Oriskany (CV 34) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 98 text:

VC- 4 FIRST ROW, Left to Right: Sam Craw- ford, AM27 Willard R. McDonald, A035 Richard E. Johnson, AN: Robert E. Nealous, AEAN7 Roger R. Boucher, A037 William T. Magaurn, AN: Claude E. Jacobs, AN: Merlyn F. Raph, AT3 .... SECOND ROW, Left to Right: Eugene H. Bakke, AD17 Ira W. Dil- Iyn, AEI: Edwin F. Ward, ALS: Arden L. Kohse, AN: Jack W. Weidner, PNSNQ Billy L. Brown, AT2: Donald F. Patterson, AM3: Leroy W. Kleckner, AN: Daniel Vandenbos, Jr., AL2p Don- ald H. lartholomew, PH3 .... THIRD ROW, Left to Right: Wallace F. Kar- sten, AD1p Eugene A. Pelton, LTJG: Homer D. Bailey, LTJGQ Walter A Scott, LT: James S. Dearth, LCDRQ Ed ward L. Kennedy, LT: Louis H. Deane, ADC: Robert S. Speicher, ADI. . . FOURTH ROW, Left to Right: Louis J. Duchene, AN: Leroy Porter, TA: Leon- ard E. Schallawitz, ADAN7 John V. Kuiawa, AD37 Douglas W. White. AD3. l i 1 e 5 i Tail high. During night operations photographers open the shutter to catch this landing in moonlight. Q Y -Z7 'lU 4W9 .1 U1 4 ' Y 2 HE motto of Composite Squadron Four: Nox Mea Auxiliatrix Est- meaning '4Night ls Our Allyn tells the story. VC-4 Detachment Eight, as a carrier-borne night Hghter unit, provided round-the-clock, all- weather protection to the Oriskany and its supporting ships on the Mediter- ranean cruise. To prepare for such duty, VC-4 had been organized in September, 1943, based at NAS Atlantic City, and commanded by Captain C. T. Booth, USN. Training in night fighter operations began at F AWTULANT, Key West, Fla-1 and ended with the cruise. Stress was placed on instrument work, including night rocket and bombing, ground control intercept, ground control approacll and carrier control approach. LCDR Dearth and his Detachment had met the Oriskany on shakedgwll twice before Corning aboard with four F 4U-5Ns enroute to the Mad. neg experience, however, came before dawn one dav when a catapult failed all LTJG Bailey7s aircraft was forced to crash-land on the water. Mid-August, VC-4 took part in Operation Beehive, a joint An1erican-BritrSl1- FI'CI1Cl1-ltaliall CX6I'CIlSC. gave the unit its Hrgt Chance to keep ,em Hymg night after night under simulated combat conditions. Each VCA' Pilot got Credit for Shooting dOW11 6461161115777 Planes. Aboard ship, meanwhillii the DFI' tachment recognized Crawford and Patterson as the best two rin-bendefs ni, the Navyf' for their success in keeping VC-LL craft in repair. On liberty. all hands voted the French Riviera tops. Boucher, who French 1 ' ' ' , actualy received a tricolor from the hands of Presl General De Gaulle, and an Admiral of the French Navy.

Page 97 text:

v 1f,W Wm , f ,f l fzvaff, ,X M

Page 99 text:

C-12 Cgmposite Squadron 9 , Q 7 1' 4s E X is Q l 'Qs 1 X 1 X QX g i Q X J sa ss.-be 3' 3 5 v .v .R r cg, X N sl ,X ,fm TOP ROW, Left to Right: E. M. Prus, AD3: R. G. Patterson, AN: W. Bowling, AD3: F. H. Hall, AN: F. C. Eardley, AD3: J. A. Lowans, AN: A. G. Grappe, ADAN: G. G. Bennett, AN. . . . THIRD ROW, Left to Right: C. W. Donahue, AT3: H. D. Miller, AN: Lawrence, TN: R. F. Madsen, AN: E. H. Hagel, AE3: V. D. Nocera, AN: A. S. Higbee, AE3: J. B. Jennings, AT3. . . . SECOND ROW, J J R bb AD1 C W Edens ALC' D D Norton ADC' I L Left to Right: D. R. Roller, AT2: . . o , : . . , , . . , , , , Newberry, ALC: A. J. Ferranti, AD1: R. E. Gleerup, AT2: J. L. Gleerup, AT2. . . . FRONT ROW, ht: J. R. Rundle, AM3: J. V. Williams, SN: R. W. Feix, ATAN: E. K. Harmon, ALAN: Left to Rig E. G. Miller, AN. HE t s uadron of VC-12, based at Quonset Point, R. I., supplied specially-equipped all-weather paren q radar teams for almost every carrier leaving the East Coast. Detachment Eight, aboard the Oriskany, cl of seven ilots and one electronics officer, three chiefs and 27 enlisted men. Under was ma e up p LCDR Buckowski they provided extended aircraft early-warning coverage for the Fleet in the Med. They flew four ,AD4-W Guppies, the plane with the big-belly radar dome. One of the assistant plane lled 4cGuppy.7' Another EM kept his plane uFlying ,lewel.'7 captains, Lowans, resembled his ship so closely he was Ca so well wire-brushed and shining that he earned the name f the officers added a half stripe during the cruise gg M Four o - . They became LCDR Buckowski, and Lieutenants Baber, Lehman and 4'Hopalong Hannigan. uHopalong', won his special distinction when he was thrown by a bucking horse on Crete. To make the detachment function smoothly, among the plane captains, a storekeeper, electronic maintenance men and operators, a steward and others were: Chiefs Norton, Edens and Newbury, and 'iKissin' Jima' Rundle, 4'Dad,' Robb, aWant-Out Hagel, '4Baldy Higbee, i'Rackets Wil- liams, Can You Top Thisu Bowling, 4'Ear Bangerw Ferranti, Ready Room Roller and Grappe, the c'Don Juan of Genoa. ills LTJG J. A. Deganahl LTJG N, p, fqmqsiq Lt. E. R. Wiseman Lt. C. A. Balmer ' Education Officer Electronics Officer 0Pe 9n5 omfef A 3 gi, i wg: Xi i Q LCDR G. A. Buckowski Oflicer in Charge 6: Lt. R. P. Meyers Maintenance Officer Lt. J. P. Hannigan Personnel Otlicer g . . Lt. B. A. Lehman Material Officer