The White Falcon - 07.10.1983, Blaðsíða 3

October 7? 1983/THE WHITE FALCON 3
Ceremonies/ awards presentations
mark 'end-of-an-era’ departure
Aided by CAPT Thomas Ha I I? COMFAIRKEF Chief of Staff! VP-ll's Commanding Officer? CDR
John Ryan! CDR Rick Magalis? COMFAIRKEF Ops Officer! and others of the impressive ASW
team? RADM Ronald E. Narmi? COMFAIRKEF? does the honors in cutting the ceremonial cake.
Patrol Squadron Eleven, under the direc-
tion of CDR John Ryan, commanding officer,
departed for their home in Brunswick, ME,
this week -- concluding its second straight
record breaking Keflavik deployment in the
past 19 months. In a ceremony at the VP
Hangar last week, RADM Ronald E. Narmi , Com-
mander Fleet Air Keflavik, addressed the
assembled personnel from ASWOC, NAVFAC,
AIMD, NSGA and PATRON 11. In his remarks,
RADM Narmi said: "I've never, in my 28
years, seen ASW done in a more professional
manner than it is being done right now."
All in all, however, it was VP-ll's day.
After the address by the admiral the squad-
ron presented awards to eight individuals
and the admiral reenlisted AT2 Donald Hol-
man -- VP-ll's 81st of the quarter. Petty
Officer Holman's reenlistment typifies the
impressive accomplishments which the "Proud
Pegasus" squadron has amassed during this
deployment and all of FY 83.
The squadron has made unpresedented pro-
gress in fulfilling their three-pronged
philosophy: People, Safety and Mission.
The squadron has "lived" its sense of unit
pride by winning the Patrol Squadrons Bruns-
wick Golden Anchor Award for Retention for
three of the last four quarters and has
concluded the final quarter of FY83 with
over 70% first-term retention, an unprece-
dented achievement. While on deployment
the squadron lived its commitment to com-
munity by contributing both time and effort
to such projects as the USO refurbishing
project, opening of the local school, con-
ducting a fund-raising project for the Am-
erican Red Cross and playing a vital role
in the NATO Base's tremendously successful
1983 Radiothon for the benefit of Navy Re-
lief.
Safety is paramount in VP-ll's list of
priorities. It currently holds the PATRON-
WINGSLANT Safety Award -- encompassing all
East Coast VP squadrons, presented to the
squadron with the most impressive safety
program. VP-11 has flown over 40,000 con-
secutive accident-free hours, many of which
were flown in Iceland's harsh climate.
Commitment to excellence in areas of
both safety and people has been directly
responsible for the squadron's accomplish-
ment in the third element of its philosophy
-- mission. The statement of these ac-
complishments climaxed the awards ceremony
this past week. VP-11, after setting two
operational ASW records in its 1982 deploy-
ment, showed its consistency of operational
excellence by setting four additional rec-
ords during this deployment -- an accomp-
lishment not approached during recent years
in VP ops. Because of this achievement,
VP-11 was declared the "ASW World Record
Holder." The largest cake ever made in
Keflavik and a sign unveiled at the cere-
mony presented appropriate reminders.
VP-11, NAS Brunswick's final representa-
tive to Keflavik for the near future, leav-
es Naval Station, Keflavik and Iceland with
some enviable records. It's commitment to
total quality involvement was justly recog-
nized this day.
"Pegasus Pride -- Catch It!" We did!
208 years: From sails to reactors
By JOCM Merle F. Jacobsen
When our Navy began 208 years ago, the
first person on a ship to spot another ship
was- likely to be an ordinary seaman high in
the rigging. Today, the first person to
know of an approaching craft-- be it above,
under or on the sea -- quite possibly will
be a junior sailor who spots a blip on a
screen.
If the Revolutionary-era sailor (we'll
call him Johnny Yank) were to step through
a time warp into today's Navy, he'd probably
be overwhelmed by technology — nuclear
propulsion, whirring computers and machines
that fly off a ship and return. He'd pro-
bably be most at home with the deck force,
where many things are done the same way as
they were two centuries ago.
Yank undoubtedly would learn some new
tricks from contemporary boatswain's mates
and likely would teach them a few things
that were lost in the art of marl inspike
seamanship over the years. He'd know what
to do if he were aboard one of the Navy's
battleships and was told by a BM2 to holy-
stone the teak decks.
When Yank joined the Navy, it may have
been as a member of a privateer recruited
by George Washington to fight King George’s
Royal Navy of 207 ships, the world's most
powerful fleet at the time. On Oct. 13,
1775, Yank's status became somewhat more
official when the Continental Congress auth-
orized outfitting two ships. In December
1775, the U.S. Navy was ready to do battle
with its force of four warships and four
escort vessels.
"The first beginning of our Navy," John
Paul Jones wrote later, "was, as navies
rank, so singularly small that I am of the
opinion it has no precedence in history."
Yank would be amazed that the U.S. Navy
today has more than a half million people
serving on active duty with nearly 200,000
who are sailors for a weekend a month and
two weeks of a year. He also might find it
incredible that today's Navy is building
toward a 600-ship force. When told that
four million people served during World War
II, he'd be flabbergasted.
Yank, remembering hardtack and salted
meat, probably would be pleased to eat in
the crew's mess of a modern warship where
sailors eat planned, well-rounded meals. If
our Revolutionary sailor liked a nip of de-
mon rum, he -might be disappointed to dis-
cover that it went the way of flogging.
Women in the Navy, much less on ships,
also would surprise Yank. The nearest thing
he'd remember of women in the Navy would be
the sloop Katy, later renamed Providence,
(See 208, Page 4)
Jax-based VP-24 assumes VP duties
The Batmen of Patrol Squadron 24 have arrived in Keflavik on an extended winter "hunt-
ing and fishing" expedition. VP-24 earlier this week assumed the duties of the PATR0NKEF
unit, relieving the Pegasus of VP-11. Under the operational command of CINCLANTFLT, the
Batmen will be involved in some "big game" fishing — monitoring the activities of the
Soviet's Northern Fleet, especially their _________________________________________________
extensive submarine activity.
Under the leadership of CDR Wayne M.
Vickery, the squadron has been aggressively
preparing for this deployment since its re-
turn from Rota, Spain, earlier this year.
The Batmen's comprehensive, at-home train-
ing has resulted in 12 of 12 crews attain-
ing an "Alfa" or maximum ASW (antisubmarine
warfare) proficiency status during this
period.
Patrol Squadron 24 was commissioned on
April 10, 1943 at NAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.
The squadron was originally designated
Bombing Squadron 104, but was changed to
Heavy Patrol Squadron 4 in November 1946.
In August 1948 it was redesignated as Pa-
trol Squadron 24.
CDR W.M. Vickery
Fol 1 owi ng Worl d War
II the squadron par-
ticipated in the
testing and develop-
ment of the "Bat,"
the Navy's first air-
to-surface guided
missile. As a re-
sult, the nickname
"Bat Squadron" and
"Batmen of VP-24"
has carried down
through the years.
Work on the Bat mis-
sile also inspired
the squadron's fam-
ous Batgirl insignia.