VP40 SEAPLANE ERA squadron site
Band of Brothers Day
Have you ever noticed that after about 20 minutes of conversation you can tell whether or not the other person has served or not?
About 9% of the US population has served in the military. Just under one percent are serving on active duty today. These numbers are small but often it is the small things that nurture greatness. As our government is headed towards a most drastic reduction in our military capability at a time when we may be facing a growing worldwide threat from Russia, China, North Korea and the Middle East, I worry that our culture has come to denigrate the contribution and sacrifice of those who serve. Bless you all.You may have served in Combat or in non-combat.
You may have retired out or you may have served for a short time.
You may have been a draftee or a volunteer.
You may have served in the Corps, Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard or
the Merchant Marines,
BUT YOU SERVED. YOU DID YOUR JOB HONORABLY and for that I am PROUD to call
you Brother.
You may have served during Korea, WWII,. Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Iraq or
Afghanistan, But you served, you did not run.
You have a DD 214 with those words “HONORABLY DISCHARGED” two of the most
noble words in the world.
Again I am proud to know each and every one of you.
* Today is Band of Brothers’ Day* ; send this to all your brothers,
fathers, sons and fellow veterans you know. Happy Brothers’ Day!
To the cool men that have touched my life: Here’s to you!! I was never a
hero, but I am thankful and proud to have served among them.
A real Brother walks with you when the rest of the world walks on you.
Send to all your Band of Brothers, because the fake ones won’t.
Guy Fisk
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Russian UFO Fighter Planes 2014
Take a look at this latest of the Russian fighters!!
Are we behind in this technology or what?
Probably the most exciting in the world. This video is not unlike the stuff they were doing at Farnborough, Paris, & Teheran!!
The maneuverability of the Russian aircraft is the result of structural integrity, huge speed brake,monstrous canards, engine control. Power manipulation is obvious.
Russian UFO Jet Fighters, UFO like aircraft at a recent airshow in Paris, Russia showed off the maneuverability of their latest jet fighters with amazing aerobatics.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=77e_1389637750
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P8-A article & Pictures
Check out this article and pictures about the P8-A, new and upto date.
http://www.businessinsider.com/p-8-poseidon-advanced-surveillance-aircraft-2014-3?op=1
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VP40 T Shirts
I found a new source for T Shirts in Asheville, NC. Here is a sample of their work. I am ordering some in white and in Light Gray.
This should solve the problem about which logo and plane to put on them as it has both.
thanks to Bruce Barth for the pictures. They are available on our VP40 Ships Store/Merchansdise page now.
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Wedding Bells
Jack Fisher and Joy Mendoza was married Friday 3/28/2014.
If anyone wishes to contact them his email address is : pigboat9@earthlink.net
You can congratulate them in person as they will be at our reunion in Pensacola in Oct, 2014
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NEWEST MEMBER
We have a new member to our group today.
HARRY BOUND was in VP40 from June 1961 to Jan 1963. He was an AT2 and flew in crew 1 as Radar Operator.
WELCOME ABOARD Harry. If anyone wants to welcome him to the group, his email address is hhbound@gmail.com
His address and phone is listed in our Members Only section of this site.
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Check the ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES TAB
Check the ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES page often as we are gaining and losing members rapidly nowadays.
Today I was informed by his wife that GEORGE O’BRYAN passed away 8/24/2013. He was a CDR while with VP40 in 1957-1958.
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New Member
We have a new member this week.
WELCOME ABOARD RICHARD STRIMEL
Richard was in VP40 from 1961-1963, He flew in Crew 1 and Crew 4 as an AT1
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Ralph Vander Naillen
Obituary: Ralph E. VanderNaillen Jr. ’51
14Feb14 – Ralph Edward (Van) Vander Naillen, Jr., devoted husband and father, witty and brilliant gentleman, was born in Oakland, CA on February 21, 1930 and was raised in the San Francisco Bay area. Upon graduation from Lowell High School in June 1947, he entered the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. He graduated and was commissioned as an Ensign in the U. S. Navy in June 1951. He then reported to flight training in Pensacola, FL and won his wings at NAS Corpus Christi in December 1952. From there, he was assigned to a squadron flying Martin Marlin P5M patrol bombers out of San Diego, CA. Following that, he was assigned to the Naval Academy as an instructor in Seamanship and Navigation.
After a three-year tour at Annapolis, Ralph resigned his regular commission, joined the Naval Reserve, and moved to Nashville, TN where he was a Plant Engineer with promotions leading to Vice President of the Nashville Bridge Company. Concurrently he flew C-54 transport aircraft in the Naval Air Reserves and was promoted to Captain, U.S. Naval Reserves. He retired after a 30 year naval career.
In 1972, Ralph joined B&M Towing in Houston, TX. B&M was bought by Cargo Carriers Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota and he relocated to Minneapolis in 1976. Ralph became President of Cargo Carriers and elected to take early retirement in 1986 at which time he and Mary Catharine moved to Rockport, TX. During his business career he was active in the American Waterways Operators, Inc. and became its Chairman of the Board in 1980.
A Rockport resident for 28 years, Ralph served as President of the Rockport Country Club and spent ten years with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. He successfully ran for a seat on the Aransas County Navigation District Board in 1995 and was re-elected in 1997, and elected Chairman at that time. He also enjoyed volunteering at Rockport-Fulton Good Samaritans and was a member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.
Ralph died peacefully at home on February12, 2014 from complications of Parkinson’s disease.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Mary Catharine Woolwine Vander Naillen; his brother, Peter Vander Naillen and wife Bridget of Oakland, CA; daughters, Catey Carter of Houston, and Vicky Davis and husband Maclin of Nashville, TN; son, Randy Vander Naillen and wife Kathy; his grandchildren, Ted Vander Naillen, Park Carter and fiancée Louise Turner, John Carter and Claire Carter deRoode and husband David, all of Houston; his sister-in-law, Suzanne B. Woolwine and his nephew, Skip Woolwine and wife Trish, all of Nashville; his niece, Chris Bettis and husband Holt of Dallas; and his caregiver, Julie Covington.
Ralph will be greatly missed and remembered for his kindness to those around him, his love of his family and his positive outlook in the face of adversity. Well done, Captain.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Ralph’s name may be made to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 412 N. Live Oak St., Rockport, TX 78382; or the Rockport-Fulton Good Samaritans, Inc., 507 S. Ann St., Rockport, TX 78382.
A visitation will be held on February 15th at 2 p.m., with a Memorial service to follow at 3 p.m., at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Rockport, TX.
Charlie Marshall Funeral Home, (361) 758-3221.
Published in The Tennessean on Feb. 14, 2014
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New Member
I am pleased to welcome another new member.
EDWARD WILLIAMS joined our group this week. He was in VP40 from 9/1961 to 3/1964.
He was a AM1 in the airframes shop. WELCOME ABOARD Ed.
He lives in Pensacola, FL and he will attend our reunion in Oct.
His email address is willie4902@gmail.com
send him a welcome if you would.
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museum
NOAA Weather
Asheville Regional Airport, NC
Last Updated on Apr 18 2014, 12:54 am EDT
Weather by NOAA
Current Conditions: Fair
Temp: 41°F
Wind: North at 0mph
Humidity: 73%
Dewpoint: 33.1°F
