(5/5/24) The Wisconsin Stars and Stripes Inc. honors veterans with a life-changing trip to Washington D.C to visit the memorials and a day of honor and thanks. Bruce Nason, VFP-62 photomate (1960-62) was nominated for the Wisconsin Honor Flight with numerous other veterans. Each veteran has a guardian assigned and Bruce's son David, also a navy Sea Bee veteran, served as his guardian.


David & Bruce Nason
[CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE]

Honor salute at Dulles Airport	Vietnam Veterans Memorial	Water salute arrival at Dulles Airport	Bruce at WW II Memorial

Webmaster: Greg's honor flight originated from Florida. Here are some of his comments if you are interested about the Honor Flights:

"Ask Bruce if he had a smile when he got back from the trip. I'll bet he did. They had what they called 'mail call' which they had on the flight back. Everyone got cards snd personalized letters from friends, family and so on, which they solicited a couple weeks before the flight. So I would imagine that's an element of each flight no matter the origin.

I think each area that puts an event on has its own name. Like "Stars and Stripes" being the name of the flight put on from the area that Bruce is in. There are at least 10 hubs around the country. I did a bit of searching a while back to see how big this was. It's big. I think there was a main hub as I recall which would probably be the origin. The one here is named "The Villages Honor Flight" since a large, four-counties housing development is the center of it. The place has a large presence of Veterans of all types and ages.

They provide everything and I do mean everything: food, liquids, rain gear, if necessary, wheelchairs, if necessary, medical trained personnel, bus drivers, guardian who is responsible for you, i.e. push you if necessary, insure you stay with the group and don't wander off.

Everyone is assigned a number and every time you get on transportation buses or planes they role call your number. So they know if anyone's missing."They provide everything and I do mean everything. Food , liquids, raingear, if necessary, wheelchairs, if necessary, medical trained personnel, bus drivers, guardian who is responsible for you, e.g. push you if necessary, insure you stay with the group and don't wander off. Everyone is assigned a number and every time you get on transportation busses or planes they role call your number so they know if anyone's missing.

Patriotic-Birthday Present

Greg Engler, former VFP-62 AT2, shares his most-unique birthday gift. Above the Crusader reads, "VFP-62 Fightin' Photo."

Greg has contibuted greatly to our website, including his story and photos of his recovery of the VFP-62 time capsule at the former naval-air base, NAS Cecil Field. Read about it on our "VFP-62 Memorabilia" page.

(8/27/23) Hello Mr.Jack,

Firstly, I want to thank you for having a memorial page for my father Robert Stiles. He was very proud of VFP-62. He was a PH2, although later it was changed to a PHA2. He was in the squadron from mid-1956 through 1957 before going to NPC.

I've been going through some of his pictures and found some of him, as well as a couple from his time on the Intrepid in 1957 that are interesting, which I have attached to this email. The logo on the aircraft is really funny.

Thank you again,
Barry Stiles

Webmaster: Barry has contributed a number of excellent photos of the VFP-62 1956-57 era. They have been posted to "Squadron History," "In Memoriam (Robert Stiles memorial," "Faces of VFP-62 pg.7," and "VFP-62 Memorabilia." Hearing from squadron member's children who are interested in their father's Navy career is the best part of my job.

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(7/13/23) Webmaster: I'm pleased to share this email with you:

Hello, I'm a Mexican citizen. I was 12 years old [during the] Cuban Missile Crisis. I'm sorry for my poor English but I want to say, "Thank you America for all your effort defending peace." I don't like the Russian system without Liberty.

Thank you America --- You Are a Great Nation.

A. A. Alarcon

Restored F9F-8P Cougar Bu.No. 144402 #962

(6/4/23) A vfp62.com guest provides a childhood memory of the restored F9F-8P story on "Squadron History."

Webmaster: What becomes of navy aircraft once they are removed from service? Some go to the "Bone Yard" at Davis Monthan and await their fate. A few are rescued, restored and displayed for the public in air museums. And some are obtained by municipalities and placed in parks for children to play around. That was the fate of the F9F-8P Cougar shown above---And, also restored. I recently received an email from a non-squadron member, Jason Dean, that was a joy to read and I want to share with you. Here is what Jason wrote:

"I am emailing regarding an article I found on your website (that believe you authored) concerning the backstory restoration of F9F-8P, BuNo 144402. [Click on link to read] I happened to be looking for information on this particular aircraft because it sat in Purcell Park in Harrisonburg VA for a significant portion of my formative years (if you weren't already aware), before the city removed it in the 90's due to 'safety concerns.' I have many fond memories of crawling through the airframe and sliding down the slide from the cockpit."

I'm happy to see that it has been restored to its former glory!

Kind Regards, Jason Dean

Harrison Park-Government, VA Facebook page via Jason Dean

(6/4/23)Webmaster: We get visitors from all over the world and we're happy they enjoy our site. I received the following email on 5/28/23:

"Hola . Soy aficionado a la aviación militar. Me gustaría formar parte de vuestro grupo. Un saludo" [Translation]: Hello, I am a fan of military aviation. I would like to be a part of your group. All the best. Fran Humanes (Spain).

My name is Cephas L Moore. I retired from the U. S. Navy as an AFCM, after thirty years active duty. I am also the ADJ-2 C. L. Moore listed in the Navy Unit Commendation awards in the back of the book.

I remember those days well. We worked 24/7 at VFP-62 home base at NAS Cecil Field, FL. We made many trips to NAS Jacksonville so the Photographer Mates could unload the the film from the returning aircraft and take it to the lab for processing.

Maintaining the aircraft for flight status was something we all took pride in.

I have the book on my Kindle, and still enjoying it.

Thanks for a great book.

Regards,
Cephas L Moore
AFCM USN (RET)

[Webmaster: The book he's referring to is "Blue Moon Over Cuba: Aerial Reconnaissance During the Cuban Missile Crisis" by Capt. William B. Ecker and Kenneth V. Jack]

I enjoyed finding your Website. I'm an ex-Naval officer with three years (1957-1960) sea duty aboard USS Northampton CLC-1, home port Norfolk. I have lived in Pensacola since 1971. I miss being able to go aboard NAS Pensacola, especially the Museum.



I recently found a photo of my deceased wife at a Sunday School dinner at Marcello's Restaurant, which was close to the main gate. There was a man in the picture...film actor Leif Erickson (born William Wycliffe Anderson). A little Googling reveled that he was a Navy photographer and was married to a Pensacola lady, Ann Diamond. He died in Pensacola in 1986.

Wikipedia stated that he made some of the famous photos of the Japanese surrender on USS Missouri. I made a midshipman cruise aboard Missouri in 1954.

My guess is that he met Ann Diamond while attending photography school at NAS. I am interested in knowing if anyone in your group can add to this story.

If you can spread this out far and wide, I'd like to see what comes out.

Thanks, Ronald S. McCuiston

Webmaster: I think if you do a Wikepedia search you'll recognize the actor being discussed here. If you want to contact Ronald, use the "Contact Webmaster" link on this page and I'll make the conncection for you.

(6/22/23) BEWARE of suspicious emails: A VFP-62 shipmate received this phishing email with reference to vfp62.com. It is an attempt to get the recipient to click on a link that would allow invasion for criminal purposes.

(6/7/23) National Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola Florida now open!

(5/7/23) A special group of VFP-62 squadron members responded to a fundraiser for the purpose of extending this website's longevity on the Internet for 10 years (2023 - 2033). Their names are at the top of the "Home Page." and bottom of "External Links & Acknowledgements

(1/30/2020) Excellent video of Blue Angels inside the cockpit: Cockpit View of Blue Angels GO TO FULL SCREEN Contributed by Bill Newby

(2/1/21) Exciting movie trailer: Top Gun II movie trailer ---Go full screen and turn up the volume.

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(12/2/2019) Click to see EXCELLENT video of: Flight Deck Operations on USS Franklin D. Roosevelt CVA-42 Circa early 60s

(5/19/19) YouTube video: Memories of USS Enterprise & Decommissioning Ceremony 24-minute review of her history, flight deck fire tragedy, and last cruise--Courtesy of Charles Prescott III

(7/7/20)FIXED BROKEN LINK. Click to see EXCELLENT video of: Flight Deck Operations on USS Shangri La CVA-38 Circa 1962--What makes this video so special is the high quality color and "on the deck experience" of the photography---Webmaster.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!---Turn Speakers UP

From Marion Swinford: (4/1/17) Unusual Burial at Sea Loyce Edward Deen, an Aviation Machinist Mate 2nd Class, USNR, was a gunner on a TBM Avenger. On November 5, 1944, Deen's squadron participated in a raid on Manila where his plane was hit multiple times by anti-aircraft fire while attacking a Japanese cruiser. Deen was killed. The Avenger's pilot, Lt Robert Cosgrove, managed to return to his carrier, the USS Essex. Both Deen and the plane had been shot up so badly that it was decided to leave him in it. It is the only time in U.S. Navy history (and probably U.S. military history) that an aviator was buried in his aircraft after being killed in action.

Webmaster is no longer able to contact the following. Remember to send me any changes to your email contact information.

Correct email addresses are requested for the following squadron members:

Terry Burch

Austin Hatcher

Randy Lefler

Thomas McGuire

Jack Lehman

Ken Kelly

Daniel Olejnik

Al Clayton

Bob Garling

David Duke

Jim Hamilton

John Sammond

Al Kennedy

James Rominger

Russ Stull

Lonnie Simmons