the Eastern Samar province of the Philippines, bringing

along with it historic devastation. The typhoon was verified as the strongest storm ever recorded to hit landfall, with gusts measuring at 235 mph and landfall waves of up to 50 feet. More than 6,000 fatalities were reported across the island nation, leaving approximately 11 million more homeless. According to the Philippine government’s national disaster risk reduction management council, the typhoon affected more than 4.2 million people across 36 provinces. Early estimates revealed more than $802.7 million in damages to Philippine agriculture and infrastructure. In response, the George Washington Carrier Strike Group (CSG) was mobilized, arriving outside of the Leyte Gulf on 14 November 2013 to provide humanitarian assistance in what became known as Operation Damayan.

In the following pages, Naval Aviation News displays the destruction wrought by Haiyan to the Philippines, as well as the humanitarian effort of the George Washington CSG and the other U.S. service branches, bringing hope and aid to the storm ravaged island nation.

GeorGe WashinGton CSG

Operation Damayan

USS George Washington (CVN 73) transits toward USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE 10) before a replenishment-at-sea. The George Washington Carrier Strike Group, in coordination with Joint Task Force 505

personnel,assisted the Philippine relief efforts in response to the aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan.

(Photo by MC3 Brian H. Abel)

An MH-60S Seahawk from the HSC-25 Island Knights drops supplies onto Tacloban Air Base on 14 November 2013 in support

of Operation Damayan. Tacloban was one of the areas hardest hit by Haiyan, as much of the city was completely destroyed by the

typhoon and subsequent storm surges of up to 17 feet. (Photo by MC3 Ricardo R. Guzman)

AWR2 Jason Rimando waves goodbye to Filipino civilians from an MH-60R Seahawk

with the HSM-77 Saberhawks on 16 November 2013 after delivering food and water in

support of Operation Damayan. (Photo by MC3 Paolo Bayas)


Lt. Cmdr. Mike DeVito, left, a helicopter operations officer for Commander, Task Force 70, aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73), helps a member of the Filipino Air Force Recruit Officer Training Corps carry a box of relief supplies from an HC-130 Hercules with MWSS-172. (Photo by MC3 Paolo Bayas)

Sailors aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73) load containers of water onto an MH-60S Seahawk from the HSC-12 Golden Falcons. The U.S donated

approximately $37 million in humanitarian aid and supplies in support of the relief effort.

(Photo by MC3 Paolo Bayas)

Philippine citizens approach an MH-60R Seahawk from the HSM-77 Saberhawks as it delivers

relief supplies on 17 November 2013. (Photo by MC3 Peter Burghart)

Sailors from USS George Washington (CVN 73) alongside Marines and Filipino civilians help unload supplies from an HC-130 Hercules from MWSS-172 on 16 November 2013. The KC-130s were instrumental in delivering supplies and evacuating residents from the affected areas. (Photo by MC3 Paolo Bayas)

Sailors aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73) load fresh water onto an MH-60S Seahawk from the HSC-12 Golden Falcons to transport ashore.

(Photo by MC3 Peter Burghart)

MV-22 Ospreys assigned to the VMM-261 Raging Bulls take on supplies from Tacloban Air

Base to provide aid during Operation Damayan. The Osprey was critical in distributing supplies to,

and providing transport from, isolated areas affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan.

(Photo by MC3 Ricardo R. Guzman)

An HC-130 Hercules from MWSS-172 takes off from the Guiuan airfield on 15 November 2013 to airlift civilians to a safer location. (Photo by MCSN Liam Kennedy)

A Guiuan resident sits in a rickshaw outside of his ruined home in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan. Guiuan, a small fishing village on the southernmost point of Samar Island, Phillipines, was Typhoon Haiyan’s initial landing point and one of the area’s most heavily damaged by the storm. The Guiuan airfield also served U.S. forces as a drop-off point for relief supplies to the town and surrounding areas. (Photo by MCSN Liam Kennedy)


AWR2 Chris Miller assigned to the HSM-51 Warlords, greets Philippine residents

during a relief supply drop on 18 November 2013. (Photo by CS2 Fidel C. Hart)

AWR2 Jason Rimando passes water containers to Filipino civilians. (Photo by MC3 Paolo Bayas)

U.S. Marines assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 4 (CLB 4) give water to Palo residents affected by Typhoon Haiyan. CLB 4 is part of Joint Task Force

505 in support of of Operation Damayan. (Photo by MC3 Jonah Z. Stepanik)

Tacloban residents displaced by Typhoon Haiyan fill the cargo hold of a C-17 Globemaster assigned

to the USAF 517th Airlift Squadron flying with Joint Task Force (JTF) 505, on 22 November 2013.

Approximately 400 individuals were loaded onto the aircraft. JTF 505, activated on 18 November from

Camp Aguinaldo, Philippines, conducted search and rescue, supply drops, and personnel airlifts in

support of Operation Damayan. (Photo by MC1 Peter D. Blair)

MV-22 Ospreys from VMM-262 and VMM-265 wait to refuel during Operation Damayan on 16 November 2013. (Photo by MC3 Paolo Bayas)]

Sailors assigned to the HSM-77 Saberhawks remove equipment from an MH-60R Seahawk aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73) on 13 November 2013 to make room for the transport of cargo and personnel in preparation for Operation Damayan. Helicopters used in the relief effort were retrofitted to carry a maximum amount of supplies and personnel. (Photo by MC3 Paolo Bayas)

Lt. Lauren Moses, physician assistant assigned to USS George Washington (CVN 73) walks with a

Philippine nurse past the ruins of a hospital during Operation Damayan on 17 November 2013.

Medical supplies in areas hardest hit by the storm were scarce until the U.S. military and other

foreign aid began delivering supplies days later. (Photo by MCSN Beverly Lesonik)

Sailors stack relief supplies on the flight deck of USS George Washington (CVN 73) to be airlifted ashore by embarked helicopters on 17 November 2013. (Photo by MC3 Peter Burghart)


The F/A-18 Hornet first flew on 18 November 1978, and entered operational carrier-based service in 1985.

Born into controversy as an aircraft designed to replace the F-4 Phantom and A-7E Corsair II (and perform both the fighter and light attack missions), the Hornet introduced many new and (then) revolutionary technologies and concepts: Digital flight controls, multi-function displays (the Navy’s first “glass cockpit”), digital multiplex avionics, the use of a head-up display as primary attitude indicator, the “hands on throttle and stick” concept, and the first use of strong, light-

weight graphite-epoxy components (flaps, ailerons, panels, and landing gear doors).

After the A-12 Avenger II was cancelled in February 1991, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet became Naval Aviation’s highest priority program in the 1990s. The Super Hornet program – based on the Hornet’s proven performance, reliability, and maintainability – remained on schedule and on budget from inception to full operational capability in the early 2000s. Retaining the “legacy” Hornet’s maintainability and reliability, the Super Hornet brought

greater survivability, more fuel/endurance, more ordnance carriage and bring-back, and more room to grow. Truly a “super” Hornet.

Many people have contributed to the Hornet and Super Hornet’s story: designers, developers, manufacturers, test pilots, maintainers, and fleet aviators. One aviator whose career has been interwoven in the Hornet story is Vice Adm. Mark I. Fox, Deputy Commander, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1978, he married his bride Priscilla on 18 November 1978 in Annapolis, Md., coincidentally the same day of the Hornet’s first flight in St. Louis, Mo.

As a student Naval Aviator in Kingsville, Texas, Fox badly wanted to fly the Hornet. Reasoning that because the F-4 was older than the A-7, it would likely be replaced by the Hornet sooner, he put the Phantom first on his dream sheet. After training command carrier qualifications were complete, Fox’s landing signal officer for the VT-21 Redhawks, Lt. Bob “Hurricane” Yakeley, boisterously informed him that Fox was going to the VA-174 Hellrazors, the A-7 fleet replacement squadron (FRS). Initially disappointed to have not gotten Phantoms, Fox asked, “Didn’t you say that how you did at the boat will dictate which airplane you’ll fly in the fleet?”

“It does,” Yakeley replied. “And the reason you’re going Corsairs is the A-7 is harder to land on the boat than the Phantom. Congratulations!” As it turned out, only a few Navy Phantom squadrons transitioned to Hornets.

After a first fleet tour flying A-7Es with the VA-72 Bluehawks (in which he got his “MRT” (military rated thrust) call sign – but that’s another story), Fox briefly served as an A-7E instructor pilot with VA-174, then made the long hoped-for Hornet transition when a billet in a newly formed Hornet squadron opened in May 1984. Leaping at the opportunity to fly the aircraft, Fox joined the VFA-132 Privateers, training with the VFA-125 Rough Raiders at NAS Lemoore, finishing just in time to move back to NAS Cecil Field in March 1985 for work-ups aboard USS Coral Sea (CV 43).

Foreshadowing today’s air wings, CVW-13’s four Hornet squadrons (two Navy, two Marine) aboard Coral Sea breathed new life in the “Ageless Warrior.” Flying the Hornet on its first deployment to the Mediterranean was everything Fox had dreamed it would be, culminating in the “Line of Death” combat operations against then-Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi in April 1986.

After shore duty as the light attack/strike fighter detailer and

by Cmdr. Peter B. Mersky, USNR (Ret.)

MRT and The HORNET“ ”

In November 2013, the F/A-18 Hornet celebrated its 35th anniversary. At 35, joints begin to hurt and knees begin to creak with the inevitable realization that old age is at the onset. However, the venerable Hornet is showing us that there is still a considerable amount of fight in the dog, as it continues to reign as the preeminent fighter/attack aircraft of the seas.

“There’s still a lot of capability left to be had in this airframe,” said Vice Adm. David Dunaway, Commander, Naval Air Systems Command. “You might consider it a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. I would argue that most of the missions in the world are jack-of-all-trades missions. And that’s why the Hornet just rocks, it really does.”

Lt. Cmdr. Mark Fox and his F/A-18 Hornet (BuNo 163508)

return to USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) from the MiG-killing mission during the opening of Operation Desert Storm on

17 January 1991. Note the empty wing pylons that once carried Mk. 84 bombs,

the empty Sidewinder station on the starboard wing tip, and the missing

AIM-7 on the port cheek station next to the centerline fuel tank. (U.S. Navy photo)

Shortly after its MiG-killing mission, AA 401 heads out on another strike accompanied by a VF-103 F-14B and an

Air Guard tanker, which has extended its refueling boom. (U.S. Navy photo)

Capt. Mark Fox is congratulated after landing his F/A-18 Hornet on the flight deck of USS Constellation (CV 64) on 4 March 2003, marking the completion of logging over 3,000 hours of flight time in the Hornet.

(Photo by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class (PH3) Casey D. Tweedell)

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as Vice Adm. Richard M. Dunleavy’s aide at Commander, Naval Air Forces Atlantic and OP-05, Fox, then a lieutenant commander, joined the VFA-81 Sunliners for his department head tour in March 1990. VFA-81 had just transitioned into the F/A-18C from the A-7, and completed work-ups aboard USS Saratoga (CV 60) in August 1990. When Iraq invaded Kuwait on 2 August 1990, CVW-17 and Saratoga were ready to go.

After four months of Operation Desert Shield, Sara was on station in the Red Sea when Desert Storm began on 17 January 1991. Fox’s mission on the first day of Desert Storm was an iconic event that forever linked him to the Hornet – a strike mission punctuated by a MiG kill. When Lt. Cmdr. Fox launched, the squadron had already flown its first combat sorties over Iraq and sadly had also experienced its first combat loss – Lt. Cmdr. Scott Speicher in AA 403 (BuNo 163484) failed to return from the opening strike.

The first daylight strike of Desert Storm flew in conjunction with aircraft of CVW-3 from USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67). The previous night had seen an intense first-strike effort by hundreds of allied aircraft against Iraqi facilities, especially around Baghdad and the major airfields in western Iraq, codenamed H-2 and H-3. Anti-aircraft artillery and Iraqi interceptors had made things hot for the striking aviators. The U.S. Air Force had shot down four enemy planes overnight, and now it was the Navy’s turn.

The Navy strikers would be carrying three 2,000 pound Mk-84 general purpose bombs and a jamming pod designed to counter the lethal SA-6 Gainful surface-to-air missile. For this strike, Fox was assigned to be a “spare” (to fill in for an aircraft with maintenance problems) and since no more

jamming pods were available, his jet carried a fourth Mk-84. All of the Hornets carried two AIM-7M Sparrows and two AIM-9M Sidewinders. Their target was the big airfield in western Iraq called H-3. Holding south of western Iraq, an E-2C Hawkeye from the VAW-125 Tigertails monitored the overall situation to warn of any airborne threats.

“I didn’t leave thinking I wasn’t going to come back later,” Fox recalled. He made sure everything was set up in his cockpit, making sure the switches were set.

The radio was alive with chatter. Then, a call from the E-2 alerted Saratoga’s Hornets of two MiG-21s. “400, that bandit’s on your nose, 15.”

Having just selected the air-to-ground mode in preparation for the bombing attack, Fox quickly switched back to the air-to-air mode by selecting Sidewinder (by pressing straight down on the knurled knob on the control stick). McDonnell Douglas had touted the ease with which the Hornet could be changed from a bomber to interceptor, and here was the chance to prove it.

The MiGs, flying in left echelon, kept coming head-on, and the Navy pilots’ adrenaline flowed. With no time to think, the Hornet pilots reverted to

instincts honed in training. Fox locked the lead/right MiG at 10 miles, and kept hitting the cage/uncage switch to command the AIM-9 seeker to look down the radar line of sight. Lt. Nick “Mongo” Mongillo locked the left MiG with Sparrow selected.

The MiGs were supersonic, Mach 1.2, and the combined rate of closure was 1,200 knots. Finally getting a tone and a shoot cue, Fox fired an AIM-9M Sidewinder that left the aircraft with a characteristic “WHOOSH”… then he lost sight of the missile. (Anticipating a smoke trail, Fox thought the Sidewinder had malfunctioned. It was the first time he

had fired an AIM-9 with a smokeless motor). Assuming the Sidewinder wasn’t working, he selected an AIM-7 Sparrow and squeezed the trigger. As he watched the Sparrow accelerate, the AIM-9M hit the MiG, which caught fire but kept coming. The Sparrow then hit the brightly burning MiG, which was clearly decelerating and descending. Even after having hit by two missiles, the distinctive planform of a MiG-21 was evident – albeit burning from mid-fuselage aft – passed down the left side of Fox’s Hornet. Mongillo’s Sparrow destroyed the second MiG seconds later with a spectacular smear of flame and smoke. The engagement was brief – less than 40 seconds from the E-2 controller’s first call to missile impacts.

The division of Hornets continued toward H-3, getting radar locks on a high and slow “bogey” group (i.e. unknown aircraft – later determined to be MiG-29s) west of the target. At the roll-in point, with the bogeys turning cold and not presenting an immediate threat, the Hornet strikers went back to the air-to-ground mode. Having kept their bombs, the four Hornets completed their main mission and validated McDonnell Douglas’ strike-fighter claim for the Hornet. It had performed extremely well during Desert Storm, as Hornet squadrons from the Navy, Marine Corps and other nations also confirmed the F/A-18’s capabilities.

After Desert Storm, Fox completed a joint tour in Belgium, and returned in 1993 to rejoin VFA-81 as its executive officer. In 1994, Fox, now a commander, made the Saratoga’s final deployment, flying tactical missions over Bosnia-Herzegovina. In 1995, he assumed command of VFA-81, leading the Sunliners on their first deployment aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65) in 1996, flying in Operation Southern Watch over Iraq.

After the debacle surrounding the Navy’s new attack aircraft, the A-12, which was cancelled by Congress, the Navy found itself with $4.88 billion to design and build a follow-on to the A-6, A-7, and early F/A-18 aircraft, which were approaching obsolescence. The A-12 was considered something of a carrier-based “mini-B-2” stealth bomber, but it would have been hard to maintain, and the Navy wanted to keep a balance between requirements and operational capability.

The baseline for designing the F/A-18E and F was the late-production blocks of the F/A-18C and D, now coming into the fleet. The Hornet had been a resounding success so far and the Navy wanted to continue that promising future with the larger and more powerful E and F, keeping the design as a highly-survivable bomb truck that also had the ability to take care of itself in aerial combat. The same hope surrounded the EA-18G Growler, the long-awaited successor to the veteran EA-6B Prowler, which had seen a great deal of combat beginning in June 1972 when the first VAQ squadrons reached Vietnam.

In 1997, Fox was honored to be selected as commanding officer (CO) of the VFA-122 Flying Eagles; at NAS Lemoore. As the first CO of the first Super Hornet fleet readiness squadron, Fox became the 43rd Naval Aviator to fly the new jet. His and the new squadron’s job was to train maintenance troops and the first cadre of instructor pilots in the new aircraft, and included flying the jet in operational test and evaluation at China Lake.

In March 2000, the National Aeronautic Association awarded the Collier Trophy to the FA-18E/F Super Hornet program as the top aeronautical achievement for 1999. The new aircraft remained on schedule and on budget throughout its procurement – a noteworthy achievement in an era of routine schedule and budget over-runs.

Originally ordered in May 2000 as deputy commander, CVW-11 (one of the first commander, air group (CAG) Super Hornet air wings), a change in the slate moved Fox (now a captain) to CVW-2 aboard USS Constellation (CV 64), where he assumed command in August 2001. The terror attacks of 9/11 prompted an accelerated set of work-ups and deployment in November 2002. In another combat milestone, he was overall mission commander and strike lead for the first strike of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) on 21 March 2003. CVW-2 did not include Super Hornets, but the new fighter-bomber actually made its combat debut with the VFA-115 Eagles, aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), dropping the F/A-18E’s first bombs on 6 November 2002, attacking an Iraqi surface-to-air missile site at Al Kut.

Members of the VMFA-235 Death Angels, now deactivated, service their F/A-18C Hornet aircraft at the forward arming and refueling point

of Jubayl Airfield during Operation Desert Storm. (Photo by CW04 J. M. Rodriguez)

Lt. Cmdr. Scott Speicher


Personal Reflection – Flying in a VFA-103 Jolly Roger F/A-18F Super Hornet

By Rick Llinares

I recently had a discussion over dinner with some friends. As we are all on ‘the back 9’ of our lives, the subject of bucket lists came up. After polling the others it was my turn. Maybe I am lucky, my list is short and I have actually had the chance to fill the top items on the list, none more so than the one fulfilled on a chilly December day back in 2005. To this day I still look back on the experience of flying in the back seat of a Jolly Rogers F/A-18F Super Hornet with a mix of incredulity, gratitude, and a little awe.

Blasting off from NAS Fallon, cruising over the snowcapped mountains on that chilly winter afternoon, taking pictures of squadron mates in their high visibility paint schemes; well that’s as good as it gets. Some really good karma must have preceded my current incarnation for me to have the good fortune to get a ride in the Super Hornet. Even with a few peeks at the bottom of the airsick bag later in the flight, it was still the most enjoyable thing I have ever done with my clothes on.

After his CAG tour, Fox served as the deputy director of the White House Military Office (WHMO) from 2003 to 2004. After being selected for Flag, he “fleeted up” and served as the deputy assistant to the president and director of the WHMO from 2005 to 2006, responsible for all military support to the president. Following the WHMO assignment, recently-promoted Rear Adm. Fox served as the director of communications in the Multi-National Force – Iraq in Baghdad from 2006 to 2007, during the ‘surge.’ Having spent a good portion of his earlier career destroying military targets in Iraq, it was somehow appropriate that he spend time and effort helping Iraq move to a future without Saddam!

Fortunate to get back into flight status as commander of CSG-10 aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) and as commander of Naval Strike and Air Warfare at NAS Fallon, Fox relished the opportunity to interact with air wing aviators and maintainers, and to share his experiences and perspectives with today’s generation of pilots.

Gaining a third star as commander, 5th Fleet, Fox made a point to visit every carrier that operated in the CENTCOM area of responsibility. He logged his last flight in the back seat of a Super Hornet – Bullet 104 – on 20 March 2012 aboard Abraham Lincoln while operating in the Arabian Gulf.

In a flying career spanning more than 34 years, Fox has logged more than 100 combat sorties, 4,950 flight hours, and 1,349 carrier landings.

The Hornet, in all its variants, continues to serve in the fleet, the Naval Air Reserve, the Fleet Marine Force, and Marine Corps Air Reserve, as well as Australia (the only country to, as yet, operate the Echo and Foxtrot), Canada, Finland, Kuwait, Spain, and Switzerland. It has certainly proved the strike-fighter concept. As Fox recently commented, “The aircraft and weapons have continued to evolve… the F/A-18 has remained relevant and is a remarkable success story.”

As a man (with an unusual callsign) who has had the great good fortune to follow his lifelong passion, MRT has led an exciting and meaningful life, and with a family that includes three naval officer sons (one intelligence officer and two unrestricted Naval Aviators). From flying Lot 4 F/A-18A’s in the 1980’s to Lot 30 Super Hornets into the next century – complete with the full spectrum of operations from peace, crisis and war – he enjoys what we might call “a full life, Charlie Brown.” Throughout it all, he has been an ardent exponent of Naval Aviation and the F/A-18 Hornet, and has done his best to use the twin-tailed strike fighter to its greatest advantage.

The author would like to thank Lt. Cmdr. Richard C. Moebius, USN, for help with this article.

Cmdr. Mersky has been associated with Naval Aviation News since 1971. He has been the book review editor since 1982, and occasionally writes feature articles for the magazine. He has also served as editor for the Naval Safety Center’s Approach magazine, from which he retired in 2000.

People ask what it’s like to experience flying in the Super Hornet. For me as a civilian trying to take a few good pictures, it’s a mix of exhilaration, wonder, slight claustrophobia, and at times sheer terror. The Super Hornet cockpit is roomy, very ergonomic. The rear seat is a bit elevated over the pilot’s front seat and the view 360 degrees around is great. At times you feel like you are sitting on top of, as opposed to inside, the Super Hornet. The jet has a clean, quiet, comfortable, and uncluttered feel to it. That’s 5th generation fighter aircraft design. I have experienced formation flying, afterburner departures, in-flight refueling, carrier-style landings in the F/A-18F. The Jolly Roger aircrews I have flown with make it look so easy. I guess it’s a testament to the skill, courage and training that Super Hornet aircrews have which enables them to operate these lethal machines so well and with such apparent ease. Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman have nothing on my bucket list.

Rick Llinares is a Long Island-based aviation photojournalist. He runs Dash 2 Aviation Photography and has been covering American military aviation subject since 1995. Rick has logged hundreds of flight hours in a variety of American combat aircraft and has published four books, numerous magazine articles, and produces the well-known “Above & Beyond” wall and desk calendars.

The author (and photographer) snaps a selfie during his 2005 flight with the VFA-103 Jolly Rogers (Photo courtesy of Rick Llinares)

Two F/A-18 Super Hornets with the VFA-18 Jolly Rogers display the “skull and crossbone” logo on the tail of the aircraft. The Hornet aircraft celebrated 35 years of service in November 2013.

(Photo courtesy of Rick Llinares)

vvvv


Edward Steichenand the

N ava l av i at i o N P h o t o g r a P h i c U Ni t

Into the Breach1941: The Japanese attack Pearl Harbor and the U.S. declares war on Japan as she swarms across the Pacific Ocean toward Hawaii and the U.S. mainland.

It was a defining time for the U.S. Navy. It had sustained near crippling losses to the Pacific Fleet and the carrier-based air wings at Pearl Harbor. Naval Aviation was in dire need of new pilots to be recruited and trained as the “tip of the spear” that would defend against Japan’s incursion eastward.

Enter Capt. Arthur W. Radford, commander of the Navy’s Bureau of Aeronautics and head of the Navy’s pilot recruitment effort. Radford believed there was competition between the Navy and the Army Air Corps for a limited talent pool, and that attractive, top-rate photography in the press (as well as the design of both posters and leaflets) would help the Navy reach its quota of 30,000 new pilots each year. Although Steichen was approaching retirement age, Radford reached out to him

with orders to assemble a team of crack photographers to help with that effort. That Radford would reach out specifically to Steichen for this mission was not surprising. What was surprising was the autonomy given to Steichen in assembling and deploying his team.

Lt. Barrett Gallagher, who joined the unit in 1944, had reported aboard USS Intrepid (CV 11) —then the flagship of Rear Adm. Gerald Bogan—and asked to join his staff. Bogan asked what the lieutenant’s orders were, to which Gallagher is reported to have said, “Sir, my orders are to go wherever I want, stay as long as I want and to return home when I feel like it.” After the admiral had time to review the orders and determined that was exactly what they said, he welcomed Gallagher to his staff. Such was

the freedom of movement given to the entire team through the efforts of Radford, Adm. Chester

Nimitz, commander-in-chief in the Pacific, and special letters of recommendation from future Secretary of the Navy James V. Forrestal.

“Steichen’s Boys”The original team that Steichen put together included Lt. Wayne Miller, Lt. Dwight Long, Lt. Charles E. Kerlee, Lt. Charles Fenno Jacobs, Lt. Cmdr. Horace Bristol, Ensign

Victor Jorgensen, and Ensign Alfonso “Fons” Iannelli. Bristol, working for Life magazine as an original member of its staff, and accompanied writer John Steinbeck during his travels in California that resulted in his celebrated book, “The Grapes of Wrath.” Jacobs also spent time as photographer for Life. Kerlee earned his chops as a commercial illustrator, while

by Dave Bradford

Like so many American civilians who set aside their successful professional careers to support the war efforts in WWI and again in WWII, Edward Steichen’s contributions reached

far beyond his immediate area of expertise.

By the time Steichen was given command of the Naval Aviation Photographic Unit in 1941, he was 62 years old and had accumulated a lifetime of achievements and accolades both professionally and as the commanding officer of the Army’s photographic division of the American Expeditionary Forces in WWI. Beginning in 1917, he would serve 16 months in that post and be awarded the rank of lieutenant colonel (with a citation by Gen. John Joseph “Black Jack” Pershing) and was appointed a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor.

As it turned out, it was just the beginning of “Steichen’s Boys’” impact on the very future of America. Their photographic record of Naval Aviation’s combat heroism would become one of the most powerful American weapons the Japanese war machine would have to face in WWII.

Jorgensen excelled at the Portland Oregonian newspaper, where he spent time as a copy boy, a photographer, and even the paper’s news editor. Miller, the only rookie, was already Navy enlisted, so Steichen’s instructions to him were “I don’t care what you do, Wayne, but bring back something

that will please the brass a little bit, an aircraft carrier or somebody with all the braid; spend the rest of your time photographing the man.” It was Steichen’s prime concern—don’t photograph the war; photograph the man, the little guy; the struggle, the heartaches, plus the dreams of this guy. Photograph the sailor.

Background: Takeoff from USS Lexington (CV 16) during the defense of Tarawa in late November 1943.

(Photo by Capt. Edward Steichen, USNR)

Capt. Edward Steichen photographed above the deck of USS Lexington (CV 16) in November 1943.

(Photo by Lt. Victor Jorgensen)

Two Curtiss SB2C-3 Helldiver aircraft bank over USS Hornet (CV 12) before landing, following strikes on Japanese shipping in the China Sea, circa mid-January 1945.

(Photo by Lt. Cmdr. Charles Kerlee)


Before Steichen was done, he and his team had gained passage aboard USS Lexington (CV 16), USS Yorktown (CV 10), USS Intrepid (CV 11), and USS Ticonderoga (CV 14). They had photographed battles from the raid on Truk Islands to the “Marianas Turkey Shoot.”

In late 1943, Steichen was aboard Lexington when she took a ‘fish’ in her stern after a five hour Japanese air attack. Steichen was positioned off the port stern in the netting that extends out over the water so he could capture both the aircraft landings and the landing signal officer (LSO) directing them safely aboard. A Grumman F6F Hellcat had been unable to abort its approach, missed the arresting gear and crashed into the ramp. Both the LSO and his assistant dived into the net on top of Steichen to escape the fiery crash. He still got the shot.

“The Fighting Lady,” 1945In addition to leading the Naval Aviation photographic team, Steichen was given the assignment to direct 20th Century Fox’s Academy Award-winning 1944 film “The Fighting Lady.” Extensive use of gun cameras and footage provided by him and his team gave the film the unmistakable feeling of reality, even though the plot was entirely fictional, and the filming locations were anything but. Filmed almost entirely aboard Yorktown and in Technicolor, the on-deck action sequences were deadly reality and produced some of the most riveting combat scenes of the Pacific campaign.

An echelon of Grumman Avengers flies in formation over the Pacific. Avenger flyers and the torpedoes

they launched with deadly accuracy scored many important successes

against units of the Japanese fleet. (Photo by Lt. Cmdr. Horace Bristol)

An aerial view shows the USS Yorktown (CV 10) landing her planes. Most of the footage for the motion picture

“The Fighting Lady” was shot on Yorktown. (Photo by Lt. Cmdr. Charles Kerlee)

Navy pilots in the forward elevator well play basketball aboard USS Monterey (CVL-26) in June 1944. The jump-shooter on the

left is future U.S. President Gerald R. Ford. (Photo by Lt. Victor Jorgensen)

An aircrewman wounded in a strike on Rabaul, Papua New Guinea is helped out his aircraft aboard USS Saratoga (CV-3)

on 5 November 1943.(Photo by Lt. Wayne Miller)

The colors wave jauntily in this famous photo as the fleet returns from another successful engagement.

(Photo by Cmdr. Horace Bristol)

Sailors fire 40mm guns aboard USS Hornet (CV 12) on 16 February 1945, as her planes raided Tokyo.

(Photo by Lt. Cmdr. Charles Kerlee)

Ordnance men arm planes on the hangar deck of the USS Yorktown (CV 10), while in the background

off duty Sailors watch a movie. (Photo by Lt. Cmdr. Charles Kerlee)


Why Steichen?

Born Eduard Steichen (he would later refer to himself as

“Edward”) in Luxembourg in 1879, and naturalized in

the U.S. in 1900, Steichen settled with his family in rural

Michigan, eventually moving to Milwaukee, Wis. At 15,

he entered into a formal lithography apprenticeship with

the American Fine Art Company of Milwaukee, and taught

himself to draw and paint in his free time. Along with

his other interests, Steichen would discover Pictorialist

photography, launching his career behind the camera.

In 1900, Steichen set out for Paris via New York City to

see the Rodin Pavilion outside of the 1900 Exposition

Universelle and to pursue his fine arts education at the

Académie Julian.

Passing through New York, he visited the famous Albert

Stieglitz (1864–1946), photographer, publisher, gallerist,

impresario, and founder of the Camera Club of New

York. Steiglitz purchased three of Steichen’s photographs

on that first visit—his first actual fine art sale—before

leaving for the continent.

His association with Stieglitz had such impact, however,

that he would promptly abandon his painting studies at the

Académie Julian to pursue photography and the new gum

bichromate process, the precursor to colored photography.

Between 1900 and 1917, Steichen enjoyed a meteoric

career as a portrait photographer capturing timeless

images of such greats as Rodin and J.P. Morgan. He was

featured prominently in Stieglitz’ Camera Work (a famed

quarterly photographic journal published by Stieglitz

from 1903 to 1917) and many of his exhibits that

featured the best pictorialist photographers of the period.

At 38, and eight years past recruitment age in 1917,

Steichen joined the U.S. Army and completed a

distinguished tour directing its aerial photographic unit.

In the years following his separation from the Army,

Steichen was hired by the Condé Nast magazine group to

photograph for Vogue and Vanity Fair in the 1920s and

1930s. His work also appeared in Life and The Saturday

Evening Post. He worked with the J. Walter Thompson

advertising agency where his work won international

acclaim. He became the highest paid photographer in

the world, known for his celebrity portraits of Hollywood

stars Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, and Gloria Swanson,

among others.

By the time Capt. Arthur W. Radford reached out to

establish his photographic team in 1941, he could hardly

have found a man better suited to the mission—or the

times—than Edward Jean Steichen.

Return to Civilian LifeThe unit was largely demobilized after the end of the war in August 1945. Steichen returned to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York as director of photography. In 1955, with Carl Sandburg, he produced the widely acclaimed MoMA exhibit, “The Family of Man.” With 503 photos from 68 countries selected from nearly two million submitted photographs, it became one of MoMA’s most celebrated photographic collections and was eventually viewed by more than nine million people, before being reissued in book form. It is still in print to this day.

Just as Edward Steichen had admonished his Naval Aviation photographic team to photograph the individual Sailor to tell the story of WWII, he held to his own guidance in his return to civilian life by searching out, observing, and recording individuals to tell their stories of unsung struggles and heroism in their everyday lives.

Edward Jean Steichen passed away at his home in West Redding, Conn. on 25 March 1973 at the age of 94.

Aircrewmen put on flight gear in preparation for another strike against Manila on 5 November 1944. Somber faces

show they know what they are up against. (Photo by Lt. Wayne Miller)

Doctors and corpsmen treat Okinawa casualties aboard USS Solace (AH 2) in May 1945. Casualties on landings, especially early

in the Pacific invasion days, could be very heavy. (Photo by Lt. Victor Jorgenson)

A U.S. Navy Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless dive bomber from VB-5 from the USS Yorktown (CV 10)

over Wake Island, in early October 1943. (Photo by Lt. Cmdr. Charles Kerlee)

Aircraft return to USS Lexington (CV 16) during the Gilberts operation in November 1943. Crewmen in the foreground are

sitting on the wing of an SBD-5, as an F6F-3 lands and a TBF-1 taxiies to a parking place on the forward flight deck.

(Photo by Capt. Edward Steichen, USNR)

“The Flatiron”, 1904 by Edward SteichenGum bichromate over platinum print. This famous photo of the New York City landmark in Times Square illustrates the

artistic influence of Alfred Stieglitz and his Camera Club of New York upon Steichen prior to his Army enlistment in 1917. The

“Pictorialist” vision created here would give way to Steichen’s goal of photographing the Sailor during his tutelage of the Naval

Aviation Photographic Unit in WWII.


Spend any amount of time on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier or a naval air station flight line and you will likely see

a flurry of aviation ordnancemen (AO) wearing red cranials, preforming their carefully choreographed explosive ballet. AOs, or “ordies” for short, may be best known for loading explosive weapons on the Navy’s most advanced aircraft, but they do much more than that. Ordies are a diverse group of people working on many different platforms of naval aircraft, classes of ships, and at support facilities around the world.

To qualify as an AO, a Sailor should have average competence with tools and equipment and be able to work in all types of environments. They should also be physically fit, have a strong ability to work in a team, and qualify for a secret security clearance. The life of most AO’s begins at NAS Pensacola, Fla., where they enter class “A” school: a nine-week course that includes basic aviation theory, aircraft, general weapons studies with related support equipment, and weapon troubleshooting. After completion of “A” school,

some of the fleet’s newest ordies will move to “C” school for advanced weapon system and technical publication training tailored to specific platforms of aircraft prior to their squadron assignment. Other students may continue to assignments onboard ships or fleet readiness centers (FRC) throughout the Navy.

The role of the AO remains as challenging today, if not more so, as it was in the past. To dismiss ordies as just “ordnance pushing redshirts” is to pigeonhole them in

dated misconceptions, as their job requires them to do so much more than load explosives on aircraft.

Although much of the heavy l i f t i n g a n d

dirty work is the same, ordies must now navigate advanced weapon systems and aircraft, while adapting to the intricate components of aircraft computers. Much like their brethren of old however, AOs also still rely on good old fashioned experience handed down from others to complete their mission.

The aviation ordnance rating comes with multiple specialized skills and requirements, such as maintaining and troubleshooting weapon systems and working closely with the aviation electronics technician. The AO also needs to understand how the weapons they load onto the aircraft operate and all the steps necessary for the aircraft to deliver the weapon on target. The AO will often have to troubleshoot a specific weapons system or component on the aircraft after flight due to a weapons failure or

system gripe associated with a specific weapon or component. Sometimes the

discrepancy cannot be fixed at the

They don’t wear flight suits or have call signs. Colorful shirts are their identifiers when they swarm the flight deck, caring for and preparing the carrier’s aircraft

for its next mission, while making sure that everything is ready and in order for the next important launch or recovery.

This ongoing series from Naval Aviation News will peek behind the curtain to take a look at the enlisted Sailors supporting Naval Aviation and the jobs they perform to keep our aircraft not only up and running, but the most formidable in the world.

A Look at Naval Aviation’s Enlisted Ratings:

By AOC (AW) Charles W. Potter

Aviation Ordnanceman

(Photo by MC3 Randy J. Savarese)

(Photo by MCSA Karolina A. Martinez)

(Photo by MC2 James R. Evans)


squadron level and the AO must remove and replace the faulty component, usually a bomb rack or missile launcher, and turn it into the FRC for repair or rework.

AOs work under strict guidelines. Not only do they comply with all Naval Aviation maintenance practices, they must also follow all associated weapons guidelines and policies. If working with explosives is not dangerous enough, they also have to deal with the sheer weight of the weapons. On average, each weapon weighs between 100 to 1,000 pounds and are often loaded and unloaded by hand several times per day. Proper technique in handling these weapons greatly reduces the possibility of injury from lifting such heavy loads.

AO’s never work alone. Their duties are always performed in teams while under the watchful eye of the quality assurance/safety observer and direction from the team leader. From the construction of the ordnance at a weapons station or ship, to the loading those same weapons on the aircraft, AOs operate as a finely-tuned unit to ensure the safety of all those involved with and around those weapon systems.

Ordies are constantly faced with challenging conditions, as the majority of their work is done outdoors in every environment possible. From a December work-up cycle in sub-zero temperatures off the coast of Virginia, to 115 degree flight deck temperatures in the Middle East, ordies

must be flexible and disciplined enough to operate in the most extreme conditions. Through it all, it is their duty to ensure the weapon systems are maintained, properly loaded, and have all discrepancies fixed in order to keep the aircraft ready for any mission.

From the most junior AO to the weapons officer, everyone is accountable for weapons and their components. Every ordie must count, track, and properly expend every piece of ordnance, as well as stow and inventory every weapon ranging from small arms bullets to large bombs and missiles. One-hundred percent accountability holds true to every rate in the Navy, but none more so than the AO, due

to the nature of the explosives and security classification of specific weapons.

One of the things most prized with AOs is the brotherhood each one has for his or her peers. Ordies are one of very few rates that have their own association and provides a fraternity with chapters globally. From the flight deck to the weapons magazines below decks, one would be hard pressed to find a group of men and women as dedicated to the job and mission as the Navy’s ordies!

AOC (AW) Potter is the ammunition accounting manager and weapons supervisor at CVW-7.

(Photo by MC2 Gulianna Mandigo)(Photo by MC2 Kenneth Abbate)

(Photo by MCSA Kelly M. Agee) (Photo by MC3 Jess Lewis)

(Photo by MCSA Andrew K. Haller)

v


The first test of a Walleye occurred on 29 January 1963, when a YA-4B Skyhawk dropped the missile at China Lake for a direct hit on its intended target. The first production contract for the missile was issued in 1966, and the bomb entered service with both the Navy and the U.S. Air Force the following year. The first iteration of the missile carried a 1,100 pound shaped charge and had a range of 16 nautical miles.

The Walleye, a glide bomb designed for soft, stationary targets, contained a small television camera mounted in its nose that transmitted images to the cockpit where a pilot could then designate an aim point and release the bomb. After release, it would direct itself to the target, allowing the pilot to turn away from the aim point in true fire-and-forget fashion.

The missile didn’t wait long before it was thrust into action, finding success with Navy and Air Force pilots over the skies of North Vietnam.

A well-remembered piece of Navy military history turned 50 in early November and received a Bravo Zulu

from some of the folks that helped imagine, design, and manage its legacy, with the opening of the Walleye exhibit in the U.S. Naval Museum of Armament and Technology at NAWCWD China Lake, Calif.

“[The] Walleye’s 50th anniversary was a time to reflect on the true meaning of that weapon,” said Scott O’Neil, NAWCWD executive director. “The Walleye story also served as motivation for our workforce to do things differently as we continue to arm the fleet with the most advanced capabilities possible.”

The AGM-62 Walleye missile was developed as a television-guided bomb in the early 1960s by engineers at the Naval Ordnance Center (now NAWCWD) in China Lake.

Norman Kay was one of those engineers, and whose hobby

of building televisions in his home helped bring about the creation of the Walleye. According to John Darrell Sherwood in his book Nixon’s Trident: Naval Power in Southeast Asia, 1968–1972, Kay built an iconoscope camera in 1958 that could do a funny thing, recalled fellow project engineer William H. Woodworth.

“It occurred to him that he could build a little circuit into there that would put a little blip in the picture,” said Woodworth. “He could make the little blip track things that would move in the picture.”

Soon after, Woodworth, Kay, and a group of other engineers at China Lake continued researching this capability and were subsequently given funding by the Navy to develop that technology for military use. Four years later, the Walleye was developed.

“While softer targets such as power plants proved quite vulnerable to the Walleye, sturdier ones such as North Vietnam’s well-constructed railroad bridges could not be downed even with a 1,100 pound weapon,” wrote Sherwood. “Direct hits by the Walleye against the Thanh Hoa Bridge south of Hanoi in 1967 failed to take down a single span of this notoriously strong structure.”

The bridge, nicknamed the “Dragon’s Jaw” by the Vietnamese, was a rail structure spanning the Song Ma river and used by the North Vietnamese as a vital supply route. As such, it became a prime target for American forces. However, the sheer size and strength of the French-built bridge, as well as the defense installed by the Vietcong to defend it, made the complete destruction of the Dragon’s Jaw more than problematic.

“On 12 March 1967, three A-4s from VA-121 carrying one Walleye television-guided bomb apiece hit Thanh Hoa,” wrote Sherwood. “All three bombs hit the bridge within

Edited by Josh Phillips

Navy recognizes 50 years of the

Walleye

An A-7A aircraft carries a Walleye II ER-3 missile and data link pod during a test at China Lake, Calif., in 1972.

The Walleye II, an air-to-surface missile carrying a 2,000 pound warhead, awaits testing on the ranges at Naval Weapons Center China Lake in 1972. The Walleye was designed and developed by scientists and engineers at

China Lake, Calif., to destroy targets such as bridges, air base facilities, and ships.


five feet of a spot determined by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to be the most vulnerable point on the bridge. Nevertheless, the Dragon’s Jaw endured.”

On 28 January 1968, 44 Navy and Air Force planes dropped three tons of bombs during a four hour attack, leaving the bridge heavily damaged, yet still intact and soon repaired. Knowing that the Walleye needed to bring a bit more “oomph” to the fight, the engineers at China Lake went to work to build a more lethal version of the missile. Their design resulted in “Fat Albert”: a 2,000 pound upgraded Walleye designed with an extended range data link to increase standoff capability, the ability to hit targets up to 45 nautical miles from its launch point, and even the capability to change aim points in mid-flight.

“On 27 April 1972, a flight of eight Air Force fighters, two carrying [2,000 pound] laser-guided bombs [LGB] and two carrying Walleye IIs, attacked the Thanh Hoa Bridge,” wrote Sherwood. “Cloud cover prevented the LGBs from being used, but five of the Walleyes locked on, causing heavy damage to the bridge, even though failing to bring down a span.”

U.S. forces finally took down the bridge for good on

23 October 1972, when four A-7 pilots toppled the Dragon’s Jaw with a combination of Walleye IIs and conventional weapons.

The Walleye was just one of many Navy weapons systems designed, developed, and tested at China Lake. The venerable AIM-9X Sidewinder heatseeking missile, originally introduced in 1956, is still providing Navy pilots with aerial lethality through its many upgrades to meet fleet and aircraft demands.

Some of the original design team members attended the museum’s November ribbon-cutting ceremony and shared memories about the development phases of the Walleye.

“The development of precision-guided weapons has greatly improved our ability to defend the nation,” said Steve Gray, who served as a lieutenant with the VA-212 Rampant Raiders during the Vietnam War as an A-4 Skyhawk pilot. Gray’s service included deployment aboard USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA 31) during the introduction of the Walleye in Vietnam.

“We have the capability now to officially strike targets with no, or very limited, unintended collateral damage while

shielding the combat flight crews from greater hazards,” he said. “The Walleye was the first of this development and I am very proud to have been part of its history.”

During the ceremony, O’Neil recalled when he first arrived at China Lake in 1972, and worked in the Fleet Support Branch with active duty and retired military whose job it was to support the warfighters during the Vietnam War.

“What I find interesting about Walleye is that once it was fielded and being used, we were closely connected to what was going on in theater and we could see what the limitations were,” he said.

NAWCWD is still delivering new weapons, such as the low-collateral damage bomb, into the field and in the hands of aviators. But the most significant contribution it is making to current operations is on the left side of the kill chain: targeting and sensors. Whether on unmanned or manned systems, these advancements in sensors and targeting provide the intelligence needed to win the fight.

“It’s heartwarming to me that we still have that kind of dedication in our workforce, focus on the warfighter, and interest in transitioning technology to keep us ahead of our enemies,” O’Neil said. “Our spirit today is the same as it was during the Walleye days.”

This Walleye II is on display at the U.S. Naval Museum of Armament and Technology at China Lake, Calif. The Walleye was designed and developed at China Lake and answered the requirement for precision guidance using TV technology.

An A-4E aircraft sits at China Lake, Calif., in 1974 loaded with a Walleye and a data link pod.


p r o F e s s i o n a l r e a d i n gBy Cmdr. Peter Mersky, USNR (Ret.)

Chance Vought F7U-1 CutlassThomason, Tommy H. Steve Ginter, Simi Valley, CA. 2012. Ill. 129 pp. $29.95.

This open-ended series keeps growing, helped along with some very interesting titles. Although Steve Ginter published a book on the overall F7U in 1982, this new one, number 94 in the Naval Fighters lineup, focuses on the Dash-1, arguably the most appealing and most troubled of the futuristic tailless delta design that this company fielded in the late 1940s. The book features lots of great photos, several in color, as well as details of its design and development struggles, especially getting aboard ship.

It is of interest that only one man ever flew the F7U-1 aboard a carrier, Lt. Cmdr. (later Rear Adm.) E.L. Feightner, known throughout the Navy as “Whitey.” A Pacific War ace with nine kills, Feightner had the skills and courage required to bring the radical design into its projected element. He was also one of only two men to fly the Dash-1 in Blue Angels colors. Underpowered and a problem in formation flying—which was, after all, at the heart of the demonstration team’s program—the Cutlass was given the chance to perform as a solo aircraft. Even here, however, it had problems, and Feightner almost had to eject from his F7U during an air show in front of many Navy dignitaries.

The evolution of the early Cutlass design is well shown in this book, with photo details of many modifications. The F7U-1 did not enter fleet service but served as the basis for

the F7U-3, which did see an abbreviated career with attack squadrons in the mid-1950s.

Without squadron service, there are no squadrons to form one of the most useful sections of the Naval Fighters series—that of mini-squadron histories—but there is the expected section dealing with scale models, none of which looks very satisfactory, due no doubt to the early period of both the subject aircraft and of the model kit industry. Cockpits, as well as the hard-to-capture shape of the

aircraft, left a lot to be desired in these kits, but the section and accompanying photos are interesting to see. It is an excellent addition to this appealing series.

The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet & EA-18G Growler: A Developmental and Operational HistoryBrad Elward. Schiffer Publishing Ltd. Atglen, PA. 2013. 448 pp. Ill. $79.99.

For a plane that was nearly dead on arrival when it lost out to the General Dynamics F-16 in 1975 as the next major U.S. fighter, the F/A-18 has been remarkably long-lived. It serves in many U.S. Navy and Marine Corps squadrons, not to mention quite a few foreign air forces, including Canada, Spain, Australia, and Switzerland. It has seen sustained combat in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, as well as the Balkans, and has served in the reserves in both strike and adversary roles. That’s quite an amazing second life.

Actually, it was Northrop Grumman’s YF-17 Cobra that was matched against General Dynamic’s Fighting Falcon, and far from being idle, the Cobra morphed into the Hornet. It quickly found a place in the U.S. Navy and the Marine Corps Fleet Marine Force first as a strike fighter—hence the new tailor-made designation of VFA for its squadrons—and now in a highly modified form as an electronic countermeasures platform to replace the aging EA-6B Prowler.

Many books and articles of varying sizes and formats have been written on the Hornet, but this new effort from an experienced author and publisher is, by far, the biggest, weighing in at nearly five pounds and matching a NATOPS manual in dimension and page count. It’s a typical presentation from Schiffer, which has produced many attractive tomes over the years on a wide variety of interesting subjects. If you are willing to part with its equally hefty price, you will gain what amounts to a fine collection of color photos and illustrations supported by an equally lengthy text.

An F7U-1 Cutlass from the Naval Air Test Center at NAS Patuxent River sits at the center’s engine runup area.

(Photo courtesy of the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum Association)

Lt. Cmdr. Whitey Feightner (in the foreground) and

Lt. Harding “Mac” Macknight fly the Blue Angels’ two F7U-1s.

(Photo courtesy of the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation)

Lt. Cmdr. E.L. “Whitey” Feightner taxis past the island on USS Midway (CVA-41). (Photo by Steve Ginter)


p e o p l e –p l a c e s –p l a n e sEdited by Josh Phillips

By the advent of the new century, a complete redesign of the F/A-18A-C, which had served so well since 1983, resulted in the F/A-18E and F, just in time for the first strikes in Iraq and Afghanistan following 9/11. Larger and more powerful than their “legacy” brothers, the single-seat E and two-seat F have found their place in the Navy because there are very few A or C squadrons left. (The Marine Corps decided to wait for the long-promised F-35B to replace its veteran AV-8B Harrier IIs and F/A-18Cs.) The EA-18G Growler has already earned its combat spurs over Libya and is joining the fleet in ever-increasing numbers.

This new book takes advantage of color photography by several leading aviation lensmen, including Rick Llinares and Ted Carlson, as well as various company and Navy photographers. The beautifully reproduced photos show each squadron of every air force and country flying the Hornet. It is a superb collection that offers a fine overall view of the aircraft.

The book explores every detail and facet of what it takes to design and build a high-performance military jet today. The initial proposals, selecting a prototype from the various companies that answer the call for a new design, testing and development, and finally the first deployments and combat as the new plane finds its place in the fleet.

The chapters are informative and are often separated by as many as 200 endnotes that augment the text with additional information to round out the story. The appendix section gives squadron names, a glossary, chronologies for different models, and the obligatory account of the author’s guest ride in an F/A-18F, certainly a personal highlight for Elward.

For those who like nitty-gritty detail, often from the inside, Brad Elward’s new book on what is sure to be the traditional fixed-wing fighter—for both sea-based carrier squadrons and for those flying from land facilities for at least the next two decades—is just for you.

The original version of this review appeared in the February 2014 issue of the U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings and is used here with their permission.

The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World, 16th Edition, Their Ships, Aircraft and Systems

Wertheim, Eric. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD. 2013. 1,008 pp. Ill. $295.

Combined with Norman Polmar’s Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, 17th Edition from the same publisher, this book gives you a complete reference library of all things naval. The price is certainly hefty, as is the book itself. I recommend a sturdy waist-high table or desk to comfortably browse its pages which are chock-full of photos, data tables, and text; all of which provide every type of information you need as a writer, enthusiast, researcher, historian, or briefer. There are general arrangement drawings, detailed close-ups and detailed descriptions that add to the book’s value as a compendium of today’s navies and the countries that field even the smallest maritime services.

A book like this is for the serious reader and researcher, yet offers hours of informative browsing, each entry often quickly falling into the “I didn’t know that!” category. Highly recommended!

On the MoveThe VMFA(AW)-533 Hawks returned to MCAS Beaufort on 10 October 2013.

The VMA-223 Bulldogs departed MCAS Cherry Point on 24 October 2013 for deployment with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).

The VMM-266 Rein. Fighting Griffins returned to MCAS New River on 4 November 2013 following an eight-month deployment with the 26th MEU.

USS America (LHA 6) took to the sea for the first time on 5 November 2013 during five days of builder’s sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group arrived at their homeports in Norfolk, Va., and Camp Lejeune, N.C., on 7 November 2013 following an eight-month deployment to the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation (AOR).

USS George Washington (CVN 73) arrived in the Philippines on 13 November 2013 to boost emergency relief operation in the typhoon-devastated Leyte and Samar provinces.

An EA-18G Growler from the the VAQ-141 Shadowhawks lands aboard USS George Washington (CVN 73). (Photo by MC3 William Pittman)

An F/A-18 Super Hornet assigned to the VFA-106 Gladiators is directed onto the catapult of USS

Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) on 15 January. (Photo by MC3 Brian Flood)

Sailors transport an F/A-18E Super Hornet, top, and an F/A-18C Hornet from the flight deck into the hangar bay aboard

USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) on 16 January. (Photo by MC2 George M. Bell)


The HMLA-167 Warriors returned to MCAS New River from Afghanistan on 21 November 2013.

The VMU-1 Watchdogs returned to Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., on 22 November 2013 following a seven-month deployment to Afghanistan.

The VP-62 Broadarrows returned to NAS Jacksonville on 4 December 2013 following a six-month deployment to Kadena Airbase in Okinawa, Japan, with Commander, Task Group 72.2 as part of the Navy’s first mobilization of a Reserve P-3C Orion squadron.

The HMLA-167 Warriors returned to MCAS New River following a six-month deployment to Okinawa, Japan, on 5 December 2013.

HSC-25 Det.1 and Det. 6 returned to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam on 9 December 2013 following deployments of seven- and nine-months, respectively.

USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and CSG-11 returned to NAS North Island on 12 December 2013 following a nine-month deployment.

The HSC-25 Island Knights returned to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam on 17 December 2013 following a seven-month deployment with USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6).

MilestonesThe U.S. Navy completed the first flight of the next-generation MQ-8C Fire Scout at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, Calif., on 31 October 2013.

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) was launched into the James River in Virginia for the first time in late November.

The VP-16 War Eagles became the Navy’s first operational P-8A Poseidon squadron to deploy overseas when the first two of its six aircraft took off from NAS Jacksonville to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan on 29 November 2013.

The HSC-2 Fleet Angels celebrated reaching 65,000 Class A mishap-free hours on 5 December 2013.

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) will replace George Washington in Japan and become part of the U.S. 7th Fleet forward-deployed naval forces in Yokosuka, Japan the Navy announced on 15 January. As part of the rebalance strategy

to increase the Navy’s presence in the Pacific Fleet, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) will move from Norfolk, Va., to San Diego, Calif.

Change of CommandCmdr. Joshua Sager relieved Cmdr. Marcus Lopez as commanding officer of the VFA-11 Red Rippers on 10 October 2013 at NAS Oceana.

Cmdr. Sil A. Perrella relieved Capt. William S. Walsh as commanding officer of the HSM-40 Airwolves on 18 October 2013 at NS Mayport.

Lt. Col. Wade J. Dunford relieved Lt. Col. Nicholas A. Morris as commanding officer of the HMH-461 Ironhorse on 18 October 2013 at MCAS New River.

Cmdr. John D. Reardon relieved Cmdr. Gregory J. Leland as commanding officer of the HSC-21 Blackjacks on 1 November 2013 at NAS North Island.

Cmdr. Scott L. Propst relieved Cmdr. Michael S. Garrick as commanding officer of Electronic Attack Weapons School at NAS Whidbey Island on 1 November 2013.

Cmdr. Jared Hannum relieved Cmdr. Jennifer Hannon as commanding officer of the HSC-3 Squadron Augment Unit on 16 November 2013 at NAS North Island.

Cmdr. Ian P. Burgoon relieved Cmdr. Michael P. Connor as commanding officer of the VFA-86 Sidewinders on 22 November 2013 at NAS Lemoore.

Capt. Jeffrey Czerewko relieved Capt. Christopher Murdoch as commanding officer of CVW-2 on 3 December 2013 at NAS Lemoore.

Lt. Col. Kirk B. Nelson relieved Lt. Col. Christopher J. Boniface as commanding officer of the VMM-266 Fighting Griffins on 6 December 2013 at MCAS New River.

Cmdr. Matthew A. Barker relieved Cmdr. Timothy D. Tippett as commanding officer of the VFA-131 Wildcats on 6 December 2013 at NAS Oceana.

Col. Scott Jensen relieved Brig. Gen. Gary Thomas as commanding officer of the 2nd MAW (Forward) on 9 December 2013 at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan.

Cmdr. Thaddeus Johnson relieved Cmdr. David Loo as commanding officer of the HSM-51 Warlords on 10 December 2013 at NAF Atsugi, Japan.

Cmdr. Matt Schnappauf relieved Cmdr. Chris H. Herr as commanding officer of the HSM-70 Spartans on 10 December 2013 aboard USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77).

Cmdr. Aaron R. Kelley relieved Cmdr. Dennis J. Vigeant as commanding officer of the HS-5 Nightdippers on 12 December 2013 at NS Norfolk.

Cmdr. Larry D. DeLong relieved Cmdr. Philip W. Walker as commanding officer of the VFA-37 Raging Bulls on 9 January aboard USS Harry S Truman (CVN 75).

Scan PatternAn F-35 fighter jet dropped a 500 pound bomb in late October at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., marking the first time the warplane has fired a laser-guided weapon.

The Navy commenced the first E-2 Hawkeye and C-2 Greyhound field carrier landing practice operations at Wallops Flight Facility, Va., on 4 November 2013.

The VMFA-115 Silver Eagles celebrated their 70th

anniversary on 8 November 2013 at MCAS Beaufort.

Rex, a military working dog with the NAF Atsugi Naval Security Force, lays on the deck of an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter during

an aerial training exercise for K-9 units on 18 November 2013. (Photo by MC2 Kegan E. Kay)

USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) conducts an ammunition offload with USNS William McLean (T-AKE 12) on 30 October 2013.(Photo by MCSN Travis DiPerna)


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GROUP/SQUADRON NAME: Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point

DATE FOUNDED: Coast Guard Aviation first arrived in the Hawaiian Islands in 1945, based out of NAS Kaneohe. In 1949, the command moved to NAS Barbers Point at Kapolei, Hawaii. In 1965, the unit received its current designation as Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point.

BASED OUT OF: Kapolei, Hawaii

CURRENT COMMANDING OFFICER: Capt. Timothy Gilbride

MISSION: The primary mission is short and long-range search and rescue, with an area of operation covering more than 14.2 million square miles. Secondary missions include marine and environmental protection, maritime law enforcement, and aids to navigation.

BRIEF HISTORY: Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point routinely conducts search and rescue missions and performs hundreds of medevac operations and logistical transports. The air station is also dedicated to the protection of endangered species, conducting regular humpback whale patrols during the winter migration season, transporting injured monk seals from outer islands for medical treatment, and assisting isolated scientists with logistical support to such places as Chuuk, Palmyra, Canton, and the Wake Islands.

In a typical year, the Coast Guard flies about 1,200 hours in support of search and rescue missions, and preserves property valued at $5 million.

AIRCRAFT FLOWN: MH-65C Dolphin and HC-130H Hercules

NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN UNIT: 260 total, including 15 civilians

SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS/ACCOMPLISHMENTS: The Barbers Point Coast Guard flew 167 rescue

missions, saving 42 lives and assisting with 25 other rescues in 2013. On 11 December 2013, a Cessna Caravan aircraft with nine passengers lost power on takeoff and crashed into the waters north of Molokai. A HC-130H from Barbers Point acted as a communications platform, providing radio cover for two Coast Guard MH-65C helicopters, while also de-conflicting traffic among the seven other aircraft on scene. A Navy SH-60B Seahawk from the HSL-37 Easyriders that was operating nearby dropped two marker flares next to the passengers as they continued to drift approximately one half mile apart. All nine passengers were recovered alive.

In late 2013, an HC-130H executed a medevac of a fisherman in Tarawa who was impaled by a swordfish spike running from his forearm to his shoulder. The Hawaii Defense Medical Assistance Team accompanied the Hercules on the journey and treated the patient’s injuries during the flight back to Hawaii.

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The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator conducted flight operations aboard Theodore Roosevelt on 10 November 2013. The Navy concluded another round of carrier testing, including deck handling, carrier approaches and landings in off-nominal wind conditions, and digitized ship systems interfaces on 19 November to further demonstrate and evaluate the X-47B’s integration within the aircraft carrier environment.

The HMLA-167 Scarface celebrated their 70th anniversary on 1 December 2013 at MCAS Kaneohe Bay.

The Navy’s unmanned RQ-4A Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Demonstrator surpassed 10,000 flight hours in December in support of operations in the U.S. Central Command AOR.

MishapsA Navy T-45C Goshawk from the VT-86 Sabrehawks crashed on 4 November 2013 at NAS Pensacola. Both pilots were taken to a local hospital and released.

An MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter belonging to the HM-14 Vanguard based at NS Norfolk crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off of Virginia Beach, Va., on 8 January. Three of the five personnel aboard the helicopter were killed.

A Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet dropped a small piece of metal in mid-air that struck a parked vehicle near Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan on 9 January. No injuries were reported.

An F/A-18E Super Hornet from the VFA-143 Pukin’ Dogs at NAS Oceana crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off of Virginia Beach on 15 January. The pilot ejected before the crash and was was transported to a local hospital.

AT3 Michael Littlefield of the HSM-77 Sabrehawks, installs an infrared countermeasure to an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter as part of routine maintenance at NAF Atsugi, Japan on 17 January.

(Photo by MC2 Kegan E. Kay)

Naval Aviation News Vol.96 no.1 Winter 2014

Government & Nonprofit

Transcript of Naval Aviation News Vol.96 no.1 Winter 2014