VA-152Squadron Off-Duty Album J.J.Buterbaugh ADR2, served 1955-1975. On the U.S.S. Oriskany with VA-152 from 1964-1966. VA 152 DET ZULU AND 65 WESTPAC I served with 152 Det Zulu in 1964. I had reported to VA 152 in Alameda the day before we left. My orders of transfer from NAS Brunswick to VA 165 had been changed while on travel and 15 days leave.I reported to NAS Alameda for the purpose of replacing lost ID card. I was escorted to the Skipper of 152. I had been asked by 4 Officers where had I been. By the time I met the Skipper and answered the same question about being on travel and leave, it was explained that I was leaving for Viet Nam the next day at 0800 as a "special advisor." I asked if it was on Crash and Rescue, my previous billet at Brunswick. The Skipper said "NO, it was on the A-1". I asked what that was, and he said I would know by the time I got there. We got to Subic Bay with 33 A-1s delivered by Jeep Carrier that needed to be de-preserved. We than flew to Nam on a MAC 124. The purpose was to train Vietnamese pilots and crew on the A-1. We arrived about a month before Tonkin. That day we configured all A-1s to 2 hardpoint drop tanks for possible flights North. 33 AF B-57s arrived that night. We never deployed North, had to download all drop tanks that night. I volunteered to return to States to start up 152 for upcoming Westpac. I well remember the night Commander Smith returned from the RESCAP mission when Commander James Stockdale was shot down. His fuel cells were empty. I regret I never took the chance to shake his hand again. I hope Rear Admiral Gordon Smith will attend the Oriskany reunion in October. David A. Fox ABH2 7-May-2004 |