VA-172Photograph AlbumCruise Book for USS FDR - 1958-59 Med Cruise Provided by Harry Clark Commander Hank Cutler, Skipper of the BlueBolts for 1958/59 Med cruise aboard FDR. Richard Werkmeister (center) gets "expert" advice from Douglas Rep. John Rosen (right), and Bob Casecla of Wright Aircraft Corp. (left) who were with VA-172 during the FDR 1958/59 Med Cruise. 1958/59 Med: Boss for the moment, is LTJG Jim "Snoopy" Populorum as SDO. 1958/59 Med: Ed Wingerter, Dick Cook, Howie Young, Herm Turk and Pat Patrick answer the call to "Man'em on the Double". 1958/59 Med: LCDR "Dad" Young strapped in by Plane Captain Tony Whitehead. 1958/59 Med: "Hook me Up"! Blue Bolts Skyhawk AB-301 being maneuvered into position on one of the FDR's cats. Cruise book photos above from Harry Clark 1958/59 Med: VA-172 AB301 being maneuvered onto the cat 1958/59 Med: VA-172 A-4 breaks the "Holdback" as the "Cat" begins its stroke. 1958/59 Med: BuNo 142758, AB-304, on Cat2 1958/59 Med: #304 on Cat 2 1958/59 Med:A-4 "leashed" to the tow bar. 1958-59: Blue Bolts Skyhawk BuNo 142758, AB-304, being maneuvered into position on the hangar deck. USS FDR 1958-59 Cruise Book via Harry Clark 1958-59: BuNo 142790, AB-308, being maneuvered onto the cat. U.S.S. Franlin D Roosevelt 1958-59 Cruise Book 1958-59: VA172 Roger Widney and Ray Waush working in the nose. USS FDR 1958-59 Cruise Book via Harry Clark 1958-59: VA-172 "Nap" Napoli digs deep doing maintenance. USS FDR 1958-59 Cruise Book via Harry Clark 1958-59: VA-172 James Paris is working on the radio. USS FDR 1958-59 Cruise Book via Harry Clark Blue Bolts Skyhawks lined up, manned, and ready to go aboard the USS F.D. Roosevelt. BuNo 142827, AB-300 in the foreground. Cruise book photo via Harry Clark 1958-59: Loading practice bombs on a Scooter 1958-59: The "FDR" refueling, showing her Flight Deck. 1958-59: FDR's Portable Laning Mirrors 1958-59: BuNo.142726 1958-59: BuNo.142730 1958-59: BuNo142758 - AB304 on #1 Cat. 1958-59: BuNo.142758 on #2 Cat. 1958-59: This scooter has had her teeth (20mm) pulled 1958-59: BuNo.142758 1958-59: BuNo.142758 1958-59: BuNo.142771 1958-59: BuNo 142790 (AB308) participating in the "Deck Shuffle". First they move me here, then they move me there. 1958-59: BuNo.142790 "Gassing Up"' BuNo142794, and two sister A4D-2s in formation during the Sept. 1958 to Aug. 1959 Med Cruise. BuNo 142795 (A4D-2) in the hanger Bay onboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Sept. 1958 to Aug. 1959 Med Cruise. 1958-59: BuNo 142795 on the Flight Deck 1958-59: BuNo.142795 Being fueled by Fred Wilms and Leon Lambert. VA-172 AB310 on the FDR Flight Deck. Bob Cole, Bob Graham, Tony Cabot and Ken Nutt are four tired "Tigers" at the end of a long day in the air. All photos from Harry Clark's Cruise Book 1959: A-4B BuNo 142827 AB-310 Photograph from Gary Verver. A-4B having her tied-downs broken down in preparation for a move. Photographer unknown. 1961: BuNo 142697 A4D-2 refueling VF-14 F3H Demon BuNo 145521, AB-102. Gary Ververc 1961: VA-172 Blue Bolts Skyhawks, VAH-11 Skywarrior, VF-11 Crusaders and VF-14 Demon at the top operating from the USS F.D. Roosevelt. Naval Aviation News Photo 1961-62: Blue Bolts Skyhawk flight line. Right to left BuNo 148546, AB-301, BuNo 148554, AB-303. US Navy from "Boom" Powell 1962: BuNo 149563, AB-300, parked on the ramp during an open house. Unknown photographer via W. Mutza 1962: Blue Bolts Skyhawk BuNo 149565, AB-301, assigned to CDR W.S. Stewart parked on the ramp. Unknown photographer via W. Mutza 1962 (L - R) BuNo 148468 AB-309, 148446, 149566 and 149566. In the background is CVA-42, USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. This was taken during the Cuban Missle Crisis. Photo from Stanley S. Martin. 1963-64 BuNo 149611 with Special Weapons Loading Team. Stanley "Marty" Martin is bottom front right, with Tim Cook second to his left. They are in front of AB-311, A-4C BuNo 147XXX. BuNo 149611 is at left. Photo from Stanley S. Martin. 1964 CVA-42 MED: A-4Charlies of VA-172 form up and tank from A-3B AB-604, BuNo 162656, of VAH-11 during the FDR MED cruise of 14APR64 to 22DEC64. Bottom Skyhawk is BuNo 149566 as AB-303 and the top is BuNo 149563 as AB-300. Tom Meyers 1964 CVA-42 MED: VA-172 "Charlies" formation over the FDR. Left to right: BuNo 148468 as AB-309, BuNo 148446 as BuNo AB-307 and BuNo 149565 as AB-301. Photo taken by VFP-61 DET F-8 Driver Tom Meyers. Tom Meyers 1964 CVA-42 MED: left in-close is VA-172 AB-305 BuNo 148305, in the background on the left is an VA-172 AB-310 BuNo 14xxxx. Plugged into the tanker is VA-172 AB-300 BuNo 149563 and providing the fuel is VA-12 AB-402 BuNo 149499. Photo taken from a VFP-61 DET F-8 by Tom Meyers during the 1964 FDR MED Cruise. Tom Meyers 1964 BuNo 148573 in flight over NAS Cecil Field. The "Blubolts" were stationed temporarily at Cecil Field while the USS FDR was having a propellor repaired. Then then returned to their interrupted MED Cruise. Photo from Stanley S. Martin. 1964: BuNo 148468 aboard the FDR on the 1964 MED Cruise during a "re-spot" on the flight deck. Stan Martin 1964: Three VA-12 A-4Cs, middle right is BuNo147823; and VA-172 A-4C middle left is probably BuNo149537 AB-302. Most likely 1964 MED cruise aboard the FDR. Stan Martin 1964: BuNo 149611 traps aboard the FDR. Most likely during 1964 MED cruise. Stan Martin 1964 MED: Blue Bolts 307, most likely BuNo.145083, undergoing engine maintenance aboard the FDR in the MED. Stan Martin 1964 MED: Skyhawks being launched from the FDR in the MED. Stan Martin LTJG Fred Purrington onboard the United States Ship Franklin D. Roosevelt CVA-42, during its 1966 Vietnam cruise. Fred was shot down and held POW until the war's end. He is pictured with AB-313, BuNo.149564. Photograph from Bob Hinckley. 1966: Blue Bolts LTJG Morris Kempl, Jr., exits his Skyhawk, AB-307, after making FDR's 152,000th arrested landing in the South China Sea. Naval Aviation News Photo 1966: Blue Bolts Skyhawk AB-310 and other aircraft crowd the deck of the USS F.D. Roosevelt as she operates in the Gulf of Tonkin after deploying from Mayport, FL to the Seventh Fleet. Naval Aviation News Photo 1966-67: right side in-flight view of Blue Bolts Skyhawk formation dumping excess fuel as they pass by the Roosevelt. L-r: BuNo 147673, AB-309, BuNo 148528, AB-305, BuNo 147735 and BuNo 148438. U.S. Navy Photo 1966-67: right side in-flight view of Blue Bolts Skyhawk formation dumping excess fuel as they pass by the Roosevelt. L-r: BuNo 147673, AB-309, BuNo 148528, AB-305, BuNo 147735 and BuNo 148438. U.S. Navy 1966-67: right side in-flight view of Blue Bolts Skyhawk formation dumping excess fuel as they pass by the Roosevelt. L-r: BuNo 147673, AB-309, BuNo 148528, AB-305, BuNo 147735 and BuNo 148438. U.S. Navy JAN 1967: Blue Bolts Skyhawk BuNo 147728, AB-308, parked on the ramp. Unknown photographer via W. Mutza MAR 1967: Blue Bolts Skyhawk BuNo 148611, AB-301, parked on the ramp. Neal Schnieder 1967: ordnance handling on the hangar deck of the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt with Blue Bolts Skyhawk AB-305 providing an occassional resting place for the Bluejackets. Naval Aviation News Photo A Blue Bolt flight of four A-4C Skyhawks - 1967. CAG's bird BuNo. 150585 AB 300 leads BuNo. 147735 AB 303 on the left wing, BuNo. 147726 AB 319 on the right wing, and BuNo. 147741 AB 320 in the slot over White House Auxiliary Field north of Cecil Field, Florida in 1967. Photograph from Bob Hinckley A Blue Bolt flight of four A-4C Skyhawks over the Mediterranean - 1967. A-4C Skyhawks BuNo. 149513, AB-316; BuNo. 148586, AB-311; BuNo. 147811, AB-301; BuNo. 149564, AB-313. They even painted the Bluebolt insignia on all four aircraft! Picture taken in late 1967. USN photograph from Bob Hinckley. MAR 1968: partial left side tail section view of Blue Bolts Skyhawk BuNo 145083, AJ-307, parked on the line. H&MS-14 TA-4J BuNo 154637, CN-1, in the foreground. Nick Williams Mar 1968: Kashin class Soviet missile destroyer, pennant number 504, alongside the FDR in the Med. Blue Bolts Skyhawk BuNo 145083, AB-307 in the foreground. Naval Aviation News Photo. 1969-70: Blue Bolts Skyhawk BuNo 149537, AJ-302, coming in for a landing. Dave Steinbacker A-4C Skyhawk BuNo. 147673 - 1970. Blue Bolt A-4C Skyhawk BuNo. 147673 side number AJ 506 taking off. Notice the patch on the fuselage that proclaims "Laotion Highway Patrol." The "LHP" mission was attacking the Ho Chi Minh trail that ran through Laos. Masaaki Hayakawa took this picture July 10, 1970 at Naval Air Station Atsugi, Japan as CVW 8 aircraft rested while waiting for United States Ship Shangri-La CVA 38 to depart port call in Yokohama. This Shang tour was from March 5, 1970 to December 17, 1970. Photograph by and courtesy of Masaaki Hayakawa. A-4C Skyhawk BuNo. 149621 - 1970. Blue Bolt AJ 300 the Carrier Air Wing Commander's bird (check the CAG's colors on the rudder) is about to land at Naval Air Station Atsugi, Japan July 16, 1970. Color photograph by and courtesy of Takafumi Hiroe of Yokohama, Japan. |
