Comments on: Gate Guard

By: Dave "Slo-Mo" Barak

Dave "Slo-Mo" Barak — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 23:30:10 +0000

Oops, that should be “Slo-Mo.”

By: Dave "Sol-Mo" Barak

Dave "Sol-Mo" Barak — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 23:29:26 +0000

Yo, badbob,

When were you on Vinson? (Assuming you check back here.) I was in VS-29 until ‘87 (sensor operator), before the days of Viking tankers — just sponging to keep the A-7 and KA-6 tankers light enough to land while saving the taxpayers’ money. I spent quite a bit of time asleep while getting gassed up and/or waiting in marshal. “99 Wolfpack, signal delta.”

By: craig mclaughlin

craig mclaughlin — Thu, 31 May 2007 21:01:34 +0000

“and look for one of dem anodyne-green mini-Hornets flying FCFs outta the Depot!”

To continue B2’s theme about being old, past it, over come by events, et cetera, I looked in my old logbook, picked four bunos at random and googled them. Don’t ever do that. Here’s what I found: 158249, destroyed in class ‘a’ mishap 31 October 1992 and struck from the list; 158234 & 158235 struck from the list 2 November 2004; 140849, changed to FAA registry N849MC, Quantico Flying Club. That last hurts the most.

By: badbob

badbob — Thu, 31 May 2007 19:56:06 +0000

Sure Lex, by the 80’s we called ‘em Corrosion Dets for cover but it was pure VFR flying outside the ATA! You could do anything you wanted as long as you avoided Manila, didn’t fly over Baggio and didn’t rile up the Moro crazies in Mindano. Anything. Oh yeah- and bring da jet back, too. Think about it.

BTW- pre-Lex = ~1986, near as I can figure (seems like yesterday to moi). You must admit THERE was a pre-Lex period, eh? Now though, even you Lex, are a codger, both you and your beloved mini-Hornette! Just ole Legacy MFs like the rest of us pogues! You best look up in the air while you still can, while you’re working at the NAE HQ and look for one of dem anodyne-green mini-Hornets flying FCFs outta the Depot! Pretty soon you may not have that, either!

I know this is rubbin it in sorta after “showin ya da mirror” above, but have ya figured out “the way out”, of the I.A. bidness yet? You must be ripe for plucking!

By: lex

lex — Thu, 31 May 2007 16:06:24 +0000

Pre-Lex? You’re talking about the old “corrosion dets,” I imagine. Also known as “get that Grumman off of my deck!”

Arduous duty indeed, and few men returned back-sheep on the flip side in the same order they had been left behind.

I was indeed too junior on my first deployment to be a part of the corrosion det.

As for first days in Cubi, I don’t know what I miss more: Being that young, or being that stupid.

Probably both.

By: badbob

badbob — Thu, 31 May 2007 13:48:48 +0000

In the old days (pre-Lex) we would flyoff about 1/3 the combat power of the airwing and det out of Cubi for the inport period. Can’t remeber if’n the turkeys had CAP on their plate, all I remember was a diet of Low Level- No rule (pre video recorder) flying meself! On CVN-70 we did this as recently as 1990. Basically just light unit unit level training. Bombing and Crow valley stuff. Not sure if Lex was flying off the regional Atsugi carrier (thankfully I was never stationed on/about) but they may have had a different “doctrine” seeing how they were always in & out of thar (no pun intended). BTW, I’m still interested in getting to the bottom of that big ol’flyover the Rooskies did in 98 or 99 unapposed on that forward deployed boat.

re “entrusted as we were with protecting a $5 billion national treasure and the 5,000-odd souls embarked upon her from the Soviet Menace.”

Something between bravado and irony?

Re rendevouz- Actually, about ME is about 165 kias with manuver flaps at ~45K.

Gee Lex, I reckon as lead I’m shore yer wingie has his own “story”. I say Lex wingman, are you out thar son? Did ya stick? Tell us your version of events puhleese.

re- ” after which it was time to go and land at Cubi Point, the airfield across the bay from Subic” & “Which was at the end of the day, the really important thing.”

Aye-aye. Gotta love those one cat days!