Coral Sea (CVB 43) - Naval Cruise Book

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FIGHTER ADRO IGHTER SQUADRON ONE SEVEN THREE is one of the five aircraft squadrons comprising Carrier Air Group SEVENTEEN. It is a relatively young squadron, having been commissioned in August 1948. The squadron at present is composed of 25 Officers and approx- imately l00 Chief Petty Officers and enlisted men. The aircraft complement is made up of Chance-Vought F4U-5's. The official name of the plane is the CORSAIR but it is referred to, affectionately and otherwise, throughout the navy as the Bent Wing Bird C because of the configuration of its wingsj and Old Hose Nose . The primary purpose of Fighter Squadron ONE SEVEN THREE is to seek out and destroy the enemy in the air, on the sea and on the ground. Also to serve as bomber escort, reconnaisance and other tasks relayed to it. The squadron is skipperecl by Lieutenant Commander Irving G. Peters, a tall, blond mixture of Scandinavian and German from Minneapolis, Minn., who speaks a midwestern dialect with some- thing akin to a Southern drawel fimmagine thatll Known as Pete to the other Squadron Commanders, the Skipper is a soft spoken guy with a knack for handling people and getting results. He is a pilot with experience and skill who drapes himself around an F4U-5 and drives around the sky with apparently little or no effort. The Executive Officer is Lieutenant Commander Carl L. Speirs from Per Heights, South Dakota, more recently from the Naval Test Center at Patuxent River, Maryland. The Exec counts his flight hours by the thousands and his carrier landings by the hun- dreds. A bundle of energy who somehow manages to be everywhere at one time fthe reports Mm! go outly and makes sure there is never a dull moment. The Exec is a sportsman Cmatch you for a Hatueylj and a self-appointed guardian of the ready room. Many, uh, garbage cans have been filled with stray flight gear during his reign in this position. He is known to openly indulge in tail chases and his hopes are to one day be scheduled for a one hour hop and have a four hour gas supply . Next in Command is Lieutenant Commander Austin L. Det Detweiler. Lcdr Detweiler hails from Zeigler, Illinois and is an Annapolis graduate Class of '42. A mild mannered, easy-going guy who might become slightly perturbed only in extreme circumstances. Det is an able division leader and handles with precision and efficiency the thankless task of Maintenance Officer. Operations Officer for the squadron is Lieutenant Louis J. Frketic. LT Frketic is a blunt hard driving little man coming from the Smoky City Pittsburgh. A top-notch pilot with hours and experi- ence and a firm advocate of safety and flight proficiency he is known by the younger pilots as the Old Man of the Mountains' because he can always prove that he is a sadder and wiser man than thou. First row: Ens. NV. E. Orr Ens. KV. C. Dukes Ens. A. M. Boyz:- iian Lt.IJGJ D. J. Kingsbnrg: LCDR C. L. Speirs LCDR I. G. Peters LCDR A. L. Detweiler Lt. L. J. Frketic LLQJGJ F. C. Brtek ILIJGJ J. J. Signioos. . . . Second row: Lns. E. L. Miles Ens. D. E. Rosenqnist Bus. J. C. I-Ilunplurey Bus. R. D. horlllall Ens. K. H. Wnorlbllry, Ens. I. I . Jones Dns. A. R. Ashworth Lt. IJGJ C. WV. Cnusey Dns. F. For- sythe Bus. D. Dnrrinezul Emu. D. B. Sceman Ens. J. J. Tyson Bus. J. L. Kremer Eng. J. C. . Sm-Lent. e lw:1o7i l W. l l in ,. HQ ill :QI I 'l il i . ll 2121. A - A - ..:.fi ' A - L A A' 5 ' Z ' ' ' a - 'L' . , .. : - 1 ' . .A5'.:.I'1. L . . i ' Pn-st ron J L Clrncv A Inn-ent, L G Hall-.texnl Jr XV lxnuxllfikn WI I Tuiun-lla G Olllleclnl B DI Benolkln, WI llinml D A Currier 'I' It--.tnun Second rnu Iohnson L G llnlnngggn

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