OCTOBER 1999

A-3 Skywarrior Assn.

Newsletter

FROM THE EDITOR:

Dear Whalers,

    Sorry for the gap since the last newsletter. The A-3 Association continues to grow. We are over 600 strong! The web site has grown along with our organization due to your participation and interest. The most popular feature is the photos. Keep them coming!
    The need was pointed out for a way that folks could alert us to email changes. Consequently we have put up a 'revision form'. It can also be used for notification to us of ANY change in your membership data. If you move, change email, find a mistake in your membership listing or any other revision that you want corrected, use it! It is in the menu and there are a couple of other links throughout the web site.
    This issue does not feature a formal interview with one of our members but does have some background on an honorary member. Some of you may have known 'Gigi'. We hope you enjoy some of the escapades from those 'good ole days'.
    One current member's name did come up frequently in the process of putting this issue together. So we tracked down Tom Maxwell (CAPT. USN/RET)of Boonville, Mo., and got the latest on his activities. We included a short bio on him as a point of interest.

FEATURED THIS ISSUE:

"GIGI" The Golden Goddess 1958-19__

Gigi was a longtime member of the Whale community after her abduction by CPO Cliff Hornung from an Alameda night spot. She traveled WestPac with VAH-4 on her maiden voyage but encountered many detours and TAD assignments.

Is this Cliff with the prize?

Gigi's last known duty station was with the VAQ-135 Black Ravens at NAS Whidbey Island. Needless to say, the Prowler community's commitment to Gigi's well being was far less enthusiastic than the 'Heavies' and the 'Whalers'.

Click on this image of Gigi to read some of the history and personal accounts of the Golden Goddess's famous career.

WHALERS IN ACTION

A story surfaced on the internet some time ago. It is a firsthand account of events occurring on July 18, 1967, during strikes on Hanoi. What caught this editor's eye was the name of an A-3 Skywarrior pilot mentioned in the account. He was M. Thomas Maxwell. Tom Maxwell and crew are credited with the 'save' in this story of an F-8 Crusader pilot, Dick Shaffert, was standing guard over a fellow downed pilot till rescue could arrive.

The events can be read in Shaffert's own words by clicking here.

VAH-4, Det Golf were credited with over 50 saves during that cruise. According to Maxwell, not all were as exciting as the one recounted here. Each crew, no doubt, notched many noteworthy saves. Carrier tankers weren't very high profile but when the gas gauge was flashing 'low fuel' they were appreciated beyond words. "BRAVO ZULU" guys!

Listed below is the roster for that WestPac Detachment.

1967/68 cruise, USS Oriskany, CVA-34/CVW-16
Ship's Captain: CAPT. Billy D Holder (RADM/USN retired)
Airwing Commander: CDR Burton H. (Burt) Sheperd (RADM/USN retired)

A-3B Detachment: VAH-4, Det Golf (34) NAS Whidbey Island, Wa.
Compliment: Three aircraft, BUNOs 142650, 142655, 142658.
Tail letters: AH
Call sign: Hollygreen
CREWS:
        1.)     Laurentis, William D., LCDR (pilot) (OinC) (CAPT/USN Ret)
                 Singley, Phillip W., LTJG (nfo)
                 Johnson, William C., ADJ3 (crewman)

        2.)     Kavanaugh, Michael W., LCDR (pilot)
                Patterson, Bruce M., ENS (nfo)
                Hardie, Charles D. AE2 (crewman)

        3.)    Maxwell, Mattew T., LCDR (pilot) (CAPT/USN Ret)
                Vanderhoek, James, LTJG (nfo) (CAPT/USNR Ret)
                Shelton, William, AE1 (crewman) (MCPO/Ret)

        4.)    Albright, Donald W., LCDR (pilot)
                Skinner, William J., LTJG (nfo)
                Lindsay, William H., AE2 (crewman)

Aircraft loses: BUNO 142658, 7/27/67 lost at sea near Paracel Islands, South China Sea.
        Occupants: Kavanaugh, Patterson and Hardie. LCDR Kavanaugh survived and was rescued. ENS Patterson and AE2 Hardie were lost at sea.

BUNO 142655, 10/21/67 alpha damage at NAS Cubi Pt.
        Occupants: Albright, Skinner, Lindsay and passenger Estes. All onboard survived.

Replacement crews:
            5.)     Stubbs, David, LCDR (pilot)
                    Skinner, William J. LTJG (nfo)
                    McAllister, W. R. AQB3 (crewman)

            6.)     Pickens, George, LT (pilot)
                    Cochrun, Benny J., LTJG (nfo)
                    Seethoff, Kirby, PT2 (crewman)

Replacement aircraft: 142660, 142664

Biography of M. Thomas Maxwell, CAPT. USN Ret
(We're pretty sure he is hiding in some of the Gigi photos!)

Tom currently resides in Boonville, Mo., with his wife Betty Ann and is VP of Operations for Gehm Environmental. Tom's son Matt is a Navy helo pilot stationed in Virginia Beach. His daughter Debra is an office manager in Boonville, and son Michael works with Learfield Communications in Jefferson City, Mo.

Tom assumed command, from Cdr. Bob Jackson, of the VAQ-135 'Black Ravens' in 1974 at NAS Alameda flying the EKA-3B. In late1974, VAQ-135 stood down and moved to NAS Whidbey Island in preparation for their transition to the EA-6B Prowler. In early 1975, VAQ-135 stood up as a four-plane EA-6B Squadron. Later in 1975, Tom turned over the squadron to CDR Dick Gundermann.

From VAQ-135, Tom received orders to the USS Ranger as Air Operations and Operations Officer. Following his tour aboard Ranger, he received orders to Washington, DC, for German language training, followed by an assignment at the American Embassy in Bonn, Germany, as the Naval Attaché to the Federal Republic of Germany.

Following his retirement from the Navy in 1982, Tom managed the Washington office of AIL Systems on Long Island, maker of the ALQ-99 Tactical Jamming System used aboard the EA-6B Prowler.

In his spare time, Tom volunteers at the local Boonville Correction Center, under the leadership of Chuck Colson's Prison Fellowship Ministries.

Until next time, "Keep Whale watching"

The A-3 Skywarrior Association