Iwo Jima (LPH 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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AIR DEPARTJflElVT CDR J. M. HATCHER AIR OFFICER Flight quarters, flight quarters - personnel concerned man your flight quarter stations, booms the voice over the 1-MC. However, these words mean little to most people aboard Iwo, but for the personnel assigned to the Air Department, they signal a call to action. An average of 65 personnel work in the department, headed by CDR J. M. Hatcher, performing a variety of hazardous duties all requiring teamwork, a trust in others and a constant awareness to the ever-changing situ- ations on the flight deck and hangar bay. The main tasks charged to the Air Department concern the movement, control and fueling of helicopters on the flight deck and hangar bay, plus the control of flight operations not only on the flight deck, but in the air, in the vicinity of the ship as well. The movements of the aircraft on and around the ship ' s flight deck are controlled by the Air Officer from the aircraft control tower. The department is composed of three divisions: V-1, V-3 and V-4. The movement of helos on the flight deck and the take-offs and landings of these ' copters is the responsibility of the V-1 Division. LT G. G. Workman heads the division, which also has a crash and smash team for combating serious aircraft crashes and subsequent fires. The V-3 Division, headed by ABHC M. L. Willingham, is responsible for the safety and movement of helos on the aircraft elevators and hangar deck. The final segment of the air team, the V-4 Division, maintains and operates the ship ' s aircraft fueling system. Headed by CW03 A. D. Peeples, the division is capable of refueling any type of helicopter, often without shutting down the engines. This practice of refueling while the engines are running, known as hot refueling, is much quicker than other forms of refueling and requires a greater degree of proficiency. The V-4 Division is capable of hot refueling from 4 to 6 helicopters at once. With so much depending on the readiness of the helos during flight operations, the Air Department plays a vital role in providing the manpower and expertise that keeps the huge birds ready when they are needed.

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V-1 Di iiiiiioii CRASH AND SALVAGE AA Robinson, AA Traywick, AA Tullock, ABH3 Kaufman, ABH3 Banton, AA Filmeck, AN Motte, AA Pipkins, AA Gillikins. LSE ' s AN Newman, ABH3 Welch, ABH3 Summers, LT Workmen, AN Cruz, AA McDonald, AA Davis, ABH3 Holt, AN Farnsworth, AN Perry, ABHl Potter. % y- f -..%• BLUESHIRTS (Plane Handlers) AN McFarland, AA Skroach, AN Bailey, AR Sinigal, AA Flores, AA Mathis, AN English, AA Lugo, AA Stolte, AA Apodaca AA Moffett, AA A. Yager, AA Note, AN Walker.