Attack Squadron VA-85

Comment

Comment by Staige Miller Jr on March 8, 2010 at 10:45am

It's amazing to me that a 1sts were immediately blessed with all the leadership skills the day they sew the stripes on. Some actually had the skills, but many others came up woefully short. Maybe times have changed since the '60s. I remember having a propellerhead for a Chief somewhere in there. What was a propeller Chief doing in a jet engine shop, on a carrier pulling duty in the Gulf of Tonkin?

Comment by Kim Brockhoff on March 7, 2010 at 8:51pm

Lamm was my first powerplants chief on Forrestal in '71. Kind of a goofball from what I remember but I was a young pup at that time so any chief was nuts I guess. The lifer 1st's and 2nd's in the shop were the good guys .

Comment by Staige Miller Jr on March 7, 2010 at 8:27pm

There isn't a "Godfrey," "Williams," or "Jenkins" in the cruise book, but there is a "Lamm" that I remember. He was E-6 at the time, but evidently made Chief later on. All I remember about Lamm is him talking about takin' a piss after sex to keep from getting VD. I didn't say anything, but science knows better than that. CDR Westbrook was finally made CO on the Connie. There were a bunch of us who made the America and Connie cruises. We didn't have much of a turnaround in those days. By the time the Connie got back to San Diego, I was a short-timer and was looking forward to getting out.

Comment by Staige Miller Jr on March 7, 2010 at 11:25am

I'll have to check the cruise book for that, Kim. The names don't sound familiar, but I was in the Line Crew on the Connie. I was about the smallest Plane Captain in the crew and there was a time when some dumbass chained an F-4 to hatches on the hangar deck, didn't set any brake and the damned thing rolled around for a while. After that, we had to carry about nine chains for recovery ops. Talk about a load for one man! We'd comshaw other squadron's chains when we ran out. They did the same.

Comment by Kim Brockhoff on March 7, 2010 at 9:54am

Staige, Did you have an ADJ-1 Godfrey with you on the Connie? He was my first supervisor on the Fid on '71 Med cruise. Was a great guy. Also some of the lifer types were Chief Lamm, Adj-2 Williams and Adj-2 Jenkins and Adj-1 McMillen all good guys as I remember.And Al by the time I got there it wasn't Spades, it was Pinnocle and Acey Duece only. Those lifers thought that Spades was for civilian pussies !!

Comment by Robert A. McKay on March 6, 2010 at 10:59pm

during the cruise on the Connie, did you ever go buy sodas or watch movies in the AMD Module Repair Shop forward of the Hanger Bay?
I was in 85 during that cruise and was one of the night shop supervisors.
Welcome aboard.
Mac

Comment by Staige Miller Jr on March 6, 2010 at 8:37pm

I made it to VA-85 after VA-42 in 1967 like most everyone else. Deployed on the America, 1968, and Constellation, 1969-70. Worked in the PP Shop and Line Crew. Decided 3+ years of the Navy was enough and got out in September 1970. Smart move, I think.

Comment by Jim Harvey on March 2, 2010 at 3:53pm

I was in VA-85 from '67 to '70 when I got out. Made the Wespac cruise on the America & the Connie, both with the Line Crew. It was a great bunch of guys.

Comment by Steve Downes on February 21, 2010 at 7:34am

Joe, your profile shows that you live in Durham, Me. We're building a summer place over in Palermo, I was in '85 twice (75-78) & (82-83), then was with VP 23 & 26 and retired out of BNAS AIMD in '94. when were you in 44 & BNAS?

Comment by Domenic A. Ricci on February 21, 2010 at 7:11am

Yes yesterday was a fantastic time,Joe and his son and me and my son had lunch together..what a time..it is always great to meet with friends no matter how much time passes,we picked up where we left off and that is so good..life will pass us by but the bond we built in VA-85 will last forever...peace and again Joe it was soooo good seeing you my friend...

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