My “Fini” Flight on Fat Albert Airlines
When I was informed by the Blue Angels PAO that I was selected to fly on Fat Albert during their show at Miramar, I was more than overjoyed. I was bouncing off the walls. To be honest, the few...
Category: Marines
A Visit to Hawthorne Ordnance Museum
Hawthorne, Nevada is home to the Hawthorne Army Depot, an ammunition staging area during World War II and the largest ammunition storage site in the world. On September 15, 1930, the Secretary of the Navy commissioned the U.S. Navy...
HMLAT 303 – Training the Future of Light Attack
Before HMLAT-303 was established in April 1982, Marine Corps helicopter pilots received advanced aircraft training at their fleet squadron after completing basic flight training. Overtime, the Marine Corps realized that this method of training was a drain on squadron...
A Visit to Valiant Air Command
Vacations are to unwind and relax; nothing can relax me more than being in the company of great people and historic aircraft. This is why I always perform an online search for any museums and airfields in the area...
Major General Tom Conant – 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Commanding General
At precisely 0830 hours I was ushered into the office of the Commanding General of the Third Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), Tom “Stash” Conant. Major General Conant, dressed in a tan flight suit, took a minute to finish up...
Lt. Col. John McCarthy – The Story of a USMC Combat Pilot
United States Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel John “JJ” McCarthy started his military career as a submariner. In 1946, a seventeen year old John McCarthy enlisted in the United States Navy. After boot camp he scored high enough on a...
A Gem Show at Joint Base Andrews
The Joint Services Open House (JSOH) at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland is held every May around Armed Forces Day. The event showcases the personnel, aircraft, and other hardware from seven major American military operators, including the Air Force, Army,...
A Reunion of Legends
On April 14, 2011 VMA 214 Black Sheep hosted a historic squadron reunion at MCAS Yuma. The reunion was attended by three of the five remaining original Black Sheep Squadron members (Ed Harper, Jim Hill, and Harry Johnson). In...
Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) Yuma2011
Yuma Arizona’s main airport is a joint-use facility that’s home to a busy Marine Corps base and an interesting mix of civilian operators. In fact, the Marines say that MCAS Yuma (on the south side of the main runways)...
UH-1N Retirement – Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
On March 18, 2011, a ceremonial event was held at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton to celebrate the final flight of the Marine Corps’ workhorse for the last 40 years – The UH-1N Huey. The UH-1N entered service...
MV-22 Osprey Reaches Historical Milestone
On February 18, 2011, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar hosted a ceremony with all Osprey squadrons located at the base to mark a milestone in the history of the MV-22 – 100,000 hours of mishap free flight. The MV-22...
Centennial of Naval Aviation – USMC Style!
In celebration of the Centennial of Naval Aviation (CoNA) and coinciding with the CoNA events at Naval Air Station North Island (San Diego, CA) on February 11th and 12th, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar opened its flight line to...
