Comments

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  John Stempfle May 19, 2009 at 1:20pm

  Paisan,you're right the pilot was cassano,and the BN was Lt. Ruffin. Cassano actually lost a plane on the med cruise as well (both guys ejected and made it back to the carrier in one piece). I was the final checker that night and had to answer questions in front of the C.O. about pre cat shot procedures. Flight deck cameras saved my butt. I believe we flew home the next day, and you could still smell JP5 in the air, even at the hanger, which was 1/4 mile from our luxurious tent accommodations. And this is really testing the old memory bank, but I think we had a missed approach trying to land in the fog and rain at night in Oceana. The pilot originally came in very short and had to go around for a second attempt.
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  Domenic A. Ricci May 19, 2009 at 12:57pm

  yes they did have good chow and those nasty mongoose on the flight line during night watches and oh yeah that rum was delicious and easy flowing...wasn't that flight when we lost Rocky Cassano..great guy for a pilot..I never look at the tops of the trees without thinking about that flight..
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  John Stempfle May 19, 2009 at 12:40pm

  Less than $5 for 1/2 gallon of rum, it's a wonder we can remember anything. However, I suspect the rum contributed the least to my brain cell reduction program. The most significant memory was the tanker we lost on the last flight, I can still see that whole thing unfolding as if it was only yesterday. On a brighter note, it seems the chow hall had pretty decent food.
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  Al Lieberman May 19, 2009 at 10:00am

  Rosie Roads...what a trip that was.
  I was TAD with CAG 17 as a driver/radio talker. I had access to a truck. One late afternoon I went to the otherside of the runway where there were several mango trees. I backed the pickup into a few trees that eventually filled the bed with fruit. When I returned to bundy, a welcoming committee hanging over the balcony were glad to try some mangos with their rum.
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  Domenic A. Ricci May 19, 2009 at 8:54am

  they should have spell check...boy I'm terrible
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  Domenic A. Ricci May 19, 2009 at 8:53am

  hello out there..hopefully everyone is doing fine and enjoying being on this side of the green grass...lets keep the stories flowing...this has been great for the brain cells since they have been dorment for so long..does any remember when we were down at Rosir roads the time they came and made me lay face first on the flight line because they thought I was a an Arab National because of my head wear...imagine what would happen to me know...what a trip
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  Steve Downes May 12, 2009 at 5:31pm

  Rick - I was thinking of that very trip this week! What a trip! We're lucky to have any brain cells left, as i remember it was you, I, Clayton and Pete with wives of course. It was one hell of a weekend! As for Brad Simms, I never heard from him again, the investigation was pretty intense at least the NIS interviews were... he was a good guy but I was never quite sure if he really was hurt or not. I wish him well and hope that he is OK.
  Not sure about the FID reunion, just started a new job and I don't think I can get the time off but will look at it again. Take care! Great to hear from you!
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  Al Lieberman May 12, 2009 at 11:44am

  Rick
  You may be right about the year BB came into the squadron. I thought it was '77 but I took a "best guess." Do you remember Bob Eschner? I remember Eschner threatening to nail anyone who came near him with a pump handle. He was hot that day. But I'm pretty sure he eventually was controlled.
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  Rick Cearley May 12, 2009 at 11:11am

  I won't hog the forum, but I want to ask who all if any are considering the Forrestal reunion this year? I am really wanting to go. Have a great day everyone. It's a beautiful day here in old Hamilton Ohio.
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  Rick Cearley May 12, 2009 at 11:08am

  Anyone ever hear from Bradley Simms? I just remember him and Clayton wrestling as we did many times and Brad fell from a bunk in the barracks at Fallon Nevada hitting his head. He had siesures from then on and the Navy medically retired him as equal to E-9 with one year, or at least that's how I remember it. He was an E-1. That was around 1976 if I remember right.