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Comments: |
As a plankowner with VAQ-136 I
was pleased to see your site and see that the squadron has done so well
over the years. Some great memories were from my time with the Gauntlets
and aboard the Kitty Hawk. Two items of interest: 1) if my feeble memory
serves we well, the squadron did NOT stand up with four aircraft assigned.
In fact, we had to borrow a VAQ-129 bird for the commissioning ceremony
because we didn't have any planes yet! It was an intensive start for a
squadron to go from being commissioned with no planes to being deployed as
an operational squadron aboard the Kitty Hawk in eight months. And 2) That
first cruise (73-74) found us in the Indian Ocean where we crossed the
equator on 18 March 74. This was after the squadron ALMOST had the
distinction of flying the Shah of Iran off the ship, but his security
people thought better of it (cat shots not safe?). We had even painted the
Iranian flag on one of our birds for the event. Anyways, thanks for the
wonderful site, I'll visit it often just for the sea-stories it'll bring
back. Ciao, Jim. |
