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FROM
YOUR MEMBERSHIP OFFICER
I again want to thank all of you for signing up and bringing into
the Grampa Pettibone Squadron the (30) thirty new members. I appreciate
the extra effort you put into signing them up. The Ray Pett "let
me buy you a drink" contest started again on 1 December 2004
and will end on Thursday 10 November 2005. This year, Mel Locke
won the contest and walked off with $300.00 bucks, plus he became
an Ace for the second year in a row, by signing up (6) new members.
When you become an Ace, you are awarded a free annual membership.
So; for those of you who are not Life Members, this contest presents
the opportunity to get a "freebee". This year has already
started with two new members. They are Mrs. Peri Tooker and Col.
Joseph O'toole, USAF(Ret). Thanks to their sponsors Mel Locke and
Homer Davis. "Well done," gents. NOW, lets see if we can
top last years 30 new members. We still need new members. As I said
in the past; they don't have to have had previous military service.
ANA is a civilian organization. Hope to see you all Thursday, January
13, 2005 luncheon. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and wishing
you a Happy New Year. Keep the blue side up. Fran Pieri
SAILORS
OF THE QUARTER
At the December
9th luncheon GPS was honored to recognize two Naval Weapon Station
Seal Beach sailors for the outstanding performance that resulted
in their selection as Sailors of the Quarter for 3rd quarter2004.
Our December guest speaker Rear Admiral Mike Moffit and GPS Skipper
Jim Menees presented the awards, as ANA Trustee and former GPS CO
Bob Olds narrated the event and summarized their achievements. Each
received the Admirals's and GPS's congratulations, a GPS plaque,
and a monetary gift (for the senior SOQ a $100 check from GPS, and
for the junior SOQ a $50 GPS check and $50 gift certificate to the
Crab Cooker restaurant - donated by restaurant owner and GPS member
Jim Wasco).
EM1 SEECKTS' CITATION
Naval Weapons
Station Seal Beach, Seal Beach California
The Commanding
Officer takes pleasure in presenting a Letter of Commendation to
Engineman First Class Robert Seeckts, United States Navy for service
as set forth in the following
CITATION:
For superior
performance of duty while serving as Harbor Patrol Lead Engineer,
Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Seal Beach, California from July
to September 2004. Petty Officer Seeckts performed his demanding
duties in an exemplary and highly professional manner, resulting
in his nomination and selection as Senior Sailor of the Quarter,
third quarter 2004. While leading Harbor Division, Petty Officer
Seeckts was directly responsibility for the supervision and instruction
of 20 new security coxswains, dedicating over 160 total hours of
quality instruction, thus creating an effective and flexible security
force. He spent countless hours maintaining the temporary water
front system designed to create a clear line of demarcation, thereby
greatly enhancing the security force's ability to assess possible
threats and clearly define rules of engagement. This water front
security system also enhanced the neighboring civilian boating community
by offering a more clearly defined navigational system. His professional
knowledge, quality of work, and personal job accomplishment were
a key component of the command's ability to continue the fight on
the "Global War on Terrorism". Petty Officer Seeckts'
professionalism and devotion to duty reflected credit upon him and
were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States
Naval Service. I take pleasure in commending you for a job "Well
Done."
/s/ R. W. FOWLER,
CAPT. USNR Commanding Officer
Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Seal Beach California
MA2 YATES CITATION
The Commanding
Officer takes pleasure in presenting a Letter of Commendation to
Master-at-Arms Second Class (Aviation Warfare) Christopher Yates
United States Navy
for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
For superior
performance of duty while serving as Departmental Armorer and Patrol
Officer, Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Seal Beach, California
from July to Setember 2004. Petty Officer Yates performed his demanding
duties in an exemplary and highly professional manner, resulting
in his nomination and selection as Sailor of the Quarter, third
quarter 2004. Petty Officer Yates performed as a highly productive
member of the Security Department and this Command. His outstanding
leadership and organizational skills led to his selection as Departmental
Armorer, a billet normally held by a seasoned First Class Petty
Officer. His leadership skills have developed well above those of
his peers. As Departmental Armorer, Petty Officer Yates dedicated
off-duty hours in maintaining the daily accountability of 171 small
arms, over 9000 rounds of ammunition, and over 50 personally owned
registered weapons in base housing. Petty Officer Yates' professionalism
and devotion to duty reflected credit upon him and were in keeping
with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
I take pleasure in commending you for a job "Well Done."
/s/ R. W. FOWLER, CAPT. USNR
Commanding Officer
Gramps' OPS
Officer , Andy Gilcrest, and Flight Surgeon, Bob Helton attended
a San Diego Air & Space Museum event which honored five Medal
of Honor recipients on December 5th. Dr. Bob is shown above with
Orange County's Walter Ehlers Medal of Honor recipient.
GPS LOSES ONE OF OUR BEST.
Word recently
came from GPS member and former CO Jack Dalby on the Big Island
of Hawaii that his neighbor and close friend Bob Goosen passed away
from cancer on 16 November. Commander Goosen was a charter member
of ANA serving as southwest regional vice president and trustee
and as the general chairman of ANA's national convention in 1982.
He also was one of the founding members of GPS and became CO in
1984.
Bob served in
WW II earning his wings in 1941. He was attached to VB-150 as a
PV-1 patrol plane commander. The squadron served in the Marshall
and Gilbert Islands, also the Marianas and Caroline Islands campaigns.
His decorations included the DFC and 3 Air Medals. After the war
he flew for United Air Lines for nine years and retired from the
Naval Reserve in 1959.
Bob was always
a strong supporter of ANA/GPS contributing articles to Wings of
Gold and frequently attending our national conventions.. even after
his move to Hawaii in 1994.
Sympathy notes can be sent to the Goosen family at 75-234 Nani Kailua
Dr. #62, Kailua Kona, HI 96704.
KENNEDY FLIERS PROWL SKY ABOVE FALLUJAH
PILOTS GAIN FLEXIBILITY WITH NEW 500-POUND BOMB
By W. McMickael Navy Times 11/22/04
Naval aircraft
based on the carrier John F. Kennedy are playing a significant role
supporting coalition ground troops battling terror-sts and insurgent
fighters in Fallujah, Iraq.
"We're keeping at least two airplanes over Fallujah for 14
hours a day," said Capt Mark Guadagnini, Commander of Carrier
Air Wing 17. Guadagnini and others spoke
to Navy Times by phone Nov. 11.
The wing's mission
over the embattled city; he said, is to strike enemy positions in
support of the Marines, Army troops and Iraqi National Guard forces
rooting out enemy forces in difficult door-to-door fighting.
And it'll be doing so for at least a few days longer than expected;
officials have extended Kennedy's time on station in the Persian
Gulf until mid to late November, which is expected to delay its
return home "by a few days," officials said.
The fliers said
they get close enough to see the firefights on the streets below.
"There's a lot of action and a lot of people doing a lot of
hard work in there," said Cmdr. Ryan "Doc" Scholl,
Commander of Strike-Fighter Squadron 81 and a Hornet pilot, who
added that his fliers have been fired upon. "It's obviously
extremely dangerous in there. There's a lot of fire going about
on the ground, and that's going on in many areas — not just
in the local Fallujah area."
The air wing's
fliers who are circling Fallujah — in F-14 Tomcats performing
as forward air controllers and strike aircraft, Prowlers electronically
jamming enemy signals, and F/A-18 Hornets bombing and strafing targets
— are getting the job done by working with joint tactical air
controllers on the ground.
"It's a
very difficult yet satisfying relationship between a pilot, with
a God's-eye-view of the city and the fight, and a joint tactical
air controller on the ground who is in the middle of this firefight,
and the cross-talk that goes on between you to be able to successfully
put a weapon in the right spot and eliminate the fire that he's
taking," said Guadagnini, who has flown current missions in
Tomcats and Hornets.
"It takes
time, it takes a lot of imagination, it takes patience," he
said. "But again, I'll fall back on the training and the joint
procedures. Those two things combined enable us to be successful."
When the Hornets
get tasked over Fallujah, Scholl said, they are cutting loose. "We're
executing with the fullest ability of our weapons systems,"
he said. His pilots also are directing other fliers' fire, or pointing
a quick-reaction force into an area where the intended targets have
dispersed and become too difficult to accurately strike without
causing unintended damage.
A new weapon
has given U.S. ffiers a new confidence in their ability to avoid
causing such damage: the GBU-38, a 500-pound satellite-guided bomb
that gives fliers greater precision than ever, they say.
"That reduces our probility of damaging surrounding areas,"
Schofl said. It is so precise, he said, that in striking, say, a
single house the GBU-38 allows fliers to preserve "the walls
of the houses that are right next door to it."
That's critically
.important, Scholl said. "One of the rules of engagement is
positive target ID," he said. "We have to have that. We
have to see what ‘we're going after" Another advantage,
he said, is that the bombs can be reprogrammed in flight, adding
flexibility for time-sensitive targets that may pop up en route
to or returning from a planned target. That has given the GBU-38
instant popularity with U.S forces. "We are not using them
exclusively," Guadagnini said, "but they are the weapon
of choice right now by both the JTACs, the senior leadership and
of course, us." The Kennedy is well-stocked with the bombs,
he said. Another key to aerial success: the EA-6B Prowlers flown
by the wing's Electronic Attack Squadron 132 and the land-based
Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 2. The ground commnnder
in Fallujah is requesting a "continuous" Prowler presence
over the city, according to Cmdr. Randy Pierson, commander of VAQ-132
and a Prowler electronic countermeasures officer.
The Kennedy
has been launching and recovering aircraft 14 to 18 hours a day
since the Fallujah campaign began, Guadagnini said, with "packages"
of six to 10 aircraft per launch. It has made for a demanding pace
for the crews on the flight and hangar decks — even though
it is some 20 degrees cooler at night, currently in the low 80s,
than when the carrier arrived in the Persian Gulf last summer.
"What we're
doing is actively watching people so that we don't bump into the
safety margins that are there," Guadagnini said. "Each
of the squadron safety officers is roaming the flight deck in conjunction
with the ship's safety officer. We have made CamelBaks (a flexible
canteen backpack) part of the mandatory flight deck uniform ...
to keep guys hydrated, because just that extra hydration seems to
keep people a little bit more alert."
The Kennedy
and the wing and strike group have been extended on station even
though the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is on the way. But
doing so to take part in Fallujah and other operations in Iraq,
Pierson said, "makes all the difference in the world."
"These
guys are motivated and they're doing well, and the airplanes are
holding up for all the squadrons," he said. "So it's good
to see for us, and we're also ready to come home when the job's
done."
NAVY INHERITS SUBMARINE MEMORIAL
The Navy formally
accepted ownership of a memorial dedicated to sailors who gave their
lives aboard submarines during a Veterans Day ceremony at Naval
Weapons Station Seal Beach, Calif., on Nov. 11.
The U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II established the World
War II National Submarine Memorial-West on May 30, 1977, to honor
their comrades on eternal patrol. In a letter dated May 27, Secretary
of the Navy Gordon England accepted the memorial as a gift from
the submariners' group, but the transfer was not formalized until
the Veterans Day ceremony.
The memorial
is centered around a World War lI-era MK 8 steam-driven torpedo,
and includes 52 plaques listing each of the submarines lost during
World War II. Nearby, two plaques represent the submarines Thresher
and Scorpion, both lost during the Cold War. The 54 plaques contain
the names of the 374 officers and 3,131 men who went down with the
subs. Navy Times 11/29/04
ORISKANY SCUTTLING SET
Environmental
issues prevented the Navy from sinking the retired aircraft carrier
Oriskany in the Gulf of Mexico as an artificial reef this year,
but it now is tentatively scheduled to be scuttled on June 25.
The ship is expected to arrive in Pensacola, Fla., around Dec. 18
from Corpus Christi, Texas, where contaminants and potential diving
hazards were removed, said Robert Turpin, chief of marine resources
for Escambia County.
Items removed
included the carrier's wooden flight deck, which contained an estimated
700 pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls, an industrial compound
known to cause cancer in animals.
The ship will
remain at Pensacola's port while final preparations are made for
its sinking about 25 miles off Pensacola and military officials
continue to work with environmental regulators to obtain necessary
permits.
The 888-foot-long carrier, built at the New York Naval Shipyard
in 1945 and a combat veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars, would
be the largest vessel purposely sunk to be a reef.
The Navy selected
Pensacola over sites proposed by Texas, Mississippi, Georgia and
South Carolina partly because of the city's close ties to naval
aviation.
GRAMPS SEZ
HAPPY
NEW YEAR
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