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Ready Room 6 aboard Midway As many of you probably know, the USS Midway is permanently berthed in San Diego as a museum. A group of former F-4 pilots and RIOs have undertaken to restore Ready Room 6 aboard Midway as a tribute to Phantom fighter crews and, in particular, the F-4 “Phantom II” itself. Darrell Gary, a former F-4 Phantom pilot is heavily involved in this and asked us to pass on the following information for those who might be willing to help. Several others of our local San Diego Tailhook Phantom pilots and RIOs are involved as well. Welcome to the Phantom Phlyers Association. This 501 (c) 3 corporation was established to educate the public and the visitors to the U.S.S. Midway Museum about the capabilities of this legendary fighter aircraft and the extraordinary accomplishments of the aircrews that flew it. Funds raised through membership in the Phantom Phlyers Association will be used to restore Ready Room #6 aboard the U.S.S. Midway to reflect its configuration during the Viet Nam era. Visitors will experience what life was like in the Ready Room. This was the operational and social heart of the squadron. In addition to depicting life in the Ready Room, all of the U.S. Navy squadrons that flew this aircraft will be memorialized on the bulkheads of the Ready Room #6. Over 1 million people each year visit the Midway to tour the museum or to participate in after hours events. Ready Room #6 will be on the tour beginning May 17, 2008 and it will be available after hours for special events such as squadron reunions. Through our website, the Phantom Phlyers Association will provide a forum for former squadron mates to reconnect and a library of photos and sea stories will be available for upload and download by members. A group of dedicated volunteers has made significant progress in the restoration. The updated status and photos are available on the website. We need additional funding and volunteers. Log onto www.phantomphlyers.org to learn how you can become a member and help preserve this important legacy. The Phantom Phlyers Association a non-profit organization is overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors which includes: Jack Ensch, Darrell Gary, Sam Hallmark, John Ed Kerr, Jim Laing and John Monroe Smith. All funds received will be used to restore, enhance and maintain Ready Room #6 and to upgrade audio/video content in the future.
PBS Request On behalf of PBS, we would like to extend an invitation to Tailhook Association members to attend one of the upcoming premieres of CARRIER, a character-driven, once-in-a-lifetime immersion in the high-stakes world of a nuclear aircraft carrier. CARRIER follows a core group of film participants aboard the USS Nimitz, from the elite fighter pilots to the youngest sailors and everyone in between, as they navigate personal conflicts around their jobs, families, faith, patriotism, love, the rites of passage and the war on terror. (www.pbs.org/carrier) Below are invitations to the DC event on Tues., April 15th; the NY event on Thurs., April 17th and the Los Angeles event on Tues., April 22nd. RSVPs for each event are different. The evenings will include receptions, screening and then Q&As with the filmmakers and some of the film participants. We hope that Tailhook Association members can make it out to one of the events! Reunion Support: We are looking for volunteers willing to work on the Hook '08 Reunion Committee
Reunions:
Scholarship News: The Tailhook Educational Foundation is reviewing applications for the 2008-2009 school year. All applicants will be notified by letter in early June. Note: Applications for the 2009-2010 school year will be available on 15 December 2008 To view previous scholarship grant winners: click here Navy League-Marine Corps League-Fighter Pilots of All Ages: The Central Coast Council of the Navy League along with our friends at the Estrella Warbirds Museum at the Paso Robles Airport, proudly present the leading NFO Ace of the Vietnam War, Willy "Irish" Driscoll on Saturday, April 26 th 2008, 1800 no host, 1900 dinner and program. Tickets are $25.00 each, reservations required at 466-4196 or on line at http://www.ewarbirds.org You have seen him on the History Channel, Wings, Dogfights and other program, now meet this legendary Naval Aviator and watch clips of the dog fights and hear stories from his Top Gun teaching days. Willy just returned from a VIP cruise on the USS Ronald Reagan and will share his experiences about how naval aviation has progressed from the time of the Vietnam conflict to today's aviators. Driscoll still lectures at Top Gun. Driscoll's awards include two Silver Stars, a Purple Heart, 10 Air Medals and was nominated for the Medal of Honor. http://willydriscoll.com National Navy-Marine Intruder Reunion
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To change your email address for the newsletter fill in the form below - hit subscribe: If you have 1000 or more carrier arrested landings and you have not received a Grand Club Plaque, contact the Tailhook Association at (800) 322-4665. The only requirement is that you attend the reunion to collect your Grand Club Plaque. A-4 TAILHOOKS FOR SALE
Phone: (212) 737-1224 Email: waynemolnar@attg.net
U.S. Navy imagery used in illustration without endorsement expressed or implied. For further information and for pictures of your US Navy in action: visit the "Eye on the Fleet" web site.
Executive Director: JR Davis - Phone (858) 229-6389, e-mail: jrdavis@tailhook.net The Hook Magazine: Phone (858) 689-9227, e-mail: thookassn@aol.com
Hook Reunion Coordinator (Marc Ostertag): tag@tailhook.net, (800) 322-4665 The Tailhook Educational Foundation (CFC #10251): (800) 269-8267 The Tailhook Ship’s Store: (800) 322-4665 Tailhook Web site: http://www.tailhook.org or http://www.tailhook.net Naval Order of the United States Celebration of Victory in the Battle of Midway
Southwest Commandery (San Diego) Captain Kenneth A. Johnson, USN (Ret.), Commander General, Naval Order of the United States, asked that I provide an input as to the Southwest Commandery's participation in commemorative events for the Battle of Midway. As in past year, the members support local Navy event which is held on the Midway Museum's. The event usually has a very distinguished speaker (two years ago, the CNO was the speaker, and last year the Chief of Naval Air Forces, Admiral Zortman honored a number of survivors that attended the ceremony. It is very widely attended by the local community and where could there be a more fitting venue than the former USS Midway, the carrier named after the decisive battle, and now a most successful museum right in the heart of downtown San Diego. The Monterey Bay Commandery of the Naval Order will once again hold it's annual Battle of Midway (black-tie) "Dining Out" at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA on 5 June, 2008. Over the years, this event has grown with the greater participation of our military and civilian organizations here on the Monterey Peninsula. Speakers and guests of honor have included Commander Bill Cullin, USN (Ret.), who, as an Ensign pilot in VP Squadron 44, participated in the aerial search for and finding of the Japanese Task Force. Bill later rescued Ensign George Gay - the only surviving member of Torpedo Eight as well the school's President and other noted professors. Attendance has grown over the years to a total of 170 active and retired Naval personnel and their spouses. This years committee is lead by the LT Kimberly (Kim) Freitas, President of the Student Council, Naval Postgraduate School. The guest of honor is Vice Admiral Daniel Oliver, USN (Ret.) (invited), President of the school. San Francisco Commandery's Battle of Midway Celebration is scheduled for June 7, 2008 at the Marine's Memorial Club in San Francisco. Expect attendance will be over 200 including 15-20 Midway Veterans. Last year, the Commandery had 260 in attendance with 36 Veterans and the CNO as the guest speaker. The format of the event is a formal Dining Out complete with Parading of the Beef, Toasts and Fines. We honor the Veterans with a reception before the dinner and recognition during the dinner. The program includes bios of each of the Vets with a description of their involvement in the Battle. Many of the guests spend the night in the MMC Hotel after the event and join in breakfast the next morning. The event is truly memorable. The Texas Commandery has commemorated the Victory at Midway since receiving an ALLNAV from the CNO that all stations should recognize the significance of this battle that many consider the turning point in the Pacific during WW II The ceremony consists of a luncheon meeting in the Houston area with a guest speaker that provides insight on the events of 4 June 1942. Active duty and reserve units, recruiting stations and NROTC units in the Houston metro area are invited to the meeting to demonstrate the historical significance of this epic battle. In 2007, STC Howard Snell , USN (Ret) spoke to the Commandery about serving on board the USS ENTERPRISE (CV6) during the battle and other experiences during the Pacific war such as the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo and the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Chief Snell is a Pearl Harbor Survivor and received the Navy Commendation Medal, several Presidential Unit Citations and 17 Battle Stars during his naval service. In 2008 Captain Dusty Kleiss, a SBD pilot at the Battle of Midway will be our guest speaker. Point of contact for further information, EdSeiling at edseiling1@sbcglobal.net phone 281-440-3630. First Coast Commandery (Jacksonville) The First Coast Commandery of the Naval Order (with some 78 Companions) is located in Jacksonville, FL and commemorates the 4-7 June 1942 Battle of Midway every year as a participant in the large 480 person plus formal dinner held at a Jacksonville Hotel with the host Mayport Council of the Navy League and other local Navy League Councils. Over the past ten years the First Coast Commandery with many of it's Companions serving as dual members of the Mayport Council of the Navy League and with our Commander serving as a co-planner of the event for three of those years, bought table support for active duty attendees and Companions to support the overall event. Jacksonville has a very large and active Navy League at Mayport, with smaller numbers in the Jacksonville, and St. Augustine plus the King's Bay Georgia Sub Base area and the First Coast with its' dual members all combine to remember this famous naval battle in what has been called one of the largest Battle of Midway commemorations in the Nation. As an example of the significance of this event, is the CNO, Admiral Gary Roughead, is scheduled to be the guest speaker at the 2008 BOM Dinner on June 8th at the Jacksonville Hyatt. The First Coast Commandery is proud to celebrate the memory of those who participated in this most significant naval action of WWII. Jeff Christman here from the Hampon Roads Commandery. In 2007 we bracketed Midway with (3) events. First event involved a "Field Trip" to the Fighter Factory, a newly opened, privately owned collection of flyable WWII aircraft maintained and displayed here in Virginia Beach. On display were a variety of Navy aircraft associated with WWII, if not the battle of Midway specifically. (PBY, Corsair, TBM, and several WWII era training aircraft) This was a well attended event by our standards, and drew about 40 companions and guests. Our Commandery has several WWII aviators, several of whom had experience in the aircraft on display. They helped interpret the displays. One even wore his WWII flight jacket. We followed that up with an event held at one of our local High Schools (Floyd E. Kellam HS) for students who were studying WWII. This event featured restored WWII vehicles, displays of WWII uniforms and equipment, uniformed interpreters, and a USO show in the style of the Andrews Sisters. Several of our Companions participated as WWII era veterans and helped to interpret the event to more than 750 16 & 17 year old High School Students. This same event is scheduled again for 2008 and our intent is to get a greater number of our WWII era veterans to attend this great event. The 3d event saw HR Commandery members represent our community at the City of Virginia Beach annual Memorial Day Parade. A wreath was presented by our Commandery at the Veterans Memorial. The National Capitol Commandery of the Naval Order participates every year as a member of the Battle of Midway Commemoration planning committee. The committee receives its members and support from the Association of Naval Aviation, the Naval Historical Foundation, the Navy League, the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation, and the Naval Order of the U.S, the Surface Navy Association, and the Tailhook Association. This committee plans and organizes a Battle of Midway formal dinner and hosts Midway veterans and their spouses at the dinner. The committee also assists the Naval District Washington with their annual wreath laying ceremony at the Navy Memorial. In 2008 in the nations capitol two events are planned to commemorate the Battle of Midway. Naval District Washington will host a wreath laying ceremony at 1100 June 4th at the Navy Memorial in Washington, DC. The CNO, ADM Gary Roughead, will be the principal speaker. For details go to http://www.lonesailor.org/events.php. Secondly, a dinner will be held at 1830 on June 3rd at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia. The co-author of “Shattered Sword,” John Parshall, will be the principal speaker. Go to htpp://www.midwaycommemoration.org for details and reservation information. The New York Commandery will commemorate the Battle of Midway during their June luncheon in New York. The Arizona Commandery of the Naval Order of the U.S. began an annual tradition in 2007 to commemorate the Battle of Midway. The guest speaker was retired Naval Aviator LCDR Lee Marona. Lee was not an aviator at the battle of Midway. He served as the Plane Captain for Ensign George Gay, who was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions on 04 June, 1942. Ensign Gay was the only aviator from Torpedo Squadron 8 who survived that day, and he spent the majority of the day floating under his seat pan after being shot out of the sky by enemy fighters. Lee Marona’s first hand account of what it was like to launch those 15 aircraft off the pointy end, then wait and wait for them never to return was quite moving. Lee went on to serve at Guadalcanal and several other significant battles in the pacific. In 1946 Lee received his own wings of gold and went on to fly 16 different types of military aircraft. The Arizona Commandery will hold its 2008 commemorative meeting on 27 May at Macayo’s Mexican restaurant in downtown Phoenix. Contact CAPT JJ Skip Lind, USN (Ret) for details. SKIPLIND@AOL.COM
Our life membership program is strong and the endowment supporting life members continues to grow. Please consider the benefit of becoming a life member. In the long run it will reduce your administrative work load - no more annual checks to write, you will have a Life Member certificate, permanent membership card showing your life membership, and less overall cost to you. The total cost is $795.00 and can be paid as $195 down payment and four payments of $150.00 over 15 months or four years for active duty members. There is a reduced rate for members over 59 years old. Please call for the reduced payment schedule.
HONORING OUR PAST - BUILDING OUR FUTURE - NAVY WIVES SCHOLARSHIP A couple of years ago CAPT Dan Rainey called the Foundation and wanted to start a Scholarship in Memoriam for Navy Wives… (We have funded the scholarship over the past two years and will fund it this year) The founders group expanded and the donations continue to grow. The Scholarship is approaching the mid point in becoming a Perpetual Scholarship ($40,000). If you or any one you know would like to make a contribution in memory or honor of a great Naval Aviator’s Wife please, contribute and join this group and the most worthy of causes please earmark the donations both on line and by check. Naval Aviator’s Wives’ Memorial Scholarship “The toughest job in the Navy” In memory of dedicated wives who have departed the pattern before their spouses. Founded by:
These wonderful ladies stayed home and minded the front while their husbands were off on deployment, and training work ups. They raised the kids, held support groups together and other feats of leadership, and did it superbly, at home allowing their husbands to perform duties knowing that families were in good hands. Mentors to the wives of today who continue to support their aviators and their careers. Examples they set will forever rest in our memory and the Founders of this scholarship are pleased to make this award in their memory. You may also remember Don Huene started a perpetual scholarship last year at the Reno Reunion. Annette S. Huene “Navy Wife” Perpetual Scholarship - Sponsored by LCDR Donald R. Huene MC USNR This scholarship is awarded in honor of the sacrifice, dedication, and devotion of all Navy wives and in memory of former Navy wife Annette S. Huene, who passed away 27 April 2007. PLANNED GIVING BENEFITS
In fact, many of our most staunch supporters have done exactly that through Planned Giving. To see the complete list click here Thanks to our numerous contributors, the future of TEF is stronger than ever. We invite you to join our list and consider making a planned gift to the TEF. Speak to your financial advisor about how a bequest, trust, or gift annuity can provide a charitable deduction, help avoid capital gains, reduce estate taxes, or even increase cash flow. To learn more about TEF Planned Giving Opportunities, please contact:
Never sell stock and give away the cash Sophisticated taxpayers never write checks when they can contribute appreciated stock or securities. Neither should you. If you've held the stock for more than one year, you get to deduct the full fair-market value of the security - without ever having to pay any tax on the appreciation. If I bought 1,000 shares of stock in a company over a year ago for $14 per share, and it's now worth $20 per share. Then I donate the stock - I get to deduct the full $20,000 without ever paying tax on the $6,000 in appreciation. If I am in the 15% bracket, the move saves me an $900 (15% of $6,000) in taxes, further reducing the real net cost of my donation. Plastic will work just fine A donation made on a credit card is deductible in the year of the charge, even if the actual payment on the card isn't made until the next year. We will be sure to keep records of the donation and to send you confirmation. Donate at our web site http://www.tailhook.net/Foundation.html. |
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