VF-52 Fighter Squadron

Unit Casualty List By Last Name

Unit Casualty List By Date

Navy BBS

Legacy Messages - 1995-1999

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Darrel Beatty wrote on January 3, 2016

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City and State: CARLSBAD CA

Unit: VF52

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: In April 1949 I was transferred from VF132 to VF52, Air group 5 consisted of one squadron of FJ1 Jets (VF51) and one squadron flying army F80 jets (VF52) , two squadrons of Corsairs (vf53) (VF-54) and VA55 which had AD1 skjyraiders. , I was attahced to VF52 as storekeeper , The blue angels learning jets as part of VF52, however , we could go to sea because the F80's were carrier ready, In May 1949 we got our first jets F9F1 panther and immediately we to sea on the Valley Forge CV45, and finally in May 1950 we were ordered to replace the Boxer in the China fleet , we had reached Hong Kong on June 25, 1950 , on the 27th we were ordered to Korea and arrived on July 3, 1950 and our jets following the Ad's made the first strikes against enemy force by Naval Jets in History , on the same day our skipper Lt. Cmdr. William Lamb shot down a Yak taking off and was the first pilot to shoot down enemy aircraft with Jet, we pulled our November 10 after being at sea almost constantly for 6 months.

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Robert Thayer wrote on August 21, 2015

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City and State: TACOMA WA

Unit:

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: Can anyone possibly give me any information about LT Howard Thayer and pilot he save while he was attached to the Fighting 52 during the Korean War. Ant assistance would be greatly appreciated. I am trying find the other pilots name.

Thank you very much

Robert L. Thayer

Men of the Fighting Lady was about my Father's and Ken Schechter's heroics when they were attached to VF-194 in 1952.

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Darrel Beatty wrote on May 22, 2014

Send Email To DARREL BEATTY

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City and State: CARLSBAD CA

Unit:

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: Joined VF52 April 1949 North Island when pilots still flying F80's , secured F9F-1 may June, deployed May 1950 to China Fleet on USS Valley Forge CV45, In Hong Kong June 1950 when Korean War Started , left Hong Kong , stopped in Okinawa and made first strikes on Korean refinery's on July 3, 1950, first squadron to deploy Jet Aircraft into combat in Naval History.

Keywords: CAG 5, VF51,vf52, vF53, va54,va55 u.s.s valley forge cv45

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Robyn Price wrote on May 19, 2013

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City and State: LAKESIDE CA

Unit:

Service or Relationship: Interested Person

Comments: My neighbor found a belt buckle with Navy air
wings and the name
Jim Gallivan VF52, TF77 and CV-45 on it,along with
various medals
and ribbons, one referring to the Korean war. He
found it years
ago in San Diego saying he found them in the
street, possibly
from a car that was broken in to, and misplaced it
in his house.
He found it again. It needs to be given back to
the owning
family. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. I
am sure these
items have sentimental value. They are
irreplaceable. Thank
you so much for any help.

Keywords: Found Navy medals, ribbons, belt buckle from Korean
war veteran

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Melvin (Dick) Kinkead JR. wrote on May 2, 2013

Email Update Needed

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City and State: KERRVILLE TX

Unit: VF-52

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: Came on board straight out of boot camp in 57. Made the trip to

Hawaii on Bennington and WESTPAC ON Ticonderoga. Was AN upon

arrival but soon switched to SN and worked in the personnel

office, and advanced to PN3. Decommissioned the squadron in 59.

Changed to YN in 68 and went into Submarine Service. Retired in

76 after 20 yrs service. Have cruise books for both Bennington

and Ticonderoga deployments.

Keywords: VF-52 NAS Alameda, WESTPAC on Ticonderoga 58-59 Skipper

Seaver/Volpi

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Bill Edmiston wrote on April 2, 2013

Email Update Needed

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City and State: LAS VEGAS NV

Unit: VF-52

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: VF-52 Will hold a reunion this November 8 to 12 at Tucson, AZ.

There will be side trips to the Pima Air and Space Museum, as
well as Hangar Flying in the Ready Room at the Windmill Suites Hotel.

Interested personnel please contact Bill Edmiston,

Keywords: Banshee, Sealancer

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Bill Edmiston wrote on February 21, 2012

Email Update Needed

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City and State: LAS VEGAS NV

Unit:

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: There will be a reunion of VF-52 November 11, 2012 at
Alameda, CA

Anyone wishing to attend, please contact Bill Edmiston.

Keywords: VF-52 SeaLancers

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Beverly Thompson wrote on June 17, 2011

Send Email To BEVERLY THOMPSON

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City and State: RED OAK TX

Unit:

Service or Relationship: Family Member

Comments: I am looking for friends of Capt. John Hart Thompson who went through FAGU with him in El Centro, California September to October 1957. Please contact me if you were there with him or have information on some of his friends that might have been there with him. He was in Fighter Squadron - FIFTY TWO at the time.

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Warren Thompson wrote on March 14, 2010

Send Email To WARREN THOMPSON

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City and State: GERMANTOWN TN

Unit: HISTORIAN

Service or Relationship: Other

Comments: My book on F4U Corsair Operations in the Korean War just got published. Currently, I am writing a hard bound book that will cover Naval Aviation history in the Korean War. It will contain unit histories, comments from squadron personnel and plenty of color slides / photographs showing the aircraft. If anyone has anything that might help me, please let me know.

Warren Thompson

Keywords: History of VF-52 in the Korean War

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James Carson JR. wrote on December 31, 2009

Send Email To JAMES CARSON

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City and State: CHARLOTTE NC

Unit: VF-52

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments:

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Richard Dobak SR. wrote on October 23, 2009

Email Update Needed

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City and State: VIRGINIA MN

Unit: VF 52

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: Would like to hear from anyone in VF 52 during this time frame.

Keywords: VF52 aboard Valley Forge 1952/53 Air department

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Richard Dobak SR. wrote on October 23, 2009

Email Update Needed

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City and State: VIRGINIA MN

Unit: VF 52

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: Would like to hear from anyone in VF 52 during this time frame.

Keywords: VF52 aboard Valley Forge 1952/53 Air department

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Carmen Urso wrote on April 14, 2009

Send Email To CARMEN URSO

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City and State: FAIRFAX STATION VA

Unit: VF52

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: I was a plane captain and check crew member. I would
like to hear from old shipmates who sailed with me.
To James Webb and Frank Vjota's son, I say hello. I know that Frank passed away. Got a chance to talk to him and your mother. He was a good man.

Keywords: USS Valley Forge CVA42 1951/52 Korean Cruise

USS Boxer CVA 21 Korean Cruise 1953

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Carmen Urso wrote on March 27, 2009

Send Email To CARMEN URSO

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City and State: FAIRFAX STATION VA

Unit: FIGHTER SQUADRON 52

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments:

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Dwight Small wrote on February 11, 2009

Email Update Needed

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City and State: TUCSON AZ

Unit: VF-52

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: I was an AE2. Worked on Banshees and Crusaders. After active duty I flew as a Radioman in the reserves out of Oakland, CA. I did a Far East cruise in '58-'59 on the Ticonderoga. Stopped in Hawaiii,Subic Bay/Cubi Point, Hong Kong, Okinawa, Yokosuka. After the navy I went to college, became a commercial pilot and flew the Vietman airlift from mid '60's to end of VN war. I'd especially like to make contact with anyone that was in VF-52 at the time that I was there.

Keywords: VF-52, VF-91, VP-876, Bennington, Ticonderoga, NAS Alameda, Banshee, Crusader and P2V

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James Webb wrote on May 24, 2008

Send Email To JAMES WEBB

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City and State: TOLEDO OR

Unit: VF-52

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: I would like to communicate with anyone who was in VF-52 from 1952 to April 1954. I was an Aviation Machinist Mate (P.O. 3) and serviced F9F-3s and 5s. I sailed with the squadron on the Boxer and Valley Forge. Both still had the straight decks. I still have my Cruise Books from those cruises and can look up anyone who might answer.

Keywords: VF-52, Valley Forge, Boxer.

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Randy Erwin wrote on August 11, 2007

Send Email To RANDY ERWIN

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City and State: CENTRAL POINT OR

Unit:

Service or Relationship: Family Member

Comments: Gail Lynch, Thank you so much for your comments. I'm sorry it's taken me this long to see them. The 'Harry Dean' I believe that you are referring to was Grant Dean. He lives in the Portland, OR area now and I visited him with my dad there some time ago. As an Ensign, or JG, Dean was one of the few combat experienced pilots still in the squadron from it's previous tour in Korea. Deacon Barker has since passed away while living in Mississippi.

Still looking for color pictures/scans of a Sea Lancer patch if anyone has one.

I still remember my dad telling me about the required response from any squadron member when asked, "Are you a Sea Lancer?" being, "You bet your sweet ass I am!!"

Randy Erwin

Keywords: VF-52, ATG-1, USS Wasp CV-18

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Bobby Davis wrote on August 24, 2006

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City and State: UPTON WY

Unit:

Service or Relationship: Family Member

Comments: I would like to visit with anyone who was in VF-52
during Lexington's Ichiban cruise.

My brother was an ordinance man on Banshees.
He talked frequenly about his Navy experiences.

Keywords: My brother was an ordinance man.
VF 52 USS Lexington Circa 1955

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David H. Drown wrote on January 19, 2006

Send Email To DAVID H. DROWN

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City and State: PALOS PARK IL

Unit: VF-52

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: I was assigned to VF-52 in September of 1955. The squadron was located at Alameda Naval Station. I was a reservist on 2 years active duty, checked in as an Airman Apprentice. My rate was switched (by me) to Seaman Apprentice and I was assigned to the office. CDR Barker was the C.O. and Clifford N. Seaver was X.O., became C.O. in early '56. I worked for LT Harry Hites, Personnel Officer. We did a 6 month deployment on the U.S.S. LEXINGTON CVA16. She had just come out of Bremerton, WA and was the first angled deck carrier to go into service. We left in May of 56 and returned in December of 56. Aircraft assigned were 52H3 Banshees. The airgroup also had a squadron of F7U Cutlasses (known as the ensign killers). We deployed with 13, came back with 6 if my memory is correct. I left the squadron in September of 57 as a YN2 and stayed in the active reserve until I completed 20 years.

Keywords: USS LEXINGTON - CVA16

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William Ward wrote on July 31, 2004

Email Update Needed

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City and State:

Unit:

Service or Relationship: Family Member

Comments: Was there a cruisebook for the Valley Forge's 1950 Korean cruise? I would be interested in scanned images from that one - I have the cruisebook from the third Korean cruise - with ATG-1 including VF-52 aboard. If anyone would like scanned images from it, I should be able to provide them.

Keywords: VF-52 Korea Valley Forge

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Gail Lynch wrote on May 31, 2004

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City and State: SAN DIEGO CA

Unit: CIVILLIAN

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran - Korea

Comments: To: Randy Erwin,I was an AEM3 in your fathers Sq
from early'54-early'55 on that last cruse you spoke about in your comments.
I remember Lt Cmr. Budnick,Deacon Barker and I beleive Lt. Harry Dean at that time.
If I'm not mistaken Mr Dean was from Okla City,Ok which was my home town.
I recall when your father was made Full Cmdr in the spring of '54 and we had a party at NAS El Centro with baseball game and gallons of beer.
He was presented with his new Cover with the Scrambled Eggs on the brim.
What a proud and humbeled man he was and I was proud to have him as my Skipper.
Back to the cruise for a moment,it was my first and only cruise and I have many memories of the many ports we visited including Manila,Hong Kong and Yokasuka,also we were in a violent tropical storm in the So China sea.
We also spent several weeks at Atsugi NAS while The flight deck of the old Wasp CVA-18 was being repaired. Also during that stay in Japan we had another Sqd party at some big hotel in I think Tokyo where one of the officers cut his hand badly trying to break a glass by squezing it in his hand.
I still keep in touch with a couple of friends form our Sqd,but most are gone or not to be located.
Really glad to be able to hook up with someone who remembers old VF-52 as I've been searching for several years.

Keywords: VF-52 Sealancers 2-12-54/3-25-55

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Randy Erwin wrote on April 26, 2004

Send Email To RANDY ERWIN

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City and State:

Unit:

Service or Relationship: Family Member

Comments: My father was skipper of VF-52 during their third, or fourth cruise to Korea aboard the Wasp. I think that it was prior to this deployment that the Sea Lancers helped to make the movie "Bridges Over Toko Ri", and "Men of the Fighting Lady"

Some of the pilots I remember from those days were Jim Holloway (future CNO), Deacon Barker ('Uncle' to me and my brother), Larry Budnick (XO), and Harry Dean. I have his cruise book from the wasp for this tour.

He was previously XO of VF-193 flying F8Fs and ADs.

I am most anxious to obtain color pictures of the squadron patches of both VF-52, and VF-193 from that period.

Keywords: VF-52 1953

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Dwight Small wrote on April 7, 2004

Email Update Needed

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City and State: PRESCOTT AZ

Unit: VF52 - VF91

Service or Relationship: -

Comments: I was an AE. Checked into VF-52 March of '57 and stayed until squadron and air group (ATG-1) disbanded in Feb of '59. My bosses were CPO Vaughn and CPO Milton Hurst. Both of these guys were later commissioned and moved on to bigger and better things. The squadron flew Banshees which were a nightmare for us electricians since most everything that moved on the plane was electrical, including flaps and gear. We always were the last maintenance people to secure each night because we had the most maintenance discrepancies to work off to get the planes airworthy for the next day, no small task considering that we had Banshees. I'd like to hear from anybody else that was in these squadrons at the time I was there. Dwight Small dsmall@cableone.net

Keywords: VF-52, VF-91 1957-'59, NAS Alameda, Westpac cruise on Ticonderoga '58-'59. Skippers CN Seaver, Volpi, Gaudi

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Darrel Beatty wrote on March 5, 2004

Send Email To DARREL BEATTY

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City and State:

Unit: VF52

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran - Korea

Comments: I was the storekeeper for VF52 from 1949 until we returned from Korea in December 1950. Joined VF52
before F9F came in and pilots were flying army F-80.
We were on a world tour when and in Hong Kong when the Korean War started, VF51 Pilots mad the first war time Jet naval airstrikes in History on July 3, 1950.
Our Co, Lt Cmdr William Lamb was one of the few who shot down Migs.
Anybody interested send email;

Keywords: Korean war

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Dwight Small wrote on November 27, 2003

Email Update Needed

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City and State: PRESCOTT AZ

Unit: VF-52

Service or Relationship: -

Comments: I was an AE. Checked into VF-52 March of '57 and stayed until squadron and air group (ATG-1) disbanded in Feb of '59. My bosses were CPO Vaughn and CPO Milton Hurst. Both of these guys were commissioned and moved on to bigger and better things. The squadron flew Banshees which were a nightmare for us electricians since most everything that moved on the plane was electrical, including flaps and gear. We always were the last maintenance people to secure each night because we had to get the planes airworthy for the next day, no small task considering that we had Banshees. I'd sure like to hear from anybody else that was in this squadron at the time I was there. Dwight Small small.dwight@att.net

Keywords: VF-52, 1957-'59, NAS Alameda, Westpac cruise on Ticonderoga '58-'59. Skipper CN Seaver/Volpi

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Leo Vojta wrote on November 13, 2003

Email Update Needed

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City and State: MOBRIDGE SD

Unit: VF-52

Service or Relationship: Family Member

Comments: My dad Frank Vojta was an F9F mechanic and then crew chief with the VF-52 serving in the early 1950s on board the USS Boxer and Valley Forge.

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Joe Brennan wrote on December 18, 2002

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City and State:

Unit:

Service or Relationship: Interested Person

Comments: I am trying to gather information about the air combat operations of USN squadrons in Korea. In case of VF-52 I am especially interested in encounters with MiG’s during the November 1950 strikes on the Yalu bridges. Official archival information mentions VF-52’s victory over a MiG 18 November, but with little detail. Any further information on this or other MiG encounters by any sdn in Valley Forge/CVG-5 at that time, first hand or not, would be helpful.

Keywords: units, aircraft

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Kimm Maillet wrote on May 2, 2002

Send Email To KIMM MAILLET

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City and State: MANHATTAN BEACH CA

Unit:

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran - Korea

Comments: LOOKING FOR GUYS WHO KNEW MY DAD

Keywords: EUGENE (JEEP) MAILLET FROM MONTANA NIGHT CARRIER PILOT FRANKLIN ENTERPRISE ETC.

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Gabriel Kertacy wrote on February 11, 2002

Email Update Needed

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City and State: BATON ROUGE LA

Unit: VF 52

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran - Korea

Comments: 1950-51 VF-52

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Richard Spoula wrote on December 6, 2000

Email Update Needed

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City and State: ALAMOGORDO NM

Unit: VF-52

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran - Korea

Comments: Thought I would add a few bits of info about Fighting 52 before old age takes it away from me. I had the privilige of being an AT3 during the last months of the Korean Conflict aboard the USS Boxer. My job was to install, service and repair the communications/radar gear in the a/c. VF-52 was stationed at NAS Miramar. This was before the fancy new buildings were put up. Miramar was a wood with tarpaper typical WW2 facility and was put back into service due to the Korean emergency, at least that's what I was told??? Transportation about the base was by semi-trailer which acted as a bus line. At one time a civilian roadway ran between the Airstrip and the barracks, this was later rerouted.
A funny thing that happened @ Miramar was one evening when I was barracks firewatch there was a fire alarm at the church. Being "green" I stupidly woke up the P.O. of the watch, a 20 year salty aviation storekeeper. "Q.K. I said theres a fire at the church. Q.K. opened one eye, looked at me scornfully, and said "holy Smoke" then went peacefully back to sleep.
I remember a few names from the Boxer cruise, our leading chief was "Blackie" something or the other. He was real Navy and a good man to know, eventually he became a Warrant Officer. Our 1st Class AT was Falconer, whom I used to bother all the time asking technical questions. AT3 "Al" Allison was with VF-52 on the previous cruise aboard the Valley Forge. ATAN Hugh Beckner was part of the AT's, as was AT3(?) Pat Macormick(?) Afew of the officers were Lt Stokes, Lt Dadisman, Lt Cmdr Kinsella, Lt. Kaiser, Lt. Holloway (his Dad was Admiral Holloway who I believe was Chief of Naval Personnel at the time.)
I believe we did our Car-quals on the BonHomme Richard before leaving for Hawaii and then our ORI in Hawaian waters. Left Hawaii for Japan and then took our place on the "LINE" off the coast of Korea.
(Will try to add more to this later on)

Keywords: NAS Miramar, NAS Alameda, USS Boxer, USS Wasp,
F9F-5 Panther Jets @ Miramar, Banshees @ Alameda

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Richard Spoula wrote on December 6, 2000

Email Update Needed

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Unit:

Service or Relationship: -

Comments:

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