City, State: Huntsville, Al Comments: I regret to inform those of you that may remember Jack Spain that he was killed in a motorcycle accident in June of 2007. I received an email a few days ago from his wife Lola informing me of his death. Jack was with VR-24 from around 1974-1978. Dates may not be completely accurate. He came to VR as an AT2 and left as an AT1. When we moved to Sigonella in '76 he went to AIMD W/C 610. Jack retired with 22 years service. When I last saw him in the late 80's, he was an ATCS. Billy
City, State: Wichita ,Kansas Comments: Hi Everyone.I was in VR-24 from 81-84 in airframes.Been keeping in touch with a lot of old friends and even more thanks to this site.THANK YOU!!!Just want to say hi to Rob Stewart,Jeff Martin, Mark & Danielle Konrad,Mike Everhart,Paul Eernisse,Tracy Medina, Al & Sue Hero (Al and I were SP's together for NAF Sig.Also Brian Kuehner,and Hector Mendez,and I'm sure I've left some out.We had some great times in Sig, and some good dets too.We all busted our a*^$'s over there too.It was all worth it when we look back on it though.I was also able to contact some people through whitepages.com if anyone is still searching ,that might help. My email has changed since last year but it's updated now.I live in Wichita Kansas and work for Cessna Aircraft Servce Center as an A&P mechanic.Sounds like the reunion was good and hopefully I'll make it out to one in the near future.Well,Hope everyone is great and Happy New Year.
City, State: Bellinghgam Washington Comments: I would love to hear from any old buddies from VR24/25 Hendon 1951-53
City, State: Corpus Christi, TX Comments: Merry Christmas all you Bradshaw Buckaroos. It is always nice to read of our adventures and memories from VR-24. I do not remember doing somersaults in the mongoloid. Not Chale Biggs... Not possible gumps! Thanks you guys from other eras with your stories. Keep em coming. There was life before Bradshaw. I am hoping to put the "World Famous Bradshaw Airlines" detachment alfa together soon. Photos and Names... Where you Mr Brewer? I am still hoping to visit Bella Sigonella in June. A tu te lay gumps and a happy new year to all. Carlos B Benavides
City, State: Atoka, TN. Comments: Hey "We are VR", Great Guestbook! Good to see some great names from the past! I did a second tour and retired out of Sig, 98. It had changed a lot then and I hear it has changed even more today. At least the memories will always be there. Tracy, Sup? Could never forget you or that expression! Chale, loved the NATOPS quiz. I will never forget, as I’m checking into VR, I’m standing in the line shack, a C-2 is turning up and I see this crewman running toward the ramp and doing a summersault into the A/C. I asked Otto, “who and what the heck was that!?” Oh, that’s just Chale Biggs.” What a maniac! I ran into Lanny Miller at the Barber a few months ago. He’s an instructor pilot with FedEx here in Memphis. A few other C-2 and T-39 pilots are also flying with him. I think the Animals of the Round Table need to have a reunion! BTW, there is another website to meet old shipmates, navytogetherweserved.com. Hope to see you all on that site. Ciao from Millington, TN.
City, State: Winfield,Alabama Comments: This an unbeliveable afternoon. I read an item on the net how people were using thier name as a subject. I used mine and this was the first hit. I was in VR-24DET from Mar64-Oct66 this my first tour in the navy and it was what kept me in the navy which lead to a great and rewarding life in the navy ending as commanding officer of the Navy&marine crop reserve center in Montgomery Alabama in Nov 1989. Until june of this year i was a project manager on the Alabama River for the usacoe and now I travel for company in reston va. to bid on contracts for rivers under the COE. enough about me. Skip, I never thought when i joined the navy one of my first good friends would be a yank from PA. I wish i had know where you lived as I was in Orlando for a meeting this year NOV-DEC2. This unit was full of some great people and I was part of so many stories I could never write them all here are some. The football team me throwing a touch down to studebaker from ohio (cool dude with the woman) The softball team pitcher Jackson,firstbase willie Williams,second me(some tmes),short charlie walton???third kirpatrica??catcher sasser outfdield stud others i dont know. Things not to talk about skip and I one night on the beach with the ladies Red hilton should be in jail dillinger and his white thunderbird ask ron bishop about a party at my house in london I almost forgot skip I and two ladies at the ski lodge Anyway I am taking up to mush space, have many photo for that time and could talk of so much more but have to go. One other thing for all of you. as fate would have it i was on the indy in the bridge and saw the crash in72 our chaplin,cag,ops officers were on board. thde pilot and co-pilot didnt make it. Plane came in hit three wire slid to port side and when over just before angle deck. I think the hook failed.
City, State: SETAUKET, LI, NY Comments: WAS IN VR-24 , AT2 FROM 4-52 TO 1-54...... SQUADRON RAN OUT OF RADIO OPERATORS AND THEY FOUND OUT I WAS A "HAM" AND WAS REASSIGNED TO THE FLIGHT CREW........ VERY GOOD DUTY........ LATER IN VF-44 IN JAX........ MONTH VISIT TO GITMO AND THEN ABOARD THE INTREPID FOR PILOT QUALS...... DISCHARGED IN JAN 55.......... MARRIED 3 WEEKS LATER...... NIGHT COLLEGE FOR MY EE.......... 25 YEARS AT GRUMMAN AND THEN RETIREMENT IN '94........ THAT'S ABOUT IT ......... ANYONE I KNOW OUT THERE???????????? BOB M.
City, State: Stanwood, WA Homepage URL: http://www.stoneycompton.com Comments: Just want to let everyone know we had a great reunion in Pensacola. there are some photos at www.stoneycompton.com. A number of us are in the process of attaining non-profit status with the IRS so we can start a dues-paying VR-24 Association wherein the modest yearly dues will provide seed money for future reunions (and perhaps make them cheaper to attend!). We'll keep everyone in the loop through this web site. Next year we would like to make it happen in San Diego - after that, it's up for a vote. All the best, Stoney
City, State: Corpus Christi, TX Comments: Answers to the Ten bonus questions for the C-2A Plane Captain(Flight Crewman) examine... 1. Who was the first president of the Bradshaw Shellback Association? Chale Biggs C2-A P/C 1979-1982 2. What is Bradshaw Airlines and why was it named this? Bradshaw Airlines(VR-24) was named due to our call sign while going to the aircraft carriers. 3. Who competed for the C-2A P/C evaluator position in 1979? Carlos B Benavides and Vinnie Russo Carlos won by properly naming NATOPS. 4. Who crashed the Italian gate, waking up the guard, and got away with it? Carlos B Benavides, got saved by Salvatore a sailor in VR that was on duty that early morning. 5. Who went flying behind a C-2A on turn-up before a test flight? Carlos B Benavides- The CO was the Pilot. The copilot signaled all OK after a penalty run while Carlos took the temp reading under the wing. As Carlos went to reenter the back of the A/C they started run-up again. 6. Who was accused, by the CO, of passing out enchiladas in flight? Carlos B. Commander Palma told the Admiral during a change of command. 7. Who had to listen to Lt. Brewer(had to have the last word). for three years? Carlos B Mr. Brewer was the only VR-24 pilot to attend my reenlistment. 8. Who put one(C-2A) in the dirt and got away with it? Carlos B while towing a C-2. fell off the ramp. 9. Who held two machine guns belonging to guards in Alexandria, Egypt while they ate a customary taquito provided by Joe Ambassador? Carlos B 10. Who and why is there a Chale Biggs? Carlos B Benavides, the name came about when Kevin Hostler made two name tags with "Beans" embossed on them. That was a bit offencive at the time so I said just call me Chale Bigtimes. Chale is what my guelita called me. Bigtimes was a Charlie Pride song in the 70s. There you have it. QLB (que loco bro) mighty crazy. Thanks Carlos B Benavides
City, State: Jasper IN Comments: I remember many an 0 dark 30 show. One time in Souda, one pilot fell off the bar stool the night before and had a scraped up face. We made it though. Had to get the mail to the ship. How about the beaches and snorkeling in Souda. How about visiting Hania and eating Souflakies with that 100 year old lady serving us with fries and Cokes. Elmundos in the alley. All the ground pounders keeping the Planes ready. Thanks guys! Vinny Russo and Gail still around? Lanny Miller was always cool. What about MT. He wrote on the weight & balance form something funny. We were leaving Naples on evening with no load, he asked what to write in the form. I yelled (because the props were turning) empty. He wrote "M T" and that was his nickname ever since. Paul remembers that. Pete Burna, the morman that we quickly changed. He was cussing like a sailor. Oh, wait, we were Sailors. Dave Leclare? bobbing all the time. That is when Beta switched to VHS and CD's became popular.. more later |
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