Executive Director’s Report
by CAPT J.R. Davis, USN(Ret)
by CAPT J.R. Davis, USN(Ret)
This year’s reunion was a superb event and increased active-duty participation made Hook ’03 even better than last year. You can view some of the pictures on our Web site by clicking on “’03 Reunion Photos.” All of the briefs and panels were outstanding and the operational presentations drew the most attention. The Operation Iraqi Freedom panel gave us the opportunity to see the battle from the leaders’ and the warfighters’ viewpoint. Mark your calendars now for the next Tailhook reunion in Reno, Nevada,
9–12 September 2004 at John Ascuaga’s Nugget. If you have a group considering a reunion meeting, contact us early for help with your plan.
We have completed two successful recruiting drives at MCAS Miramar and NAS Point Mugu. Our focus is to bring in as many active-duty Navy and Marine Corps members as possible. Increased membership will benefit each of us by allowing additional content and color coverage of carrier aviation in our quarterly journal, The Hook. Please support Tailhook by bringing in a new member. The award for “Top Hooker,” the member who brings in the most new members, is a Life membership. This year we have a repeat winner — CDR Mark “Killer” Kinnane, commanding officer of VT-7, for bringing in 66 new members. Already a Life Member, CDR Kinnane is donating his two winning memberships to his high-school and college libraries. Congratulations, Killer, and thanks for your tremendous support.
All the ballots are in and the counting is complete. CAPT William “Whiskey” Bond, USN; RADM Jay “Rabbit” Campbell, USN(Ret); CDR James “Guido” DiMatteo, USNR; and VADM John J. Mazach, USN(Ret), have been elected to our Board of Directors. RADM Jay “Spook” Yakeley, USN(Ret), returns to the board for another term. Congratulations to each new and returning board member, and thank you for your service in guiding the Tailhook Association.
Our Tailhook logo stock includes a wide variety of shirts with the Pilot and NFO “wings and hook” logo. We have golf shirts in Navy blue, Nassau blue, red, black and several tri-color varieties. We also have heavy rugby shirts in teal and burgundy, all of which are exceptional Christmas gifts.
Our selection of T-shirts continues to grow. We currently stock shirts depicting all of the airplanes currently in the Navy inventory as well as many from the past. Notice too that we carry a variety of Marine Corps T-shirts. Colors vary by shirt, but most come in white, ash, stone washed-blue and black. All of the Marine Corps shirts also are available in Marine Corps green.
Click here to visit our ship's store to view the latest additions to our custom stock.
If you are planning a squadron reunion or a vacation visit to San Diego, use the headquarters building for an event. We offer an extensive photo and slide archive, a fine Naval Aviation library, many films and videos, catered receptions and access to the Tailhook ship’s store.