Guest Book - August 2003 through July 2004
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07/28/2004 - C.T.Frohne III
(VP22/64/62 O-5) t@frohne.com
Home town: Atlantic Beach, Fl
Current City/Country: Same
On the eve of my Dad's Anniversary of his fatal accident aboard the CVA-60 Sarratoga, I again visited your site. You all were truely the unsung hero's of the cold war. I am honored to have known a few of you and look forward to hearing more about your time in Heavy Attack.
Tom Frohne Cdr USNR/R
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07/21/2004 - (Ed Note):
This website was created following an inquiry from the children of Earl Bishop in their search for shipmates of their dad, who died in the AJ crash at Naples Italy 49 years ago.
On the 49th anniversary of the crash Earl's daughter received the following email from Lynn Cornie via Paul A. Hatcher
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Subject: AJ Accident
Thought I'd add a little detail to the AJ accident that killed Don Bowman and his two crewmen. We were in Port Lyautey when a call came in from the USS Randolph to deliver an AJ propeller to the ship. After fastening the prop to the bottom of aircraft I was getting ready to make the flight when Don said "let me go, I haven't my flight time for the month." Don had just received orders to report to Minnesota University and was awaiting transportation to the states. I let him make the flight.
Upon reaching the ship, he reported the AJ had lost all hydraulic pressure. The ship on hearing this told him to proceed to Naples. I do not know how far Naples was from the ship but between the ship and Naples he feathered an engine. He made no report why. Weather reported at Naples, as I was later told, was one mile visability. Don reportedly flew to about mid field before starting a turn to the right and at the same time began to unfeather the propeller. The report we received, was that the aircraft went into a flat spin and crashed. Indicating a possible reversing of the propeller blades. Not unheard of in the AJ.
We will always wonder why, if the engine needed feathering, he tried to unfeather it when he had a good engine and the jet to complete his landing.
I knew Don Bowman while stationed in Corpus. He was a friend and a good shipmate.
(s) Lynn Cornie
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07/11/2004 -The Radioman http://www.pbyguy.com
(VP-84/VPB-197/VPW-1/VW-1/COMBARPAC) PBYGuy-@WebTV.Net
Home town: New Orleans,LA
Current City/Country: Port St. Lucie, FL
1st class site. {Well, actually Chief class.} Very professional, but more important -- interesting.
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07/10/2004 - Jack A.Owens (VC-7 53-54 AT3 CA 3rd crew-AJ1&2-P2V3) Owenssci@tisd.net
Home town: Ottawa, Ill.
Current City/Country: Pt O'Connor, Texas
Great site-great job! I was Capt. Doc Gulledge's crewman . Great
experience
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06/24/2004 - BILL WALKER (VC-5 E3-E6 AB) ASCMEXAB@aol.com
Home town: RICHMOND VA
Current City/Country: DAVENPORT FL
LINE CREW- NORFOLK JACKSONVILLE
SANFORD
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06/12/2004 - JERRY G KELLEY (VC-5/AE-2/1952-1955) jgkelley7flusa@comcast.net
Home town: Ephesus,Ga [ 80 miles W. of Atlanta]
Current City/Country: Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl
Joined VC-5@NAS Jax from AE-A school. 2 deployments to Port Lyauety & 18 months @ NAAS Sanford. Would enjoy hearing!! Great memories-Great Guys!!
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05/15/2004 - Kenneth "Bertie/Bennie" Wooster (VC-9, VC-5/VAH-5, HATU--B/N, ENS/LTJG) woosterk@cortland.edu
Home town: Skaneateles, NY
Current City/Country: Cortland, NY
Is there anybody out there from the old AJ days who remembers the AJ Song that was sung to the tune of "The Wreck of the Old 97"? I have the lyrics at
http://skaneateles.org/navy/aj_song.html Let me know if you have any idea as to who wrote the lyrics.
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04/23/2004 - The Motorcycle Man (6th Fleet, 3rd Marine Div.HMH 462)
hardtoswallow@excite.com
Home town: Miami
Current City/Country: St.Augustine
Nice Site
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03/29/2004 - Howard "Obie" O'Brien
(HATWING-1 Staff, NAS, Norfolk, VA/YN-2) hnhob@ispwest.com
Home town: Vina, Tehama Co., CA Current City/Country: Coos Bay, OR
On board HATWING-1 8/51 - 4/54. FASRON 51 was across the hanger from us. HATWING-1 C.O. during this time was Captain Paul Ramsey. Some great memories. Simply fantastic info provided herein! Many thanks to all who made this possible. Have a great photo of the CV-43 with 6 AJ-1's of VC-7 Squadron & other aircraft - photo was shot 24 Jun 1952 while steaming off the Rivera in the Med.. Advise your E-mail & will share. Photo taken from the air showing entire flight deck of the Coral Sea. Best regards,
Obie
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01/31/2004 - Kirby J. Palash (USS Kearsarge CVA-33) kirbylinda@cox.net
Home town:Brenham,Texas
Current City/Country: Pensacola,Fl.
I was ships company assigned to fuels division (V-4)1956-1959.I recall when we refueled the AJ's one important thing we had to watch out for was to make sure that the bay doors were always safety when fueling the cell on the inside. Another experience that I had was refueling the tip tanks while the ship was steaming. The P.O. would tie a line around my waist (no preserver) and slowly cautioned me as I made my way to the tip over the water,now when one is 18 years old this is an adventure, that is why I retire as a Parachute Rigger. One cannot forget the sound especially nite landings when the AJ would apply brakes.
(Ed.Note:)
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-k/cv33.htm has a photo of the Kearsarge with 2 AJ's on deck.
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01/24/2004 - Ralph Kress (VC-5&6 AE3) rjkjrk@pine-net.com
Home town: StatenIsland,NY
Current City/Country: Broken Bow,OK
Lets talk up a reunion.
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10/19/2003 - Roy L. Leverich (VAH-5) rllshellback@yahoo.com
Current City/Country: Live in Indiana
VAH-5 from 12 November 1956 to 14 February 1961. AMAN to AM-1. We flew AJ-1 Savages then coverted to A3D-2s in 1957. Deployed to Med twice on CVA-59.
Heavy Five was a good tour.
Made a career of the Navy. Retired in June 1982.
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10/19/2003 - (Ed. Note: The widow of Cdr. Charles T. Frohne II died last week. Charlie was in VC-8, XO of VAH-1, and CO of VAP-62 when he died in an A3D-2P crash on the USS Saratoga.)
Death Notice from Florida Times-Union
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FROHNE Elizabeth ODea Frohne, who recently celebrated her 87th birthday, passed away on October 11, 2003. She grew up in Brooklyn, NY and was a graduate of the College of New Rochelle. After marriage to her college sweetheart, a naval aviator, she lived in seven different states. When her husband, Cmdr. Charles T. Frohne died in 1960, Betty decided to make Jacksonville her permanent residence. She taught at St. Matthews School, St. Pauls School and at Orange Park Junior High School. She was a volunteer at St. Vincents Hospital for 15 years and was a lifelong member of the Ginger Garden Circle of the Jacksonville Garden Club. She was an active member of both St. Edwards Chapel at Jacksonville Naval Air Station and St. Matthews Catholic Church. She is survived by her children Kit (Andy), Tom (Susan), Mike (Linda) and Mari, her grandchildren, Michael, Courtney, Brendan, Kevin and Devon, her two brothers, John and Joe, 4 nieces, 7 nephews and numerous friends. Her generous heart and fun loving spirit will be missed by all. A funeral Mass will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, October 24th at St. Matthews Catholic Church.
(Published in the Florida Times-Union on 10/19/2003.)
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09/18/2003 - Robert A. McKay "Mac" (VAH-4, VAH-123: E-2 Thru E-5,retired E-6) macsie@atlantic.net
Home town: Hammond, La.
Current City/Country: Webster, Florida
Thanks to all my old ship/squadron -mates I could not have hand picked a better group of men to have been associated with, I wish each and everyone the very best that life has to offer.
Mac
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08/24/2003 - James R. "Jim" Hovis
(VC-7 1950-54 A03) jrhovis@usachoice.com
Home town: Oil City, Pa.
Current City/Country: Oil City, Pa
Plank owner-served at Moffitt Field, Cal -NAS Breezy Pt. Norfolk-NAS Oceana-NAS Patuxent River, NAS Port Lyautey(2 tours)(Shore Patrol 2nd tour)
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