TBS 2-67 Cruisebook_Updated_7Jan23

selected as the first cadre to train, me included. Bobby
Light was also . Others included Sid Holmes, Del Weber,
Gary Bain, and Larry Kennedy. We also had a sailor,
Navy Lt. Bud Orr. Our instructors were the CO, XO, Maj.
Harry Blot, and Maj. Bud Iles (all of them Pax River
Test Pilot grads) in addition to an RAF Sqdrn. Ldr.
Bruce Latton, and USAF Maj. Bud Hall. What a crew!
What fun we had. First flights, after 3 weeks of ground
schooling, took place in May of '71. By September we
were landing and taking off from the deck of USS
Guam.
In the next 3 years we did weapons testing at NAS
China Lake, twice. We conducted combat simulation
exercises at Camp LeJeune from a short (1,000 feet)
metal runway and landed and took off from roads on
that base. A Detachment Bravo was formed under Maj.
Iles with 8 of us operating off the Guam at sea, as far
north as the Faroe Islands northwest of Scotland, in
winter weather. We launched in good and awful
weather and returned to ship safely, again and again.
We got buzzed by Russian Bear and Badger bombers, at
sea level. We launched in less than a mile visibility and
climbed to intercept Bears and Badgers at 28,000 feet.
We worked with Navy anti-sub helos to simulate killing
Russian subs many miles from the ship, day and night.
We put the Harrier through our Marine Corps ropes so
to speak. By July, 1975 it was declared deployable to
WestPac. So, we went. On July 8th, 1975 we flew 20
Harriers aboard USS Tripoli off San Diego, and with
two-thirds of the squadron and sailed off to Iwakuni,
Japan. Arriving 28 days later we launched all 20 aircraft
in roughly 35 minutes and arrived at MCAS Iwakuni.
Over the next year we trained at ranges in South
Second Platoon
Korea, the Philippines and Okinawa. As Saigon was
about to fall we were ordered to load up and taxi to the
runway and hold, at Kadena AFB, ready to launch to
South Vietnam. After 30 minutes waiting, we were told
to stand down. In the next month we turned over the
Squadron to incoming replacements from VMA-542,
the second Harrier squadron. Returning from Iwakuni
in June, 1975, I was ordered to Cherry Point, again.
Assigned to (again) VMAT-203, now the primary
training squadron for Harriers, as well as the A-4
Skyhawk. Having spent the previous 4 years (VMA-513)
in assistant aircraft maintenance positions, I was
assigned Assistant Maintenance Officer as a senior
captain. This squadron, and the entire stateside
Harrier community, had suffered badly during our
absence from the states. Many accidents, several pilot
deaths, had made for paranoia throughout.
The CO of the training squadron was not keen to the
idea that the Harrier was a different kind of aircraft.
"Just another jet" was his opinion. Trying to keep his
head above water was his goal, his style. I was coached
vehemently by the Ops O and others of my peers not to
deal with the CO's "problem", as they put it. They
wanted to handle it their way. So, listening to the CO
during 'All Pilots' Meetings I realized the boss didn't
have a clue about some of the flying characteristics of
the jet. So, liberal arts college I was sprung from, I took
it upon myself to try to talk with him. (I thought I
could “help” him.) After all, I did have over 600 hours
in the Harrier and knew it pretty well. So, inviting
myself into his office politely I asked if we could have
some discussion about the nature of the aircraft, that
with my 4 plus years flying it I might be of help to him
2‐67