Once a Ripper, always a Ripper
Seved as Ripper CMC from 12-88 thru 7-90. Made my last cruise on the Forrestal with Cdr Bob Kimmel as CO of the squadron. He allowed me to be the CMC I knew I could be, Thanks.
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Seved as Ripper CMC from 12-88 thru 7-90. Made my last cruise on the Forrestal with Cdr Bob Kimmel as CO of the squadron. He allowed me to be the CMC I knew I could be, Thanks.
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f-14 ripper from 83 to 86-J.F.K and FORRESTAL Lebanon and every other place you can think of. We never stood still for more than 3 seconds I still call it Ripper living to this day
I became a "Ripper" in 1968 as an ATAN and left the squadron in 1971 as a AT2. We made three "Carribean " cruises and three Med cruises. I enjoyed my time as a "Ripper" and served with some real characters like Cdr Dawg Davidson and Lt. JJ "Soupy " Campbell.
thought some of you might like my plain it was one of the best
TRYING MY BEST TO FIND SOME OF THE RED RIPPERS THAT SERVED I N 1985-1989 MY NAME IS DAVID CLARK AND WAS IN THE A/E SHOP
I was in VF-11 from November 1961 through August 1963. We were flying The F8u Crusaders in at least two different configurations. I worked on the flight line as a plane captain the whole time even though my rate was aviation electronics technician. I made PO3 shortly after I arrive in VF-11. Never got any higher because I chose not to take the PO2 exam. Had I passed the exam I would have gotten the rating and that would have required an extension of active duty.
At the time I didn't want that. Made the 1962-1963 Med cruise on the Franklin D. Roosevelt CVA42.
I enjoyed my time with VF-11 and especially some good friends. Several of us were together for almost my whole tour with VF-11. I would be interested in hearing from anyone assigned to VF-11 during the 1961-1963 time frame.
Except for the OpTempo, I enjoyed the people a lot while in the squadron. We did have a couple of a**hole officers in it, one in particular I will not name, but I remember him (as XO) trying to keep me from going to the closing on my first house. I went up the chain and spoke to the CO, who said of course I can go. All this took place during a packout of the squadron they had me on, even though I was TAD to AIMD!
The AT Shop Chief (Henson was his name, I believe) was a good guy, and he told me of the fire onboard the Forrestal, when he was an airman. He was one of the guys carrying bodies out of the berthing compartment.