Awards.

HT-8 won the TRAWING-5 Partners in Training Excellence Award for the second year in a row. The award recognizes the unit's commitment to education in the local community and work with a local middle school.

NAVAIR Detachment 0196 Minneapolis, Minn., was named the 2002 Air Systems Program Unit of the Year for its exceptional performance and superior customer service.

VT-10 received the CNET Naval Education and Training Excellence Award, which recognizes exceptional training for students. The squadron also received the SECNAV Energy Conservation Award for aggressive awareness campaigns, innovative energy conservation measures and consistent reduction in energy consumption.

The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame inducted three former Naval Aviation personnel at its annual ceremony. During Archie Donahue's two WW II combat tours with the Marine Corps, he completed 215 combat missions and shot down 14 enemy aircraft. Gordon Bethune began his Navy career at 17 working in aircraft maintenance and completed his naval service as a chief petty officer. He is a licensed commercial pilot and currently chief operating officer of Continental Airlines. Naval Aviator John W. Young became an astronaut in 1962 and was part of the first manned Gemini mission in 1965. He is the first six-time space explorer. The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame honors Texas residents who have made outstanding contributions to the development, growth or preservation of aviation. Additional Class of 2003 inductees were Deborah Rihn-Harvey and Dr. Leo Windecker.

Tom Macdonald, the V-22 integrated test teams' chief test pilot and a retired Navy helicopter pilot, was awarded the Society of Experimental Test Pilots Iven C. Kincheloe Award for 2003. The award recognizes outstanding professional accomplishment in the conduct of flight testing.

HT-18 is the 2002 winner of the VAdm. Robert Goldwaithe Award; CNATRA Training Excellence Award; VAdm. John H. Theodore Ellyson Aviator Production Award; VAdm. John H. Towers Flight Safety Award; and the Department of the Navy Safety Excellence Award.

Scan Pattern

Sea Warrior Discovery, a tutorial on a new approach to human resource management and development, is now being featured on Navy Knowledge Online. This program allows Sailors to more effectively define their knowledge, skills and abilities, and to identify future duty assignments that fit with their needs. To view Sea Warrior Discovery, visit www.nko.navy.mil.

Adm. Huntington Hardisty, USN (Ret.), passed away on 1 October 2003 and was buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery. A 1952 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Hardisty became a Naval Aviator in 1953, and his career spanned 39 years and three wars. He earned a place in the aviation record books in August 1961 by flying an F4H Phantom II at an average speed of 902 miles per hour, approximately 125 feet above the ground and dipping as low as 50 feet. This low-level speed record remained unbroken for 16 years. Hardisty also served on a number of key staff positions. During his last tour, as Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command, he deployed major air, sea and ground forces to the Middle East in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and played a key role in the rapid movement of supplies and ammunition to the area.

Rescues

In early August 2003, Rentz (FFG 46) with embarked HSL-45 SH-60 Seahawk and Coast Guard detachments, thwarted two drug-smuggling go-fast vessels (GFV) and one fishing vessel used for logistics support in the eastern Pacific. While on patrol, a ship's helo spotted one of the GFVs departing a refueling rendezvous with a fishing vessel. Realizing they had been spotted, the crew doused the vessel with fuel and set it on fire before abandoning ship. Rentz crew members recovered all five personnel from the GFV and attempted to extinguish the fire. The helo then reported that the crew of the fishing vessel was also dumping fuel overboard and dousing their boat in a possible attempt to scuttle it. As the fire on the GFV grew out of control, Rentz broke off its firefighting efforts and maneuvered to intercept the fishing vessel. A Coast Guard boarding party then took command of the vessel, while other crew members searched the debris field left by the GFV and recovered 37 kilograms of cocaine. The crews of the GFV and the fishing vessel were taken into custody.

Seventy-two hours later, a maritime patrol aircraft sighted another GFV and Rentz launched a helicopter to aid in tracking the small vessel. The GFV was lost on radar temporarily, but airborne surveillance from a P-3 Orion provided the necessary information to keep track of the vessel. As the frigate came near, the GFV crew made preparations to abandon their boat and set it on fire but Rentz came alongside and used aqueous film-forming foam to prevent the fuel from igniting. FFG 46 deployed her own small boat to recover the GFV crew. Coast Guard personnel then boarded the GFV and examined its contents. Eighty-seven bales of cocaine, totaling almost two and a half tons, were recovered from the go-fast vessel.

On 23 May 2003, CGAS Houston, Texas, launched an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter to a location 60 miles southeast of Galveston after being notified that a 34-year-old female had fallen off the shrimp boat Ikeazak. The vessel had been anchored for the night and in the morning the crew discovered the victim was missing. The helo and an HU-25 Falcon jet from CGAS Corpus Christi, Texas, began a search in which Typhoon (PC 5) and several civilian vessels assisted. In the evening, the Falcon spotted an abandoned oil rig with the letters S.O.S. painted on the platform and the victim on board. At the rig, the Dolphin deployed a rescue swimmer to hoist the victim into the helo. The woman, dehydrated and in a state of shock, was transferred to a local hospital.

On 23 August 2003, another HH-65 Dolphin from CGAS Houston, Texas, rescued a woman who was injured when two boats collided 56 miles southeast of Galveston. The victim was knocked unconscious aboard Lucky Peter, an 88-foot shrimp boat, when it collided with Peter Ronna, a 324-foot Russian freight ship. Lucky Peter reported to the Coast Guard that all four people on board had injuries and the boat was taking on water. CGAS Houston deployed the helicopter, CGAS Corpus Christi launched an HU-25 Falcon and Coast Guard Group Galveston sent a rescue boat to the scene. The helo was first on scene, deploying a pump to stop the flooding and an EMT-qualified rescue swimmer to examine the victim. The woman was then hoisted into the helicopter and flown to the Galveston airport where an ambulance transferred her to the University of Texas Medical Branch. The other three victims were treated on scene for minor cuts and bruises. Lucky Peter's sister ship, Prosperity, towed the disabled boat to Galveston.

Records

VFA-95 surpassed 90,000 Class "A" mishap-free flight hours.

VT-7 surpassed 267,140 Class "A" mishap-free flight hours.

Coalition maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft squadrons operating in the Arabian Gulf under Commander Task Force 57 reached 10,000 flight hours in support of Operation Freedom (OIF). The two primary maritime patrol missions are supporting ground troops in Iraq and performing OIF maritime interception operations as part of the coalition's effort to stop illegal smuggling of oil.

Anniversaries

VMFA-323 celebrated its 60th anniversary in August 2003.

VR-57 celebrated its 25th anniversary in September 2003 (see Nov-Dec 03).

RELATED ARTICLE

The following members of the EA-6B community were recognized for their achievements during the annual Prowler Week at NAS Whidbey Island, Wash.:

   Bud White Outstanding Civilian of the Year: Steve Hoffmire
   ALQ-99 Excellence: Jose Tristian
   Northrop Grumman Intelligence Officer of the Year: Ltjg. Erich
   J.Kaussen
   Ground Maintenance Officer of the Year: CWO3 Nicholas E. Rupert
   Landing Signal Officer: Lt. Christopher Hunter
   Prowler Tactics Instructor: Lt. David J. Rueter
   Prowler Tactical Excellence Squadron: VAQ-131
   Maintenance Squadron of the Year (Golden Wrench): VAQ-141
   2002 Fleet Replacement Pilot of the Year: 1st Lt. Alfred
   Geoffrion, USMC
   2002 Fleet Replacement ECMO of the Year: Ltjg. Erica Butler
   "Seadog" Fodor Memorial Award: Lt. William Schomer
   Admiral John Perry Award: Capt. John Scheffler

RELATED ARTICLE: CHANGE OF COMMAND

Bellean Wood (LHA 3): Capt. Earl L. Gay relieved Capt. Craig R. Solem. 30 May.

Essex (LHD 2): Capt. Jan M. van Tol relieved Capt. Ronald R. Evans. 22 Aug.

FIFTHFLT: VAdm. David C. Nichols. Jr., relieved VAdm. Timothy J. Keating. 7 Oct.

HS-11: Cdr. Edward J. D' Angelo relieved Cdr. John D. Schoeneck. 12 Sep.

Nimitz (CVN 68): Capt. James K. Greene relieved Capt. Charles R. Wright. 4 Jul.

Ronald Reagan (CVN 76): Capt. James Symonds relieved Capt. Bill Goodwin. 28 Aug.

Saipan (LHA 2): Capt. Christopher Hase relieved Capt. Norma Hackney. 15 Aug.

TACRON 22: Cdr. Jeffrey C. Smith relieved Cdr. Steven G. Brockett. 21 Nov.

TRAWING-5: Capt. Terry Jones relieved Capt. Chuck Key. 26 Jul.

VAQ-129: Cdr. Sterling Gilliam relieved Capt. David Woods. 10 Oct.

VAW-120: Capt. Rick Pawlowski relieved Capt. Mark Chicoine. 2 Oct.

VAW-125: Cdr. Eric W. Gardner relieved Cdr. Glen C. Ackermann. 20 Nov.

VF-31: Cdr. Aaron L. Cudnohusky relieved Cdr. Paul A. Haas. 10 Oct.

VFA-15: Cdr. Edward Langford relieved Cdr. Andrew Lewis. 19 Sep.

VFA-41: Cdr. Kenneth R. Whitesell relieved Cdr. Patrick R. Cleary. 10 Aug.

VFA-192: Cdr. Brian Corey relieved Cdr. James Paulsen. 4 Sep.

VS-35: Cdr. John P. Lussier relieved Cdr. Greg Looney. 2 Jul.

VT-10: Lt. Col. Eric Nelson relieved Cdr. Michael Moran. 24 Oct.

VT-22: Cdr. James H. Hineline relieved Cdr. William G. Davis. 1 Aug.

Wasp (LHD 1): Capt. James Wise H. relieved Capt. Edward MeNamee III. 28 Aug.

Edited by JOZ Oan Ball and JOSN Brandy Lewis