VP-5 Squadron Shipmates
http://www.vpnavy.org
VPNAVY Address

ShipmateFASRON-113 ShipmatesShipmate

ADAMS, ABCS Herb Retired shogun630@webtv.net "...In September of 1950 I reported to VS-25 at NAS North Island, San Diego, California. Ten years later, in 1960, I flew to Hong Kong in a plane co-piloted by my old Executive Officer from VS-25 (Cdr. Kelly) An old TBM driver flying an R5D. I spent a year in VP-1. Six months of it at NAF Kadena, Okinawa, Japan as a Barracks MAA. (One guy died from Encephalitis while we were living in tents, so they moved us into a barracks area) I loved that tour and came home Thanksgiving. Turkey Dinners on both sides of the Dateline. I also ran a Crash Boat Crew and Seaplane Ramp at NAS Cubi Point, Philippines where we operated with P5M's from VP-40 for one week a year. I had to send one of their P5M's back on a barge when the Coxwain of my Line Handling Boat went inside the P5M instead of alongside. Went to the NAS Cubi Point, Philippines for FASRON-113, but it got phased out and I went to NAS instead. Spent time on BHR, Shangri-La, Midway, and Forrestal, plus recruiting in Syracuse, NY and Crash Crew at Pensacola. Retired in Oct of '69..." [25MAR2000]

ANDERSON, Phil Philander7@AOL.com "...I arrived at NAS Cubi Point, Philippines in Oct. 1956 along with around 25 other Navy Reservists for our 2-year active duty after boot camp. We were stationed at the new station until Aug. of "58 and were assigned to just about every dept. at the air station. Tenants then included VU-5A, FASRON-113, Naval Mag, Marines, MCB-3, along with VW-1 visiting now and then. Roads were being put in by the Seabees with crushed coral. Movies were outdoors until later replaced with a new rec. center. Club Sahwali was the EM Club in the Seabee area. At that time no patrol sqdrns. were regularly assigned there. Life was actually pretty easy for me, an ET who worked on HF equpt. Keep more info coming..." [15OCT98]


DURKIN, CPO William T. bill@durkinsrealty.com "...Duty stations include FASRON-895 1951 NAS Sand Point, WA from there I transferredred to mobile FASRON-113 NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. My next duty station was VP-17 at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. Following a deployment from Japan I returned to the states and was discharged in 1955. I reentered the navy through the TAR program in 1956. I served at Staff Line until 1960. I reupped regular Navy and picked up VP-23 in NAS Brunswick, Maine. I transferredred to NAS Patuxent River, Maryland in 1964 to Test Pilot school were I had a chance to become a F/E in the P-3's. I went to school at VP-30 and after graduating went to WST at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. I then cancelled out my shore duty to transferred to VP-8, best move I ever made. I was assigned to Crew 12 and met some of the best men I ever flew with. I stayed with Crew 12 until the squadron was transferredred to NAS Brunswick, Maine. I was assigned to VP-30 where I stayed until I retired in September 1973. I would like to hear from any of my Shipmates! Aircraft I flew with was PB4Y2's, PBY's, P2V's thru P2V7, R5D's, R4D8's, and the P-3's..." [25JAN2000]


FAULKNER, AT2 Fred B. fbfaulkner@msn.com "...My rate was AT2. I served my two years active duty first with Mobile FASRON-113 NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. I arrived there in January of 1955 and we packed everything for the move to NAS Cubi Point, Philippines. I flew to NAS Cubi Point, Philippines, with a several day stop at Hickham AFB, as part of the "advance party". Arrived NAS Cubi Point, Philippines in May 1955. The electronics shop, where I worked, was in trailers with test benches down both sided of the length. Boy were they hot in that PI sun. Was there for the base commissioning in July of 1956. I have a closeup picture of President Magsaysay who was present for the ceremony. Left Cubi on Thanksgiving day 1956 for Treasure Island and separation. Would like to hear from any who were at NAS Cubi Point, Philippines, especially any in FASRON-113 while I was there. Also interested in seeing pictures of NAS Cubi Point, Philippines over the years..." [10MAR2004]

Memorial Picture "...FITZSIMMONS, Robert...Looking for information concerning my father, Robert Fitzsimmons of New York City. He was assigned to FASRON-113 at NAS Cubi Point, Philippines from July 4, 1955 to July 25 1956. 4 years ago he died in Jersey of a combination of having cancer and a heart attack. Prior to his death he told me a wild story of having been part of a group of U.S. Navy Saliors who were trained to rescue pilots who were shot down or went down due to mechanical failure. He told me that he and other Navy Saliors went into North Korea to rescue a pilot. He and the other Saliors were captured, tortured and then released. I have filed freedom of information act request with the Navy and I am slowly obtaining some information. He offical records never show that he was assigned to a aircraft carrier but I have photographs of him on a aircraft carrier. The only non-stateside assignenment I have for my father is with FASRON-113. I am sending this out in case anyone knew my father and may have any f! urther inforamtion. Thank you. Robert Fitzsimmons Jr. jerseystriper@hotmail.com..." [20MAY2009]


Memorial Picture "...GATES, David Ewing...My father, David Ewing Gates, passed away in 1979. I was looking through my father’s Flight Log Books - VP-772 / VP-17 (Nov 51 - Dec 52 Flying P4Y-2’s), Transpac’d to NAS Iwakuni, Japan (16-28 Dec 52), Detached to NAS Atsugi, Japan (Jan 53 - 02 Jul ‘53), became VP-17 (Jan 53 - Jul 53). FASRON-113 (Aug 53 - JUN 54), 12 - 23 OCT ’53 - did a cross country in P4Y-2 from NAS Whidbey Island, Washington to San Juan, Puerto Rico and back -13 legs. On 17Nov53 flying PBY-6A Bu# 64089 from NAS Adak, Alaska they ran into bad weather and strong winds and had no place to land, they were directed to fly south for warmer water and they ditched North of NAS Midway Island after a 19.7 hr flight (SEE: Wednesday 18 November 1953 "...Crashed and broke up in rough seas north of Midway Island when it force landed due to fuel exhaustion. Crew rescued by ship..."..." Contributed by GATES, CAPTAIN Dave "Gator" ljreese357@aol.com [20APR2023]


HONEYCUTT, Robert robenho@cs.com "...I went to FASRON-113 in 1956 and left in 1957. I was there for commissioning of NAS Cubi Point, Philippines. I was barracks Master-at-Arms for most of that year..." [29NOV2000]


RAYPPY, At2 Robert rrayppy@sbcglobal.net "...I joined FASRON-113 at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington in January 1954. We were located at the Seaplane base on the island. My duties consisted of constructing shipping containers for deployment of the Squadron to NAS Cubi Point, Philippines. I was sent to NS Subic Bay, Philippines in July 1955 on an MTS ship. After arrival at NS Subic Bay, Philippines, I helped set up an electronics shop in a trailer on NS Subic Bay, Philippines. The purpose of our shop was to provide electronic facilities and manpower to support Aircraft Carriers docked at NS Subic Bay, Philippines. NS Subic Bay, Philippines was commisioned in July 1956 and I returned to California for active duty discarge in November 1956. I would appreciate hearing from my Shipmates. We have a lot of common memories..." [09AUG2004]


VANDERVORT, YNC Elton L. Retired http://www.megalink.net/~yujack/sigh/iwo/vandervo.htm "...My early years started in Coos Bay, Oregon where I lived and went to school until I enlisted in the US Naval Reserve in September 1957. I attended regular reserve meetings from then while going to Marshfield Senior High School in Coos Bay; and until I went on active duty in December 1958. My first duty station was with FASRON-113 at NAS Cubi Point, Philippines. When I reported at my first station, I was not sure just what I would be doing since I had not attended any formal Navy Schools. I had some typing skills I learned while in High School, so I had two choices as they were put to me. One was to work in the "hot hangar"; the other to work in an "air conditioned" office. With these two options the choice was easy for me then. I decided that I should become a Yeoman. By the time I completed my first two-year tour I had been promoted to a YN3. I was looking forward to being released from the Navy but decided I would get out and spend three months "playing around" before returning back to active duty. The problem was I was not sure which branch of the service I was going to return to. After spending three months back home in Coos Bay I decided that I wanted to return to the Navy. I did this and had asked to be assigned to the Northwest area. I received orders to go to VP-47 at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. Arrived NAS Whidbey Island, Washington in May of 1961. I got my orders to the NW area. However, the Navy had decided then I was needed to go to precom training at Bremerton. I reported to USS IWO JIMA (LPH-2) for pre commissioning August 10, 1961. My tour aboard the USS IWO JIMA lasted for one year and one day after she was commissioned. This was long enough for me to participate in the many underway sea trials and to accompany her to Hawaii and onto Johnston Island for the Nuclear Atmospheric Tests. I was assigned to X Division, and worked with some really neat YNC's and PNC's. Of particular was a YNC Lester Forsha who was also from Oregon. I had remained in contact with Les until his death a couple of years ago. I was transferredred again from the IWO on August 27, 1962 to Flag Allowance, COMPHIBPAC Staff, at Coronado, California. Between IWO JIMA and COMPHIBPAC Staff I married my first wife Judith. I worked in COMPHIBPAC Staff Operations part of the time for Commander Nick Ford (who also served onboard the IWO). During my tour there I was promoted to YN2. I was called while at the office one day and told that I needed to go home because my first son, born premature was born on the landladys couch. My second son arrived full term and was born in Chula Vista Hospital. One of the yeoman who was assigned to work for the Chaplain was Mason Williams. He was a YN3, and many of you might know him now. He played a guitar; composed many songs, including "Classical Gas." He later performed on the Glen Campbell show, as well as others. Mason is also an Oregonian and lives east of Eugene. My tour lasted until 1 September 1965 at which time I was then transferredred to Military Assistance and Advisory Group in Republic of China. I arrived MAAG China September 1965 at Kaohsiung, Taiwan. This was an accompanied tour and really interesting. I remember that upon our arrival there before the plane could land they had to chase the goats off the runway. This led to many more interesting experiences. My primary job there was to release classified material to the Taiwanese Navy to support the Navy ships that the US had given them. We made many trips up and down the island from Taipei to the southern tip of the island. A few of the side trips included visits to an orphanage in a remote area inaccessible by roads. This was an orphanage run by Philippine nuns. While there my third child or first daughter was born. My wife had to travel to Taipei a couple of weeks before her due date because there were no approved facilities in the Kaohsiung area. I enjoyed my tour there so much that I had extended it an additional six months. When it was time for transferred I had received orders to go aboard the USS PIVOT (MSO-463). I had volunteered to serve a tour in the Antarctic and the orders to go to the USS PIVOT were canceled. I was then transferredred to Antarctic Development Squadron SIX (VX-6) in March 1968. I arrived NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island in April 1968 for duty and training for Antarctic Operations. Housing was expensive and not so available so I ended up purchasing a 10x54' mobile home. The squadron was expecting to deploy in October 1968 for the Antarctic so I decided I would volunteer to winter over and receive another set of orders so I could return my family back to Oregon. These orders were approved. Well I could not find a buyer for my mobile home so I had the Navy ship it back to Oregon. My wife and children returned to Oregon while I made my first deployment to the Antarctic. After arriving Antarctica I learned that the squadron was not going to have a winter over party that year. I was offered an opportunity to serve a tour in Christchurch, New Zealand which I did not hesitate at all to take. I contacted my wife and she said that she did not want to accompany me if the tour was anything like Taiwan. I assured her it wasn't. I returned back to Oregon to pick her and the children up so they could return with me to Christchurch. While in Christchurch I had my third son. The tour there was beautiful as I was actually able to find some "shirt tail" relatives that I had never met before. I was even able to find and restore a "right-hand drive" 1930 Model A Roadster. My boss in Christchurch also was restoring his Ford Model "A" so this made it really interesting. I was transferredred in February 1972 from the Detachment VXE-6 to Navy Recruiting Sub-Station, Boise, Idaho. My tour at the Sub-Station Boise was that of a support function and while there I provided administrative support for recruiting activities. My boss, LCDR Millikin was a personal friend of one of the Apollo astronauts. As part of the recruiting activities he had made arrangements for Captain Eugene Cernan and Ron Evans to provide school tours in the Boise area. It was really exciting for me to have driven both astronauts through town with a police escort. When this tour was over in February 1976 I was transferredred to the USS SAN JOSE (AFS-7). Prior to my transferred I was promoted to YNC. I had another son born prior to meeting the USS SAN JOSE in April 1976. She was on deployment overseas. I served onboard her on this deployment and made another prior to my retirement in January 1978..." [29JUN2003]


WHITE, William E. Jr. Retired billie-white@home.com "...The P4M was the first navy aircraft I worked on as a young aviation electrician in 1951 thru 1953 at NS Sangley Point, Philippines. The squadron then was know as special project before becoming VQ-1. 1953 t0 1954 at FASRON-113 at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington, then VF-12 NAS Jacksonville, Florida, back at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington, Kawjalien, the VF-121 1958 thru 1961. Then VF-141 and VF-53 then to NAMTRADET 3032 at NAS Jacksonville, Florida then USS Enterprise 1971 thru 1974 then Exam Center NAS Pensacola, Florida 1974 thru 1977 then retired..." [E-Mail Updated 21JAN2002 | 25SEP2001]


Return
"FASRON-113 Summary Page"