  17 JAN 1969 to 28 JAN 1970  VA-152 crew The guy sitting to Phil Johnson's left is my father the late CDR" Buck" Elmer E. Sheeley Jr. USN retired. As you probably know we lost my father January 30, 2008 and he was buried at Arlington in April. At the time the photo was taken dad was the XO of VA-152. He got the CO position sometime later on the same cruise. Besides Phil, Gerry Romano was the only fellow's name I remember. The Ramano family lived near us in Terrania Italy about the same time this photo was taken. Prior to VA-152 Sheeley was attached to Air Wing 16 aboard Oriskany from May 1965 until January 1968. He flew VA-163 and VA-164 aircraft. They transitioned from the Skyraider to the Skyhawk when the Oriskany pulled back into Alameda sometime after they came back from the WestPac combat tour which ended in January of 1967. Dad was the Air Ops officer to Air Wing 16 during the Oriskany's two deployments from May 65 thru Jan 68. The two CAG's dad worked for during those deploymnent were Bob Spruit and then Burton Shephard. Ironically, VA-152 was part of that Air Wing for both tours. For the most part dad flew with VA-164 during those deployments. My father was at the Uong Bi TPP strike in Hyphong on October 26, 1967. I wanted to find out who his wingman was during this strike. The fellow would have been with VA-164. This strike would have happened the same day John McCain and another were shot down over the Hanoi TPP that happened some time later on the same day. David Sheeley (Son of CDR Sheeley) |