Our 18th Year on the Web
Home Base NAS Cecil Field (NZC), FLA.
This site is dedicated to the officers and enlisted men who served with VC/VFP-62.
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A Special Thank You to: VC/VFP-62 squadron members who funded the costs to keep this website on the Internet for 2023 - 2033.
David Bluestone PHC * Rich Bregoli PH3 * Charles Browning * Capt. Jim Curry * Greg Engler AT2 * Herb Gold PH1 * Pete Hanner AE2 * Barry Hertzog AE2 * Cmdr. Norm Green * Kenneth Jack PH2 * Robert King * Lt Cmdr Tom Larson * Lt Cmdr Don McCoy * George Montgomery PN3 * Bruce Nason JOC/PH2 * Eric Nelson * Tom Pinkley ADJ2 * Lt Rodney Rogers * Capt P.J. Smith * Pete Wallace ADJ2
VFP-62 provided detachments to all Atlantic Fleet attack carriers. This RF-8A was from Det 38 "Sooper Snoopers" USS Shangri La (CVA-38) circa 1964-65. ---contributed by Larry Plourde, former PH2
The VFP-62 Mission:
Five Soviet nuclear missiles under covers---Cuba October 23, 1962
Before satellite intelligence gathering, the United States relied upon aerial photographic reconnaissance to gather intelligence to assist the fleet in guarding our country. This progressed from the early days when a Navy Photographer (Photomate) would hang out of the open doorway of a plane, with a heavy camera strapped to his neck, to a supersonic jet manned only by the pilot. VFP-62 flew the RF-8A/G Crusader to gather high quality aerial photography for that purpose.
Intelligence specialists considered the Navy's Light Photographic Squadron, VFP-62, the best low-level reconnaissance unit in the armed forces, because the unit's personnel were well trained and the Crusader was an especially stable aerial photography platform equipped with cameras of advanced design.
For that reason, VFP-62 was chosen by the Secretary of Defense and the CIA---and approved by President John F. Kennedy--- to fly the first low-level photo reconnaissance during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October, 1962
Book Cover Artwork
Blue Moon over Cuba: Aerial Reconnaissance during the Cuban Missile Crisis
by Captain William B. Ecker USN (ret.) & Kenneth V. Jack
VFP-62 RF-8G 1967-68 - USS Shangri La Detachment The Last VFP-62 Detachment before squadron disestablishment in January 1968 Photo: Lt. Gary Adams & Contributed by: Capt. Len Johnson
President Kennedy presenting the Navy Unit Commendation to VFP-62
"As I said in our meeting at Boca Chica, the reconnaissance flights, which enabled us to determine with precision the offensive build-up in Cuba, contributed directly to the security of the United States in the most important and significant way." --President John F. Kennedy (Letter to (then) Cdr. William B. Ecker --January 26, 1963)
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