VP-871 Patrol Squadron

Navy BBS

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Billy Becraft wrote on January 17, 2019

Send Email To BILLY BECRAFT

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City and State: NEW PORT RICHEY FL

Unit: VP*19 ND VP*871

Service or Relationship: navy

Comments: Left VP-19 May 1955 to Pensacola march 7 1957 dischared,was the USAFR for 3 years. Lived part time in costa rica,married costarican girl 1992,still married jJan 2019,have one son 24. ITurned 87 2019. Have had some healthe problems

Phone 727 842 3304.

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Daniel Griffith wrote on January 10, 2014

Email Update Needed

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City and State: SPOKANE VLY WA

Unit: VP - 871

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: Please contact me if there are any survivors left still alive from my crew.

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Billy Becraft (Beercraft) wrote on September 1, 2012

Email Update Needed

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City and State: NEW PORT RICHEY FL

Unit: VP-871/VP-19 & ATU-206

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: LEFT VP-19 MAY 1955 TO ATU-206 PENSACOLA,FL.
DISCHARGED 3/7/0957.

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James (JIm) Winstead wrote on December 23, 2011

Send Email To JAMES (JIM) WINSTEAD

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City and State: LOS ALTOS CA

Unit: VP871

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: Reflecting back on my days and nights flying with my
great young crew #8 in the battle worthy PB4Y2's
which were brought out of the desert from WW2 to drop
flares at night (no infrared in those days) to enable
those brave young marine fighter pilots seek and
attack their targets , fly reconnisance off the
frigid coast of Siberia, anti submarine for the 7th
fleet and any other heavy duty work the management
felt was needed. Not much hope of connecting with
Pappy Blane, Asten, Sparks, Norton, Lt. McCauly or
the rest of my crew seeing as I was the youngest at
the time but am now 80+. God Bless them
all............

Keywords: PB4Y2,Oakland NAS CA,Alameda NAS CA,Whidby Island NAS
WA,Sand Point NAS WA, Barbers Point NAS HI, Kimpo
(K14) Korea, Iwakuni Japan, Atsugi Japan

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Fred Ashley wrote on October 19, 2010

Send Email To FRED ASHLEY

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City and State: SPOKANE WA

Unit: PATROL SQRD 19

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: Just a old shipmate that would care to hear from anyone of that time frame. Had a great four years in he navy met many fine men. Would like to find john henry johnson of ohio..my name is fred but everyone called me pete my middle name ran around with hubert swanson, orvil george schneider, jonny johnfon john denny.

Keywords: alameda hawaii guam atsugi P2v-3s

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Dan Griffith wrote on October 15, 2010

Email Update Needed

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City and State: VERADALE WA

Unit:

Service or Relationship: Family Member

Comments: Dads 77 and still kicking, he's not much into the internet stuff so I'll surf for him.

Keywords: My Dad went by the name of Grif flew onboard the VP-871

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Maurice (SHEP) Shapiro wrote on December 19, 2008

Email Update Needed

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City and State: SUN CITY WEST AZ

Unit: VP-871 / VP-19

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: I joined VP-871 in February 1951 as an air crewman. In the fall of 1951, I was assigned to Communications. I served the squadron in Communications while we were in Alameda, Barbers Point, Atsugi, Iwakuni, Kimpo and Guam.

Upon VP-871s return from Korea to Alameda in 1952, I was designated Air Intelligence Specialist, At that the time the Squadron changed designation from VP-871 to VP-19 and replaced our PB4Y2s with P2Vs.

In 1951 with the squadron at Sand Point, I first met my future wife Marie. She was Wave stationed there. At this writing, we have been married fiftysix years.

We had great times being in the squadron and of course extremely sad moments when we lost friends in crashes off Smith Island and in Japan.

I do recall a very funny event when operating out of Iwakuni, Japan. One night, the Officers Club caught fire. The noise from liquor bottles popping could be heard most everywhere. To help put out the fire, we enlisted men rushed to the club. In truth we ran to save the booze for ourselves. We did a decent job of firefighting and took our reward by confiscating many fine bottles of CC and Johnny Walker.

Since leaving the Navy in late 1954, I had maintained contact with a number of my squadron mates. However, as the years flew by, more and more of my friends passed away. The last one I had contact with was Bob Klinger. Bob passed away October 11, 2006 and his wife Myrtle followed this year.

I am seventy-seven now and look upon my days as a member of VP-871/VP19 with deep pride and fond memories.

Regards to all

Maurice (SHEP) Shapiro

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Maurice (SHEP) Shapiro wrote on December 19, 2008

Email Update Needed

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City and State: SUN CITY WEST AZ

Unit: VP-871 / VP-19

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: I joined VP-871 in February 1951 as an air crewman. In the fall of 1951, I was assigned to Communications. I served the squadron in Communications while we were in Alameda, Barbers Point, Atsugi, Iwakuni, Kimpo and Guam.

Upon VP-8871s return from Korea to Alameda in 1952, I was designated Air Intelligence Specialist, At that the time the Squadron changed designation from VP-871 to VP-19 and replaced our PB4Y2s with P2Vs.

In 1951 with the squadron at Sand Point, I first met my future wife Marie. She was Wave stationed there. At this writing, we have been married fiftysix years.

We had great times being in the squadron and of course extremely sad moments when we lost friends in crashes off Smith Island and in Japan.

I do recall a very funny event when operating out of Iwakuni, Japan. One night, the Officers Club caught fire. The noise from liquor bottles popping could be heard most everywhere. To help put out the fire, we enlisted men rushed to the club. In truth we ran to save the booze for ourselves. We did a decent job of firefighting and took our reward by confiscating many fine bottles of CC and Johnny Walker.

Since leaving the Navy in late 1954, I had maintained contact with a number of my squadron mates. However, as the years flew by, more and more of my friends passed away. The last one I had contact with was Bob Klinger. Bob passed away October 11, 2006 and his wife Myrtle followed this year.

I am seventy-seven now and look upon my days as a member of VP-871/VP19 with deep pride and fond memories.

Regards to all

Maurice (SHEP) Shapiro

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Billy Becraft (Beercraft) SR. wrote on November 26, 2007

Email Update Needed

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City and State: NEW PORT RICHEY FL

Unit: VP-871 - VP-19

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: Looking for anyone that was in VP-871 or VP-19 from 1951 - 1955

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Billy Becraft (Beercraft) SR. wrote on January 31, 2007

Email Update Needed

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City and State: NEW PORT RICHEY FL

Unit: VP-871 CHANGE TO VP-19 FEB 1953

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments:

Keywords: Joined VP-871 Dec 1951 sent Atsugi Jan 1952
Vp-871 changed to VP-19. Feb 1953 VP-19 Hawaii and Guam 1953
1954 Atsugi Vp-19 crew#4. left squardron april 1955 to Sherman Field ATU-206 Pensacola,discharged march 1957

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Kenneth Parker SR. wrote on October 21, 2005

Email Update Needed

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City and State: FRESNO CA

Unit: VP-871

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran

Comments: After a 4-year hitch in the USN 1952-1956, and four cruises to Korea (Task Force 77)in tail-hook squadrons ATG-1, CAG-9, I completed my 8-year committment in VP-871 and VP-872 NAS Oakland flying P2V-4's,and -5's ASW (APS-20 Radar)missions off the California coast. We also flew long range week-end flights to Hawaii, GITMO, Sand Point NAS, and a two week stint to Rota, Spain. The best time of my life.

On one flight to Sand Point near Mt. Shasta at 10 Angels, I looked out of the starboard window and there were a gaggle of geese flying in formation off the starboard wing. We outran them, of course, but it reminded all of us that serious damage could result if we had been on the same flight path. Exciting times and I only regret that I did not stay in for the full 20. Love that Neptune.

Kenneth E. Parker, ATR3c
VP-1 Whidbey Island, VP-19 (NAS Alameda), (VP-871, VP-872 NAS Oakland)1956-1960

Keywords: Charlie How, Week-End Warriors, NAS Oakland, CA, Golden Gators.

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Jared (Jerry) Byrd wrote on June 26, 2004

Email Update Needed

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City and State: BURLINGAME CA

Unit: A-DIVISION

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran - Korea

Comments: Jeep Carrier
CVE 86 Sitkoh Bay
Anyone remember the collision at sea in 52/53?
I do remember it broke off the port anchor at tne shank and buried it in to starboard bridgewing of a Luckenbach freighter.

Keywords: F86-D
We brought over about 35 every trip. We made a trip every two weeks. Where in Hell are all the aircraft?

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Charles H. (Chuck) Fuller wrote on December 18, 2000

Email Update Needed

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City and State: OCEANSIDE CA

Unit: VP-6

Service or Relationship: Navy Veteran - Korea

Comments: I remember you guys visiting our barracks at ATSUgi Japan--with your shoulder holstered '38s..
You had good mission stories. . as did we... I'd like to know more now . . . CIA involved ? Did you relly drop delayed mines in the Yangtze River ?.. .. I was combat intel on the P2V-3W's and a few times on the non radar (APS-20) flights.. I was grounded for squad political reasons the day B4 my next skeduled flight was shot down by the Soviets off Vladivostok.
After 50 years, I don't recall your names--but do you have any unit history to direct or send me ?
Your planes were huge ! ours were fantastic !
---Thank you best regards /Chuck Fuller

Keywords: CIC ASW P2V Neptunes

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