Lockheed P-2 Neptune

I was a member of crew #6 in VP-56 in 1963 and 1964. Rated as AX-2 (ATS-2). We operated out of NAS Norfolk and shared a hangar and ramp with VP-24. Many deployments and patrols along the east coast and the Caribean. Most time was in Buno 148354 an incredible Neptune and LQ-6 was a great crew.
Learned to love those 3350s and the big props. Two turnin' and two burnin'.

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I was in the last operational P2 squadron out of Millington, VP-67. We transitioned in to P3A's while I was an ATAN. Accordingly I had limited experience on the P2. But during that short time I grew to love the smell of burning avgas, the wing beam, and the stories of brooms out of the aft windows. The ride was so much better in the flex wing P2 than the P3.

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I FLEW IN LT.CDR.RILEYS V.P.4 SQUADRON CREW #3 FROM 1952 THRU 1955.HOME BASED AT N.A.S.WHIDBEY IS. WASH. WE DEPLOYED TWICE . FIRST TO BARBERS POINT HAWAII THEN ON OUT TO GUAM.TOTAL OF EIGHT MONTHS. AFTER ABOUT 5 MONTHS BACK AT HOME, WENT TO OKINAWA FOR EIGHT MONTHS,THEN BACK HOME AGAIN WHERE AFTER A FEW MONTHS WAS DISCHARGED. FIRST TRIP OUT,I WAS A THIRD CLASS,SECOND MECH., AND PLANE CAPTAIN FLYING IN COMMANDER ANDERSON,S CREW IN P2V-5 MODELS.4 YEAR HITCH ALTOGETHER.REALLY ENJOYED MY TIME AND SQUADRON BUDDIES.

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I was in the us navy from 1 /65 thru 10 /68. I trained in p2v radar electronics in Milington, Tenn. and San Diego, Calif. then on to VP-1 for the rest of my career. Our first duty was Saigon VN thru Iwakuni Japan and Cam Rahn Bay VN thru Sangley Point PI. Total of 3 tours in Viet Nam flying in a P2v. I loved every minute. I left in Navy in 10 /68 as an E-5, ATR2 second class airman with my patrol airmans wings which I am very proud of.

May GOD Bless all of my fellow P2 shipmates,
J.E.Vick 290-52-92

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Checked in to VW-4 HURRICANE HUNTERS on the 25th of December(yes, Christmas Day) 1955 as an ADRAN. The Squadron had three(3)WV Constellations and seven(7) P2V-5s at that time. I worked in the maintenance office for CDR Westover until I made ADR-3, then went to Power Plants and worked both the J33-WE36 jet engines and on the Wright 3350 Turbo compound engines, became a Flight Mech on the P2Vs, flew several missions including hurricanes. After making ADR-2 I becan to fly as a Flight Mech on the Constellations. I served as a Flight Mech in VW-4 Jacksonville, AEWBARRON PAC in Hawaii and then as a Flight Engineer in VW-1, TYPHOON TRACKERS on Guam. I truly enjoyed working and flying these Lockheed Aircraft. The WV-2 Super Constellation aircraft, to this day, are my ALL TIME Favorite aircraft. I finally retired as an Aviation Support Equipment Senior Chief (ASCS) in 1985. Dean Marchione

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Need Help for disabled vet from Patrol Squadron Six 1964-1965. I am author of "War Against the U.S. Navy"- Blog at "WarAgainstNavy.com" I am just an old Marine trying to get justice for you guys regarding Agent Orange claims.

Contacted by daughter of Harold O. Rose. Rejected by VA as no proof of being in Vietnam. Flew missions out of Da Nang under command of H.S. Potter. Need statements from anyone who can state that Navy patrols did in fact fly in and out of Vietnam,etc. This is what you need for Agent Orange claims. Please contact me at RDFord@Hotmail.com

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VP 10 Oct 1955-Dec 1958 AT3 1st tech /radio op on P2V5F 128 series. VP 10 (second tour) Jan 1961-Jun 1964 AT2 Radio Op on P2V5F 131 series. Over 4,000 hours flight time during two tours. While on split Deployment to Port Lyautey in 1958, moved to Malta when Lebanon Crisis began, three plane detachment to Beirut Lebanon, slept under wings of planes at International airport. 12 hour patrols on sixth fleet, 12 hours off, third day off to work on A /C. Deployments to Argentia, NFLD. Keflavik, Iceland, Sigonella. Despite cramped quarters on P2V, especially when wearing "Poopy Suits", or crawing over wing beam or through nose tunnel to bow observer position, it was good plane...

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I was an Aircrewman on the SP-2E out of Barbers Point. I was in squadron VP-6 from 1963 to 1966 and flew as ECM operator and back-up radio operator. We deployed on emergency orders after the Gulf of Tonkin incident to Okinawa.

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We had a P2V-5 and a 7 at WST, NATC Pax River. I was just out of boot camp and would go down to the hanger at night, clean drip pans, spark plugs what ever and quite often go on a hop in one of our P2V's. It's still my all time favorite airplane. Several years later as a plane captain for a UH2B, we spent the night in Brunswick ME and they put my helo in a hanger, The next morning there were neptune spears painted on our aux tanks. My buddies back at Lakehurst got a kick out of that.

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This message is for Barney Welsh. When you were shot down over the Ho CHi Minh trail, did you get picked up by a USAF H-53 'Jolly Green Giant'? You and your crew may have been picked up by my brother-in-law, Lt Col Ken Duckworth, USAF (Ret). Ken was killed in a tragic car accident, Flag Day 2010.

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VP22 1952 thru 1954 Started as ADAN Started flying with LCDR Carter PC Jackson P2V4 Deployed to Naha, and Kadena returned to BP, Departed to Kodiak AK To Fasron Whidby Released to Reserves. VF901 Spokane wa Closed in 58 Went to Vp771 los Alamos Fleet Qualified Plane captain Transferred to VP892 NAS Sandpoint Seattle Activated for the duration of the Cuban crisis Plane captain for Admiral Jim Russel From Seattle. Made the last reunion of VP22, The 51 to 55 crowd was the Old timers, Met the younger fellows and it was like I had Gained a bunch of Younger Brothers. when we had 2 engines we use to Fly 20 Hours at a time,P2V4 and 5s. Flew over4200 hours only had 1 engine failure, Saved an engine that was Detonating only to have the maintenance officer Blow it up on takeoff because he didn't think the carburetor was failing, he left parts on the runway at Sandpoint, the tower made him take it to Whidbey. I think the P2V Ranks right up there with the Mustang and the Corsair Lots of good flights she always brought us home

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Was in VR-6 (MATS)At McGuire AFB, 1960-62. Went to AE "B" school in Jax. Fla.,then was sent to VP-23,in 1963, NAS Brunswick,Me.,as AE-2. Flew flightcrew in LJ-8,LJ-7,and then LJ-1. Flew on crew from 1963-1967. The bow belonged to me. I loved the T.O.s & landings,(no,no,I know),but what a rush.In 1968 I ran night shift Electric Shop, and made AE-1, but got out and went to work with Vocaline CO.of
American crewing on their P2V "StopSign" at same duty station. Loved the Driftwood, the Heathwood, and the Maine woods. I bought a Marlin 38-55 lever action from a trapper, and shot a nice buck the same day that our VP-23 Squadron Commander was reported to be lost deer hunting up
around Moose Head Lake. My brother was a Sgt Major in Nam.,with a silver star & a couple of purple hearts, so I joined up, and they sent me to Ft Eustis,Va. instructing U.S. & Iranian troops in our helo and aircraft electical and instrument systems. I pulled my two years, and then got back in the game by joining the local police department.
They gave me 34 years, which included 10 yrs. workmans comp.,after having a heart attack, open heart, going back
to work chasing bad guys, and then having another heart attack, and five years later having another open. Any way I guess I got off the track. I loved those P2Vs, and sleeping on the wing beam, and riding in the bow, and shouting "madman" "madman", and throwing box lunches at submarines. The Captain said he got too far away from his vehicle, and decided to sleep in the woods and walk out the next morning. I still have that Marlin and those antlers, and now I hunt in Virginia woods. You all take care and don't walk into any props.........that was another lifetime, wasn't it..........BO

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I flew the SP-2H Neptune from Whidby Island, Washington with VP-42 until the squadron and the aircraft was retired.
Toured in Vietnam in 1968 and loved every minute of the flying Ole Two Turning and Two Burning. Great aircraft.

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Reported aboard VP22 as an AE2 in Oct /Nov 1959 home ported at NAS Barbers Point. Transferred out in April 1962 as an AE1. During those years I flew with Crew 10 and 2 as an ECM operator, also spent some time as a ground pounder because of vertigo and infected ears. I remember a winter deployment to Iwakuni (cold, rain and snow until Cherry Blosson time) and,while the runways at Iwakuni were being repaired,a det at Atsugi (freezing rain, ice, snow, more snow, wind) . I remember many Pacific Islands (Midway, Wake Iwo jima, Johnson, et al) with lots of water in between. I recall a 9 month 24 /7 stretch Tracking four Russian missile ships all over the Northern and Centeral Pacific and watching them recover re-entry data packages. After a 30 year Navy career and to this day I can not remember a tour of duty where I worked as hard, for three years and now knowing this was the norm for every VP sailor. What a learning experience for a 21 year old sailor to have undergone! The leadership, management, guidance, direction and knowledge provided by the Officers, Chiefs, and Crew has stood me in good stead to this day.

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I was with VP-6 from 1957 to 1960. Made a deployment to Iwakuni in 1958. When we returned to Barbers Point I joined Crew 12 as a Radio Operator. Flew as a crewman the rest of my enlistment. I loved the P2. It could take a lot and keep on flying. We flew into what I would call a sea going tornado. It was off the coast of Kaui. It tuned us upside down and did things to that P2 that should not be done. It finally ejected us and we made it back to Barbers Point. A Ham operator on Kaui had reported a Navy Aircraft in trouble and all the Personnel were waiting for us by the hanger when we landed minus a lot of rivets and damage to the interior. It is hard to send Morse Code when you are upside down.

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I have several photos taken at Quonset Point, RI in about 1950. VP-7 was there at that time. Included are several of P2V and PB4Y2s. They were presumed taken by a man named Kristecky. If anyone is seriously interested, I don't mind scanning and sending via email. I did send them to Quonset Point several years ago, but they were of a very poor quality compared to what can be done now.

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Keith,
I have about 1000 Hours in the p2v. Ifs you still want the radio info send me an email and I will provide you with the info.

Tom

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HAD 2 DEPLOYMENTS WITH vp-10 IN BRUNSICK,ME. FLEW MOST MODELS,2, 4 5F, 6, 7 ETC. FLEW SOME REALLY OLD 2S IN SANFORD TRAINING BOMBADIERS FOR THE A3D. NOT SURE BUT I COULD SWEAR I LOOKED THROUGH THE LOG BOOK OF ONE OF THOSE OLD 2S AND IT WAS THE A /C THAT WAS EQUIPED WITH JATO AND FLEW OFF THE CARRIER. AFTER ACTIVE DUTY IN 60 FLEW IN RESERVES AT OLATHE, KN, SO. WEYMOUTH, MA, ATLANTA,GA.

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I served in VP-22 from 1960-1963. I was not crew but enjoyed many hours flying to various places in the Pacific - Johnson Island, Japan, Hong Kong, etc.
I am the NEPTUNE PROJECT COORDINATOR FOR THE NAVAL AIR MUSEUM, BARBERS POINT. WE HAVE SECURED A P2V and are raising funds to fly it from Missoula to Hawaii in the summer of 2013.

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i served in VP-22 out of barbers point hawaii from 1956 to
1959 went to iwakuni,kodiak,adak and all over the pacific
flew as ecm operater. was a real tour of duty and enjoyed
the p2v-5 a lot

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