Columbus (CA 74) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 123 text:

It ' s a bird, it ' s a plane KD Unit Twenty-Three provides Target Drone services for the Columbus and other ships of the fleet in company with the Columbus. Our duty aboard is temporary, for we are assigned to the ship only for the duration of this cruise. Our parent squadron is Utility Squadron Three at San Diego, California. LT Henderson is in charge of the Unit and is the Drone Controller. Chief Young is the leading chief. Briody, AMI, is in charge of all the catapult work and structural repair of the drones. Anderson, AD1, keeps the drone engines humming and overhauled. The targets are maneuvered by remote control from the ship and contain a total of eight electronic components. Boesch, ATI, and Fender, AT3, keep this equipment in repair and at peak operating efficiency, along with the control transmitter. At the completion of the drone ' s flight it is brought down by a parachute. Delano, AN, and Ray, AN, are responsible for packing and repairing the parachutes, along with assisting with the other work of the unit. KD Unit Twenty Three FRONT ROW: Boesch, D.L., Young, K.D., ADC, LT B. Henderson, Anderson, G.E. SECOND ROW: Briody, G.T. Fender, J.E., Delano, D.W., Ray, G.A.

Page 122 text:

Courtney, R.M., Baughn, F.T., LT R.F. Bliss, Barrett, J. n , Estes, V.H. Hu-1 Unit Eight... and Helicopter Unit 8 is one of many deployed units whose parent squadron is based at Naval Air Station, Ream Field, San Ysidro, California. The squadron furnishes helicopters and crews for the Navy ' s fleet in a utility capacity. It is called upon to provide a wide and varied service to the ships to which it is attached : rescue, plane guard, gun spotting, and personnel transfer, to mention only a few. The parent squadron endeavors to send each unit to sea complete within itself. Our particular detachment consists of a pilot, first mechanic, second mechanic, radio technician, and an airman. Another day of Bliss

Page 124 text:

the whirleybird alights.