Memories of VP40
attached (in PDF format) is a letter from Ralph Van der Naillen Jr.
He writes about his memories in VP40 from 1953-1955.
It is an interesting time line from that period, perhaps someone else can continue with
their memories as well.
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VP40 P3 ERA
I have not received ANY responses about including VP40 members from the P3 era on the web site.
I talked to a few members and they were in favor of including them into our group. We will vote on this
at our next reunion.
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VP40 P3V ERA
I have had some response lately from VP40 people who where in the P3 era. BTW their plane is obsolete also.
I am thinking they should be welcome to join our group, as I do not know of anyone of us who is getting any younger.
I might add we currently have members who were in the seaplanes and the P3V’s. It is one US NAVY. In order to sustain the VP40 group,
I think it is time to include these people. If there are any comments ya or nay please respond soon.
If necessary we can vote on it at our member meeting during the 2012 reunion.
I have had requests to attend our reunion this year and I personally welcome them to the group.
Guy Fisk
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Pictures from the 50’s
I received some pictures etc. from Gene Haun’s family.
I have added the pictures under 50’s ERA. Some of you should know and remember the people in them.
Here is the Obit for Gene
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1961-62 Cruisebook
Thanks to Dick Romano the full 61-62 cruisebook is now complete. It is posted today.
There are a couple of new pictures under misc pictures. I also had a model plane built and I have some pictures of it there as well.
Look under Links on the right side of this page for Cruisebooks and the Adobe Reader link to view the books
and any PDF file.
Guy
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QE1 Crash
I recently received this from Dick Romano.
It is a letter from Joseph B. “Bernie” Daugherty AE2, the sole survivor of that crash on 8/2/1962 in the Philippines.
I also talked to Bernie today and he is trying to attend the reunion this year.
The names of the crewmembers on that VP40 mishap is as follows: CDR N. P. Vegelahn (C.O.), LTJG w. l. Locke, LTJG J. L. Criscoe, ENS B. B. Burton, TDC
T. E. Bowman, AT1 B. G. Clarke, ADR2 R. T. Bluford, AO2 G. C. Bettis, ATR3 P. A. Waterhouse, ATN3 J. G. Faulkner, and ATN3 H. B. Brown
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Vietnam Travel
The following letter was written by one of our VP40 members, Jim Staes (LT 62-65)
He has just returned from a trip to Viet Nam.
He writes about a very diferent picture from what we remember it as.
enjoy
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New post from Jerry Stevik
Here is a photo of 9-Boat, Jerry Stevick, George Perkins, and Crew 9 taken by China. Also attached is an explaination of the circumstances
.Grave and Serious Warning
It was the practice of the People’s Republic of China, in the 1960s, to issue what
they called a Grave and Serious Warning to the United States when they considered
that an American aircraft had flown into what they claimed to be their air space, or
in their opinion “harassed” one of China’s merchant ships.
This situation mostly occurred near Hainan Island, which was clearly China, or one
of the small islands in the South China Sea, such as the Paracel Islands, not so clearly
the possession of China. Recall that China claims Taiwan as part of China. The United
States had patrolled the South China Sea since World War II. Particularly, the part off
Vietnam, and across the sea lanes between the Philippines and the main land were of
interest to the United States.
The nationality of merchant ships in the region was reported by the U.S. Navy to various
agencies. This was in itself not intrusive. But by the 1960s tension had increased with
China and the U.S. Almost any encounter had the potential for attention. It was also safe
to say that there was an attraction to close surveillance by American pilots. I was no
exception. In one case I had saved the JATO takeoff assistance rockets and discharged
them close aboard a China merchant. This situation generated a Grave and Serious Warning
from China. When told, my flight crew seemed pleased, perhaps with the exception of my
technical officer who was a very serious man.
In 1968, while assigned to the National Security Agency, I found a propaganda magazine
in which a photograph was shown of our aircraft and implying that we had bombed and
strafed the merchant ship. The magazine, from China, was in English and focused mostly
on U2 over flights of China, but we were included as part of the conflict with the United
States.
The subject photograph is included in these stories, the aircraft is mine and our crew, and
the dates match my flight log book.
JCS 21 October 2011
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Thank You VP40 Group
thanks for all the response to the newsletter and dues cards.
I have received over $600 in dues since last week.
I have also received many corrections (email, phone,address etc.), as such I have updated our roster
and if anyone wants the updated version shoot me an email and I will email it to you.
I added some pictures this week. Look at Pictures/50’s era tab. If anyone knows who the people are leave a comment for others to enjoy
Guy Fisk
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