Summer 2007

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="057285a1erlcgo.png"> <div> <B>VP-21 & VPB-111 Veterans Association</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="056d2c00dkelyh.png"> <div> <A HREF="id102.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Whats New"><U>Whats New?</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="VP21 VPB111 VETERANS ASSOCIATION"><U>Home</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="gibraltar_straits.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Calendar"><U>Calendar</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mission"><U>Mission</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Association Officers Board Of Directors"><U>Association Officers</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="rosters.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Rosters"><U>Rosters</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://vp-21.org/history" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://vp-21.org/history"><U> History</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id52.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Newsletter"><U>Newsletter</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://vp-21.org/biographies" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://vp-21.org/biographies"><U>Biographies/ Profiles</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id100.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Photo Gallery"><U>Photo Gallery</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id98.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Museum"><U>Museum</U></A></div> <div> Small Stores</div> <div> <A HREF="http://pub16.bravenet.com/guestbook/show.php?usernum=1314220711" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://pub16.bravenet.com/guestbook/show"><U>GuestBook</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Reunion 2009"><U>Reunion Page</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Departed Shipmates"><U>Departed Shipmates</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://pub16.bravenet.com/forum/show.php?usernum=1314220711&cpv=1" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://pub16.bravenet.com/forum/show.php"><U>Message Board</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://pub16.bravenet.com/chat/show.php?usernum=1314220711&cpv=1http://images.bravenet.com/brpics/chatnow.gifhttp://www.bravenet.com/http://images.bravenet.com/brpics/chatbutt.gif" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://pub16.bravenet.com/chat/show.php?"><U>ScuttleBut Quarters</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Related Links"><U>Other Links</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id122.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Lost Found"><U>Lost&Found</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>VPB-111/VP-21 </I></div> <div> <I>VAGABOND NEWS</I></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.VP-21.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.VP-21.org"><U><U>www.VP-21.org</U></U></A></FONT><U>, </U>and <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.VPB-111.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.VPB-111.org"><U><U>www.VPB-111.org</U></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <B>John G. Esposito, Editor          SUMMER 2007                    </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>A MESSAGE FROM THE LEFT SEAT:</B> </div> <div>  For this issue, I want to discuss four things.</div> <div>  </div> <div> 1.  To date only 51 of our members have submitted their biographies to our squadron web site.  Come on guys.  I know you've done some interesting things during your lives, both in the squadron and otherwise.  Let's share it with your shipmates.  You don't have to be a professional writer.  Take a look at the ones on the site and proceed accordingly.  If you feel you need help, just send us the data and we'll smooth it out for you.  This is your site and it's an outstanding one.  Let's make the most of it.</div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> 2.  In the last few newsletters, I discussed the <I>Navy - Together We Served</I> website at <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#800080" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://navy.togetherweserved.com/usn/index.jsp" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://navy.togetherweserved.com/usn/ind"><U><U>http://navy.togetherweserved.com/usn/index.jsp</U></U></A></FONT>.  When I wrote my last article (on 25 May), there were over 156,000 members.  There are now over a quarter of a million (the site only started on 27 October 2006).  So far, 118 of our squadron members have established their profiles on the site.  Please take a look. I truly believe that it will help us to find missing Blackjacks.  It costs nothing to list your profile.  You get a free month's full membership.  After that, you can do nothing and your profile will still be there.  If you want to keep your full membership, which permits you to communicate with other members, you can do so for a small fee.</div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> 3.  NASB is still moving along toward its 2011 closure date.  One bit of news is that the group responsible for approving the assignment of property has agreed to turn over the Chapel building, and some land around it, to the Maine State Museum.  The plan is to establish an aviation museum to commemorate the contribution that the Navy has made to this area.  The Harpswell Garden Club has agreed to continue to maintain the Memorial and Friendship gardens at the site.  We still don't know what will happen to the P2 and P3.</div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> 4.  Jim Stark, one of our squadron members from 1964-1967 has written a book titled: <I>Two</I> <I>Turning, Two Burning!</I>  <I>Memoir of a Naval Aviator. </I> This book is about Jim's service while going through flight training and then during his tour as a Blackjack.  I've read it and it's truly enjoyable.  In fact, once I started it, I couldn't put it down and finished in one night.  Jim has generously offered to contribute $4.00 to the VPB-111/VP-21 Veterans Association for every purchase of his book by a squadron member.  For more information, and the opportunity to acquire this well written book that will certainly take you back to your own time in the squadron, go to Jim's web site at <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#800080" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.jimstarknavy.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.jimstarknavy.com/"><U><U>www.jimstarknavy.com</U></U></A></FONT>.  You can learn more about the book there, and actually place an order.</div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> Fair winds and following seas.</div> <div>  </div> <div> Bill</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>DONATIONS RECEIVED:</B></div> <div> The following persons have generously made contributions to our organization since the last issue of the Newsletter:</div> <bR> <div> Frank H. Cutaiar - C. L. McNamar - Joseph E. Sheehan - Edward F. Stacy - Richard S. Webb -Kent J. Weber - David E. Webster - Ellis C. Wood </div> <bR> <div> Dick </div> <bR> <div> Thanks to each of you for helping to keep our association airborne.</div> <bR> <div> <B>PLEASE NOTE:</B> The VPB-111/VP-21 Veterans Association charges</div> <div> no dues. Our operations are totally supported by the generous contributions of our</div> <div> membership, and by the sale of our squadron products. The Association comes </div> <div> under section 501(C) 19, of the Internal Revenue Code as a "Not For Profit"</div> <div> Organization. As such, contributions are legitimate tax deductions. Please make </div> <div> your contribution checks payable to the "VPB-111/VP-21 Veterans Association" </div> <div> and forward them to the Treasurer, Richard S. Webb, 219 Montoya Drive, Lady</div> <div> Lake, Florida, 32159-8642.</div> <bR> <div> <B>A MESSAGE FROM THE WEBMASTER:</B></div> <div> As of 9/3/2007 there were 19,522 visits to our website. I'm hoping that <U>your</U> visits there have been informative and enjoyable. Many of you have taken the time to let me know that you appreciate this site, and I thank you very much for your kind words. It has been an honor and privilege to serve my squadron brethren in this manner, but I'm also interested in hearing your criticisims. Please don't hesitate to let me know of your ideas for any potential improvements, which could be made for the benefit of all members.</div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> Dave Bergman, `58-`61, has some squadron documentation in the form of Orders, deployment dates and locations, etc. which he has offered to provide for publication onto our site. If you have similar material, including Plan-of-the-Days, Flight Crew Rosters, Official Orders, Departmental memos, and of course, photos of squadron members, please let me know and we can make arrangements for publishing this material on our site.</div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> How about this too? At each reunion, we sit around the Ready Room and recall incidents from our squadron's past, argue about who did what, when, and where. I'd like to publish these memories, these verbal histories. True, we have an existing vehicle to accomplish this now - the "Scuttlebutt Quarters", but for whatever reason, it has not been utilized very much at all. If you would like to participate by sharing some of your memories of flight or ground incidents, liberties, shipmates, whatever, please send them to me and I'll publish them on our site, pending editorial review and approval from the skipper.</div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> Keep 'er trimmed & level,</div> <div> Frank Balogh Jr. VP-21, 58-61 <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:Airmail7@VP-21.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:Airmail7@VP-21.org"><U><U>Airmail7@VP-21.org</U></U></A></FONT></div> <div> 1749 Burroughs Dr., Dayton, OH 45406</div> <bR> <div> <B>TAPS:</B></div> <div> It is with deep regret that I make mention of our following who have recently passed on:</div> <div> Wendell H. Bean. Jr. Passed away on 4 April 07. </div> <div> John Thibos. Passed away in January 07. . </div> <div> Tyre Eugene McDowell. Passed away Aug 06.</div> <div> William Klage. Passed away April 16, 07.</div> <div> Robert Nihill. Passed away July 13, 07.</div> <div> Peter Kostik - VPB-111. Passed away 30 November 06. </div> <bR> <div>      May they rest in peace.</div> <div>      </div> <bR> <div> <B>SICK BAY:</B>  </div> <div> Dick Webb has recently been released from the hospital.  Cause of illness is unknown.  He is reported to be coming along nicely.</div> <bR> <div> <B>FROM THE RADIO COMPARTMENT:</B></div> <div> As always, I need to be updated when you change your address and/or e-mail address.</div> <div> For those of you that are on-line, it is more important than ever to keep our communication stream up to date.</div> <bR> <div> We lost another 18 shipmates for the last newsletter due to bad addresses and no forwarding capabilities.</div> <bR> <div> Just send them to me or give me a call.</div> <bR> <div> Thanks</div> <div> Dale Woods</div> <div> 5480 W. Arrowhead Lakes Drive</div> <div> Glendale, AZ  85308</div> <div> 623-376-8851 (ph and fax)</div> <bR> <div> <B>DAN DWYER REPORTS:</B></div> <div> Our Email roster now contains the Email addresses of 500 shipmates. To add your name to the roster, or receive a copy of the roster by return Email, contact Dan Dwyer at <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:DDwyer1@Maine.RR.Com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:DDwyer1@Maine.RR.Com"><U><U>DDwyer1@Maine.RR.Com</U></U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> SEPTEMBER EDITION: 2007</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>VPB-111/VP-21 VETERANS ASSOCIATION</B></div> <bR> <div> A non-profit, fraternal, and historical association devoted to the reestablishment of contact with shipmates of the past, to strengthen the camaraderie among its members, to record and preserve the memories and incidents of the Association, to preserve the memory of departed shipmates, and to promote the comfort and welfare of its members and survivors. No dues are assessed!</div> <bR> <div> <I>Directors:</I></div> <div> <I>William Locke, Chairman, 255 Mere Point Rd., Brunswick, ME 04011</I></div> <div> <I>Dale Woods, Secretary, 5480 W. Arrowhead Lake Dr. Glendale, AZ 85306 </I></div> <div> Richard S. Webb, Dir/Treasurer, 219 Montoya Dr., Lady Lake, FL  32159-8642</div> <div> <I>John G. Esposito, Editor/Director, 862 Central Ave., Southampton, PA  18966</I></div> <div> <I>Edward LaFontaine, Museum Director, 161 Jackson Dr., Frankfort, KY  40601</I></div> <div> <I>Fred Schuster, Dir/Historian, 2713Cabin Creek Rd., Edwardsville, IL 62025</I></div> <div> <I>Dan Dwyer, Online Coordinator, Director, #6 Sarah Liberty Lane, Scarborough, ME 04074 </I></div> <div> <I>Robert Nelson, Special Projects, 49 Woodland Drive, Tequesta FL 33469</I></div> <div> <I>Harry Dunlap, Director, 5803 Eastshore Dr., Pensacola FL 32505 </I></div> <div> <I>Ron Novay, Director/Storekeeper, 7775 LakeHardeman Rd., Saulsburry, TN 38067   </I></div> <div> <I>Frank Balogh, Web-site/Director1749 Burroughs Dr, Dayton, OH 45406</I></div> <div> <I>Garry Gross, Director, 8660 East Rosemont Court, Inverness, FL 34450</I></div> <bR> <div> The `Vagabond News' is the official publication of the Association, and is circulated quarterly in the Winter (January/March), Spring (April/June), Summer (July/September), and Fall (October/December), as a third class bulk-rate mail from Southampton, PA, Post Office (Permit #61). All costs of the publication are supported by voluntary contribution only. To ensure that materials of interest are promptly published, members should submit same prior to the publishing quarter to John G. Esposito, 862 Central Ave., Southampton, PA 18966. All inputs will be published in a timely manner.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>