Lexington (CVA 16) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 240 text:

E T VF-123 Front Row: M.G. Sumbera, F.L. Moore, J.H. Cox, BJ. Solomon, H.J. Johnson, J K. Kendall, R.W. Storlie, L,L. Anderson, D.W. Witten, H.E. O'Neal. Second Row: AJ. Laven, A.S. Johnson, Jr., R.M. Castaneda, M. Tullo, R.F. Moyer, L.J. Savage, R. Perry, G.L. Whitworth, E.L. Mecham, R.F,. Bonawitz. Third Row: J.W. Vinyard, LE. Wooten, R.E. Thorn- borrow, R.G. Kincaid, J.F. Rowland, LR. Gooley, W.H. Hodges, Jr., W. Partee, E.D. Killin. CDR HALEY JOINS LT LANG IN LANDING BLAST. ROCKET-LOADED COUGAR TURNS UP AT ATSUGI VF-123 Front Row: J.P. Miller, Jr., M.P. Kilna, W.L Law, G.A. Dela Cruz, E.E. Hoffman, E. Hightower, R.E. Beyerlein, G.A. O'Hara, W.J. Harvey. Second Row: G.D. Lee, T.A. Donahoe, H.L. Hiland, L.B. Hulse, R.W. Webb, W.V. Grant, Jr., A.C. Scarberry, D.E. Halcumb. Third Row: F. Foster, R.R. Johnson, LE. Fischer, W.R. Eggers, B.C. Parry, G.H. Borntrager, J.D. Howell.

Page 239 text:

VF-123 Hclley's With the outbreak of the Korean War the N weekend warriors of Fighter squadron 871 were placed on active duty and subsequently completed two combat tours flying the E4U Corsair. Redesignated VE-123 in 1953, the squadron was assigned F9E-2 Panthers and saw two more Ear Eastern stints before joining up with CVC-12. Prior to the present deployment, the 19 pilots underwent intensive training at Miramar, El Centro, and China Lake, with each man winning two or more coveted sharpshooting Q'E s for a grand total of 59. Skippered by Cdr. R. I. Haley, after whom the unit has become known as Haleyis Comets , the squadron made aviation history when four of their E9E-8 Cougars took part in the world's first multiple inflight refueling opera- tion from a seaplane tanker. Making the trip to WestPac aboard the LEX, the Comets will be based at NAS Atsugi for the greater part of the cruise. l CDR R.I. HALEY CDR W.W. FLEMING LCDR A.R. QCROFT, JR. LT D.W. ROBERTSON V. .,,....., ,.,.. . ,. .,,. W ,.,,k,,, ony.,-Mfg, Comets LT N.O. ANDERSON, JR. LT R.U. MORRISON LT J.O. MOORE COUGAR neatly frames Atsugi control tower. l 3

Page 241 text:

'Ewan-6 QQ M 'N K , f fi , 4 N H Q , g l VF-123 Front Row: T.A. Larson, M.D. Anderson, G.R. Roberts, W.P. Roche, J.V. Polzin, D.G. Vial, G.A Howland, Jr., J.D. Barnes, J.S. Christy. Second Row: E.D. Griggs, W.L. Stephens, S.P. Blatnica, R.C. Taylor E.L. Garrity, H.M. Sonntag, G.L. Schumacher, G.M. Brown, WJ. Klinglesmith, Jr., H. Dramen. Third Row A,J.A. Arnaud, W.F. Burks, LG. Finch, D.H. Story, M.D. Williams, J.A. Riley, M.E. Pletcher, Jr., T.E Shireman, Jr. F SLTJG J.W. RYAN LTJG C.G. KOTHER ENS L.E. MURPHREE AT THE CALL, pilots are off and running, man their planes. VF-123 Front Row: J. Montoya, E. Blue, Jr., F.T. Flynn, D.E. Prescott, E.B. Hayes, RJ. Altgilbers, R.W ' ' ' W. . M K' C.H. Lawton, A.G Smith E. Severmo. Second Row. T. Bledsoe, J.L. Sheckles, RJ. Korcha, I c inney, Gilley, R.M. Kelsay, B.R. Ashbaugh, G.E. Yoder, B.E. Drake, N.E. Lipperd. Third Row: L.A. Broughton J.F. Urban, W.A. McMenamy, H. S Hoffert, R.R. Hasson, R.C. Schmidt, C.R. Lilyquist. Q