Naval Aviation News Sum 2010

Naval Aviation News 1Summer 2010

C o n t e n t sD e p a r t m e n t s

4 Flightline

6 Grampaw Pettibone

8 Airscoop

44 Professional Reading

46 People–Places–Planes

This page: An F/A-18D Hornet assigned to VMFAT-101 taxis to a catapult aboard the aircraft carrier USS

Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) during carrier qualifications. (Photo by Cpl. Justin Wainscott)

Cover: The F-35B, the short take-off and landing version of the Joint Strike Fighter, flies above NAS Patuxent River. The aircraft made its first supersonic flight in June 2010. (Lockheed Martin photo by Andy Wolfe)

Back Cover: An MH-60S Seahawk with HSC-23 transports a pallet of supplies to USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) during a vertical replenishment with USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE 4) in July 2010. (Photo by MC2 Eddie Harrison)

T h e U . S . N a v y ’ s O l d e s t P e r i o d i c a l , E s t a b l i s h e d 1 9 1 7V o l u m e 9 4 , N o . 2

S u m m e r 2 0 1 0

Naval aviatioN News

Fl a g S h i p pu bl i c a t i o n o F nav a l av i a t i o n

F e a t u r e s

12 Special Section: The Big One: Naval Aviation Brings Relief to Earthquake-Ravaged Haiti

18 The Year in Review 2009

2 Naval Aviation News 3Summer 2010

A U.S. Customs and Border Patrol helicopter awaits passengers as a Navy MV-22 Osprey

tilt-rotor aircraft lands in the background near the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

(Photo by MC2 Candice Villarreal)Director, Air Warfare

Rear Adm. Kenneth Floyd, USN

Editor in ChiefCapt. Patrick Herring, USN

EDITORIAL BOARDCmdr. Pauline Storum, USN

Robert Ghisolfi, Naval Air Systems CommandAndrew Bahjat, Director, Air Warfare

Stanton Coerr, Headquarters, Marine Corps

EDITORIAL STAFFColin Babb Managing EditorKen Collins Art DirectorDave Bradford Design and LayoutJosh Phillips Associate Editor

Special thanks to Omnitec Solutions Inc. for design and editorial support

COLUMNISTSCmdr. Peter Mersky, USNR (Ret.) Book Review EditorCapt. Ted Wilbur, USNR (Ret.) Contributing ArtistCmdr. Bryan Dickerson, USN (Ret.) Contributing Editor

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], by phone at 443-569-5061 or 301-757-7697, or by fax at 301-757-2688.PERSONAL SUBSCRIPTIONS AND ADDRESS CHANGESA one-year subscription (four issues) is $23.00 domestic, $32.00 overseas. For online orders go to bookstore.gpo.gov. For mail orders, cite Naval Aviation News and send check, money order, or credit card information to U.S. Govern-ment Printing Office Orders, P.O. Box 979050, St. Louis, MO 63197-9000. For fax orders, call 202-512-2104. For phone orders, call 202-512-1800, Mon-Fri, 0700-1830. For email orders, send to [email protected]. Provide changes of address, also send to [email protected]; include full name and both old and new addresses.

OFFICIAL SUBSCRIPTIONS 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 HQ, 47123 Buse Road, Building 2272, Room 542, Patuxent River, MD 20670. Call 443-569-5061 or 301-757-7697. Naval Aviation News (USPS 323-310; ISSN 0028-1417) is published quar-terly 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 HQ, 47123 Buse Road, Building 2272, Room 542, Patuxent River, MD 20670.

Naval aviatioN News


FlightlineFrom the Air Boss

By Vice Adm. Allen G. Myers, Commander, Naval Air Forces

I am thrilled that Naval Aviation News—which has served Naval Aviation, in several guises, for 94 of the communi-

ty’s 100 years—will continue to chronicle the achievements and occurrences of Naval Aviation as well as share the wis-dom of “Grampaw Pettibone” and the collective experiences of naval aviators, past and present. As we prepare to kick off the year-long celebration of the centennial, I am pleased this outstanding periodical will remain a part of our legacy.

I have long been inspired by the mantra of Fight to Fly! Fly to Fight! Fight to Win! For the past 32 years, these words have captured the essence of what Naval Aviation means. Above all, our profession is our passion. We fight to fly ev-ery day—for the slot on the flight schedule, for the chance to get the qual, and to get the next school. Regardless of our individual roles on the team, we are all passionate about what we do. We fly to fight! Naval Aviation is a serious business. We have been entrusted with precious assets—the treasure of our nation and the lives of its sons and daughters. We make each and every sortie count, and we do it safely, efficiently, and effectively each and every day. Above all, we fight to win because we are warfighters. We are adaptable, relevant, and flexible, and when called upon we are lethal in our ability to deliver credible combat power anywhere in the world, whenever our nation demands it.

I am proud to be the Air Boss and entrusted to lead such a fine team of professionals as we continue our glide scope toward success through a focus on the four fundamentals of alignment, respect, readiness, and our warfighting ethos.

We will maintain our alignment being mindful of who we work for, knowing the resources at our command, and un-derstanding clearly and unambiguously what our mission is. Our nation relies on Naval Air Forces to deliver warfighting capability continuously around the world. We provide the right levels of readiness through our alignment as a force to achieve maximum effects, and we will maintain this mo-mentum through respect for our positions, our command, and our shipmates. Whether we wear flight gear, utilities, coveralls, or a suit, we are all volunteers who have chosen to serve our country and a cause greater than ourselves. Our team is built on this common bond of respect, and we are accountable to respect our shipmates, our commands, and ourselves. Together, we form a ready force. We are ready in-dividually, by commands, and as families, so we can continue to answer our nation’s call today and in the future.

Ready for Launch: Naval Aviation News is back at the cat as it continues its own journey toward 100 years of publication, and it begins the celebration of Naval Aviation’s century of excellence in 2011. After 23 years in the excellent care of the Naval Historical Center (now the Naval History and Heritage Command), Naval Aviation News has returned to the Naval Air Systems Com-mand. The magazine will now appear in print quarterly, and will be available online.

Please welcome the new staff: Capt. Patrick Herring, USN (Editor in Chief) and the OMNITEC Solutions team; (left to right) Josh Phillips (Associate Editor); Dave Bradford (Design and Layout); Ken Collins (Art Director); and Colin Babb (Managing Editor). (Photos by MC3 Josue L. Escobosa and Dave Bradford)

As a community, we stand on the shoulders of giants. Our warfighting ethos transcends each generation of Naval Avi-ation. We will continue to build on our proud warfighting legacy, a tale that has been captured on so many pages of this journal—from our earliest achievements that laid the foun-dation for the success we enjoy today. For 100 years, Naval Aviation has served with courage and honor and displayed a passion to fly that has been fueled by the best training, maintenance, and support structure the world has known.

I look forward to working with the Naval Aviation team to build on our rich history, honored legacy and dauntless spirit to create an even stronger and more cohesive fighting force.

Fight to Fly, Fly to Fight, Fight to Win!

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Grampaw PettiboneIllustrations by

Knock It OffA fleet F/A-18 Hornet squadron sent a detachment to sea for carrier quals. A nugget who had only been in the squadron five weeks launched at approximately 0130 on his third flight of the day. The pilot reported to the car-rier air traffic control center that he was ready for a turn downwind. Between that turn and the four-nautical-mile turn to final, the nugget dumped fuel to max trap weight, made two configuration changes, and, at the carrier air traffic control center’s (CATCC) request, cycled his Mode “C” twice. The pilot flew a below-average instrument ap-proach and showed up on the ball with his wingtip lights extremely dim, which significantly degraded the landing signal officer’s (LSO) depth perception.

The pilot, who later reported that he was feeling “a little exhausted,” flew a poor final approach, which culminated in an excessive sink rate close to the ramp. The LSO activated the wave-off lights less than two seconds prior to the jet striking the ramp. The jet hit 10 feet down the round down, on centerline, with both main mounts below the edge of the flight deck. The right main landing gear and tailhook were damaged by the impact. The hook engaged the three wire, but the hook point broke. The pilot executed bolter proce-dures and was instructed to divert to his home field.

When he arrived at the home field, another pilot joined on him to assess the damage. The right main landing gear wheel and tire were canted 45 degrees inboard. The pilot performed a straight landing to the left side of the runway in accordance with NATOPS. As the jet slowed, it devel-oped an uncontrollable right drift. The pilot ejected as the jet departed the runway. The pilot sustained major injuries; the jet was destroyed.

When they launched, both the mishap pilot and his lead were on their third flight of the day and more than 12 hours crew day. Both pilots violated the squadron standard oper-ating procedures on both counts. Prior to launch, the det. officer in charge tried to contact the squadron commanding officer for a waiver for the pilots, but was unable to reach him. The officer reported this to the pilots, but they elected to launch and no one stopped them.

Grampaw Pettibone says:

Good judgment comes from experience. Unfortunately, experience often comes from bad judgment. Kids, Ol’ Gramps realizes that mistakes happen, but nothing bakes my beans like a willful disregard of the rules. Several peo-ple involved with this one deliberately ignored a host of standard procedures, and we lost a jet and durn near lost one of our finest as a result!

This wee lad was set up for failure from the get go. We got a flight lead who set a poor example by violating squadron procedures and allowing his wet-behind-the-ears wingie to do the same. We got an officer in charge who doesn’t seem to realize what bein’ in charge is all about, and we got paddles back there on his platform who is willing to wave a jet he can barely see. Someone should have called “knock it off!” on this one. Our nugget was fatigued and in over his head. The officer in charge and lead never should have let him go flying. What’s more, allowing him to take an immediate turn downwind and a four-mile hook was a bad call. That goofy light set up made it perty near impos-sible for paddles to figure out where that jet was heading. He should have had CATCC pull the jet off the approach, fix his lights, and try again.

Make a circle kids and lets learn today’s lesson: When you are close to the line on a rule, think very carefully before you take your next step. Think about the example you are setting and what can go wrong. One of the hardest parts about being a leader is making the right call when it goes contrary to getting the job done.

Now you kids skeedaddle, Gramps has some whittlin’ he needs to finish.

Gramps from Yesteryear...Would You Believe VFR?The lieutenant ferry pilot was delivering a UH-1N Huey from NAS Midwest to NAS Atlantic Coast. During one of his en route stops, a phone call home revealed a close relative was in the hospital, so he decided to stay overnight at a civilian field. Following the visit and six hours’ sleep, he and his enlisted crew member arose at 0630, ate breakfast, and arrived back at the field at 0710. The pilot conducted a preflight and completed a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan to his ultimate destination with a fuel stop en route.

He obtained his weather brief, via the radio of a Cessna 150 on the deck, by contacting the flight service station approxi-mately 35 miles away. The airport manager estimated the weather at the field as 200 feet scattered, 400 feet broken, and one-to-two miles’ visibility. (This was substantiated by a pilot report ten minutes after the Huey took off.) The poor-est weather forecast for the route was for a station 20 miles away that was forecasting 800 feet overcast, visibility two miles, with light rain and fog; occasionally 400 overcast, vis-ibility one mile, in light rain and fog.

The lieutenant and crew member manned the aircraft, con-ducted pre-takeoff checks, and departed VFR at 0815. The Huey climbed to 500 feet on an easterly heading. When approximately ten miles out, the pilot spotted a low cloud layer and descended to 300 feet above ground level to stay VFR. After passing under the clouds he climbed to 500 feet again. About 15 miles out, another low cloud layer ap-peared, and the pilot descended to 200 feet and slowed to 80 knots. At this time, the helo entered instrument flight rules conditions. There was a five-degree disparity between the pilot and copilot attitude gyro.

At 200 feet, the pilot, now suffering from an extreme case of vertigo, descended again, attempting to regain VFR conditions. The crew member saw that the aircraft was rapidly approaching the trees and told the pilot of the impending ground con-tact. He immediately initi-ated a high flare, which de-creased his forward speed. The aircraft gained a five-to-ten knot aft motion and hit the trees, tearing off 15 feet of the tail boom. The unin-jured crew left the aircraft as

a small fire developed in the aft section. An outside witness notified the local fire department; the pilot and crew mem-ber were examined at a local hospital and released.

Grampaw Pettibone said:

Dad blasted! In spite of all the “tales of woe” we have seen about aviators trying to sneak under the weather—they are still doing it! With the type of weather existing and forecast, it was sheer stupidity—of the highest order—to attempt this flight VFR.

In addition, this lad, knowin’ that he was going to be fl-yin’ at minimum altitude on this trip, didn’t even bother to write down the terrain heights or clearances on his preflight card! I don’t believe it!! This pilot’s instrument experience compares with the least I’ve ever seen for a gent of his seniority level! To top it off, his unit issued him an instrument card—when he hadn’t met even the minimums. (Sounds like a supervisory problem.) And one gent tried to alibi that by pointing out the number of night helo combat hours the pilot had! I sure don’t remember anything in 3710.7F about nighttime substi-tuting for instrument time. The instrument time require in OpNavInst 3710.7F is a minimum, and every aviator should have more—but at least that!

There were just too many things wrong with this whole fiasco. Goes to show ya. Accidents don’t just happen, they are caused!


AirscoopEdited by Colin E. Babb

F-35B Goes Supersonic On 10 June, the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter short takeoff/vertical landing variant flew faster than the speed of sound for the first time. U.S. Marine Corps pilot Lt. Col. Matt Kelly climbed to 30,000 feet and accelerated to Mach 1.07 (727 miles per hour) in the off-shore supersonic test track near NAS Patuxent River. It was the first in a series of planned supersonic test flights, and was the aircraft’s 30th test flight overall.

Forrestal Is Towed to Meet DestinyOn 15 June, the decommissioned aircraft carrier ex-USS For-restal (CVA/CV/AVT 59) departed Naval Station Newport for a three-day cruise to Philadelphia, where it awaits final disposal. The first of the “super carriers,” the 60,000-ton Forrestal was commissioned on 29 September 1955, and was in service for more than 38 years. The ship was offered as a possible museum, but the Navy failed to receive any viable proposals and took the Forrestal off donation hold. The vessel will be sunk as a target or used to create an artificial reef.

Poseidon Arrives at PaxThe first test P-8A Poseidon multimission maritime aircraft arrived at NAS Patuxent River on 10 April. The aircraft, assigned to VX-20, arrived from Boeing’s Seattle, Wash., facilities, where it began flight testing in October 2009. A second test aircraft arrived on 19 June.

King Air Roll OutOn 18 May, Hawker Beechcraft Corp. rolled out the first special mission King Air 350 for the Marine Corps at the company’s headquarters in Wichita, Kansas. Six modified King Air 350 turboprops (military designation UC-12W Huron) will replace the Marine Corps’ six current UC-12 operational support airlift aircraft.

Fire Scout Makes Catch on First DeploymentOn 15 April, the MQ-8B Fire Scout returned to NAS Mayport from a six-month deployment aboard USS McInerney (FFG 8). While deployed with 4th Fleet, the unmanned aircraft assisted with counter-narcotics operations. McInerney launched one of its two embarked Fire Scouts to test different functions and set-tings when the aircraft acquired a suspected narcotics “go-fast” vessel. After three hours of surveillance, Navy and Coast Guard personnel seized approximately 60 kilos of cocaine.

MQ-8B Fire Scout hovers over McInerney’s flight deck. (Photo by MC2 Alan Gragg)

The decommissioned aircraft carrier ex-USS Forrestal departs Naval Station Newport for a three-day cruise to Philadelphia. (Photo by MCCS Melissa Weatherspoon)

The F-35B went supersonic for the first time on 10 June. (Lockheed Martin)

The new P-8A Poseidon receives an escort to NAS Patuxent River. (Boeing)

The “Green Hornet” conducts its supersonic test flight over NAS Patuxent River. (Photo by Liz Goettee)

The “Green Hornet” received a 50/50 blend of biofuel and conventional fuel. (Photo by Liz Goettee)

“Green Hornet” Makes Historic FlightThe Navy celebrated Earth Day on 22 April with a super-sonic test flight of the “Green Hornet,” an F/A-18F Super Hornet powered by a 50/50 blend of conventional jet fuel and biofuel. The aircraft took off and flew at greater than the speed of sound above NAS Patuxent River. The biofuel is made with camelina, a oil-producing plant native to Eurasia that can be grown on marginal lands and does not compete with food crops.


Women Aviators Take CommandOn 29 July, Rear Adm. Nora Tyson assumed command of Carrier Strike Group 2 aboard USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77). She is the first woman to command a carrier strike group. On 3 June, Navy Times reported that Capt. Sara Joyner was selected to be the Navy’s first woman carrier air group commander. CNO Adm. Gary Roughead announced the selection at the 23rd annual Women’s Leadership Sym-posium in Washington, D.C. Joyner is slated to command CVW-14, which is currently assigned to USS Ronald Rea-gan (CVN 76), and is likely to join the unit first as deputy CAG in September 2011 and then assume command 12 to 18 months later, according to Navy spokesman Lt. Nate Christensen.

Rear Adm. Nora Tyson is the first woman to command a carrier strike group. (Photo MC1 Tiffini Jones Vanderwyst)

Fire trucks spray a bridge of water over two T-6B training aircraft to celebrate their arrival. The aircraft will be used to replace the venerable T-34C Turbo Mentor plane in flight training for student pilots. (Photo by Jay Cope)

First Student Trains with T-6BThe first student naval aviator to train in the T-6B Texan II took flight at NAS Whiting Field on 18 May. Ensign Christopher D. Farkas, assigned to VT-3 and TW-5, teamed with Marine Corps instructor pilot Capt. Michael Perkins to complete the inaugural flight. The T-6B Texan II is replacing its long time predecessor the T-34C Turbomentor. TW-5 anticipates a complete transition at NAS Whiting Field by 2015.

MishapsOn 26 October 2009, an AH-1 Cobra assigned to HMLA-367 and a UH-1 Huey assigned to HMLA-169, both with MAG-39 and I MEF, collided while on missions over the southern province of Helmand in Afghanistan. Four Ma-rines were killed, and two were wounded.

On 28 October 2009, a T-34C Turbomentor assigned to VT-28 of TW-4 based out of NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, went down approximately 1.5 miles off the coast of Matago-rda Island. The Coast Guard recovered the bodies of both pilots.

On 29 October 2009, a Marine Corps AH-1W Super Co-bra with MAG-39 based at Camp Pendleton, Calif., collided with a Coast Guard C-130 Hercules off the coast of San Clemente Island. All nine crew members of the two aircraft perished.

On 23 January, a T-34 Turbomaster went down in Lake Pontchartrain while on approach to Lakefront Airport in New Orleans. The aircraft was assigned to VT-6 with TW-5 at NAS Whiting Field. The student pilot survived and was

treated for moderate injuries. The body of the instructor pilot was recovered on 27 January.

On 18 February, an MH-60S Nighthawk assigned to HSC-26 based at NAS Norfolk crashed on the side of a moun-tain in West Virginia in more than four feet of snow. The helicopter was participating in Operation Southern Trooper, an annual training exercise. All 17 crewmembers and passengers were rescued successfully.

On 10 March, a Marine Corps F/A-18D Hornet assigned to VMFA-222 developed a dual-engine fire and crashed in the Atlantic approximately 30 miles east of St. Helena Island. Both pilots ejected safely and were rescued by the Coast Guard.

On 15 March, two single-seat F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft were involved in a mid-air collision while on a routine training mission flying in the Fallon Range Training Complex in Nevada. Neither pilot was injured. Both aircraft are assigned to VFA-137 based at NAS Lemoore, Calif.

On 31 March, an E-2C Hawkeye from VAW-121 on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) crashed in the North Arabian Sea when returning from a mission over Afghanistan. After losing oil pressure in the starboard engine, the pilot managed to keep the aircraft aloft long enough for his three crewmen to bail out. The pilot was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

On 12 April, a T-39N Sabreliner crashed near Ellijay, Ga. Rescue crews recovered all four bodies from the crash. The aircraft was assigned to VT-86 of TW-6 based out of NAS Pensacola, and was conducting a routine cross-country training mission.

On 10 June, A Navy T-45C Goshawk training jet assigned to TW-2 ran off the end of the runway at NAS Kingsville. The pilot ejected safely and was taken to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries.


Ironhorse Does the Heavy LiftingBy Capt. Paul Clarkson, USMC

On 12 January 2010 an earthquake devastated Haiti, bringing chaos to what was already the Western

Hemisphere’s poorest country. The next day, II Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) reformed the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) with HMH-461 as the avia-tion combat element and ordered an immediate deploy-ment to conduct humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. A composite squadron was built around the CH-53E and its heavy-lift capabilities: Marines from HMH-461 and HMLA-467 embarked eight CH-53Es, four UH-1Ns, and detachments from Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 29, Marine Wing Support Squadron 272, and Marine Air Control Group 28 aboard USS Bataan (LHD 5) to form HMH-461 (Reinforced) within 72 hours. The squadron was placed under the command of Lt. Col. Sean Salene, commanding officer of HMH-461. HMH-464 also provided two of the eight Super Stallions that comprised the aviation combat element.

The extremely brief period of mobilization and the nature of the mission presented Ironhorse Marines and Sailors of HMH-461 (Rein) with a tremendous challenge. Flight operations began on 18 January with the launch of a sec-tion of CH-53Es conducting a reconnaissance of Haiti’s devastation. The following day, the squadron launched a division of CH-53Es and a section of UH-1Ns into an earthquake ravaged area, assessing the damage and deliver-ing much needed relief supplies. UH-1Ns and CH-53Es worked hand in hand throughout the operation. The Hueys provided vital aerial reconnaissance to leaders and planners, helping to maximize assistance by identifying tenable land-ing zones that could facilitate safe landings for CH-53Es where rotor wash would not harm people on the ground. “Big Iron” transported palletized cargo that included water, MREs, and medical supplies to people in need throughout Haiti. Maintainers and combat cargo loaders who internally loaded and unloaded five to six pallets per aircraft each time wheels hit the flight deck and the ramp came down on a Super Stallion.

Effective crew resource management was critical in the dynamic flight environment in Haiti. With the rapid in-flux of aid and military assets from around the world, and consequent difficulties in coordinating different agencies, the pilots and aircrews of HMH-461 (Rein) quickly real-ized they were operating in over-crowded and under-reg-ulated airspace. This situation required them to be at the top of their game every time they pulled power in their aircraft. The demands of operating at high gross weights in the country’s sweltering heat called for weight and power numbers to be checked and rechecked constantly to ensure aircraft were operating within safe power margins.

Flight operations were continuous for HMH-461 (Rein) until the end of March. The unit conducted a variety of mis-sions throughout Operation Unified Response. In particular was the CH-53Es’ transport of special operations sport utility vehicles to more remote regions of the country. The vehicles proved to be valuable assets to military and civilian teams that were on the ground assessing the impact of the disaster and identifying areas in need of more aid. Both CH-53Es and UH-1Ns transported large numbers of medical professionals and aid workers to areas that were difficult to reach by ground because of Haiti’s damaged roads.

Aircrews and maintainers excelled in employing and maintaining their aircraft during this intense operational tempo, ensuring all missions were on time and successful. The contribution HMH-461 (Rein) made to Unified Response was significant: pilots and aircrews flew nearly 650 hours, moved almost 3,500 passengers, and delivered more than 530,000 pounds of relief supplies to Marines and aid workers on the ground for distribution. In addition, the squadron’s maintainers performed more than 7,000 maintenance man-hours on the aircraft to ensure all assets were available to support every mission, every day, for nearly three months.

The success of this mission also signified a historic deployment for the heavy lift community. HMH-461 was the first East Coast CH-53 squadron to assume the command element of a composite squadron. The performance of the Marines and Sailors of HMH-461 (Rein) was nothing short of spectacular, and was in keeping with the professionalism and proficiency the Marine Corps has come to expect from the “Big Iron.”

Capt. Clarkson is the aviation safety officer for HMH-461.

The Big One: Naval Aviation Brings Relief to Earthquake-Ravaged Haiti

In the late afternoon of 12 January 2010, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake shook the island nation of Haiti. In response to the devastation—an estimated 230,000 dead, more than 300,000 injured, and 1 million made homeless—gov-

ernments and organizations from around the world sent aid. Naval Aviation played a crucial part in the overall U.S. response to the disaster—entitled Operation Unified Response—by providing mobility to materiel and personnel that simply could not be moved any other way. More than 20 Navy vessels and scores of aircraft participated in the operation. In total, U.S. military forces brought more than 17 million pounds of food, 2.6 million liters of water, and treated nearly 10,000 patients by the end of March 2010.

The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) arrived off the coast of Port-au-Prince within days of the 12 January 2010 earthquake

Marines assigned to 22nd MEU carry bottles of much-needed water onto a CH-53E Super Stallion with HMH-461. (Photo by MC2 Julio Rivera)


A Whole New ExperienceBy Lt. Cmdr. Michael Hansen, USN

The earthquake that struck Port-Au-Prince brought a new mission to HSL-46 Det. 3’s Screamin’ Seagulls.

The day after the earthquake, we found out that the work up we were scheduled to be part of the following week now was going to be a disaster relief mission starting sooner. An-ticipating around-the-clock operations, we added two pi-lots and five air crew members to the normal det. manning, which consists of six pilots and three air crew members. Just two days after the quake, we found ourselves embarking on USS Normandy (CG 60) late on a Friday night for an early morning departure. Most of the air crew had little or no experience with humanitarian assistance or disaster relief missions, mountain flying, or the practical application of confined-area landings.

During the transit, as det. officer in charge, I directed that extensive training be conducted in all areas we might ex-pect to be tasked. While the air crew conducted training, the maintenance side of the house was hard at work strip-ping the aircraft of all non-essential equipment to maximize space available for transport. Once we arrived on station in Haiti, we received a quick brief from CVW-17 on how op-erations were being conducted. That evening, we launched an aircraft to survey the area and find the landing zones (LZs) discussed in the brief. When that crew returned, they briefed the other air crew on what to expect, and how to find the LZs being used. The following morning the first crew headed to downtown Port-Au-Prince to begin the humani-tarian mission.

The first day included a lot of troop transport and food and water delivery. An SH-60B can normally carry a maximum of two passengers along with one air crew member, but many waivers were in place and up to eight troops with full gear were transported along with two air crew member to aid with confined-area operations. Aircraft initially conducted operations by calling an overhead E-2C for tasking while inbound. Our instructions were to report to Port-Au-Prince airport for tasking, but occasionally we were assigned other LZs to work. If we reported to the airport, we were loaded with troops, food, or water, and sent out to an LZ. Initially, all the LZs were in the Port-Au-Prince area, but each day more zones were added that were further away. We would fly into a grassy area beside the runway and jump in line. The ground troops stationed at the airport were quite efficient as they staged supplies and lined up the helos. The end helo would be loaded and sent out, and the next aircraft in line would reposition to the vacant loading spot to be supplied and tasked.

On those occasions when the E-2C had other taskings for us, it was usually a medevac mission. We would report to an LZ, pick up a patient, and deliver that person wherever a bed was available. Most often that meant USNS Com-fort (T AH 20), but, if it was full, Bataan and Carl Vinson, or even Sacred Heart, a hospital 45 minutes to the north, would take our patients. Subsequent missions included nu-merous medevac flights, more food and water distribution, troop transport, survey flights, and even a few “angel” flights, in which expired patients were returned home for burial. These were very different from the normal SH-60B mission of surface search and coordination. At times, LZs became unusable because of the Haitians gathering near them in anticipation of getting desperately needed food and water. In at least one instance, one of our crews had to quickly de-part an LZ before unloading their supplies as they were be-ing rushed. The crew was able to move a safe distance away and unload their supplies. “It was an honor to be there and exciting to make basic on-site risk management decisions,” said Lt. Brian Mowry, “even as a young helicopter aircraft commander.”

For many of us, this was a very motivating way to start our fly-ing careers. Four of the det.’s eight pilots had never deployed as pilots, and only the officer in charge had more than one deployment as an aviator. In the end, the Seagulls flew 146 hours over a period of less than three weeks transporting 107 medevacs, 416 military and media members and other pas-sengers, and more than 90,000 pounds of food, water, medical supplies, and other cargo. Because of necessary preparations for the spring deployment of Normandy and Det. 3, we were brought home in early February. Altogether, Navy aircraft and helos flew more than 4,300 hours and transported nearly 4.5 million pounds of relief supplies to the Haitian people between January and the end of March.

I could not have been more pleased with the way all members of the detachment stepped up, adapted to the demands of the mission, exercised effective operational risk management and executed flawlessly, despite dynamic and challenging situations. The crew of Normandy provided excellent support throughout. The ship/air integration was terrific, and really made it all possible.

Despite the news cameras and happy families waiting for us at home, the most important thing that we all took from this was the knowledge that our actions in Haiti will im-pact that country for years to come. It was an honor to have taken part in this tremendous effort to bring assistance to the people of Haiti in their time of need.

Lt. Cmdr. Hansen is the air boss for HSL-46 Det. 3.

Hawkeyes, Greyhounds, and Clippers Contribute In addition to the many Navy and Marine Corps rotary-wing aircraft that deployed for Operation Unified Response, E-2C Hawkeyes from VAW-125, C-2A Greyhound aircraft from VRC-30 and -40, and aircraft from nearly every VR logistics support squadrons deployed to the Caribbean to provide command support and disaster relief supplies to the people of Haiti.

Reserve C-40A Clippers and other logistics support aircraft transported nearly 2.5 million pounds of cargo to Guantanamo Bay, where C-2As and other aircraft transshipped the supplies to Port-au-Prince airport. From there, water, food, and medical supplies were dispensed around the earthquake-damaged zone.

C-2A Greyhounds VRC-40 (above) and VRC-30 were able to bringcargo to Carl Vinson and Port-au-Prince airport when larger

aircraft had trouble landing. E-2Cs from VAW-125 (below) based at Guantanamo Bay provided command-and-control support to

Unified Response.(Photos by MC2 Adrian White and Sgt. Michael Balz)

Osprey Provides a New Tool During its deployment to Haiti aboard USS Nassau (LHA 4), the 24th MEU’s air combat element (VMM-162 [Rein]) included 12 MV-22 Ospreys alongside its usual complement of CH-53E Super Stallion, UH-1N Huey, and AH-1W helicopters. The Ospreys were the first to serve with the 24th MEU, and the first tilt-rotor aircraft to participate in humanitarian and disaster relief operations.

“The Ospreys provide a greater lift, they’re faster, and go farther than its predecessor and other similar air-craft,” said Lt. Col. Robert C. Sherrill, the commanding officer of VMM-162 (Rein). “Those characteristics are powerful in a situation when the time is of the essence, whether it’s taking casualties back to the ship for medical attention or relaying supplies. This aircraft provides a lot of depth as an [MEU] aviation element.”

The Nassau Amphibious Ready Group, which also included USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) and USS Ash-land (LSD 48), was diverted to Haiti on 19 January from its regularly scheduled deployment to the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility. The group departed Haiti on 7 February having transported more than 55,000 lbs. of food, 14,600 liters of water, medical supplies, and 1,000 passengers. Medical and dental personnel from the 24th MEU treated more than 100 Haitians on the island of Gonave, and 16 Haitian earthquake victims were treated aboard shipboard medical facilities.

MV-22s with VMM-162 aboard USS Nassau (LHA 4) were the first Ospreys to use their unique capabilities in disaster relief missions.

(Photo by MC2 Jason R. Zalasky)


Making a Lasting ImpactBy MCSN Erin L. Boyce, USN

As news channels across the nation announced the devas-tation delivered by the earthquake in Haiti, ABCM (AW/SW) Peggy Carrington, leading chief of the air department aboard Bataan, was wrapping up post-deployment stand-down leave. Just 28 days earlier, as Bataan pulled pierside to her homeport of Norfolk, Carrington had congratulated her Sailors on a successful deployment. The 22nd MEU and HSC-22 had completed 2,200 sorties and participated in several international naval exercises in the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean.

The crew was weary and still rekindling relationships with family and friends, but when Carrington heard news of the quake, she had a feeling Bataan would surge and the air de-partment would play a major role. Carrington, along with other air department leaders, began recalling Sailors and preparing them for Haiti.

“We pulled our divisions together and told them to pack up and prepare for a three-month deployment,” said Car-rington. “They had 48 hours to prepare. We issued camel-baks and the proper flight deck gear. We made sure their families were taken care of, that there were no issues.”

The ship departed mid-Atlantic waters on 14 January—48 hours after the earthquake shook Haiti’s capital city of Port-au-Prince and outlying areas.

Bataan and the 22nd MEU were on-station four days later with a complement of Navy and Marine Corps aircraft—MH-60S Knighthawks, UH-1N Hueys, and CH-53E Sea Dragons—tailored for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions.

The moment the shores of Haiti were in reach, Bataan’s “Blue/Green Team” had aircraft overhead conducting aerial assessments. Because of the natural barriers created by the earthquake, many Haitians couldn’t be reached by ground forces. So the Navy/Marine Corps team established nine landing zones, and the rotary-wing aircraft went to work.

“The MH-60s and CH-53s had the ability to fly into land-ing zones and other remote locations that were hard for the ground support to reach because of the washed out roads or unserviceable docks or damaged airports,” said Carrington.

In those early stages of Operation Unified Response, the flight deck saw a flurry of activity—relief supplies began moving ashore and search-and-rescue helicopters returning from the newly established landing zones began touching down with Haitians in need of urgent medical care. In less than two days, 23 patients were medically evacuated to the ship’s hospital.

“It was ridiculously busy the first few days in Haiti,” said ABFAN (AW) Ryan Multerer. “It was helos in and out, transporting people to medical. There were injured people on almost every helo that landed; at least 10 people a day flew in needing medical attention. We had to transfer this one guy who wasn’t breathing onto a [helicopter] to get him over to the USNS Comfort. I felt I saved that guy’s life that day. If we weren’t there in a quick fashion, the outcome could’ve been different.”

Bataan’s flight deck remained open for business until 24 March, 10 weeks after the ship arrived in Haiti. Through nearly 2,000 flight hours, the ship and 22nd MEU delivered nearly 620,000 liters of water, more than 4.5 million pound of relief supplies, medically evacuated 97 patients to Bataan, and provided transport for another 524 Haitian patients to and from Comfort, Carl Vinson, and hospitals throughout Port-au-Prince.

“If we didn’t have [the Navy -53s and -60s], we wouldn’t be able to help out Haiti as much as we did,” said ABF Brandyi Phillips, one of Bataan’s tower operators. “The pilots and air crew from those squadrons were already trained, so when-ever it came time to help with the relief it came naturally to them, and we had no issues. The ship’s crew had flight quar-ters everyday for the past seven months [of deployment].”

Even in January and March, temperatures in Haiti hovered well above 90 degrees, and on the flight deck and in the hangar bay, two of the ship’s hottest spaces, Bataan’s avia-tion team continued to push toward mission success with-out complaint.

“It was very hot outside and the hours were very long,” said Multerer. “We had to be on deck at 0500 every day till 1900 in the blazing heat, but none of that mattered because in the long run we were saving lives.”

Working alongside on the flight deck and hangar bay, Bata-an’s combat cargo team accounted for and loaded every person, piece of equipment, and shipment of supplies that left the deck. In many instances cargo would arrive aboard Bataan for further distribution to other ships in the areas of operations, and the team did everything necessary to main-tain a safe, quick, and continuous flow.

“Everyone had a hand in the loading and unloading of air-craft,” said Lt. Matthew Martin, Bataan’s assistant air offi-cer. “Even with vertical replenishments, everybody chipped in—ship’s crew, air department, jerseys of all colors. Bataan helped the people of Haiti, and we were all motivated and excited for the mission.”

Carrington’s story was similar to that of all the leaders spread throughout the ship, MEU, and every squadron involved in Operation Unified Response. They couldn’t have known an earthquake would strike Haiti on 12 January. But when it happened, they had their Sailors and Marines prepared, and they made a lasting impact on an entire country.

Seaman Boyce serves with Bataan’s public affairs department.AM2 Pierre Doreus, assigned to HSC-26, helps a

Haitian girl fill out her immunization card at a clinic in Grand Goave, Haiti. The clinic was set up by the

U.S. Public Health Service and Sailors, Marines, and embarked staff from USS Bataan. (Photo by MC1 Christina M. Shaw)


Year in Review 2009

Naval Aviation overcame enormous challenges in battle and against natural disasters during 2009. The achievement of fighting insurgents, terrorists, pirates, and narcotics traffickers while still providing humanitarian assistance to victims

of natural disasters confirmed the value of Naval Aviation to national security. Sailors and Marines adapted to these trials by integrating new theories and technologies.

In addition to naval aircraft flying an average of 30 percent of coalition sorties over Afghanistan and supporting efforts to curtail the flow of illicit narcotics, the year witnessed two extraordinary phenomena: an epidemic of piracy across the globe, and a virulent storm season in the Pacific. The continued lack of law and order in Somalia bred an increase in pirate attacks around the Horn of Africa, and naval aircraft and vessels coordinated operations with allies to protect mariners and ensure the free international passage through the strategically vital area. A series of tropical storms and typhoons ravaged multiple countries across the Pacific Ocean, challenging the resources of U.S. and allied forces. Naval aircraft and ships rescued people trapped by the devastation who were otherwise inaccessible to relief workers on the ground.

New weapons entered the Navy’s arsenal. The fleet gained a carrier as USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) was commissioned, and prepared another when the keel was laid for Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). MV-22B Ospreys made their first deployment to Afghanistan. The first of the P-8A Poseidons was rolled out, EA-18G Growlers and E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes received approval to enter production, and F-35 Lightning IIs took to the sky during first flights. The Navy accepted the final E-2C Hawkeye 2000, and bid farewell to its last H-3 Sea King. Unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) flew in increasingly diverse and difficult environments.

“The Year in Review” chronicles the highlights of Naval Aviation accomplishments during 2009.

2008 AddendaNovember

4 The Navy certified F/A-18E/Fs to fly at altitudes between flight levels 29,000 and 41,000 feet. The authorization af-fects all of the Super Hornets produced from Lot 22 and beyond—approximately 340 aircraft.

21 The Navy accepted the delivery of G4, the first EA-18G Growler maintenance trainer, BuNo 166858, at NAS Whidbey Island. The service intends to procure 88 opera-tional Growlers to replace EA-6B Prowlers.

2009JaNuar y

2 The Navy announced its decision to base P-8A Posei-dons at NAS Jacksonville with a fleet replacement squad-ron, NAS Whidbey Island with four squadrons, and MCB Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay with three squadrons. In addition, periodic Detachments will operate periodically from NAS North Island.

5 The US 5th Fleet announced that aircraft from CVW-11, embarked on board USS Nimitz (CVN 68), had flown more than 2,058 sorties over Afghanistan since Nimitz had arrived in the 5th area of operations on 18 September 2008.

8 Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 was established at Ma-nama, Bahrain, to conduct counter-piracy operations.

9 The Boxer (LHD 4) Amphibious Ready Group, with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) embarked, deployed from NS San Diego to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans and the Arabian Sea. Three UH-1Ys from the air combat ele-ment of the 13th MEU made the initial deployment of the Yankees. The group returned on 1 August.

9 PP-3, the first pilot production VH-71 Presidential He-licopter, arrived at Lockheed Martin’s facility at Owego, N.Y., to begin the integration and final production process. The aircraft flew for the first time on 13 January.

10 George H. W. Bush was commissioned at NS Norfolk. The ship completed builder’s sea trials from 13 to 16 Febru-ary, and acceptance sea trials from 7 to 10 April.

13 The John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Carrier Strike Group, with CVW-9 embarked, deployed from NB Kitsap to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans and the Arabian Sea. The cruise included the maiden deployment of HSM-71, the first operational squadron equipped with MH-60Rs. Aircraft from the wing flew more than 7,250 sorties during the deployment. The group returned on 10 July.

14 The Navy signed a record of decision concerning the Mayport Homeporting Environmental Impact Statement,

By Mark L. Evans and Dale J. GordonWith special assistance by Andrew R. McKee and Ellen M. Stolarski

Sailors aboard George H. W. Bush man the rails during the carrier’s builder trials in February 2009. The ship,

commissioned on 10 January 2009, is the U.S. Navy’s newest aircraft carrier and the last of the Nimitz class.

(Photo by MC2 Nathan A. Bailey)


19 Maj. Joseph T. Bachmann was the first Marine to pilot AA-1, an F-35A Lightning II, at Lockheed Martin’s facili-ties at Fort Worth, Texas. The Lightning II took off at 1129 and landed at 1244, logging the 90th mission of the jet’s flight test program.

20 USS New Orleans (LPD 18) and USS Hartford (SSN 768) collided in the Strait of Hormuz, at approximately 0100. Fifteen sailors aboard the submarine received mi-nor injuries; there were no casualties aboard New Orleans. The impact ruptured two ballast tanks and a fuel tank on New Orleans (which spilled about 25,000 gallons of diesel fuel) and damaged the sail, periscope, and port bow plane of Hartford. Both vessels made Al Manama, Bahrain, un-der their own power. New Orleans underwent repairs in dry dock, returning to sea on 12 May. The submarine was re-paired in the United States.

20 The Boxer Amphibious Ready Group apprehended six suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden. At about 0430 Phil-ippine-flagged motor vessel Bison Express sent a distress call concerning its apparent pursuit by a skiff containing the suspects. An SH-60B from HSL-46, embarked aboard USS Gettysburg (CG 64), spotted the crew members of the skiff throwing objects overboard, and a team from the cruiser boarded the vessel. The suspects were taken to Boxer for questioning.

23 Dwight D. Eisenhower launched its first sorties over Afghanistan during this deployment, and assumed duties as Commander, Task Force 50. The ship had relieved USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), with CVW-8 embarked, in the Gulf of Oman.

29 A skiff carrying seven pirates attacked German oiler Spessart (A 1442) in the Gulf of Aden. Three task forces representing seven nations, including Boxer, an SH-60B from Spanish frigate Victoria (F 82), and a Spanish P-3M, pursued the suspects. An AH-1W Super Cobra and a UH-1Y Huey, embarked aboard Boxer, proved instrumental in delaying the escape of the pirates until a German boarding team from Greek frigate Psara (F 454) took the culprits into custody for transfer to German frigate Rheinland-Pfalz (F 209).

31 USS Tarawa (LHA 1) was decommissioned at NB San Diego.

apr il

8 Pirates briefly captured U.S.-flagged motor vessel Maersk Alabama about 300 miles from the Somali coast. The 21 crew members recaptured their ship along with one of the pirates, but the three surviving pirates kidnapped the vessel’s skipper, Capt. Richard Phillips, and held him hostage on the Maersk Alabama’s 28-foot lifeboat. On 12 April, SEAL snipers on board destroyer Bainbridge (DDG 96) killed the pirates, rescuing Phillips. The forces involved in the rescue included amphibious assault ship Boxer and a ScanEagle UAS. Four suspected pirates in a skiff attempted to board Maersk Alabama again in early November, but the ship re-pulsed the attackers.

10 DoD announced that the final decision concerning the potential home porting of an aircraft carrier at NS Mayport would be made during the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review.

16 The Navy accepted the delivery of amphibious assault ship Makin Island (LHD 8) at Northrop Grumman Ship-building, Pascagoula, Miss.

18 Destroyer USS Stockdale (DDG 106) was commissioned at Port Hueneme, Calif. The ship honors Medal of Honor recipient Vice Adm. James B. Stockdale (1923–2005), the highest ranking naval prisoner held by the North Vietnamese.

18 Theodore Roosevelt returned to NS Norfolk from a de-ployment to the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and Arabian Gulf. The carrier’s aircraft had flown 3,105 sorties over Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The ship had deployed on 8 September 2008.

An F/A-18F Super Hornet with the Jolly Rogers of VFA-103 embarked aboard Dwight D. Eisenhower flies alongside

an Air Force B-1B Lancer after a close air support mission over Afghanistan. Dwight D. Eisenhower deployed to 5th

Fleet’s area of responsibility from February to July 2009. (Photo by Lt. Marques Jackson)

implementing the service’s preferred alternative to home-port a single nuclear-powered aircraft carrier at NS May-port.

21 Following an environmental study, the Navy decided to continue the current level of training on the Southern Cali-fornia Range Complex. Two days later, the service announced the signature of a record of decision concerning the Atlantic Fleet Active Sonar Training Environmental Impact State-ment/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement. Based on the study and the effectiveness of the measures in place, the Navy selected the “No Action Alternative” to continue the current protections.

24 USS Green Bay (LPD 20) was commissioned at Long Beach, Calif.

31 During the deactivation of Sea Control Wing Atlantic and VS-22 at NAS Jacksonville, the Navy also retired the last 10 active S-3Bs from fleet service. Some of the Vikings were transferred to VX-30 at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) at Point Mugu, Calif., and others to NASA.

Februar y

21 The Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) Carrier Strike Group, with CVW-7 embarked, deployed from NS Norfolk to the Mediterranean and Arabian Seas and Indian Ocean. Aircraft from CVW-7 flew more than 4,600 sorties—in-cluding 2,010 combat missions over Afghanistan—during the cruise. The group returned on 30 July.

23 The Airborne Strategic Command, Control, and Com-munications program office accepted the first modified E-6B Block 1 Mercury at the L-3 Integrated Systems Group facility at Waco, Texas.

25 BF-2, the second short takeoff/vertical landing F-35B Lightning II, made its first flight at Fort Worth, Texas. To-gether with a conventional takeoff and landing F-35A, and BF-1, the first F-35B, Lightning IIs had logged a total of 84 flights.

march

6 Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winter announced the name of the third littoral combat ship as Fort Worth (LCS 3). On 23 March, Marinette Marine Corp., of Marinette, Wis., was selected as the company to build Fort Worth.

8 The Navy launched and christened the auxiliary dry cargo ship Wally Schirra (T-AKE 8) at General Dynamics-Nation-al Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, Calif. The ship is named in honor of naval aviator and astronaut Capt. Walter M. Schirra Jr.

10 Following a review of additional information received since 1991, the Navy changed the status of Capt. Michael S. Speicher from “Missing/Captured” to “Missing-In-Ac-tion.” On 17 January 1991, Aircraft 403, BuNo 163484, an F/A-18C, piloted by Speicher from VFA-81, embarked aboard USS Saratoga (CV 60), had launched for a night strike over Iraq. An (apparent) Iraqi surface-to-air missile shot down 403, making Speicher the first U.S. casualty of Operation Desert Storm.

12 Secretary of the Navy Winter announced the name of the fourth littoral combat ship as Coronado (LCS 4).

15 Space shuttle STS-119 Discovery launched from pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The crew mem-bers included retired Naval Reserve Capt. John L. Phillips and Navy Cmdr. Dominic A. Antonelli. The mission includ-ed the delivery of the final pair of power-generating solar array wings and the S6 truss segment to the International Space Station. Discovery returned to Kennedy on 28 March.

18 Lockheed Martin announced the Navy’s certification of the terminal phase capability of the Aegis ballistic missile defense system. By 2010 the system had been installed in 18 ships. In addition, USS Lake Erie (CG 70) had begun the installation of the subsequent spiral of the system, im-proving on board computing capabilities and including the Standard Missile-3 Block IB.


21 USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG 60) returned to NS Everett from a counter-narcotics deployment to the Eastern Pacific. The ship and its embarked SH-60B from HSL-43 Det. 2 intercepted and seized six tons of cocaine and 160 pounds of marijuana, and disrupted shipments of 18 tons of cocaine and three tons of marijuana.

25 T1, the initial P-8A flight test aircraft, completed its first flight near Seattle, Wash. The Poseidon took off from Renton Field at 1043 and landed at Boeing Field at 1414. The Navy intends to purchase 108 production aircraft, with the initial operational capability in 2013.

29 The Navy accepted the delivery of the final refurbished F-5N Tiger II at St. Augustine, Fla. The service had pur-chased 44 retired Swiss Air Force F-5E Freedom Fighters over a six-year period for $50 million to replace F-5E Tiger IIs in the dedicated adversary role. The fighters are expected to serve in squadron inventory until at least 2015.

may

5 Hangar 511, a 277,000-square-foot facility capable of accommodating up to 33 P-3C Orions, opened at NAS Jacksonville. The hangar is the largest of its kind to support the maritime patrol community, and will also house P-8A Poseidons.

11 Space shuttle STS-125 Atlantis launched from pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Crew members in-cluded retired Navy Capts. Scott D. Altman and Gregory C. Johnson. The mission was the final flight to the Hubble Space Telescope. Atlantis touched down at Edwards AFB on 24 May.

11 The Navy accepted the delivery of George H. W. Bush from Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Newport News, Va.

13 CTF-151 defeated a piracy attack in the Gulf of Aden. At approximately 1530, cruiser Gettysburg and South Ko-rean destroyer Munmu the Great (DDH 976) responded to a distress call from Egyptian-flagged motor vessel Amira, which reported being attacked about 75 nautical miles south of Al Mukalla, Yemen. An SH-60B from HSL-46 Det. 9, embarked aboard Gettysburg, located a dhow sus-pected of serving as a “mother ship” for pirates. A team from the cruiser discovered a variety of weapons aboard the dhow and apprehended its 17 passengers for questioning.

13 The Bataan (LHD 5) Amphibious Ready Group, with 22nd MEU embarked, deployed from NS Norfolk to the Mediterranean and Arabian Seas and the Indian Ocean. The group returned on 8 December.

15 The under secretary of defense for acquisition, technol-ogy, and logistics issued a stop work order to Lockheed Martin Systems Integration, Owego, N.Y., for Increments I and IV of the VH-71A Presidential Helicopter contract. On 1 June the Navy issued a letter of termination to the company for Increments I and II, affecting all activities as-sociated with the helicopter’s systems design and demon-stration requirements.

18 George H. W. Bush completed flight deck certifications in Atlantic waters through 29 May. On 19 May, the ship recorded its first recovery and launch of aircraft. At 1407, Salty Dog 121, an F/A-18F, BuNo 166449, crewed by Lt. Patrick M. McKenna and Cmdr. Beau V. Duarte of VX-23 from NAS Patuxent River, trapped aboard at 1503 the ship catapulted the Super Hornet for its return flight to NAS Patuxent River.

18 USS Freedom (LCS 1) completed its second and final series of acceptance trials off the Virginia capes through 22 May.

23 An SH-60B from HSL-45 Det. 4, embarked aboard USS Lake Champlain (CG 57), spotted a skiff in distress in the Gulf of Aden. The Seahawk directed the ship to the

area, which rescued 52 people who had been adrift in the vessel for about seven days.

26 An SH-60B from HSL-46 Det. 9, embarked aboard Gettysburg, responded to Yemeni motor vessel Alaseb. The dhow’s engine had failed two days previously, leaving it adrift in the Gulf of Aden. The Seahawk directed the cruiser to the area, which towed Alaseb and its 11 passengers to a rendezvous with the Yemeni Coast Guard for repairs.

28 The Combined Maritime Forces at Manama, Bahrain, revealed that 27 successful and 85 unsuccessful pirate at-tacks had occurred from 1 January to 28 May 2009.

28 The Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Carrier Strike Group, with CVW-14 embarked, deployed from NAS North Is-land to the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans and the Ara-bian Gulf.

30 D1, an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye test aircraft, crewed by Lt. Cmdr. Lawrence Nance of VX-20 and civilian test team members Tom Boutin, Ray Collazo, and Bill Zegarski, flew from the Northrop Grumman Manufacturing Center, St. Augustine, Fla., to NAS Patuxent River in preparation for initial operation and test evaluation.

JuNe

CWO Michael S. Adams Jr., the first helicopter pilot to complete his training in the Flying Chief Warrant Officer program and to deploy, reported to HSC-22, embarked aboard Bataan.

The Navy accepted the delivery of the 400th F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

1 A P-3C of VP-5 received orders to Augusto Severo Air-field in Natal, Brazil, to assist in the search for survivors and wreckage of Air France Flight No. 447, an Airbus A330-203 that had crashed into the Atlantic during a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, killing all 228 people on board. The Navy concluded its support of search-and-rescue operations on 13 July.

2 A Naval Research Research Laboratory experimental fuel-cell-powered UAS achieved a flight endurance milestone when it completed a six-hour flight test.

2 The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Federal Cir-cuit affirmed the 5 May 2007 decision by Judge Robert B. Hodges, Jr., U.S. Court of Federal Claims, sustaining the government’s default termination of the A-12A aircraft contract. On 7 January 1991, then-Secretary of Defense Richard Cheney had canceled the Avenger, basing his ac-tion upon the inability of the principal contractors, Gen-eral Dynamics and McDonnell Douglas, to design, develop, fabricate, assemble, and test A-12As within the contract schedule. The decision requires the contractors to repay the government more than $1.35 billion in principal for funds advanced under the contract plus interest accrued—a total of $2.8 billion on this date. The Boeing Co. (which owns McDonnell Douglas) and General Dynamics have appealed the ruling.

3 Lockheed Martin Corp. received a $2.1-billion contract modification to produce 17 F-35 Lightning IIs in the third lot of low-rate initial production.

5 T2, the second P-8A flight test aircraft, completed its first flight near Seattle, Wash. The Poseidon took off from Renton Field at 1032 and landed at Boeing Field at 1328.

11 The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye program reached Mile-stone C, receiving approval to begin low-rate initial production.

15 An F-35 signature test Lightning II equipped with production-representative very-low-observable airframe structure and coatings was rolled out at Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas.

An MV-22B Osprey from VMM-263, 22nd MEU, takes off from the flight deck of Bataan in June 2009, during the tilt-rotor aircraft’s first at-sea

deployment. (Photo by MC3 Ryan Steinhour)


19 Marine 1st Lt. Michael Brown became the 30,000th naval helicopter pilot when he received his wings of gold with TAW-5 at NAS Whiting Field.

25 An MV-22B from VMM-263 of the 22nd MEU, embarked aboard Bataan in the Red Sea, conducted the first ship-to-shore emergency medical evacuation by de-ployed Ospreys.

July

2 The Navy declared the AGM-84K Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) operationally ef-fective against land-based moving targets following an op-erational evaluation.

6 Ronald Reagan launched its first sorties over Afghanistan during this deployment, and assumed duties as Commander, Task Force 50. The carrier’s aircraft flew more than 1,600 com-bat sorties from the ship in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Ronald Reagan relieved Dwight D. Eisenhower.

7 A P-3C and a British warship from CTF-150 coordi-nated the seizure of 10 tons of narcotics with an estimated value of $70 million from a dhow in the Gulf of Aden, about 150 miles southeast of Salalah, Oman.

10 Makin Island sailed from Northrop Grumman Shipbuild-ing, Pascagoula, Miss., on a voyage around South America to its commissioning. During the transit Makin Island inaugurated the ship’s flight operations by Army CH-47 Chinooks attached to Joint Task Force Bravo, CH-46Es and CH-53Es, and Coast Guard HH-60Js and HH-65s. The ship arrived at San Diego on 14 September.

11 The keel for Fort Worth was laid at Marinette Marine Corp., of Marinette, Wis.

15 Space shuttle STS-127 Endeavour launched from pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center. The crew members included Marine Col. Douglas G. Hurley. This 29th mission to the International Space Station included five spacewalks and the launching of the Naval Research Laboratory’s satel-lite suite, the Atmospheric Neutral Density Experiment 2. Endeavour returned to Kennedy on 31 July.

15 The Naval Test Pilot School at NAS Patuxent River ac-cepted the delivery of the first F/A-18F Super Hornet from VFA-106 at NAS Oceana, Va. During June the school had completed its transfer of five F/A-18Bs to VFA-125 and VX-23.

17 The keel of America (LHA 6), the fourth U.S. naval vessel to carry the name, was laid at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding Ingalls, Pascagoula, Miss.

25 The first four C-130Ts of VR-62 arrived at NAS Jack-sonville following the disestablishment of their previous station, NAS Brunswick.

28 CNO Adm. Gary Roughead welcomed the F-35C Lightning II to the fleet during a ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s plant at Fort Worth, Texas.

29 DoD rated the EA-18G as operationally effective and recommended the aircraft for introduction to the fleet.

30 The P-8A Poseidon was rolled out during a ceremony at Boeing’s manufacturing facility at Renton, Wash. CNO Adm. Gary Roughead delivered remarks.

31 The Nimitz (CVN 68) Carrier Strike Group deployed from San Diego for the Western Pacific. The group returned on 26 March 2010.

august

1 Consolidated Maintenance Organization 10, the final such command in service, was disestablished at NAS Whidbey Island.

2 The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology positively iden-tified the remains of Capt. Michael S. Speicher. Bedouins had directed a recovery team from Multi-National Force-West to two sites in the Iraqi desert approximately 62 miles west of Ramadi in Anbar province, where the remains were removed for examination over 22 to 29 July. Speicher was interred at Jacksonville Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Fla., on 14 August.

5 EA-18G Growlers from VAQ-129 and -132 completed their first traps aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) at sea.

7 Typhoon Morakot struck central and southern Taiwan, triggering severe flooding and mudslides that claimed hun-dreds of lives. HSC-25 Det. 6 helped move food, water, and medical supplies from sea to shore to assist Taiwanese relief efforts.

13 BF-2, the second F-35B, was the first Lightning II to be refueled aerially using a probe-and-drogue refueling system from a KC-130 near Fort Worth, Texas.

18 USS Carr (FFG 52), with an SH-60B from HSL-42 Det. 8 embarked, intercepted a go-fast vessel and its three crew members in the Caribbean, seizing 46 bales of cocaine amounting to more than one ton of the material with an estimated import value of $22 million. Carr transferred the vessel, two of the suspects, and their illicit cargo to Venezu-elan frigate General Soublette (F 24) on 23 August.

An aviation boatswain’s mate directs an EA-6B Prowler with VAQ-139 on

Ronald Reagan during flight operations in the Gulf of Oman in August 2009.

(Photo by MCSN Amanda L. Ray)


21 The Navy accepted the delivery of New York (LPD 21) at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Avondale, La. New York had completed acceptance trials on 24 July.

25 The keel was laid for Washington Chambers (T-AKE 11) at General Dynamics–National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, Calif. The ship is named for Navy Capt. Wash-ington I. Chambers (1856–1934), who arranged the world’s first aircraft flight from a ship when aviator Eugene B. Ely flew off the cruiser Birmingham (Cruiser No. 2) at Hampton Roads, Va., on 14 November 1910.

26 Somali pirates aboard Taiwanese-flagged motor vessel Win Far 161, anchored south of Garacad, Somalia, fired an apparent large-caliber weapon at an SH-60B from HSL-49, embarked aboard USS Chancellorsville (CG 62). The pirates missed the Seahawk, and the helo did not return fire and re-covered aboard the cruiser. The pirates had seized the vessel

and more than 30 crew members near the Seychelles Islands on 6 April, and were suspected of using Win Far 161 as a mother ship in multiple incidents, including the attack on Maersk Alabama.

27 The first two T-6Bs arrived at TAW-5 at NAS Whit-ing Field, beginning the turnover from T-34Cs for primary flight training.

28 The Navy announced the delay of the release of an environ-mental impact statement that examines five sites in Virginia and North Carolina concerning an outlying landing field to support aircraft operating from and in transit to NAS Oceana and NS Norfolk. The decision was made to include F-35Cs in the review process.

28 Space shuttle STS-128 Discovery launched from pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center. The crew included

retired Army Col. Patrick G. Forrester, who had graduated from the Naval Test Pilot School, and Marine Col. Fred-erick W. Sturckow. This 30th mission to the International Space Station included the delivery of the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module. Discovery landed at Edwards AFB on 11 September.

september

1 The Navy accepted the delivery of auxiliary dry cargo ship USNS Wally Schirra (T-AKE 8) at General Dynamics-Na-tional Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, Calif.

16 The Navy announced that it would chose one of the two designs of the littoral combat ship, canceling the existing sea frame construction solicitation for 2010. The service would award a single prime contractor and shipyard a fixed incen-tive contract for up to 10 ships of the class (two for 2010).

17 Super Typhoon Choi-Wan struck Alamagan and Agri-han, about 146 nautical miles north of Saipan in the Mari-anas Islands. Two MH-60Ss from HSC-25 Det. 1, em-barked aboard USNS Alan B. Shepard (T-AKE 3), delivered relief supplies.

18 Nimitz launched its first sorties over Afghanistan during this deployment, and assumed duties as Commander, Task Force 50. The ship relieved Ronald Reagan.

21 The Navy accepted A-205, the final production E-2C Hawkeye 2000, at Northrop Grumman St. Augustine Man-ufacturing and Flight Test Center, St. Augustine, Fla.

21 The Navy announced the decision for “full fielding” eval-uation of the T-Hawk micro air vehicle, which assists explo-sive ordnance disposal Sailors and Marines. The delivery of 90 systems was expected by the end of the year.

22 Construction began on William McLean (T-AKE 12) at General Dynamics-National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, Calif. The ship’s name honors William B. McLean (1914–1976), who helped conceive and develop the heat-seeking Sidewinder air-to-air missile .

22 The EA-18G Growler attained initial operational capability.

25 Tropical Storm Ketsana (known as Ondoy in the Philip-pines) struck central Luzon in the Philippines, killing more than 250 people around the Manila area and rendering tens of thousands homeless. On 27 and 28 September, U.S. and Filipino service members rescued 52 people from rising flood waters in the capital. On 4 October, USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and USS Tortuga (LSD 46), with elements of the 31st MEU embarked, arrived to provide humanitarian relief.

28 The Navy announced the completion of two steps in the introduction of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS). The first phase of highly accelerated life testing gauged the EMALS launch motor’s ability to oper-ate in simulated at-sea conditions, and the second phase of system functional demonstration commissioning replicated full-scale launching capabilities.

29 The Boeing Co. concluded a 42-month risk reduction program for the GBU-40 Small Diameter Bomb when an F-15E Strike Eagle dropped one of the weapons at Eglin AFB. The bomb is under development for Air Force and Navy aircraft.

29 An 8.3-magnitude earthquake struck 125 miles south of Apia on American Samoa, generating a tsuna-mi with 15-to-20-foot waves that inundated the eastern coast of Samoa and parts of Tonga, killing more than 160 people. USS Ingraham (FFG 61), with an embarked

An SH-60B with HSL-46 Det. 4 lands aboard Lake Champlain. On 23 May 2009, a Seahawk from Lake Champlain spotted a skiff in distress in the Gulf of Aden. The Seahawk directed the

ship to the area, which rescued 52 people. (Photo by MC2 Daniel Barker)


SH-60B, arrived the following day and helped members of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Army National Guardsmen assess the damage. In addition, a Coast Guard HC-130 flew aerial surveillance missions.

30 A 7.6-magnitude earthquake rocked the Padang area of western Sumatra, Indonesia, killing more than 750 people and triggering landslides that wiped-out villages and blocked roads. USS Denver (LPD 9), with elements of the 31st MEU embarked, and USS McCampbell (DDG 85) arrived on 9 Oc-tober to support international relief efforts. Three CH-53Es of HMM-265 from Denver, and two SH-60Bs of HSL-51 Det. 5 from McCampbell delivered relief supplies and rescue workers. Additional aircraft including two SA-330J Pumas from USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE 4) reinforced these operations. The Navy concluded its humanitarian assistance on 16 October.

october

1 The Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Demonstrator (BAMS-D) returned from its first eight-month deployment to Central Command. The BAMS-D, which utilizes the RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle, flew more than 60 sorties totaling more than 1,000 hours. A second BAMS-D deployed prior to the return of the first.

1 Carrier Strike Group 1 was established at San Diego. The group operated temporarily without its flagship, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), which had completed its midlife refuel-ing and complex overhaul at Newport News Shipbuilding, Va., on 11 July, and commenced a supplemental restricted availability until 3 December.

2 Electronic Attack Wing, Pacific Fleet, declared VAQ-132 the first operational EA-18G Growler-equipped electronic attack squadron “safe for flight operations” at NAS Whid-bey Island.

2 Typhoon Parma (known as Pepeng in the Philippines) struck Luzon in the Philippines. Harpers Ferry and Tortuga, with elements of the 31st MEU embarked, responded. Ten CH-46Es operating from the two ships were among the aircraft that provided airlift support to U.S. and Filipino service members and relief workers.

4 USS Wasp (LHD 1) deployed from NS Norfolk to the U.S. 4th Fleet. The ship served as a forward operating base with the Security Cooperation Marine Air-Ground Task Force, Joint Interagency Task Force-South, the Drug En-forcement Administration, and Coast Guard Law Enforce-ment Detachment 405 during counter-narcotics operations. Wasp returned from her deployment—the first of its kind to that fleet—on 22 December.

5 N-8 and N-9, two MQ-8B Fire Scouts, BuNos 167791 and 167792, respectively, made the first deployment of the UAS during a counter-narcotics deployment with HSL-42 Det. 7

aboard USS McInerney (FFG 8) from NS Mayport to the Caribbean. The ship made first interception of drug smug-glers using Fire Scouts—during a post-maintenance check flight—on 3 April 2010. McInerney returned on 15 April.

7 USS Hawes (FFG 53), with HSL-48 Det. 10 embarked, returned to NS Norfolk from a counter-narcotics deploy-ment to the Caribbean and Western Atlantic. The ship’s operations resulted in the seizure of 200 barrels of cocaine.

7 An EA-6B Prowler, piloted by Cmdr. Vincent Johnson, the executive officer of VAQ-135, became the 100,000th air-craft to launch from Catapult No. 1 aboard Nimitz at sea.

9 The Naval Research Laboratory’s Ion Tiger, a hydrogen-powered fuel cell unmanned aerial vehicle, flew 23 hours, 17 minutes, setting an unofficial flight endurance record for a fuel-cell powered flight, during a test at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.

15 T1, the first P-8A test aircraft, crewed by Lt. Roger Stanton and Boeing pilot Doug Benjamin, completed the first flight of a Poseidon by a Navy pilot over Puget Sound. The mission initiated a 36-month formal naval flight test

program by VX-1 and -20 and the Boeing Co., evaluating three Poseidons: T1, T2, and T3.

15 USS Anzio (CG 68), with an SH-60B from HSL-48 Det. 7 embarked, seized approximately four tons of hashish with an estimated street value of $28 million on board a skiff in the Gulf of Aden about 170 miles southwest of Salalah, Oman.

18 Independence (LCS 2) completed builder’s trials in the Gulf of Mexico. The ship completed acceptance trials dur-ing early November.

19 USS Jarrett (FFG 33) returned to San Diego from a counter-narcotics deployment to the Eastern Pacific. The ship’s operations resulted in the apprehension of nine smug-glers and the seizure or disruption of more than nine tons of narcotics with an estimated street value of $266 million.

20 The Navy accepted the delivery of its final T-45C—the 221st Goshawk delivered—at the Boeing plant in St. Louis, Mo.

29 Lockheed Martin announced the completion of the first of a series of flight tests for the Paveway II Plus laser guided bomb guidance kit.

November

6 Ten MV-22Bs from VMM-263 of the 22nd MEU launched from Bataan to Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, for the first deployment of Ospreys to that country. The air-craft lifted off in three waves and made the 510-nautical-mile flight in slightly more than two hours, transferring to VMM-261—attached to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade.

7 USS New York (LPD 21) was commissioned at New York City. Approximately 7.5 tons of steel salvaged from the wreckage of the World Trade Center was integrated into the ship’s construction.

An F/A-18F Super Hornet with the Black Aces of VFA-41 refuels from an Air Force KC-10 tanker. The Black Aces deployed with the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group to 5th Fleet in July 2009 and returned in March 2010. (Photo by Lt. Graham Scarbro)


9 The Boeing Co. announced its award by the Air Force of a $72-million contract for more than 2,900 Joint Direct Attack Munition tail kits for delivery to the Air Force and Navy in 2011 and 2012.

12 The Navy opened the EMALS armature at a system functional demonstration site at Joint Base McGuire-Fort Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

14 The keel was laid for Gerald R. Ford at Northrop Grum-man Shipbuilding, Newport News, Va. The ship is named in honor of Gerald R. Ford Jr., who served as assistant naviga-tor aboard USS Monterey (CVL 26) during World War II and subsequently became the 38th President of the United States.

14 AF-1, the first optimized F-35A, piloted by Lockheed Martin test pilot David Nelson, made its inaugural 89-min-ute flight at Fort Worth, Texas. This was the fourth Light-ning II to begin flight operations.

15 BF-1, the first F-35B, piloted by Lockheed Martin test pilot Jon Beesley, flew from Fort Worth, Texas, to NAS Patuxent River. The flight initiated a series of Lightning II arrivals at Patuxent River for testing, including BF-1’s sub-sequent first hovers and vertical landings.

16 Space shuttle STS-129 Atlantis launched from pad 39A at John F. Kennedy Space Center. The 31st flight to the International Space Station was the final crew rota-tion mission to the facility. The crew included Marine Col. Charles O. Hobaugh, Marine Lt. Col. Randolph J. Bresnik, retired Navy Capt. Michael J. Foreman, and Navy Capt. Barry E. Wilmore. Atlantis returned to Kennedy on 27 November.

16 The Ion Tiger completed a flight of 26 hours, one minute, into the following day. The achievement bettered the record of 9 October, setting an unofficial flight endurance record for a fuel cell-powered flight.

20 The Navy released a draft environmental impact state-ment concerning the military build-up on Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands. The construction of a deep-draft wharf and shoreside infrastructure improvements to support a transient nuclear-powered carrier at Apra Harbor, Guam, and the expansion of aviation facilities ashore for Marines transferred from Okinawa are among the proposed actions.

23 DoD approved the EA-18G for full-rate production, authorizing the procurement and production of 54 Growlers remaining in the current program of record.

24 USS Makin Island (LHD 8), the eighth and final vessel of the Wasp class, was commissioned at NAS North Island.

December

4 Nine officers at Navy Personnel Command were among the first Sailors to receive the professional aviation mainte-nance officer warfare designator.

7 Hurricane 17, the final MH-53E Sea Dragon stationed at NAS Corpus Christi, departed for Norfolk.

11 H-3, the last operational Navy UH-3H Sea King, BuNo 154121, was retired at Hangar 109, NAS Patuxent River, and transferred to HMX-1 for use as a trainer.

17 The keel of Coronado (LCS 4) was laid at General Dy-namics Austal USA, Mobile, Ala. The following day the Navy accepted the delivery of Independence at Mobile.

29 BF-2, the second F-35B, piloted by Maj. Joseph T. Bachmann, USMC, flew from Fort Worth, Texas, to NAS Patuxent River.

Mark L. Evans is a historian, Dale J. Gordon an archivist, and Andrew R. McKee and Ellen M. Stolarski are interns in the His-tories and Archives Division of the Naval History and Heritage Command.

In December, the first nine Sailors received the Navy’s new professional aviation maintenance officer warfare designator. Requirements include

a minimum of 24 months at both an organizational and intermediate-level maintenance activity while assigned in an aviation maintenance

officer billet and one operational deployment of at least 90 days. (Photo by MC1 LaTunya Howard)


Major Aviation Command Changes in 2009

Commissionings

George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) ......................................................................................................................... 10 JanMakin Island (LHD 8) ....................................................................................................................................24 Oct

DeCommissionings

Kitty Hawk (CV 63) ...................................................................................................................................... 12 May Tarawa (LHA 1) .............................................................................................................................................31 Mar

establishments Navy Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 5 Det. FSU 5 ......................................................................................3 JunCommander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Force 7th Fleet Det. Atsugi ................................................... ..........1 AugCommander, Carrier Strike Group 1 .................................................................................................................1 OctNaval Aviation Forecast Det. Pearl Harbor, Hawaii .......................................................................................14 Oct

Disestablishments

Consolidated Maintenance Organization 11 ................................................................................................. 12 MayNaval Aviation Forecast Detachment, Bahrain .................................................................................................1 JunConsolidated Maintenance Organization 2 ..................................................................................................... 1 AugConsolidated Maintenance Organization 10 ................................................................................................... 1 AugConsolidated Maintenance Organization Det. VQ ..........................................................................................1 AugNAS Atlanta, GA ............................................................................................................................................30 Sep

aCtivations

HSM-70 Spartans ..............................................................................................................................................1 FebHMLA-469 Vengeance ...................................................................................................................................30 Jun

DeaCtivations

Commander, Sea Control Wing, Atlantic Fleet ..............................................................................................31 MarVS-22 Checkmates .........................................................................................................................................31 Mar

ReDesignations

HS-2 to HSC-12 Golden Falcons ...................................................................................................................... 1 Jan HMM-365 to VMM-365 Blue Knights ........................................................................................................... 15 JanHSL-47 to HSM-77 Saberhawks ......................................................................................................................1 FebHS-5 to HSC-5 Nightdippers ..........................................................................................................................28 FebMCAF Kaneohe Bay to MCAS Kaneohe Bay ............................................................................................. 22 MayHMM-264 to VMM-264 Black Knights ....................................................................................................... 29 MayHS-3 to HSC-9 Tridents ....................................................................................................................................1 JunHMM-161 to VMM-161 Grey Hawks ..............................................................................................................8 OctHSL-40 to HSM-40 Airwolves ........................................................................................................................1 Nov

Csg-11WestPac31 Jul 09-26 Mar 10Nimitz (CVN 68)CVW-11 (Tail Code: NH) Squadron Aircraft VFA-41 F/A-18F VFA-14 F/A-18E VFA-86 F/A-18C VFA-97 F/A-18C VAQ-135 EA-6B

VAW-117 E-2CHS-6 HH/SH-60FVRC-30 Det. 3 C-2A

Chosin (CG 55)Pinckney (DDG 91)Sampson (DDG 102)Rentz (FFG 46)Bridge (T-AOE 10)

Csg-7WestPac29 May 09-10 Oct 09 Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)CVW-14 (Tail Code: NK) Squadron Aircraft VFA-113 F/A-18C VFA-22 F/A-18F VFA-115 F/A-18E VFA-25 F/A-18C VAQ-139 EA-6B

VAW-113 E-2CHS-4 SH-60FVRC-30 Det. 1 C-2A

Chancellorsville (CG 62)Decatur (DDG 73)Gridley (DDG 101)Howard (DDG 83)Thach (FFG 43)

Two HH-60H Seahawk helicopters, assigned to the Indians of HS-6, armed with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, fly in formation to a live fire exercise on the Oki Daito Jima range near Okinawa on 30 August 2009. HS-6 is a part CVW-11 and is embarked aboard

USS Nimitz (CVN 68). (Photo by MC2 Jason Graham)

Major Carrier Strike Group Deployments in 2009


Csg-2Indian Ocean/Mediterranean Sea/North Arabian Sea8 Sep 08-18 Apr 09Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)CVW-8 (Tail Code: AJ) Squadron Aircraft VFA-31 F/A-18E VFA-213 F/A-18F VFA-15 F/A-18C VFA-87 F/A-18C VAQ-141 EA-6B

VAW-124 E-2CHS-3 HH/SH-60F/HVRC-40 Det. 1 C-2A

Monterey (CG 61)Nitze (DDG 94)The Sullivans (DDG 68)Mason (DDG 87)

Csg-5WestPac10 Jun 09-3 Sep 09George Washington (CVN 73)CVW-5 (Tail Code: NF) Squadron Aircraft VFA-102 F/A-18F VFA-27 F/A-18E VFA-192 F/A-18C VFA-195 F/A-18C VAQ-136 EA-6B

VAW-115 E-2CHS-14 HH/SH-60F/HVRC-30 Det. 5 C-2A

Cowpens (CG 63)Shiloh (CG 67)Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54)John S. McCain (DDG 56)Fitzgerald (DDG 62)Stetham (DDG 63)Lassen (DDG 82)McCampbell (DDG 85)Mustin (DDG 89)

Csg-8Mediterranean Sea/North Arabian Sea21 Feb 09-30 Jul 09Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) CVW-7 (Tail Code: AG) Squadron Aircraft

VFA-143 F/A-18E VFA-103 F/A-18F VFA-83 F/A-18C VFA-131 F/A-18C VAW-121 E-2C

VAQ-140 EA-6BHS-5 HH/SH-60F/HVRC-40 Det. 2 C-2A

Bainbridge (DDG 96)Scranton (SSN 756)Gettysburg (CG 64)Vicksburg (CG 69)Stout (DDG 55)Halyburton (FFG 40)Big Horn (T-AO 198)Sacagawea (T-AKE 2)

Csg-3WestPac/North Pacific13 Jan 09-10 Jul 09John C. Stennis (CVN 74)CVW-9 (Tail Code: NG)

Squadron Aircraft VFA-154 F/A-18F VMFA-323 F/A-18C VFA-146 F/A-18C VFA-147 F/A-18E VAQ-138 EA-6B

VAW-112 E-2CHSC-8 MH-60SHSM-71 MH-60RVRC-30 Det. 4 C-2A

Antietam (CG 54)Kidd (DDG 100)Preble (DDG 88)

Two F/A-18E Super Hornets with the Blacklions of VFA-213 launch from USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). (Photo by MC2 Remus Borisov)

36 Naval Aviation News 37Summer 201036 Naval Aviation News 37Summer 2010

Iwo Jima (LHD 7)Mediterranean Sea/Indian Ocean26 Aug 08-27 Mar 09HMM-264 (Rein) (Tail Code EH) Squadron Aircraft VMA-231 Det. AV-8B HMM-264 CH-46E HMH-461 Det. CH-53E HMLA-167 Det. AH-1W/UH-1N HSC-25 Det. (RB)1 MH-60S

Boxer (LHD 4)WestPac/Indian Ocean09 Jan 09-01 Aug 09HMM-163 (Rein) (Tail Code YP) Squadron Aircraft VMA-214 Det. AV-8B HMM-163 CH-46E HMH Det.2 CH-53E HMLA-267 Det. AH-1W/UH-1Y HSC-21 Det. 3 (VR)1 MH-60S

Essex (LHD 2)WestPac26 Jan 09-07 May 09HMM-262 (Rein) (Tail Code ET) Squadron Aircraft VMA-211 AV-8B HMM-262 CH-46E HMH Det. CH-53E HMLA Det. AH-1W/UH-1N HSC-25 Det. (RB)1 MH-60S

Bataan (LHD 5)Mediterranean Sea/Indian Ocean13 May 09-08 Dec 09VMM-263 (Rein) (Tail Code EG) Squadron Aircraft VMA-542 Det. AV-8B VMM-2633 MV-22B HMH-461 Det. CH-53 HMLA Det. AH-1W/ UH-1N HSC-22 Det. 4 (AM)1 MH-60S

Essex (LHD 2)WestPac12 Jun 09-18 Aug 09HMM-265 (Rein) (Tail Code EP) Squadron Aircraft VMA-513 AV-8B HMM-265 CH-46E HMH Det. CH-53E HMLA Det. AH-1W/UH-1N HSC-25 Det. (RB)1 MH-60S

Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6)WestPac/Indian Ocean24 Sep 09-14 Apr 10HMM-166 (Rein) (Tail Code YX) Squadron Aircraft VMA-513 Det. AV-8B HMM-166 CH-46E HMH Det. CH-53E HMLA Det. AH-1W/UH-1N HSC-23 Det. 3 (WC)1 MH-60S

Wasp (LHD 1)Guantanamo Bay, Cuba/Caribbean04 Oct 09-22 Dec 09 Squadron Aircraft HMH-461 (CJ) CH-53E HSC-28 Det. (BR) MH-60S

The multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) arrives at Port Everglades for the start of Navy Week Port

Everglades. (Photo by Scott Lehr)

(Endnotes)1 While on deployment, HSC squadron detachments are assigned to the amphibious assault carrier rather than to the embarked Marine helicopter squadron (reinforced). The det. helicopters therefore retain their own squadron tail codes.

2 The four CH-53E Sea Stallions flew off Boxer on 3 Mar to augment Marine Aircraft Group 26 at Al Asad Airbase, Iraq.

3 The 10 MV-22B Ospreys of VMM-263 were launched from Bataan on 6 Nov and flown to Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, to be transferred to VMM-261 and serve as part of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade’s aviation combat element.

Major Amphibious Assault Ship Deployments in 2009


Major Land Based Deployments 2009

al asaD aiRfielD, iRaqVAQ-133 Det. 25 Jan 09-06 Aug 09 09 Nov 09-06 May 10 VAQ-142 Det. 15 Jan 09-09 Aug 09ali aiR base, iRaqVP-4 Oct 08-31 May 09al UDeiD aiR base, qataRVP-8 Dec 08-10 Jun 09VP-10 Det. May 09-Dec 09VQ-1 Det. 3 Jan 09-16 Dec 09VR-48 18 Feb 09-02 Aug 09VR-51 01 Feb 09-01 May 09atsUgi, JapanVR-56 28 Apr 09-18 Jun 09VR-57 29 Jul 09-17 Sept 09

bagRam aiRfielD, afghanistanVAQ-133 Det. 09 Sep 08-12 Mar 09VAQ-134 Det. 04 May 09-04 Nov 09Cgas boRinqUen, pUeRto RiCoVAW-77 Jan 09-Mar 09VAW-77 Jul 09-Aug 09Comalapa, el salvaDoRVAW-77 Apr 09-Jun 09 Oct 09-Nov 09CURaçao, netheRlanDs antillesVQ-1 Det. 02 Apr 09-05 Sept 09DJiboUtiVP-10 Det. May 09-Dec 09gUantanamo bay, CUba VAW-125 12 Jan 09-12 Apr 09

PO2 Jojuan James, right, and PO2 Chris Schoene, both members of the Red Lancers of VP-10, play soccer with a boy from a small village outside Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, in November 2009. The Sailors volunteered to team up with the U.S. Army’s 4-78th Civil Affairs Special Operations Battalion (Airborne) to donate balls and clothes to local children, and to provide a portable movie projector to watch movies. (Photo by MC1 Larry Foos)

Sailors from various flightline sections conduct a launch evolution for an EA-6B Prowler assigned to VAQ-142 in May 2009 during the squadron’s deployment to Al Asad, Iraq. During the launch evolution, all flight line sections of the squadron are involved in preparing

an aircraft for take off. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Victor F. Cano)

KaDena afb oKinawa, JapanVQ-1 Det. 27 May 09-09 Dec 09VTC-12 10 Jan 09-20 Jan 09mCas iwaKUni JapanVQ-1 Det. 04 Jun 09-02 Aug 09seyChellesVP-10 Det. May 09-Dec 09

nas sigonellaVQ-1 Det. 19 Mar 09-15 Apr 09VR-56 Det. B 29 Nov 09-02 Jan 09VR-56 Det. C 30 Mar 09-03 Jun 10VR-57 13 Feb 09-17 Apr 09VR-62 30 Aug 09-10 Dec 09nsa bahRainVR-64 27 Nov 09-31 Dec 09westeRn paCifiCVR-59 29 Mar 09-02 Aug 09


160821 13-Apr AH-1W Super Cobra160824 5-May AH-1W Super Cobra165050 12-May AH-1W Super Cobra162563 17-Jun AH-1W Super Cobra163926 14-Jul AH-1W Super Cobra165055 7-Aug AH-1W Super Cobra165332 22-Oct AH-1W Super Cobra165333 26-Oct AH-1W Super Cobra164596 29-Oct AH-1W Super Cobra162575 7-Dec AH-1W Super Cobra165045 7-Dec AH-1W Super Cobra154020 28-Jan CH-46E Sea Knight156450 26-Feb CH-46E Sea Knight153975 6-Mar CH-46E Sea Knight157723 6-Mar CH-46E Sea Knight153960 6-Mar CH-46E Sea Knight154849 12-May CH-46E Sea Knight154789 12-May CH-46E Sea Knight157651 28-Jul CH-46E Sea Knight156445 28-Jul CH-46E Sea Knight154828 28-Jul CH-46E Sea Knight153956 28-Jul CH-46E Sea Knight153350 28-Jul CH-46E Sea Knight157670 28-Jul CH-46E Sea Knight156464 28-Jul CH-46E Sea Knight156457 28-Jul CH-46E Sea Knight156429 28-Jul CH-46E Sea Knight156422 28-Jul CH-46E Sea Knight155315 28-Jul CH-46E Sea Knight154850 28-Jul CH-46E Sea Knight154829 28-Jul CH-46E Sea Knight154805 28-Jul CH-46E Sea Knight154792 28-Jul CH-46E Sea Knight153377 28-Jul CH-46E Sea Knight157724 28-Sep CH-46E Sea Knight153380 14-Oct CH-46E Sea Knight157703 12-Nov CH-46E Sea Knight157649 12-Nov CH-46E Sea Knight156473 12-Nov CH-46E Sea Knight156439 12-Nov CH-46E Sea Knight154015 19-Nov CH-46E Sea Knight164488 27-Oct E-2C Hawkeye160709 30-Apr EA-6B Prowler161347 2-Jun EA-6B Prowler158801 15-Aug EA-6B Prowler159912 17-Sep EA-6B Prowler161774 22-Oct EA-6B Prowler161948 26-Mar FA-18A Hornet162470 22-Jun FA-18A Hornet162826 4-Dec FA-18A Hornet163093 18-Dec FA-18A Hornet163507 8-May FA-18D Hornet160829 28-Jan HH-1N Iroquois160834 6-Mar HH-1N Iroquois

Squadron Aircraft Ship or Station DateHSC-9 HH-60H San Antonio (LPD 17) Jan 09-Feb 09HSL-43 Det. 2 SH-60B Rodney M. Davis (FFG 60) Nov 08-21 Apr 09HSL-37 Det. 1 SH-60B Chafee (DDG 90) 24 Feb 09-24 Aug 09HSL-43 Det. 2 SH-60B Lake Erie (CG 70) 16 Nov 09-13 Apr 10HSL-43 Det. 3 SH-60B Sampson (DDG 102) 31 Jul 08-26 Mar 09HSL-44 Det. 10 SH-60B Simpson (FFG 56) 05 Apr 09-06 Oct 09HSL-45 Det. 2 SH-60B Gary (FFG 51) 2008-08 Apr 09HSL-45 Det. 3 SH-60B McClusky (FFG 41) 5 Oct 09-TBAHSL-46 Det. 2 SH-60B Halyburton (FFG 40) Feb 09-Jul 09HSL-46 Det. 3 SH-60B Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) May 09-Jul 09HSL-46 Det. 4 SH-60B Vicksburg (CG 69) Feb 09-Jul 09HSL-46 Det. 5 SH-60B DeWert (FFG 45) Sep 09-18 Mar 10HSL-46 Det. 9 SH-60B Gettysburg (CG 64) Feb 09-Jul 09HSL-48 Det. 2 SH-60B Underwood (FFG 36) 01 Jan 09-03 Apr 09HSL-48 Det. 5 SH-60B Leyte Gulf (CG 55) 01 Jan 09-11 May 09HSL-48 Det. 7 SH-60B Anzio (CG 68) 13 May 09-05 Dec 09HSL-48 Det. 10 SH-60B Hawes (FFG 53) 05 Apr 09-05 Oct 09HSL-60 Det. 2 SH-60B Samuel B. Roberts (FFG 58) 05 Nov 08-06 Apr 09

158552 6-Mar HH-1N Iroquois158286 6-Mar HH-1N Iroquois158256 6-Mar HH-1N Iroquois158272 7-Apr HH-1N Iroquois158551 7-May HH-1N Iroquois158259 20-May HH-1N Iroquois158766 4-Jun HH-1N Iroquois158248 16-Jul HH-1N Iroquois158264 28-Jul HH-1N Iroquois165117 20-May HH-60H Seahawk149815 6-Mar KC-130F Hercules148894 28-Jul KC-130F Hercules160628 6-Mar KC-130R Hercules166363 6-Apr MH-60S Seahawk166389 14-Jul MV-22B Osprey158568 7-May N P-3C Orion148889 6-Mar N P-3D Orion696160 25-Feb OH-58C Kiowa161585 6-Feb P-3C Orion160766 9-Sep P-3C Orion160141 8-Jan S-3B Viking159747 3-Mar S-3B Viking160588 6-Mar S-3B Viking160161 6-Mar S-3B Viking160153 6-Mar S-3B Viking160134 6-Mar S-3B Viking159744 6-Mar S-3B Viking162344 15-Apr SH-60B Seahawk162109 16-Apr SH-60B Seahawk161553 1-Jun SH-60B Seahawk161570 17-Jul SH-60B Seahawk162137 14-Aug SH-60B Seahawk161566 9-Nov SH-60B Seahawk161554 19-Nov SH-60B Seahawk164088 20-Feb SH-60F Seahawk164448 29-Apr SH-60F Seahawk164455 17-Jul SH-60F Seahawk164451 17-Jul SH-60F Seahawk163287 17-Jul SH-60F Seahawk163284 17-Jul SH-60F Seahawk164082 28-Jul SH-60F Seahawk164443 17-Nov SH-60F Seahawk159705 6-Mar T-2C Buckeye159173 6-Mar T-2C Buckeye158909 6-Mar T-2C Buckeye158601 6-Mar T-2C Buckeye158321 6-Mar T-2C Buckeye160521 16-Sep T-34C Turbo Mentor162247 28-Oct T-34C Turbo Mentor161198 10-Sep UC-12B Huron160448 15-Jul UH-1N Iroquois159190 26-Oct UH-1N Iroquois151550 22-Oct UH-3H Sea King

Major Independent Helicopter Deployments in 2009

An SH-60B Seahawk with the Battle Cats of HSL-43 flies a routine training flight

near San Diego, Calif. (Photo by PM1 Edward G. Martens)

Aircraft Stricken in 2009BuNo Action Date Type NameBuNo Action Date Type Name


165840 - 165843 4 MV-22B Osprey166010 - 166014 5 T-6B Texan II166507 1 TE-2C Hawkeye (Trainer Model) 166508 1 E-2C Hawkeye 166540 - 166567 28 MH-60R Seahawk166736 - 166747 12 MV-22B Osprey166868 - 166872 5 F/A-18E Super Hornet166886 - 166892 7 F/A-18F Super Hornet166896 - 16690 5 EA-18G Growler166901 - 166908 8 F/A-18E Super Hornet166915 - 166923 9 F/A-18F Super Hornet166928 - 166933 5 EA-18G Growler167100 - 167106 7 T-45C Goshawk167791 - 167792 2 MQ-8B Fire Scout167799 - 167806 8 UH-1Y Venom167809 1 AH-1Z Viper167824 - 167850 27 MH-60S Seahawk167902 - 167903 2 MV-22B Osprey167927 - 167985 3 KC-130J Super Hercules167986 - 168249 1 MQ-8B Fire Scout168245 -168249 5 UH-72A Lakota

Aircraft Accepted in 2009 BuNo Quantity Type Name

ABH2 Dustin Shipman with Pre-Commissioning Unit New York (LPD 21) directs an MV-22 Osprey as it lands on the flight deck. This was the first aircraft to land on the New York, commissioned on 7 November 2009. (Photo by MC1 Corey Lewis)


Professional Reading

An F2A-2 Brewster Buffalo with VF-2 circa 1940. The Buffalo was the U.S. Navy’s first monoplane aircraft, but was quickly replaced by the more capable F4F Wildcat in early 1942. (National Naval Aviation Museum Collection)

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

Brewster F2A Buffalo Aces of World War 2Kari Stenman and Andrew Thomas. Botley, Oxford, U.K.: Osprey Publishing, 2010. 96 pp. Ill. $22.95.

One of the most famous least-known fighters of the war, the portly Brewster F2A Buffalo had an unusu-

al career among front-line aircraft during World War II. Originally built to operate from U.S. carriers, its brief career aboard ship was marked by poor performance, terribly weak landing gear, and a general reputation for falling short of expectations. Its pilots, however, liked the way it handled in the air and bemoaned the need for more horsepower and heavier armament.

The Buffalo—the name came from the British, who were fond of replacing the mundane government designations of the American aircraft and other equipment they encoun-tered with colorful titles—was the first U.S. monoplane car-rier aircraft, but has never enjoyed a book devoted to it (dis-counting an inadequate soft cover book of the 1960s). Its history usually can be found in abbreviated form in larger works, such as a companion volume on Finnish aces in this same Osprey series or other books devoted to Navy aircraft. Thus, this new book (No. 91 in Osprey’s aces series) is espe-cially welcome, combining the writing talents of two estab-lished experts along with a team of artists to bring the little Brewster fighter’s wartime story to light.

Because of the Buffalo’s extensive overseas employment, the narrative focuses on action outside American service. Flying with the British and the Finns, the Buffalo saw ac-tion in such diverse arenas as Singapore and Burma against the Japanese and over the snow-covered forests of Finland (against first the Soviets, then later the Finns’ erstwhile German allies). With the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, however, the Buffalo experienced the briefest of front-line service; its only combat use in U.S. service was at the Battle of Midway in June 1942. The F2A’s main adversary was the Zero, the premier naval fighter of the day. Contrary to many published reports of the time and in subsequent histories, however, the Buffalo managed to give a fairly reasonable ac-count of itself before being overwhelmed by numbers and superiority of design.

Royal Air Force pilots managed only a few kills in the Brew-ster, as did Dutch pilots in the Netherlands East Indies. The book describes the hopeless defense put up by Royal Air Force Buffalos against the Japanese onslaught on Malaya. Looking at the rotund fighters, it is difficult to imagine them being able to offer a credible resistance against the cream of the Japanese Navy and Army air forces. Somehow, however, Commonwealth pilots stood their ground—at least for a while. It was the Finns who found the fighter to be an ace-maker, with 37 Finnish pilots achieving at least five kills or more. The top score of 39 kills was attributed to a Finnish Brewster pilot (as part of his overall wartime score of 75). Part of the reason for the Finns’ impressive tally is attributed

to the fact they flew the Model 239, the export version of the Buffalo, which was some 1,500 pounds lighter than the F2A-3 equipping VMF-221 at Midway. Finnish pilots also benefited from considerable combat experience as a result of their Winter War in 1940 with the Soviet Union.

There are the obligatory tables of aces and their kills, and the cover illustration by Mark Postlethwaite, not to men-tion Chris Davey’s outstanding profiles, are among the best I have seen in the series.

The Two Thousand Yard Stare: Tom Lea’s World War IITom Lea. Brendan M. Greeley Jr., ed. College Station, Texas: Texas A&M University Press, 2008. 228 pp. Ill. $40.

An ambitious large-format book, this overview of one of the most well-known American combat artists of

World War II presents many recognizable paintings and drawings along with less-familiar works. Combined with well-written supporting text from the artist as well as by editor Brendan Greeley, the paintings display Tom Lea’s capabilities as well as the great distances and many places he visited during the war. The examples of Lea’s work are shown in various media, from the pencil sketches used to prepare for his more finished studio works, to the actual fi-nal pieces that were in oil or watercolor—in all of which he was a master. Lea seemed the most involved when he was depicting people: as individuals in the cockpit of a battered fighter, on the bridge of a ship, or in the jungles of a Pacific island; or as groups relaxing on the flight line, waiting for the next mission, or suiting up for that coming flight. It is in these examples that his skills as an illustrator shine through.

Thomas Calloway Lea (1907-2001) was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. He trained as a muralist before the war, and his work included notable murals throughout the South-west commissioned under the Works Progress Administra-tion in the 1930s. During the war, Lea achieved his great-est notoriety while as a combat artist and correspondent with Life magazine depicting the Pacific island campaigns. Above all, Lea was a portrait artist, and his stunning, realis-tic depictions of America’s combat servicemen, famous and not-so-famous, are a who’s who of the so-called “Greatest Generation.” Often shown in a rumpled uniform and with a five-o’clock shadow on their jowls, these men appear as they fought their war. The book’s title and cover come from Lea’s most well-known painting—depicting the battle of Peleliu in 1944—of a shell-shocked infantryman staring into obliv-ion, his eyes a set of unfocused black circles showing little left underneath after all the man had seen of war.

For the aviation side, his portrait of an F4F Wildcat pilot brings the air war in close and personal. Lea also showed the rough and tough side of other aviation venues, especially the China / Burma / India Theater, most closely associated with

the Flying Tigers and the enduring Chinese people who of-ten worked side by side with their aviator protectors. As Lea said in 1944, “China hit me right between the eyes.” Besides the Pacific, he also visited the European action, producing riveting portraits of the pilots and ground crews who flew and serviced the fighters and bombers that took the war to the Germans. Like the combat participants he depicted, Lea’s tour up front left him with his own demons. He may not have fired weapons, but he saw the war for what it was: brutal, bloody, and utterly relentless.

This large book is an excellent compilation and well deserv-ing of being included in anyone’s library.

The Martin P5M Patrol SeaplaneCapt. Richard Hoffman, USN (Ret.). Simi Valley, Calif.: Steve Ginter, 2007. 169 pp. Ill. $34.95.

Number 74 in Steve Ginter’s Naval Fighter series, this book gives a mainly pictorial look at the last U.S. Navy

flying boat to see squadron service, the P5M Marlin. Ap-pearing just after World War II, this large twin-engine “boat” was a development of the earlier PBM Mariner, dis-pensing with the Mariner’s twin-tail layout. The Marlin saw service with a number of U.S. squadrons, as well as with France’s Aeronavale.

Serving throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, the P5M (designated P-5 after 1962) saw limited combat duty in the first half of the Vietnam War. The last aircraft retired in November 1967, with VP-40. The lack of details about the P-5’s Vietnam service is disappointing, and that story remains to be written.

Following the series’ established format, this book includes lots of photos, mostly black and white (except for the two outside covers), as well as a number of NATOPS and main-tenance manual pages and brief descriptions of each squad-ron. There is also the regular discussion of model kits of the subject aircraft, which appears to be limited to only one, a good one by the Japanese company Hasegawa.

A Martin P5M-1 Marlin with VP-42 circa 1958. Marlins were the last “flying boats” to serve in the U.S. Navy.


People–Places–PlanesEdited by Josh Phillips

MilestonesA U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet completed the first captive carriage test of the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weap-on C-1 variant at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) at China Lake on 4 March.

During a routine 3 April test flight, an MQ-8B Fire Scout vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial vehicle sup-ported its first drug interdiction with USS McInerney (FFG 8) and a U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement det.

Fleet Readiness Center East delivered the last H-53E to come out of desert retirement to HMT-302 on 7 May.

USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77), the Navy’s 10th and fi-nal Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, conducted its first vertical replenishment with the dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE 1) on 18 May.

During flight operations the crew of USS Enterprise (CVN 65) briefly celebrated as the 1,000th landing or “trap” since the ship got under way for flight-deck certification and car-rier qualifications was completed on 27 May.

As part of interoperability operations with the French Navy, a maintenance crew for the French aircraft Rafale F3 per-formed a 4 June jet engine swap-out on board USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75).

Approximately 4,500 sailors and Marines, seven ships, 60 amphibious assault vehicles, 16 air-cushioned landing craft, and numerous fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft participated in “Dawn Blitz,” the weeklong amphibious assault exercise in June at Camp Pendleton, the largest such exercise since the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks.

In an induction ceremony held 1 June at Pakistan Naval Station Mehran, Karachi, U.S. and Pakistani officials commemorated the delivery of two P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft to the Government of Pakistan from the United States. The aircraft will enhance the Pakistan Navy’s maritime patrol operations.

On the MoveA team of 30 people from U.S. Southern Command de-ployed to Haiti in support of U.S. relief efforts in the after-math of a devastating earthquake 12 January.

Eighty Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 7 deployed to Haiti from Gulfport, Miss., and 14 Seabee divers from Underwater Construction Team (UCT) 1 deployed from Virginia Beach, Va., 15 January. NMCB 7 Seabees removed debris, cleared roads, and provided con-struction support. The battalion received the tasking the day

before and immediately began preparations to get the 690 short tons of cargo ready to roll.

Bataan and embarked Marines from the 22nd Marine Ex-peditionary Unit (MEU) completed support to Operation Unified Response and departed Haiti 24 March after 10 weeks on station.

USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) departed the waters near Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 11 March. The ship arrived in Haiti 18 January, six days after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the Caribbean nation.

Following a three-day cross-country delivery flight from Camp Pendleton, a freshly overhauled UH-1N Huey ar-rived at NAS Patuxent River in April to become the only maritime science and technology test bed helicopter in DoD.

USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44), the flagship for Africa Part-nership Station West, along with an embarked international staff, arrived in Dakar, Senegal, 6 April for the start of the second and final phase of the ship’s Africa deployment.

The Navy’s first littoral combat ship, USS Freedom (LCS 1), concluded its successful maiden deployment with arrival at its homeport of San Diego, 23 April. The deployment, the first for its class, came more two years ahead of schedule, taking the ship to three countries and through the U.S. 4th Fleet and U.S. 3rd Fleet areas of responsibility.

The first test version of the F-35C, designed for use aboard Navy aircraft carriers, made its initial, 57-minute flight on 6 June.

AwardsIn 2009, the Grandmasters of HSL-46 won several awards, including the Commander, Naval Air Forces Atlantic, Battle Effectiveness Award; the Sikorsky Golden Wrench Award; the Commander, Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Talon Award; the CNO Safety Award; and a Commander, Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing, U.S. At-lantic Fleet, nomination for the Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy.

The commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command presented the 2008 Battenberg Cup to the crew of the amphibious assault ship, USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) on 2 November 2009.

Fleet Readiness Center East was announced in February as one of 25 winners in the 2009 CNO’s Environmental Awards, and one of two commands chosen in the sustain-ability industrial installation awards category.

USS Bataan (LHD 5) was announced as a 2009 Force Health and Wellness Unit Award, or Green “H,” winner March 12 by Commander, Naval Surface Forces, the ship’s third consecutive award. The Green H goes to commands who demonstrate commitment to the health and welfare of their Sailors and Marines throughout the year.

USS Denver (LPD 9) was selected for the second consecutive year for the annual CNO Ship-Helicopter Safety Award in May, honoring the ship with the most outstanding aviation safety record for 2009.

The F/A-18 & EA-18G program office’s (PMA-265) Green Hornet team won the CNO’s Environmental Excel-lence Award in May.

Scan PatternThe Navy search and rescue team assigned to NAWCWD China Lake delivered a late Christmas present to Ruben and Crystal Arroyo on 28 December 2009 as the crew saved the couple’s teenage son, who was lost in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains after he spent the night alone in sub-freezing temperatures.

Elements from Enterprise and the Dragonslayers of HS-11 conducted an emergency medical evacuation from the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196) on 22 May.

Vice Adm. Allen G. Myers IV, at right, relieves Vice Adm. Thomas J. Kilcline Jr. as Commander, Naval Air Forces, during a ceremony

aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) 1 July. The ceremony marked the conclusion of Kilcline’s 37-year career as a naval aviator.

(Photo by MC2 Adrian T. White)

An F/A-18C Hornet with the Rampagers of VFA-83 flies over the Kajaki Dam reservoir in Afghanistan in May 2010. VFA-83 was embarked aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), which supported operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet’s area of responsibility

from 2 January to 28 July 2010. (Photo by Lt. Cmdr. Ben Stickney)


The George Washington (CVN 73) Carrier Strike Group (CSG) departed Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, on 18 May to conduct carrier qualifications in preparation for its upcoming annual deployment cycle.

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) departed NAS North Island for sea trials on 18 May. The event marks the first time that Ronald Reagan has been underway since 21 October 2009, when it completed its fourth deployment in four years.

The Peleliu (LHA 5) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) en-tered the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations on 30 May as part of its regularly scheduled Western Pacific deployment.

VP-26 Tridents made history on 8 June when the squad-ron’s last P-3C Orion arrived at its new home at NAS Jack-sonville.

Ships based at NB San Diego and NAS North Island began deploying on 15 June to the waters off Hawaii for the bien-nial Rim of the Pacific exercise, 23 June through 1 August, including Ronald Reagan, USS Benfold (DDG 65), USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), USS Cleveland (LPD 7), USS Comstock (LSD 45), USS Devastator (MCM 6), USS Freedom (LCS 1), USS Hopper (DDG 70), USS McClusky (FFG 41), USS Pioneer (MCM 9), and USS Sampson (DDG 102).

Change of CommandCapt. Patrick R. Cleary relieved Capt. Kevin J. Kovacich at a 24 September 2009 change of command ceremony for CVW-8.

Capt. Christopher W. Plummer assumed command of NAS Pensacola in April following the dismissal of Capt. William P. Reavey.Cmdr. Chris A. Middleton relieved Cmdr. Darryl L. Walker of command of VAQ-139 at NAS Whidbey Island on 22 April.Cmdr. Jason R. Hammond relieved Cmdr. Richard A. Wiley as the commanding officer of VRC-30 on 29 April. Cmdr. Sil Perrella relieved Cmdr. Stephen McKone as com-manding officer of HSL-51 during a 3 May ceremony.Lt. Col. Brian M. Kennedy took command of HMLAT-303 from Lt. Col. Mark E. Sojourner on 7 May. HSM-70 held its inaugural change of command ceremony on 14 May, as Cmdr. Kenneth G. Kopp relieved Cmdr. Wil-liam S. Walsh. Vice Adm. David Architzel took the helm of Naval Air Sys-tems Command from Vice Adm. David Venlet during an 18 May change of command ceremony at NAS Patuxent River. Capt. Mark Storch passed the NAWCWD reigns to Capt. Mat Winter on 19 May. An assumption of command cer-emony took place in June.Cmdr. Christopher P. Fordham relieved Cmdr. Kenneth R. Johansen as commanding officer of VR-58 on 22 May.Lt. Col. R.A. Carson relinquished command of HMH-462 to Lt. Col. E.W. Daniels on 26 May aboard MCAS Miramar.

Cmdr. Kevin Aanestad relieved Cmdr. Arthur delaCruz of command for VFA-22 on 27 May.Cmdr. Jay A. Gagne took the helm as commanding officer of HSC-85 from Capt. Michael S. Newman on 12 June.Cmdr. Thad Dobbert handed over the reins of VT-10 to Cmdr. Kevin Quarderer on 8 July at NAS Pensacola. Cmdr. Thomas A. Long relieved Cmdr. Kenneth E. Hob-mann as commanding officer of VR-55, 30 Jan.

ReunionsThe 2010 reunion for USS Sellers (DDG 11) will be held 30 September-3 October 2010 in Norfolk, Va. For more information, please contact Delta Hinson as soon as pos-sible at 2901 Bamberg Pl., Virginia Beach, VA 23453. He can be reached by phone at 757-615-7089 or by email at [email protected], or on the web at http:// www.mlrsinc.com/sellers.

The former crewmen of the USS Tarawa (CV/CVA/CVS 40) will be holding their next reunion in April 2011 in Bal-timore, Md. If you served on Tarawa, please contact Cliff Gardner, 465 Gardiner Rd., Lot 35, W. Kingston, RI 02892; by phone at: 401-539-1149; or on the web at: http://www.mlrsinc.com/tarawa or http://www.usstarawavets.org.

The 62nd reunion of USS Hornet (CV 8, CV/CVA/CVS 12) will take place in Tucson, Ariz. on 20-24 October 2010. For more information contact Carl and Sandy Burket at P.O. Box 108, Roaring Spring, PA 16673. You can also call 814-224-5063 or email [email protected]. Please visit the re-union web site at http://www.usshornetassn.com.

Rear Adm. David H. Buss relieved Rear Adm. John N. Christenson of his position as commanding officer of CSG-12 on 20 October 2009 at Naval Station Norfolk. Cmdr. Markus Gudmundsson relieved Cmdr. Robert Os-terhoudt as commanding officer of VFA-41 on 23 October 2009 on board USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Cmdr. Herschel W. Weinstock relieved Cmdr. Robert H. Buckingham during a change of command ceremony for HSC-3 on 5 November.Capt. Pete Hall relieved Capt. Enrique Sadsad as command-ing officer of NAS Whiting Field on 5 November 2009.Cmdr. John L. Kelsey relieved Cmdr. William A. Bulis as the commanding officer of VT-21 on 5 November 2009 at NAS Kingsville.Cmdr. Gilbert J. Miller relieved Cmdr. James K. Mitchell as commanding officer of VR-48 on 6 November 2009.Cmdr. Jeffrey S. McIrvin relieved Cmdr. Philip R. Dupree from his duty as commanding officer of VAQ-209 on 7 No-vember 2009. Cmdr. Brad Garber relieved Cmdr. Douglas Thompson from his command of HSL-46, on 20 November 2009.Cmdr. Mathew Frost relieved Lt. Col. Clay Stackhouse to assume command of HT-28 on 4 December 2009 at NAS Whiting Field.Cmdr. Paul C. Ostrowski relieved Cmdr. Romeo A. Rosario as commanding officer of VR-56 on 5 December 2009.Cmdr. William A. Hearther relieved Cmdr. Dennis R. Crews as commanding officer of VT-31on 10 December 2009.Cmdr. Timothy M. McGuire (USCG) assumed the duties of commanding officer for VT-2 from Cmdr. Warren N. Lipscomb III (USN) on 18 December 2009.Cmdr. Brady Bartosh took the reigns of VX-31 from Capt. Eric Holmberg during a change of command ceremony on 15 January at NAWS China Lake.The Aircrew Systems Program Office (PMA-202) received a new commander on 16 January, as Capt. Roger W. Ligon assumed command from acting program manager Cmdr. Ralph Lee.Cmdr. Larry A. Sidbury relieved Cmdr. Daniel K. Buckon as the commanding officer of VFA-31 on 5 February at NAS Oceana.Cmdr. Peter A. Yelle relieved Cmdr. Carden F. Warner III, at a 25 March change of command ceremony for the Elec-tronic Attack Weapons School. Rear Adm. Mark I. Fox relinquished command of Naval Strike Air Warfare Center to Rear Adm. John W. Miller in an April ceremony at NAS Fallon.

Rear Adm. Timothy S. Matthews, second from right, Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers, and Assistant Commander for Logistics and Industrial Operations, Naval Air Systems Command, gets a tour of VAQ-132 at NAS Whidbey Island during a “Boots on the

Ground” event on 23 June 2010. Boots on the Ground is designed to give leaders the opportunity to interact directly with a com-

mand’s various components. (Photo by MC2 Nardelito Gervacio)

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ron-ald Reagan (CVN 76) arrives at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to participate in Rim

of the Pacific 2010 exercises. (Photo by MC1 Shawn D. Torgerson)

Naval Aviation NewsSummer 2010

Documents

Naval Aviation News Sum 2010