VC-12 / VAW-12 Newsletter March 2010
Website: www.vc12vaw12.org All the old newsletters are there;
Members list: www.vc12vaw12.org/members/members.html
Contact me for rosters of the detachments you were on. We are continually adding to this database. (rgs@coho.net)
We are now at over 2600 members and know of 1100 deceased men in addition.
Chairman: Richard Bray 765 Hosmer Rd Churchville, NY 14428 585-538-4252 Cell: 585-576-0595 leighbray@hotmail.com
Past Chairman: Edward Seykowski 607 N 70 E Valparaiso, IN 46383 219-462-3636 edseykow@juno.com FAX 219-462-2168
Treasurer, Scribe & Membership Chairman for dues:
Roger G. Smith, MD Office: 561 SE Oak St Hillsboro, OR 97123
Home: 34464 SW Firdale Rd Cornelius, OR 97113 503-628-2229 home; FAX 503-693-9109; Cell 503-407-8436 rgs@coho.net
Dues are $10 a year for those who get the newsletter by post. New Year starts at the reunion. Send in your dues now or e-mail me for a status report on your account.
Many who get the newsletter by e-mail offer dues and we are grateful. We send e-mail newsletter to all who wish to see it, regardless.
We have listed groups by detachments. Send me your request and I'll share your detachment list with you so you can contact the guys you want to meet at reunion. Tell us who you remember and let us help you find him/them. We have too many new contacts since the 2008 reunion to list them all. We have many incomplete detachment rosters. Send for yours and help me complete the lists. I call a lot of guys who have no interest, but if their old buddies call them, that may be a different matter. Our membership continues to grow. People who send me old newsletters from the squadron and old orders, social notes, watch bills, cruise book lists and rapid recall bills have been very helpful.
Guys, this is important. Let Dick Bray know if you’re planning to come to Norfolk at the end of September. leighbray@hotmail.com We are way behind on reservations. Lots of members in the Tidewater area. We want to see you all.
2010 Reunion
Our chairman, Dick Bray, has laid a plan and organized the event.
The 2010 VC-12/VAW-12 reunion will be held at the Crowne Plaza in Norfolk, VA. The hotel is located at 700 Monticello Avenue. The reunion will run from Thursday afternoon Sept. 30th to Sunday morning Oct. 3rd.
Reservations at the hotel can be made by calling the hotel at 1-757-627-5555 or go to http://events.ichotelsgroup.com/DPRD-7ZDQ8D/ORFMA/website/. If phoning identify yourself as a member of the VC-12/VAW-12 reunion group. The room rate is $89 plus taxes. This rate is good from Monday night Sept. 27th through Wednesday night Oct. 6th. You can only make reservations at the $89 rate on the WEB site for Thursday thru. Sat. nights. If you want to make reservations to arrive early or to stay late it is suggested that you make them via phone so that you acquire the $89 rate for all nights.
You can view the hotel by visiting the WEB site: www.crowneplaza.com/norfolkva
The registration fee will be $110 per person ($220 per couple). The fee covers:
* Overhead costs *Snacks, sodas and etc in the Ready room
* Welcome Reception Thursday evening with Buffet & cash bar
* Banquet Saturday evening– cash bar
* Breakfast buffet in the hotel Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings
Tours
Two organized bus tours are being offered that will be operated from the hotel.
Tour One on Friday Oct. 1st from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm Norfolk tour
The tour offers the following itinerary:
• Board the motor coach with your tour guide to learn about Norfolk’s colorful 325 year history as you ride through the lovely historic district and restored areas. View the stately homes along the Hague, old St. Paul’s Church, the Moses Myers House, the Chrysler Museum of Art, MacArthur Memorial, the historic Freemason District, the restored waterfront area, as well as many other points of interest.
• Downtown Norfolk has undergone a complete transformation in the last decade and features the beautifully renovated Town Point Park with the Armed Forces memorial, brand new $34milliion cruise terminal, waterfront condos and state of the art shopping area.
NAUTICUS, THE NATIONAL MARITIME CENTER
• Enjoy a visit to Norfolk’s premier waterfront attraction, Nauticus, the National Maritime Center.
Nauticus is a unique and thriving campus of visitor attractions that explores the economic, naval, and natural powers of the sea. Features here include a series of ingenious interactive exhibits, shows, and theaters with various films.
• Also housed here is the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, one of ten museums officially operated by the U.S. Navy. Highlights of the naval battles and exhibits of detailed ship models, artwork, and memorabilia are showcased in the museum.
BATTLESHIP WISCONSIN
• A true highlight of your visit to Nauticus will be a tour of the battleship Wisconsin, one of the famous Iowa-class ships. This great ship saw action in WWII, the Korean War and most recently in the Persian Gulf War. Wisconsin is permanently berthed beside Nauticus where it is accessed by a connecting walkway. The main deck and sections of two upper decks are open for you to explore.
NAVAL STATION NORFOLK TOUR
• Tour the Norfolk Naval Base, which is part of Naval Station Norfolk - the largest naval installation in the world. Home port to 78 ships, ranging in size from aircraft carriers to submarines, 26 aircraft squadrons comprised of 133 aircraft and headquarters of the Atlantic Fleet, this naval complex occupies over 8,000 acres of land and is home to more than 100,000 military personnel. Your tour will take you past the 14 piers and through the Naval Air Station. You will also drive by the historic homes built for the 1907 Jamestown Exposition on “Admiral’s Row” which now house the flag officers. • Lunch will be included for the group at one of the clubs on base.
Package Price: $51.00 per person.
Tour two on Saturday Oct. 2nd from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG OVERVIEW
• Depart via motor coach with your tour guide for the charming town of Williamsburg. Your guide will provide interesting and informative narration during your ride about the historic Virginia Peninsula and the Hampton Roads area.
• Upon arrival in Williamsburg, you will step back into the 18th century while strolling through the streets of Colonial Williamsburg. Your historical interpreter will guide you through the past and the events that helped shape America’s history as you enjoy a one and one half hour leisurely walking tour through the restored area of this lovely colonial capital city (Actual distance is approximately 4-5 blocks).
• Following your overview tour, enjoy approximately two hours free time to shop and browse in the many unique specialty shops in Merchants Square. High quality apparel, gifts, jewelry, unusual quilts, beautiful furniture and holiday decorations are but a few of the offerings found in this quaint, picturesque shopping area.
• Enjoy lunch on your own in one of the Colonial Taverns or in Merchants Square. Your guide will point out all of the dining options as you pass through town.
Package Price: $39.00 per person. LUNCH ON OWN.
Friday evening Oct. 1st will be dinner on your own at a restaurant of your choice or at the hotel.
Engraved name badges will be available again this year. Will provide hand written stick-on tags if engraved ones are not desired.
Please provide the following information as you want it to appear on either the stick-on or the engraved badges:
For a members badge we will need the following
information: Name, Rank (highest held in the Navy), and the year(s)
you were in the squadron (i.e. 1959-1961). The guest badge requires just the
first and last name of the guest.
Engraved name badges/city shingles must be ordered through Dick Bray prior to the reunion.
A 2" by 3" engraved members badge can be ordered for $10, a 1" by 3" guest badge can be ordered for $8 and a 1/2" by 3" city shingle can be ordered for $4 each. Contact Dick so that the correct information will be engraved. Dick can send a picture of the engraved badges if anyone wants to see them before ordering. Badges/city shingles can be prepaid with reunion registration or paid at sign in.
We can acquire city shingles for past reunions. If you attended any past reunions and desire a city shingle or shingles let us know which ones.
To attend the reunion here are the necessary steps. * Make hotel reservations at 1-757-627-5555 or go to http://events.ichotelsgroup.com/DPRD-7ZDQ8D/ORFMA/website/.
* Contact Dick Bray at leighbray@hotmail.com or phone 585-576-0595
Provide me with:
Names(s) and number attending plus contact information - $110 per person.
Note: Reduced registration fees if you desire to attend only certain events; i.e. reception only, banquet only and etc.
Tour desires if any
Norfolk Tour Friday - $51 per person and/or Williamsburg Tour Saturday- $39 per
Banquet dinner choice Saturday
Grilled Marinated Sliced London Broil Or Sauteed Breast of chicken with ham & mozzarella cheese.
Badge choices
Engraved Members - $10 Guest- $8 City shingles - $4 Make check payable to VC-12/VAW-12 and send to
Dick Bray 765 Hosmer Road Churchville, NY, 14428
2010 VC-12/VAW-12 Reunion Schedule
Thursday Sept. 30
1300: Sign in starts in hotel lobby
1300 + Ready room open for entire reunion – snacks and soft drinks/coffee*.
1800-2100 Welcome Reception – Buffet* and cash bar
Friday Oct. 1
Morning: Breakfast buffet* Tour on your own or take
Norfolk Tour $51 - lunch included – boarding at 0845 sharp
Dinner on your own at the hotel or elsewhere.
Saturday Oct 2
Morning: Breakfast buffet* Tour on your own or take
Williamsburg Tour - $39 - boarding at 0845 sharp
1500: Business meeting in Ready room
1800: Banquet* and cash bar
Sunday Oct 3
Morning: Breakfast buffet*
WHENCE
THE NAME BROWN SHOES? (Story from Capt Sequeira)
Naval Aviation officially began 08 May 1911 with the first order of a
"Flying Machine" from the Wright Brothers. This purchase also included
aeronautical training of Naval personnel who would become the first
Naval Flying Instructors who would be the founders in spearheading Naval
Aviation as we know it today.
To train these future Naval Aeronautical Aviators in the Wright
Brother's flying machine, Rockwell Field (the first Army airfield in the
United States, located on the north island of the island chain in San
Diego), was selected and jointly shared with the Navy as the most
suitable airfield site. In October 1935, Rockwell Field was transferred
to the Navy by presidential executive order of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The last Army units departed in 1939. Later, the Army Corps of Engineers
was commissioned to dredge the channel and fill the low areas, leveling
the island chain, thus the name "North Island" emerged as Naval Air
Station North Island, San Diego, California. Six commissioned officers
were selected from the surface fleet as the first student Naval Aviation
Aviator Trainees to be trained by these Naval Flight Instructors. These
pioneer Aviator Trainees coming from the surface fleet wore uniform low
quarter, square toed, black rough out leather shoes which served best on
the coal burning ships commonly consumed by soot from the ships stacks.
Arriving for duty at the North Island Air Field for training flights,
the six students experienced a foreign environment of dust on the soft
surface air field. They found themselves being constantly required to
remove the dust from their black shoes which was irritating causing them
to look for alternatives to this nuisance.
In the midst of their training while often times funding their own
petrol expenses, the six discussed alternatives to their problem
deciding that brown shoes might serve best to solve their problem with
seniors who were putting what they felt was too much into uniform
appearance. With that, all six decided that brown high top shoes with
brown leggings was their solution. On a Saturday morning, the six
located a cobbler shop on 32nd Street in San Diego, California whom they
commissioned to produce same at a time and price they could live with.
Upon taking custody of their prize a short time later, the test of
practical use of their new Brown Shoes and acceptance from their senior
cadre members became a function of time.
Within a few days, the practicality of the Shoes of Brown proved to be
an acceptable solution to the student Aviators. The six then met to
discuss how to bring about change of the uniform regulation to include
the Brown Shoes and high top leggings as distinctive part of the
aviators permanent uniform. With some discussion on how to approach
their proposal, they concluded that a petition to bring about change for
a distinctive aviators uniform would best serve their plight.
A few days later, they met to compose a petition which would later be
approved and endorsed by their seniors and forwarded to the Navy Bureau
for consideration. On 13 November 1913, the Navy Bureau signed approval
to the uniform regulations to include The Shoes of Brown with Brown high
top leggings as part of the permanent uniform for Naval Aerial
Aviators. This change carried itself through World War II to 1944 while
logistically, the brown shoes were not in production due to priority war
efforts. However, in stock supply would be issued and the wearing of
same was still authorized. At the end of the war in 1945, production of
brown shoes was again continued and issued until July 1976.
Admiral Elmo Zumwalt, Jr., USN, was a two term CNO from 01 Jul 1970 to
01 Jul 1974. An Admiral from the Surface Navy (Black Shoe) had a desire
for significant change within the Navy and its policies. With that, one
of his initiatives was to end an era of Naval Aviation with the removal
of the Brown Shoes from the Navy. With the stage set, at 0000, 01 July
1976, the CNO, by instruction to Naval Uniform Department of NMPC, ended
an era in tradition of Naval Aviation distinction and pride. "A Naval
Aviation tradition came to an end when Brown Shoes were stricken from
the Officer's and Chiefs uniforms. The tradition distinguished the Brown
Shoe Navy of the Aviators from the Black Shoes of the Surface Officers."
In September 1979, I was assigned to TRARON Ten as a T-2B/C Buckeye
flight instructor (The Dirty 100) at NAS Pensacola, Florida. With my
keen interest in history, I began initiatives to resurrect The Shoes of
Brown as part of the permanent uniform for Naval Aviation in the same
spirit as those in lead who first set the initiative. With several cross
country flights to the Naval Archives at NMPC in Washington DC, I
researched for the original aviators petition in an effort to author, in
kind, the same which would be reborn at Naval Air Station, Pensacola,
Florida, the Cradle of Naval Aviation. Receptive and in support of the
Brown Shoes initiatives, Captain Jude J. Lahr, USN, Commodore, Training
Air Wing 6, gave the "Thumbs Up with a Sierra Hotel" for same.
With that, I drafted a petition which was headed by and reads:
"RESURRECTION OF THE BROWN SHOES - WHEREAS, In the course of history of
Naval Aviation, the "SHOES OF BROWN", first adopted in November 1913,
have held a position of revered, cherished esteem in the hearts of all
those associated with Naval Air, second only to the "WINGS OF GOLD", and
WHEREAS, in the course of human events it becomes necessary to recognize
an overwhelming desire to return the esprit of heritage amongst the
cadre of AIRDALES, now -
THEREFORE, let the feelings be known that we the undersigned, all duly
designated NAVAL AVIATORS, NAVAL FLIGHT OFFICERS, FLIGHT SURGEONS and
FLIGHT PHYSIOLOGIST, do hereby affix our signatures and designators to
this petition calling for the immediate change to the Naval Uniform
Regulations which would allow the "SHOES OF BROWN" to once again take
their rightful position below the "WINGS OF GOLD."
The first and most fitting to sign was Captain Jude J. Lahr, USN
followed by senior CNET cadre members to include Captain Robert L.
Rasmussen, USN, parent Commanding Officers (NASP, NASC, NAMI, NAMRL) and
other command seniors, mid-grades and juniors alike and was unanimously
received and signed as presented. Numerous requests from commands
throughout the United States, foreign ashore activities and carriers on
the line requested the petition be sent them for signing via telephone,
message and post mail.
Upon completion of my shore tour, I was then assigned to USS MIDWAY
(CV-41). I continued initiatives with the Brown Shoes petition after
receiving a "SH" approval from Commanding Officer, Captain Charles R.
McGrail, Jr., USN. After an overwhelming receptive Carrier Air Wing 5
and ships company cadre, Captain McGrail later signed out the petition
in Red with "forwarded Most Strongly Recommending Approval" to the
CNO/NMPC on commands letterhead stationery with a personal note.
Following my 2.5 year Midway tour, I returned to Training Air Wing 6 as
a T-2C Buckeye flight instructor with TRARON Ten. On the morning of 12
Sep 85, while airborne on a APM/Spin Hop with a student, I received a
UHF radio call from the squadron duty officer (SDO) to "BUSTER" return
to base with no explanation. On return to squadron spaces to meet with
the SDO, the Skipper escorted me to his office where he moments later
received a telephone call from SECNAV, The Honorable John F. Lehman, Jr.
(a Tailhooker himself) who congratulated me as being the spearhead in
Resurrecting the Brown Shoes back to the "AIRDALES" of U. S. Naval
Aviation. SECNAV Lehman informed me that he was going to announce that
month, the return of the Brown Shoes at the 1985 TAILHOOK Convention and
that he wanted to personally authorize me to be The First to wear the
"Coveted Shoes of Brown" before his announcement.
The Intrepid Museum ship
One of our pilots
Roger: I don't think I have told you but I am now volunteering on the USS Intrepid. I go in one day per week and give tours of the ship to visitors. I even regale them with old sea stories which usually have some basis in fact. Sometimes my memory does not come up with clear answers to their questions and I wonder if you could help with a couple. First; we changed the hook points regularly, rather than waiting for them to break (expensive!). My recollection is that we changed them after every 10 landings. Another salt says no, we changed them after 35 landings. That sounds more reasonable to me but I would like an authoritative answer. Second; when I was first introduced to working on the hangar deck I was told never to stand in the track on which rode the four fireproof hangar doors which, when closed, sectioned the hangar deck into three bays. I was told they closed in three seconds. That seems unreasonably fast to me but is a great story to tell if it is true. Do you know how long it took for the hangar bay doors to close in an emergency?
If you don't know the answers to these questions do you know someone who might be able to answer them? I'll probably come up with more questions, in time, so it would be good to have a reliable source.
All the best and thanks for keeping the interest up with respect to our old guppies.
Pete Weiland petevaw12@aol.com