VP-5 Squadron Shipmates
http://www.vpnavy.org
VPNAVY Address

ShipmateNATTU ShipmatesShipmate

GRANADE, LT Bill bgranade@ozline.net "...I started my VP training with VP-30 RAG, NAS Jacksonville, Florida summer of 1967 P2V-7E. Next to VP-7 NAS Jacksonville, Florida, early fall of 67. Moved thru the Nav, Co-pilot & made PPC with VP-7 in the spring of 1969; also, got married 3-7-69. Transferred to VP-45 NAS Jacksonville, Florida and made the annual Unitas 10 Cruise to South America, June to Dec 69. On returning to NAS Jacksonville, Florida tranfered to the reserves VP-62 NAS Jacksonville, Florida. After 6 months of civilian life returned to active duty in NAS Pensacola, Florida in June 70 as a Flight Instructor flying RC45-J (Twin Beech) at the Navy Photo School (NATTU). Released from active duty in June of 72. Still married to Cathy after all these years, one daughter,Holly 27. Retired from Baxter Healthcare after 19 years in Jan. 1999. Gone fishing..." [22MAY2001]


KENNEDY, Bill aqua165@cfaith.com "...Went to VP-57, NAS Whidbey Island, Washington from Aviation Prep School, NAS Norman, Oklahoma in 1955. Deployed to NAS Kodiak, Alaska and NAS Adak, Alaska as 2nd Radioman with Crew 8, LCDR Brown I think. Still remember all the missed (GCA) approaches. Was with the squadron when it was redesignated VAH-4. Left in 1957 for NATTU at NAS Olathe, Kansas, then to VF-213, NAS Moffett Field, California and WESTPAC Cruise aboard USS Lexington (CVA-16), then to VU-5 NAS Atsugi, Japan then VT-3, NAS Whiting Field, Milton, Florida and out. Great memories. Still attend USS Lexington (CVA-16) and VF-213 Reunions..." [E-Mail Updated 16FEB2004 | 26DEC2001]


LITTLEFORD, Mike mjlittleford@hotmail.com "...I was involved VP-23 (1991-02/1995), multiple tours in CPRW-5 at NAS Brunswick, Maine, CPRW-1 Det NSF Diego Garcia, VP-26, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), USS Enterprise (CVN-65) (took the last shop of AW's on deployment as there LPO/Acting CPO before we were replace on the ships after that deployment by OS's and STG's), Fleet Aviation Specialized Operational TRAining GroUp AtLANTic (FASOTRAGRULANT) to being decom'ed and swallowed up by CNATTU where I finally retired in 2010 on a Medical retirement..." [29APR2012]


MILLER, Roger L. millerrogerl@yahoo.com "...I was assigned to FASRON-117 between 1959 and 1960 at NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii. I worked in the Communications Office and issued registered publications to flight crews. My office space was located next to the Personel Office in the large FASRON-117 hanger. LT(jg) Matovich was my division officer and another shipmate we called "Sparks" worked in the same office area. At that time I was an E-3 AN and was issued orders to NAS Pensacola, Florida to attend NATTU, Photographers Mate Class A School when FASRON-117 was decommissioned to my knowledge in 1960. All squadron personel had received new orders at that time. It doesn't seem like too many FASRON-117 Shipmates know about this web site. I would be great to have a Reunion some day before we are all gone..." [16OCT2001]

MYER, AT2 Charles A. myturn82@sbcglobal.net "...Attended AE "A" School at NAS Memphis, Tennessee, served with Naval Air Technical Training Unit (NATTU) (12/1951) at NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island and FASRON-121 at NAS Oceana, Virginia (known as FASRON-821 when a reserve unit at NAS Sanford, Florida). I would like to hear from Mike Jacobs (Jake) and former Shipmates..." [13APR2016]


URODA, AMS3 Lee luroda@socal.rr.com "...I served with Air/Ops (Navy School of Photography) at (NATTU) NAS Pensacola, Florida, VP-16 while they were on deployment in NS Rota, Spain (10/1962). A few of my "Eagles" Shipmates and myself spent Christmas of 1963 on a deployment to NAS Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. I have way to many great memories from my experiences as an "airborne anchor clanker"..." [08AUG2011]


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

WINGATE, AWF1 Joshua josh.wingate@navy.mil "...I served with VQ-4 (IFT) from 1997 to 2002), Naval Air Maintenance Training Group Detachment (NAMTRAGRUDET) now known as Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit (CNATTU). I am currently serving with VP-16 at NAS Jacksonville, Florida as a P-3 FE (yep, crossed over to the other side). Getting ready to transfer and go to VP-30 as an Instructor. (Times 2 Shipmate!)..." [16NOV2009]


YARCK, AECS (AW/SW) Michael R. michael.yarck@navy.mil "...I served with VP-56 from 1984 to 1988, "A" School, VPU-1 from 1988 to 1990, Naval Aviation Maintenance Office (NAMO) at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland from 1990 to 1993, VP-26 from 1993 - 1998, NATTC NAS Pensacola, Florida (Instructor) from 1998 to 2001, VS-24 from 2001 to 2004, (2001 and 2003 deployments on the USS Enterprise (CV-6) and TR respectively), CNATTU HQ NAS Pensacola, Florida from 2004 to 2007, VS-32 from 2007 to 2009 (2007 deployment on the USS Enterprise (CV-6) and Disestablishment) and reported to VP-10 February 2009..." [12MAR2009]


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