Haze Gray and Underway

Well dear readers as I write this I am in the process of packing up for my grand adventure to help show the flag, become an ambassador, and in general make the world safe for United States of America style democracy. When the big hour of midnight strikes tonight, I won't be out trick or treating; rather I will be on a big white plane flying out to be part of the early detachment on board the carrier my squadron is assigned to. I leave a day earlier then the rest of the main body and am get to meet up with the 18-wheelers that we stuffed everything including the kitchen sink.
So after today the updates to this little bit of the blogsphere will be laid up into preservation. I have a couple of guest authors who will be posting my comments from being on cruise for me. I do appreciate all of you that stop by and drop notes or comments.

Thanks folks.

Prowler P0rN

Just thought I would share some videos of the might Grumman war pig, the EA-6B Prowler.

Remember how I said there are folks up there making life or death decisions about whether an airplane is up or down for the launch. Well here is a little video about some of those people. VAQ-138 The Yellowjackets Shooter and Line shack. During the Round the World with the Chucky V


From the Forward Deployed Bubbas over at NAF Atsugi. VAQ-136, The Gauntlets, and a mid-cruise vid from thier 2005 summer deployment.


VAQ-139 during a CQ det on Stennis in 2004.

A possible donation place for the holidays

As the holidays come upon us there will be all sorts of people asking for your time and your money to help those that that are disadvantaged. I would ask all you dear readers to look at possibly donating some of your time or your money to this orgnization, United Servicemembers Organizaiton.

Here are some of the things that they do.

Providing enterainers to troops whether they are deployed in a combat zone, overseas, or even at home:

Or just someplace to hang out free of charge and alcohol free. A place to relax, find out about the area, or make a call home:

They provide a place for a weary traveller to hang out for a little bit or get some help at an airport.

Or just a care package to remind those deployed away that those at home think of them.

A date that is linked in my mind forever

October 23rd is a date that forever linked in my own mind to history. The first is that I was born on that date, so there it is very important (at least for me). The second is a date in 1983 when due to failures of the lawyers and the willingness of an American government to act as a peace broker in the Mid-East lead to the death of 241 Americans. I thought of these men again today because of my own minor link to the response of their death.

It was a Sunday afternoon and I had some friends over to celebrate my 6th birthday. The house had a Holloween theme going for the party since the next weekend was going to be Holloween. I remember that my mother didn't want to have a costume party and it was only about six or seven of my close friends over for cupcakes, punch, some simple games, and presents. Even better was that my father had just come home from a deployment about two weeks earlier and was on his leave period. I was excited because my father was home and going to be there for a birthday. I woke up and was excited as every. The party was supposed to go down around noon. I spent the morning looking around for my dad. I half expected to see him on his recliner watching either the early morning news shows or the NFL Pre-game and realized he wasn't there in the house, no biggie right, must be out getting some food or an extra present or two. At least that is what my mind told myself. It was then that I ran across my mother and realize that something was amiss. Since she was packing a box of clothes and stenciling it with the address that we used to ship things to my dad. After looking at her that I got the answer I was looking for. It seems that he had gotten a phone call in the middle of the night on the 22nd (the attack on the barracks occurred at 620AM local time Lebanon on the 23rd, which due to the magic of timezones occurred about 9pm Saturday night in VA Beach ), it was the SDO for my father's squadron. He had been told that the battle group and air wing was redeploying. He had to report to the hanger and begin the process to ship out since they were still on call even though the ship had just returned off a cruise only a few days before. So he was at work trying to reload the trucks that they had just unloaded only two days prior to that.

So it went I still had my party. I wasn't a happy camper, because my dad wasn't there and the party was kind of a downer over all. I woke up Monday morning to hear my father's voice booming out and about as he was making breakfast after coming home (he worked the night check hours). As I ate my cereal and watched some cartoons on TV while waiting for the bus to take me to school, I was able to hear my folks talk. It seemed that as soon as my father showed up to work no one had a clue beyond the fact that a recall was in order. After that nothing else was planned out. Since it was Sunday, only the duty sections were on call at the base at NAS Oceana. So those men that were local and were actually on duty called in started the pack up again, only to be told at around 10pm that the emergency sortie was off. It seemed as though someone higher up in the food chain realized that a carrier battle group, an amphibious readiness group, and a surface action group built around a battleship was more then enough firepower on hand. So there was no need for his ship or squadron to deploy again.

Every so often I think of those men on when the 23rd comes and goes. I also think of the men that perpetrated the attack and their backers. I think of the stupid lawyers and their rules of engagement that prevented the Marines from created a viable defense for themselves. Finally I think of the lessons not learned and were repeated only thirteen years later at a USAF barracks called Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia.

Just so it is more then a date to you all. Here are the names, service, rank, date of death, and home of record of the 241 men that died that morning in Beruit trying to bring peace to Lebanon:

Abbott, Terry W. .......... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. OH .. New Richmond, OH
Alexander, Clemon S. ...... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Monticello, FL
Allman, John R. ........... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. NM .. Carlsbad ... NM
Arnold, Moses J. Jr. ...... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. Philadelphia, PA
Bailey, Charles K. ........ USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. MD .. Berlin, MD
Baker, Nicholas ........... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. VA .. Alexandria, VA
Banks, Johansen ........... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. MI .. Detroit, MI
Barrett, Richard E. ....... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. VA .. Tappahanock, VA
Bates, Ronny K. ........... USN .... HM1 .... 10/23/1983 .. SC .. Aiken, SC
Battle, David L. .......... USMC ... 1stSGT . 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Hubert, NC
Baynard, James R. ......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. VA .. Richmond, VA
Beamon, Jesse W. .......... USN .... HN ..... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Haines City, FL
Belmer, Alvin. ............ USMC ... GYSGT .. 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Bland, Stephen ............ USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Midway Park, NC
Blankenship, Richard L. ... USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Hubert, NC
Blocker, John W. .......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Yulee, FL
Boccia, Joseph J. Jr. ..... USMC ... CAPT ... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Northport, NY
Bohannon, Leon Jr. ........ USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Bohnet, John R. Jr. ....... USMC ... SSGT ... 10/23/1983 .. TN .. Memphis, TN
Bonk, John J. Jr. ......... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. Philadelphia, PA
Boulos, Jeffrey L. ........ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Islip, NY
Bousum, David R. .......... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. MI .. Fife Lake, MI
Boyett, John N. ........... USMC ... 1stLT .. 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Camp Lejeune, NC
Brown, Anthony ............ USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. MI .. Detroit, MI
Brown, David W. ........... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. TX .. Conroe, TX
Buchanan, Bobby S. Jr. .... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Midway Park, NC
Buckmaster, John B. ....... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. OH .. Vandalia, OH
Burley, William F. ........ USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. NJ .. Linden, NJ
Cain, Jimmy R. ............ USN .... HN ..... 10/23/1983 .. AL .. Birmington, AL
Callahan, Paul L. ......... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. OH .. Lorain, OH
Camara, Mecot E. .......... USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Campus, Bradley J. ........ USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. MA .. Lynn, MA
Ceasar, Johnnie D. ........ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. TX .. El Campo, TX
Cole, Marc L. ............. USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. OH .. Ludlow Falls, OH
Coleman, Marcus A. ........ USA .... SP4 .... 10/23/1983 .. TX .. Dallas, TX
Comas, Juan M. ............ USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Hialeah, FL
Conley, Robert A .......... USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Orlando, FL
Cook, Charles D............ USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Advance, NC
Cooper, Curtis J. ......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. North Wales, PA
Copeland, Johnny L. ....... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Burlington, NC
Corcoran, Bert D. ......... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Katonah, NY
Cosner, David L. .......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. WV .. Elkins, WV
Coulman, Kevin P. ......... USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Seminary, NY
Croft, Brett A. ........... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Lakeland, FL
Crudale, Rick R. .......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. RI .. Warwick, RI
Custard, Kevin P. ......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. MN .. Virginia, MN
Cyzick, Russell E. ........ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. WV .. Star City, WV
Davis, Andrew L. .......... USMC ... MAJ .... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Decker, Sidney James ...... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. KY .. Clarkson, KY
Devlin, Michael J. ........ USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. MA .. Westwood, MA
Dibenedetto, Thomas A. .... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. CT .. Mansfield Center, CT
Dorsey, Nathaniel G. ...... USMC ... PVT .... 10/23/1983 .. MD .. Baltimore, MD
Douglass, Frederick B. .... USMC ... SGTMAJ . 10/23/1983 .. MA .. Cataumet, MA
Dunnigan, Timothy J. ...... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. WV .. Princeton, WV
Earle, Bryan L. ........... USN .... HN ..... 10/23/1983 .. OH .. Painsville, OH
Edwards, Roy L. ........... USMC ... MSGT ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Camp Lejeune, NC
Elliot, William D. Jr. .... USN .... HM3 .... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. Lancaster, PA
Ellison, Jesse ............ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. WI .. Soldiers Grove, WI
Estes, Danny R. ........... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. IN .. Gary, IN
Estler, Sean F. ........... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. NJ .. Kenall Park, NJ
Faulk, James E. ........... USN .... HM3 .... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Panama City, FL
Fluegel, Richard A. ....... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. Erie, PA
Forrester, Steven M. ...... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Foster, William B. Jr. .... USN .... HM3 .... 10/23/1983 .. VA .. Richmond, VA
Fulcher, Michael D ........ USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. VA .. Madison Heights, VA
Fuller, Benjamin E ........ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. GA .. Duluth, GA
Fulton, Michael S. ........ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. TX .. Ft. Worth, TX
Gaines, William Jr. ....... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Port Charlotte, FL
Gallagher, Sean R. ........ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. MA .. N. Andover, MA
Gander, David B. .......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. WI .. Milwaulkee, WI
Gangur, George M. ......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. OH .. Cleveland, OH
Gann, Leland E. ........... USMC ... SSGT ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Camp Lejeune, NC
Garcia, Randall J. ........ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. CA .. Modesto, CA
Garcia, Ronald J. ......... USMC ... SSGT ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Gay, David D. ............. USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Harrisburg, IL
Ghumm, Harold D. .......... USMC ... SSGT ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Gibbs, Warner Jr. ......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. VA .. Portsmouth, VA
Giblin, Timothy R. ........ USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. RI .. N. Providence, RI
Gorchinski, Michael W. .... USN .... ETC .... 10/23/1983 .. IN .. Evansville, IN
Gordon, Richard J. ........ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. MA .. Somerville, MA
Gratton, Harold F. ........ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Conoes, NY
Greaser, Robert B. ........ USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. Lansdale, PA
Green, Davin M. ........... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. MD .. Baltimore, MD
Hairston, Thomas A. ....... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. Philadelphia, PA
Haltiwanger, Freddie Jr. .. USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. SC .. Little Mountain, SC
Hamilton, Virgil D. ....... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. KY .. Dayton, OH
Hanton, Gilbert ........... USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. DC .. Washington, DC
Hart, William ............. USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Haskell, Michael S......... USMC ... CAPT ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Camp Lejeune, NC
Hastings, Michael A........ USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. DE .. Seaford, DE
Hein, Paul A. ............. USMC ... CAPT ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Camp Lejeune, NC
Held, Douglas E. .......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Helms, Mark A. ............ USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. NE .. Dwight, NE
Henderson, Ferrandy D. .... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Tampa, FL
Hernandez, Matilde Jr. .... USMC ... MSGT ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Midway Park, NC
Hester, Stanley G. ........ USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Raleigh, NC
Hildreth, Donald W. ....... USMC ... GYSGT .. 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Sneads Ferry, NC
Holberton, Richard H. ..... USMC ... SSGT ... 10/23/1983 .. SC .. Beaufort, SC
Holland, Robert S. ........ USN .... HM3 .... 10/23/1983 .. KY .. Gilbertsville, KY
Hollingshead, Bruce A. .... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. OH .. Fairborn, OH
Holmes, Melvin D. ......... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. IL .. Chicago, IL
Howard, Bruce L. .......... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. ME .. Strong, ME
Hudson, John R. ........... USN .... LT ..... 10/23/1983 .. GA .. Riverdale, GA
Hudson, Terry L. .......... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. AL .. Prichard, AL
Hue, Lyndon J. ............ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. LA .. Des Allemands, LA
Hukill, Maurice E. ........ USMC ... 2ndLT .. 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Iacovino, Edward F. Jr. ... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. RI .. Warwick, RI
Ingalls, John J. .......... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Interlaken, NY
Innocenzi, Paul G. III .... USMC ... WO1 .... 10/23/1983 .. NJ .. Trenton, NJ
Jackowski, James J. ....... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. S. Salem, NY
James, Jeffrey W. ......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. MD .. Baltimore, MD
Jenkins, Nathaniel W. ..... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Daytona Beach, FL
Johnson, Michael H. ....... USN .... HM2 .... 10/23/1983 .. MI .. Detroit, MI
Johnston, Edward A. ....... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. OH .. Struthers, OH
Jones, Steven ............. USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Brooklyn, NY
Julian, Thomas A. ......... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. RI .. Middleton, RI
Kees, Marion E. ........... USN .... HM2 .... 10/23/1983 .. WV .. Martinsburg, WV
Keown, Thomas C. .......... USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. KY .. Louisville, KY
Kimm, Edward E. ........... USMC ... GYSGT .. 10/23/1983 .. IA .. Atlantic, IA
Kingsley, Walter V. ....... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. WI .. Wisconsin Dells, WI
Kluck, Daniel S. .......... USA .... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. KY .. Owensboro, KY
Knipple, James C. ......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. VA .. Alexandria, VA
Kreischer, Freas H. III ... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Indiatlantic, FL
Laise, Keith J. ........... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. East Stroudsburg, PA
Lamb, Thomas G. ........... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. MN .. Coon Rapids, MN
Langon, James J. IV ....... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. NJ .. Lakehurst, NJ
Lariviere, Michael S. ..... USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Perry, FL
Lariviere, Steven B. ...... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. MA .. Chicopee, MA
Lemnah, Richard L. ........ USMC ... MSGT ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Camp Lejeune, NC
Lewis, David A. ........... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. OH .. Garfield Heights, OH
Lewis, Val S. ............. USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. GA .. Atlanta, GA
Livingston, Joseph R. ..... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. IL .. Champaign, IL
Lyon, Paul D. Jr........... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Milton, FL
Macroglou, John W. ........ USMC ... MAJ .... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Maitland, Samuel .......... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Martin, Charlie R. ........ USMC ... SSGT ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Camp Lejeune, NC
Martin, Jack L. ........... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Oveido, FL
Massa, David S. ........... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. RI .. Warren, RI
Massman, Michael R. ....... USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. MI .. Port Huron, MI
Mattacchione, Joseph J. ... USMC ... PVT .... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Sanford, NC
McCall, John .............. USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Rochester, NY
McDonough, James E......... USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. Newcastle, PA
McMahon, Timothy R. ....... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. TX .. Austin, TX
McNeely, Timothy D. ....... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Mooresville, NC
McVicker, George N. II .... USN .... HM2 .... 10/23/1983 .. IN .. Wabash, IN
Melendez, Louis ........... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. PR .. Puerto Rico
Menkins, Richard H. II .... USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Tully, NY
Mercer, Michael D. ........ USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Vale, NC
Meurer, Ronald W. ......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Milano, Joseph P. ......... USN .... HM3 .... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Farmingville, NY
Moore, Joseph P. .......... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. MO .. St. Louis, MO
Morrow, Richard A. ........ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. Clairton, PA
Muffler, John F. .......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. Philadelphia, PA
Munoz, Alex ............... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. NM .. Bloomfield, NM
Myers, Harry D............. USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Whittler, NC
Nairn, David J. ........... USMC ... 1stLT .. 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Nava, Luis A. ............. USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. CA .. Gardena, CA
Olson, John A. ............ USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. MN .. Sabin, MN
Olson, Robert P. .......... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Lawtons, NY
Ortiz, Richard C. ......... USMC ... CWO3 ... 10/23/1983 .. OK .. Ft. Sill, OK
Owen, Jeffrey B. .......... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. VA .. Virginia Beach, VA
Owens, Joseph A. .......... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. VA .. Chesterfield, VA
Page, Connie Ray .......... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Erwin, NC
Parker, Ulysses ........... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. MD .. Baltimore, MD
Payne, Mark W. ............ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Binghamton, NY
Pearson, John L. .......... USMC ... GYSGT .. 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Perron, Thomas S. ......... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. MA .. Whitinsville, MA
Phillips, John A. Jr. ..... USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. IL .. Wilmette, IL
Piercy, George W. ......... USN .... HMC .... 10/23/1983 .. MD .. Mt. Savage, MD
Plymel, Clyde W. .......... USMC ... 1stLT .. 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Merritt, FL
Pollard, William H. ....... USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Pomalestorres, Rafael I. .. USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. Philadelphia, PA
Prevatt, Victor M. ........ USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. GA .. Columbus, GA
Price, James C. ........... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. AL .. Attala, AL
Prindeville, Patrick K. ... USMC ... SSGT ... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Gainesville, FL
Pulliam, Eric A. .......... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. IL .. E. St. Louis, IL
Quirante, Diomedes J. ..... USN .... HM3 .... 10/23/1983 .. RP .. Calcoocan City, RP
Randolph, David M. ........ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. AZ .. Siloam Springs, AZ
Ray, Charles R. ........... USMC ... GYSGT .. 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Relvas, Rui A. ............ USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. Philadelphia, PA
Rich, Terrence L. ......... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Brooklyn, NY
Richardson, Warren ........ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Brooklyn, NY
Rodriguez, Juan C. ........ USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Miami, FL
Rotondo, Louis J. ......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. Philadelphia, PA
Sanpedro, Guillermo Jr. ... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Hialeah, FL
Sauls, Michael C. ......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. SC .. Waterboro, SC
Schnorf, Charles J. ....... USMC ... 1stLT .. 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Camp Lejeune, NC
Schultz, Scott L. ......... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Keeseville, NY
Scialabba, Peter J. ....... USMC ... CAPT ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Moorehead City, NC
Scott, Gary R. ............ USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. IL .. Rankin, IL
Shallo, Ronald L. ......... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Hudson, NY
Shipp, Thomas A. .......... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Shropshire, Jerryl D. ..... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. GA .. Macon, GA
Silvia, James F. .......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. RI .. Portsmouth, RI
Sliwinski, Stanley J. ..... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. OH .. Niles, OH
Smith, Kirk H. ............ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Miami, FL
Smith, Thomas G. .......... USMC ... SSGT ... 10/23/1983 .. CT .. Middletown, CT
Smith, Vincent L. ......... USMC ... CAPT ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Soares, Edward ............ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. RI .. Tiverton, RI
Sommerhof, William S. ..... USMC ... 1stLT .. 10/23/1983 .. IL .. Springfield, IL
Spaulding, Michael C. ..... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. OH .. Akron, OH
Spearing, John W. ......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. Lancaster, PA
Spencer, Stephen E. ....... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. RI .. Portsmouth, RI
Stelpflug, Bill J. ........ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. AL .. Auburn, AL
Stephens, Horace R. ....... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. MD .. Capitol Heights, MD
Stockton, Craig S. ........ USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Rochester, NY
Stokes, Jeffrey G. ........ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. GA .. Waynesboro, GA
Stowe, Thomas D. .......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Sturghill, Eric D. ........ USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. IL .. Chicago, IL
Sundar, Devon L. .......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. CT .. Standford, CT
Surch, James F. Jr. ....... USN .... LT ..... 10/23/1983 .. CA .. Lompoc, CA
Thompson, Dennis A. ....... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Bronx, NY
Thorstad, Thomas P. ....... USMC ... SSGT ... 10/23/1983 .. IN .. Chesterton, IN
Tingley, Stephen D. ....... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. CT .. Ellington, CT
Tishmack, John J. ......... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. MN .. Minneapolis, MN
Trahan, Lex D. ............ USMC ... PVT .... 10/23/1983 .. LA .. Lafayette, LA
Vallone, Donald H. Jr. .... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. CA .. Palmdale, CA
Walker, Eric R. ........... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. IL .. Chicago, IL
Walker, Leonard W. ........ USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. AL .. Dothan, AL
Washington, Eric G. ....... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. VA .. Alexandria, VA
Weekes, Obrian ............ USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Brooklyn, NY
Wells, Tandy W. ........... USMC ... 1stSGT . 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Wentworth, Steven B. ...... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. Reading, PA
Wesley, Allen D. .......... USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. Philadelphia, PA
West, Lloyd D. ............ USMC ... GYSGT .. 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Weyl, John R. ............. USMC ... SSGT ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Wherland, Burton D. Jr. ... USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Jacksonville, NC
Wigglesworth, Dwayne W. ... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. CT .. Naugatuck, CT
Williams, Rodney J. ....... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. FL .. Opa Locka, FL
Williams, Scipio Jr. ...... USMC ... GYSGT .. 10/23/1983 .. SC .. Charleston, SC
Williamson, Johnny A. ..... USMC ... LCPL ... 10/23/1983 .. NC .. Asheboro, NC
Wint, Walter E. Jr. ....... USMC ... CAPT ... 10/23/1983 .. PA .. Wilkes-Barre, PA
Winter, William E. ........ USMC ... CAPT ... 10/23/1983 .. SC .. Fripp Island, SC
Wolfe, John E. ............ USMC ... CPL .... 10/23/1983 .. AZ .. Phoenix, AZ
Woollett, Donald E. ....... USMC ... 1stLT .. 10/23/1983 .. OK .. Barthesville, OK
Worley, David E. .......... USN .... HM3 .... 10/23/1983 .. MD .. Baltimore, MD
Wyche, Craig L. ........... USMC ... PFC .... 10/23/1983 .. NY .. Jamaica, NY
Yarber, James G. .......... USA .... SFC .... 10/23/1983 .. CA .. Vacaville, CA
Young, Jeffrey D........... USMC ... SGT .... 10/23/1983 .. NJ .. Moorestown, NJ
Zimmerman, William A. ..... USMC ... 1stLT .. 10/23/1983 .. MI .. Grand Haven, MI

The US Marines were not the only ones to die that day due to a terrorist attack. The other nation to supply members to the multi-national peacekeeping force was the French. The 2nd Brigade of the French Parachute Regiment lost 58 men the same day when their barracks in the western half of Beruit was attacked on the same day at almost the same time.

The housing/mortage crunch and the military

With the collapse of the mortgage market and the stagnation of the housing market around nation, I am left to wonder where and how new buyers are supposed to get into the market. A new buyer such as myself. I live in a little town on the outside of a major regional military base in the Pacific Northwest. The town has seen a boom in population with the latest rounds of BRAC, but it has also seen an boom due to the number of people that want to live in the county. When I first arrived in the area about 5-6 yrs ago prices for the "starter home" were running in the $175K range, which was out of my range. Yet, now they have risen up to $220K and it seems to only get worse. I want to settle down into a house, yet with the collapse of the mortgage market and the rising restrictions to those with little or no credit history has basically closed me out of the market. That is unless I am willing to put myself up to my nose (or beyond) in debt to establish credit history. I am also sure that there is a number of fellow enlisted military members who are in the same situation. They have either lived in the barracks or the ship, the only thing that they have have on their credit is a credit card, cell phone, or car loan. They finally get high enough in the rank structure and are authorized to move ashore and into town. During the process they find out that they are shut out from most banks because of the no/low credit history. Their only way to find a place to live is via a rental, whether that is an apartment or a house. Well there is base housing but that is only for the married folks and that is at a premium right now all over as well. So that is out for us single folks.
Ah Southern but what about the VA? What about the VA you say. Well if I apply for a VA Loan that has to be through a pre-approved bank or loan provided that has been cleared by the Veterans Administration (VA). Also on top of that I can only get so many VA loans with in a certain time period and I still need to be able to pre-qualify for a loan. On top of that all a VA loan is just a guarantee up to a certain limit.
So the only hope for me to even try and get what is now considered to be part of the American dream. The dream of a house of mine own, with two cars in the garage, a bunch of rug rat toys in the front yard and a large dog running around in the back yard is out of reach. That is unless I am willing to start swimming in debt like it appears most lending institutions want the modern American to do.
So what is it going to take to cool the market down or make it easier for the US Military member to get their piece of the American Dream? I don't know off hand, I have my smarts in electronics not economics. I just understand the basics of economics (ie supply and demand, not writing checks I can't cash, etc) and even that seems complex at times (don't get me started on how to compound interest).

Busy, Busy, Busy

I have had to slow down my blogging for a while and am in the process of debating with myself whether I am going to continue blogging. I am getting ready to leave sometime next month for the big deployment. A seven monther or so they tell us, rather I have my money on a seven month plus one. Anyhow, I am in the process of getting my house in order before I leave, my finances, and my social life. Along with working hard to support a flight schedule. There are times one comes home and all I seem able to do is sit down and grab a bite to eat.
I am also debating on whether just putting this whole blog thing on into mothballs for the duration or invite a few close friends to post for me via email. I am not cool enough to be given constant internet connection while haze grey and underway. Heck the USS Newboat limits internet connection to an hour a day for everyone including the skipper of the ship and the battle group commander. I don't know what to do with this. AT times it has been fun to comment and at other times it has been hard to come up with something to write about.

Last warshot torpedo dropped

I enjoy to read a number of different blogs from around the net. One of my favorites to stop by over a cup of tea at the end of work is SteelJaw Scribe. He posts a number of different and interesting stories about his time in E-2's as an Carrier Airborne Early Warning dude. Talks about aviation history and comments about world military-politico events. One of his most recent posts was talking about a wonderful attack aircraft built by Douglas Aircraft Company. That aircraft he talks about is the AD-1 Skyraider, an aircraft designed by Ed Heinemann. This is a man who also developed the A-3 Skywarrior, SBD Dauntless, A-4 Skyhawk, A-20 Havoc, F3D Skyknight, F4D Skyray, A-26 Invader. All of these aircraft had successful and famous careers in their own times.

After reading, well actually watching his post about the Skyraider it got me to think about its history and a sea story that I heard about when I was a kid, from a few family friends that flew A-6's but had previously flown A-1 Skyraiders when they were just brand new LTJG's coming from Pensacola. That story was of the last use of aerial torpedoes in actual combat and the last airplane to dropped in the US Navy. To tell this story we need to head in the wayback machine with Mr. Peabody and Sherman. We get transported back to Spring of 1951.

The war in Korea has been running for about a year. Following the breakout from the Inchon landings and the following fight from out of the Chosin Reservoir. UN Forces had to retreat south of the 38th Parallel after the intervention of People's Liberation Army "Volunteers". From there the war started to stabilize into trench warfare again and the gains that were being made was for little bits of ground before the armistice was signed. It was learned from 8th Army Headquarters (which was the major army headquarters in Korea) that the North Koreans and Chinese were using a dam that controlled the Hwachon Reservoir and in turn the Han River. The would at times raise or lower the river levels so that attempts to bridge the river that separates a good portion of South Korea from the North, would fail. So the 8th Army ordered an attack against the dam. First up was a massive B-29 raid that even employed some early use of radio-guided munitions. All that happened to a dam built by the Japanese during the time they had Korea as a colony, was some of the reinforced concrete was chipped and a couple cracks were made into the upper facade. The call next went to the US Navy. Commander Carrier Task Force 77, RADM Ralph A. Ofstie passed the order off his newest carrier on station for a line period.

That carrier was the USS Princeton and her air wing CVG-19 composed of VF-191 (F9F-2 Panthers), VF-192 (F4U-5 Corsairs), VF-193 (F4U-4 Corsairs), VA-195 (AD-4 Skyraiders), VC-35 (AD-4N Skyraiders). While the CAG and his squadron skippers were reviewing target. After the crews thought about it the idea was brought up to use Tiny Tim rockets and 2000lb bombs. It was thought that precision dive bombing would get the primary target which was the sluice gates. The strike was flown and results were not pretty. The rockets bounced off the reinforced concrete that the dam was composed of and the precision dive bombing that delivered the 2000lb bombs only chipped the paint. So that night as everyone was sitting around the officer mess table debating how to do this when the commanding officer of the Princeton, Captain William O. Gallery, suggested that maybe some of the torpedoes that the Princeton had on loaded at Puget Sound Naval Base prior to start of the cruise.

The torpedoes that they had on loaded were improved versions that the torpedo squadrons had used through out World War 2, the Mark XIII (Mk13). This was the torpedo that squadrons such as VT-2, VT-3, VT-6, VT-8 had tried to use during the Battle of Midway. It was going to take a whole day to prepare torpedoes since they were buried near the bottom of the magazines.

A review of the aircrew in the Skyraider squadrons found out that only four pilots besides LCDR Carlson and the Captain Gallery had any experience with torpedoes. Three pilots were part of VC-35 and one was a lowly Ensign fresh from school to VA-195. So a quick and dirty classroom time was established and it was determined that 8 pilots from VA-195 and VC-35 were going to make the drops the next day. So tactics were reviewed and the mechanics were explained in how to make a torpedo drop.

It was also realized that to help the torpedoes not dive deeply that some sort of device was going to be need. So the Aviation Ordnancemen placed plywood tails and plywood nose cones on the torpedo. These were going to help it stay shallow and not detonate against the bottom on the initial drop. This was before the use of parachute packs like we use now for aerial torpedoes.

The next morning the brief was accomplished the aircrew grabbed breakfast and head out to their planes for a 0900 launch. They arrived over the target area around 1130 and found it strangely quiet.

It was realized that due to how narrow the valley was that only two planes at a time could make the run. So that is what happened at just inches above the ways four times a pair of Skyraiders made the run down the valley. They had to go very low and very slow to make sure the torpedo didn't break up on the drop. All the while being shot at. One can only guess that it looked just like the final scene in "Star Wars" when Luke Skywalker is making the run to put a torpedo into the Death Star. With all the concentration about the attack run and all the anti-aircraft fire going off around them.

All the while some F4U's of VF-192 flew strikes against the air defense sites and VF-191 flew top cover in their F9F's.

Out of the 8 pilots that dropped a torpedo that day it was ruled that 6 actually got hits, two torpedoes suffered damage to their gyros and swerved into each other and blew each other up before the dam. Out of the 6 that hit the dam, one actually blew open a sluice gate and the other 5 heavily damaged the others that they were later the be found unusable when UN ground troops recaptured the area later that summer.

VA-195 would forever carry the nickname from that simple operation, The Dambusters. They would continue to fly the Skyraider up until 1960 when they would transition over to the A-4 Skyhawk and later on to the A-7 Corsair II. They are still an active duty squadron flying F-18 Hornet and currently forward deployed onboard the USS Kitty Hawk with CVW-5 out of NAF Atsugi.

VC-35 was established in May of 1950 as a night attack squadron. They would serve with proud tradition through out the Korean War. The primarily flew the AD-4N, which was an AD-4 with an enlisted radar operator stuffed in the tail of the plane looking for night targets and via an ICS system would tell the pilot where to fly to and when to drop his weapons. Besides this one mission in the daylight most of the time was spent getting launched at dusk and recovering just as the sun was coming up. They would go out and bomb rail lines, bridges, major roads, and in general just not give the enemy any satisfaction that night time would cover his operations. VC-35 would later become VA(AW)-35. This designated them as an all-weather attack squadron, the designate came a year after the war in Korea ended and with the introduction of a new plane the AD-5N. VA(AW)-35 would continue to make deployments to the WestPac until they 1959 when they would stand down and re-stand up as VA-122 as the FRS for Skyraiders and later on for A-7's the squadron would finally be dis-established in 1991 as the A-7 was retired. VA-122 was recently stood back up as the FRS for the F-18E/F-18F Super Hornets on the West Coast.

VF-191 Satan's Kittens would fly F9F's, F-8 Crusaders, F-4 Phantoms and then the F-14A before being decommissioned in 1991.

VF-192 The Golden Dragons would fly the F4U for another year before making the transition themselves to the F9F. They would then go from the Panther to the Cougar (F9F-6) over to the Fury (FJ-4B) and make the transition to the A-4 Skyhawk in 1960. VF-192 would be re-designated as VA-192 during the transition to the North American Aviation FJ-4B Fury. They would retain this title as they flew the A-4 Skyhawk and then the A-7 Corsair over North Vietnam and in 1986 make the transition to the F-18 Hornet. Since 1986 they have been forward deployed to NAF Atsugi at attached to CVW-5.