The ANA Meeting/Reunion is coming soon!!  It starts on Wednesday, June 1st and ends on Saturday Night, June 4th!!  

Let us show how much The Association of Naval Aviation (ANA) means to us by attending the annual meeting. It is right here in our backyard, San Diego. If you can stay all four nights, as I am, that is great. If you can only stay three nights or two nights or one night, it will help make a good show of Grampaw Pettibone Squadron's support for ANA.  The schedule of events for the meeting is firming up very quickly. A soon as we have further information on events we will pass it along to you. The winter edition of Wings of Gold, which will arrive at your door soon, will have an updated schedule and will also have a registration form which you can fill out and send to ANA HQ. So look out for the winter Wings of Gold and send in your Meeting/Reunion registration early.  Admiral John Nathman, Naval Aviation personified, will be the banquet speaker. Don't miss it. Admiral Nathman was recently the Vice Chief of Naval Operations and is now Commander, US Fleet Forces Command. Admiral Nathman knows what it takes to keep the Head of the Spear very sharp. As Commander, US Fleet Forces he will insure that the Head of the Spear is sharp and that it stays sharp.  Every member of the Squadron should hear Admiral Nathman speak. Please join us at the ANA Annual Meeting/Reunion. It is going to be a great event for all who are interested in aviation and our Navy, Marines and Coast Guard.

Our May speaker will be Charles Stevens an 8th Air Force B-17 Bombardier in the European Theater.  He entered the Army Air Corps at 18 and was flying B-17 Missions at 19.  He completed 34 missions and operated out of Polebrook.  He has authored a book entitled "An Innocent at Polebrook", a Memoir of an 8th Air Force Bombardier.  Polebrook Airfield was home to the 351st Bombardment Group (Heavy) of the 8th Air Force, who flew B17s on 311 Group combat bombing missions between 1943 and 1945, during which time they lost 175 aircraft and crews.      As a bombardier riding in a Plexiglas compartment, Stevens had a unique vantage point from which to behold grand vistas.  He witnessed the beauty of clouds and the high altitude sky and the ever-changing scene below of sea, mountains, rivers, and towns.  But he also observed  armadas of bombers stretching out ahead like flocks of geese, the horrifying barrages of black antiaircraft fire, the menace of enemy interceptors, and the heartbreaking spectacle of wounded bombers.  I believe you will enjoy his accounts of the everyday activities of a B-17 bombardier.   Andy Gilcrest, GPS OPS

Guest Speaker - Col James R. Braden, USMC

By Dr. Dick Fields, Public Affairs Officer

Col James R. Braden, USMC, was our speaker for the March meeting.  He is currently Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander, Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command at Twenty Nine Palms.  He delivered a glowing account of the performance of our forces currently engaged in Operation Iraqi Freedom.  He emphasized that most of his exposure was with fellow Marines, but made it clear that this is a joint effort involving all our services and the Brits working in close cooperation.  The USMC troops are recognized and hailed by the Iraqi civilians as their friends and allies.  

Col Braden is a helicopter pilot, flying the UH-1 and Cobra.  In addition to his pilot duties, he did duty as a ground based FAC in Desert Storm, describing an incident in which his lightly armed unit on the ground was being rapidly approached by 3 Iraqi tanks and 4 armored vehicles.  As their Saudi counterparts fled, the Marines held their position, called in Marine air support and devastated the Iraqi column; the few Iraqi survivors fled, all tanks were destroyed.  

In this earlier conflict, he was assigned to protecting the Iraqi infrastructure.  This included using our Cobras to launch TOW missiles against Iraqis hiding in the oilfields and intent on destroying them.  Although only 5 out of hundreds of wells were set on fire by Iraqis, however the smoke created so much obscuration that our pilots were often flying in zero-zero conditions, resulting in several lost aircraft.   

In Iraqi Freedom, he described the conduct of the war by the U.S. as, "...doing almost everything right."  Our troops who need armored vehicles have them, those that need night vision equipment have it, and the 3rd generation NVGs are now much improved, with the problem of bloom overcome.  They also are equipped with Forward Looking Infra Red (FLIR) equipment help in target acquisition and navigation.  Survivability gear is excellent.  

The tactics of the enemy are reminiscent of what we knew in Viet Nam: the fighters in Fallujah were doped up on heroin, methamphetamine and other drugs --- too doped up to know they should fall down when shot!  They also staged ambushes that lured our forces to the site, then killed Iraqi men, women and children as well as our troops.  

Aircraft maintenance was superbly handled by the enlisted technicians under the directions of the NCOs.  The officers fought, the NCOs made it all possible.  

We are grateful to Col Braden for reaffirming what we believe but do not get to read in the mainstream media: that our efforts and our troops are doing outstanding work in Iraq.  Thank you, Col. Braden.

SUNDAY APRIL 3 DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME SPRING AHEAD

ANA ANNUAL MEETING & REUNION IN SAN DIEGO  JUNE 1 - 4, 2005

By Bud Kretsinger, ANA Trustee  

The Annual Meeting and Reunion Events Schedule is now final.  The schedule has gone through several reiterations before reaching this final version.   The changes affect Wednesday, June 1st, Friday, June 3rd and Saturday, June 4th. The event schedule shows that an enormous amount of energy and time has been dedicated to making this a stellar four days.  Changes are definitely for the better, as you can see from the Reunion Schedule printed in this Op-Plan.   

Wednesday, the United States Marine Corps will host a tour of MCAS Miramar. Lunch will be with the Marines, at the O'Club, and the event will also include an Operations Briefing by 3rdMAW.  I was stationed at Miramar in the early 50's. If any of you had occasion to pass through there during that period and have not seen it since, you will be taken aback by the changes.  The only things I recognized were the two original large hangars.

Friday is Navy Day and includes a COMTHIRDFLEET Tactical Developments Briefing by VADM Michael J. McCabe, USN, Commander, Third Fleet, and a briefing by CAG Two CAPT Larry D. Burt, on Fleet Response Plan and Tsunami Deployment Briefing. That evening, the Battle of Midway Commemoration there will be celebrated by a reception aboard the USS Midway hosted by the San Diego community for the Commemoration of the Battle of Midway.  

Saturday, there will be a General Membership Meeting.  This meeting is a must for ANA members to attend!  To quote RADM P. D. Smith, ANA President, "the Association is making changes - and this is your opportunity to participate in these changes and ensure the Board is marching in the direction you desire." As one of the ANA Trustees, I cannot emphasize strongly enough, the importance of your attendance at this event.  We must have a say in the future of ANA and this meeting is our only opportunity to do so.  Don't let your voice go unheard - be in attendance!  

Saturday evening's Banquet keynote speaker is ADM John B. Nathman, USN, Commander, US Fleet Forces Command.  Many Gramps members will remember the Guest Speaker presentation by COMNAVAIRPAC, then VADM Nathman.  Those in attendance will recall ADM Nathman as a dynamic speaker.  For those who weren't at that luncheon, now is your chance to hear one of the Navy's brilliant senior leaders.  

The ANA HQ Staff has given a monumental amount of time and effort to ensure that this Meeting and Reunion is a memorable one.  No need to go into the why and wherefore.  Given the circumstances the staff has been forced to work under, they have done an incredible job.  RADM P.D. Smith, Mr. Eric Wheeler, CAPT "Zip" Rausa and Ms. Jackie Hayes deserve a huge -- WELL DONE!  They exemplify complete support for ANA, its membership and programs.  We, as a squadron, can and should do no less.

'HE'S A SAILOR'  

CNO nominee Admiral Michael G. Mullen could be tough guy needed for tough job  

On March 2, President Bush nominated Admiral Michael G. Mullen  to replace retiring Admiral Vern Clark as CNO, confirming informal wagers in Navy-centric circles and triggering hurrahs from political and military leadership. The confirmation process, which has not formally begun, generally is fast for military nominations. In Admiral Mullen's case, the process is expected to be extra smooth, given his Capitol Hill fan club.  

Current CNO Admiral Vern Clark gets credit for much of the forward-thinking Navy vision now materializing and Admiral Mullen,  who served for a year as vice CNO to Clark, can be expected to continue the transformation. (As Clark's vice CNO Admiral Mullen  made headlines in 2004 when he ordered the inspector general to investigate the high rate of commanding officers relieved of duty.)  

If confirmed, Admiral Mullen  will steer the Navy through the Quadrennial Review, the Pentagon's process for defining the country's national defense strategy and the role each military service will play in it.  

At a Jan. 27 speech in Naples, Admiral Mullen  - currently commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe - said the future is uncertain and new ideas are critical. Above excerpts are from a Navy Times Article.

Captain Melvin D. Blixt USN(Ret) made GPS FELLOW at March Luncheon.

GPS Fellow Win Jewson makes presentation.  

Text of the ANA, Grampaw Pettibone Squadron Fellowship Award.  

Be it known, Captain Melvin D. Blixt USN(Ret)was one of the original members of the Grampaw Pettibone Squadron, and through his influence as Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station, Los Alamitos, expanded new membership in the critical early days of the squadron, and  

Whereas, Captain Blixt served as the Third Commanding Officer of Grampaw Pettibone during a period when staffs were small and officers were required to spend long hours to produce monthly meetings and establish the program standards still enjoyed today, and  

Whereas, Captain Blixt did, while serving as Commanding Officer in 1979, plan, direct and host the Jack Tallman Award ceremony at the Irvine Hyatt Hotel. The event was the largest and most successful Grampaw Pettibone enterprise to date, and resulted in substantial recognition and new membership, and  

Whereas, Captain Blixt readily assumed the difficult responsibilities for Registrations Committee when the squadron hosted the ANA National Convention in 1981. The extraordinary efforts of Captain Blixt and his small staff were instrumental in establishing the desired financial position for future Grampaw Pettibone operations and growth, and  

Whereas, Captain Blixt's leadership, service and support of the Grampaw Pettibone Squadron and it's objectives span a period of more than 30 years and his contribution has been important in establishing the preeminent position the squadron enjoys today in the Association of Naval Aviation, and  

We therefore, bestow upon Captain Melvin Blixt all honors, privileges and benefits of being a Grampaw Pettibone Fellow. Dated 10 March 2005,  Jim Menees, Commanding Officer Grampaw Pettibone Squadron. Warrant No. 41

CMSGT JAMES MENEES, USAF(RET),  MADE GPS FELLOW AT MARCH LUNCHEON GPS

Fellow Win Jewson makes presentation.

Text of the ANA Grampaw Pettibone Squadron Fellowship Award.  

Be it Known, That CMSgt James Menees, USAF(Ret), as a member of the Association of  Naval Aviation and the Grampaw Pettibone Squadron, has served diligently and with great merit, and  

Whereas, CMSgt Menees has served both in the United States Navy during World War II in the Pacific Theater for three years, then after college, reenlisted in the United States  Air Force in 1948, obtaining the rank of Command Master Sergeant, and was a selected nominee of the Third and 17th Air Forces for the USAF's top enlisted position, and  

Whereas, CMSgt Menees' tours of duty have led him to many parts of the world, including the SW Pacific, Korea, China, England, Spain, and South America, as an expert on developing and maintaining aircraft and missile fuels, earning many awards for service, including two Air Force Meritorious Service medals, three Air Force Commendation medals, and  the Vietnam Service medal with two Bronze Stars. And  

Whereas, CMSgt Menees has brought honor to the Grampaw Pettibone Squadron and its parent organization, the Association of Naval Aviation, through his continuing support and dedication to the Association's mission by giving of his time and resources for the past several years, and  

Whereas, CMSgt Menees has serve in key Grampaw Pettibone Squadron leadership positions, including Operations Officer, Executive Officer, and took Command of the Squadron, for a period of six months, when the current Commanding Officer was in the hospital, recovering from surgery, and  

Whereas, CMSgt Menees has ably served  the Grampaw Pettibone Squadron for over five years, and continues to demonstrate a superior quality of professionalism and leadership in serving the Association of Naval Aviation and the Grampaw Pettibone Squadron.  

We therefore, bestow upon CMSgt James Menees, USAF(Ret) all honors, privileges and benefits of being a Grampaw Pettibone Fellow. Dated 10 March 2005, Joseph L. Kretsinger, Former Commanding Officer Grampaw Pettibone Squadron and Association of Naval Aviation Trustee. WARRANT NO.  42

FINAL FLY BY

Lt Franklin W. Dunlap, USNR(Ret)

Warren W. Smith, Air Force

WHISTLING DEATH The test pilot's story of the F4U corsair

by Boone T. Guyton

Reviewed by GPS member John Durant  

An extraordinary tale of the role of the test pilot in bringing a fighter from production lines to front lines. The saga from first flight to competent weapons status involves thousands of test flights to perfect every aspect of the bird. Cowl flaps, oil leaks, cockpit layout, bouncing landing gear, tail wheel mods, engine cooling, switch placement, aerodynamic effects of external stores, stall characteristics, roll rate, left wing drop on flare, size of aileron and flaps, water injection, its all here. Can you imagine 110 test flights just to get the ailerons balanced properly.  

Boone details the crashes involved in test flying the bird, including one which he survived by inches. Also included are social aspects, such as the time he called his wife to set another place for dinner. "Whom are you bringing, dear?" Answer - - "Charles Lindberg."  

Whether you were a BENT WING pilot or just a fan of the hog, this book is a page turner. Extremely well written, amply illustrated and more than adequately detailed and foot-noted, its a must read for Naval and Marine aviators.  

Don't start it late in the day, you can hardly put it down.

VOUGHT KEPT IMPROVING THE CORSAIR AFTER WWII

By Robert F. Dorr

Navy Times 3/7/05  

When test pilot Bill Horan took the F4U-5 Corsair for its initial flight at Stratford, Conn., on July 3, 1946, he marked an unusual milestone - an effort to improve a World War II fighter after the war was over.  

With jet aircraft arriving on the scene, engineers saw little reason to improve the other famous propeller-driven planes of the war era. Planes like the Army's P-51 Mustang and the Navy's F6F Hellcat went out of production shortly before or soon after war's end. Vought aircraft, which designed and built the Corsair, bucked the trend by continuing to build and refine the company's best-known fighter.  

The F4U-5 introduced an automatically controlled, two-stage variable supercharger to the Corsair's Pratt & Whitney R-280018W or -42W Double Wasp 18-cylinder radial engine. The purpose was to make the Corsair, already a great air-to-air fighter at medium altitudes, more effective when flying higher up.  

Unfortunately, the arrangement introduced reliability problems. Moreover, the United States would soon find itself in a war where high-altitude, air-to-air maneuverability wasn't important.  

A Navy document quotes Horan on the F4U-5. "Personally, I didn't like it," Horan said. "The supercharging system never seemed to work right. It was supposed to be automatic. They finally got it working, but I just never liked the airplane."  

The first production-standard F4U-5 made its first flight on Oct. 1, 1947, again with Horan at the controls. The Navy acquired three models in the series: the F4U-5N night-fighter, F4U-5NL winterized night-fighter and F4U-5P photoreconnaissance aircraft.  

With a maximum speed of about 460 miles per hour and a service ceiling of 41,400 feet, the F4U-5 flew slightly faster and significantly higher than earlier Corsair models.  

But in 1950, Navy and Marine Corps pilots entered a war in Korea that required air-to-ground action, often at slow speeds and always at low altitude. Many were quite happy to continue flying the final World War II version of the Corsair, the F4U-4 or a specialized air-to-ground version for the Marine Corps, the AU-1.   

"The F4U-5 had different engine control systems that were complicated and prone to problems," said Hal Andrews, a historian and retired engineer for the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics. "For Korea purposes, you didn't need the altitude capability it offered."  

The F4U-5 achieved an important distinction in the hands of Lt. Guy P. Bordelon Jr. of Composite Squadron 3. Flying an F4U-5N, Bordelon shot down five enemy propeller-driven aircraft to become the only Navy air ace of the Korean War. He was awarded the Navy Cross.  

When Vought delivered the final Corsair in 1953, the model had been in production continuously for 14 years. The Navy had acquired 12,582 of them, but only 468 of the F4U-5 versions. The Corsair was the last major propeller-driven fighter in production in the world.  

Although the F4U-5 faced reliability issues, many pilots didn't notice or shrugged them off.  

"To us, it was just another Corsair," said retired Marine Col. John J. Geuss. The Navy and Marine Corps began retiring the F4U-5 in 1955.

There to talk of their experiences during the war or theater where they were based. Last March 5th, Air Operations over Iwo Jima was the topic featuring the P-51 Mustang. One of our newest members, Joe Fahey, was one of the speakers on that day. He talked about his participation and experiences that he encountered at that time. Next month on April 2nd; Air Power over Southeast Asia will be the featured event. So, come on out and enjoy seeing those magnificent warbirds you all flew to defeat our enemies during the wars.

FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIP OFFICER

So far this year, new membership sign-ups has been slow but positive. Approximately two per month. Since January, six new members have joined the GRAMPS Squadron They are; Nicholas Melnick, Corey Locke, Charles Stevens, Greg Bishop, Joe Fahey and Wyatt Carr. A very big "THANK YOU" to their sponsors, Chuck Van Arman, Mel Locke, R W. Christian, Bob Helton and Leonard Dorsthoff. Welcome aboard gents. We must never stop seeking new members. If you know of anyone who you think might enjoy the camaraderie of the Grampaw Pettibone Squadron please bring them to the next luncheon on Thursday, April 14th. Be sure to remind them that all the luncheons are held on the second Thursday of each month. Be sure they get Op-Plan. If you need extra ones, contact me or my partner, Tim Brown and we will mail them one. Last year, the Ray Pett, "let me buy you a drink" contest worth $380.00 was won by Mel Locke. This year you can be a winner too. Prior military service is NOT a requirement to join ANA. Car pooling helps for those who cannot drive. Keep the blue side up.  Fran Pieri, GPS Membership Officer

In Case There Was Any Doubt: Marine Corps Close Air Support In Action.  

Recently, a Marine Corps Harrier squadron was invited to attend the annual Air Force Red Flag exercises at Nellis Air Force Base, NV. This is one of the USAF's big exercises, where they test combined arms employment of tactical air assets. The USAF F-15 pilots showed up on the ramp with dozens of rear echelon airman types and tons of equipment such as Ground Power Units, Accessory Power Units, Hummers, Trucks, Air Conditioners, etc. The Marines appeared ready to operate in a combat environment and showed up with only their Harriers.  

The Air Force commander commented to the Marine commander: "Where is all your support stuff? Geez, you guys really are just Grunts that know how to fly."  

Not wanting to disappoint the Air Force commander, the Marine commander got an idea of his own. He talked to his 1st Sergeant and later that night, the 1st Sergeant had his Marines make up bayonet studs on hose clamps. (There's a pitot tube sticking out of the nose of a Harrier.) In the hours of darkness, the 1st Sergeant had the clamp with the bayonet stud tightened onto the pitot tube of each Harrier.  

The next morning, the Air Force pilots fell out on the ramp in front of their F-15s. The Marine pilots fell out on the other side of the ramp in front of their Harriers. Each Marine pilot had on his deuce gear with a bayonet in the scabbard. The USAF commander ordered his pilots to "man your planes."  

The USAF ground crews by the dozens scrambled to their trucks, APUs, GPUs, etc. and the pilots ran to their planes. The Marine commander ordered his Marines to "Fix Bayonets," whereupon each pilot ran to the front of his Harrier and fixed his bayonet on the stud attached to the pitot tube. The Marine commander then ordered "CHARGE," and the Marines jumped in their Harriers, dusted airborne, and flew off.  The Marine commander turned to the USAF commander and said; "This is what we Marines consider Close Air Support." Semper Fidelis

You guessed it! It's from the INTERNET

There are only three things the copilot should ever say:

1. Nice landing, Sir.
2. I'll buy the first round.
3. I'll take the ugly one.