A CHRONOLOGY OF ED'S NAVAL CAREER

Mid-way through June 1956, two weeks after graduating from high school, Ed was ordered to NAS, Grosse Isle, Michigan to undergo 12 weeks of Special Active Duty for Recruit Training. It became obvious while attending Recruit Training that Ed was cut out for a military career. Four weeks into the training he was selected Recruit Company Commander by the Training School officers and senior enlisted personnel, and held the position through graduation on 08 September. Upon graduation he was promoted to Airman Apprentice and went back into an Inactive Drill Status with VA-651.

Ed took a job as a Machinst Apprentice in a small tool and die company shortly after being released from Special Active Duty. It didn't take him long to realize that working in a machine shop was not the career he wanted. The weekend of 02-03 November Ed was attending his monthly drill when he decided to see the Personnel Office about going on Active Duty. On 03 November he signed the papers volunteering for call to extended Active Duty in the Navy's Training and Aministration of Reserves (TAR) Program. He was instructed to go home and wait for orders.

A telephone call came a week later with instructions for him to report to the air station on 11 November to begin three years of Active Duty in the TAR program. Reporting as ordered, he was notified that he would be be temporarily assigned to NAS Akron awaiting orders for further transfer to a permamnent duty station, as yet unknown.

One week later he received transfer orders to NAS Niagara Falls, New York. He reported aboard NAS Niagara Falls on 28 November 1956 and was assigned to the Aircraft Maintenance Department Tool Room.

Ed was promoted to Airman in March 1957. In May 1957 he departed NAS Niagara Falls on Temporary Additional Duty orders and reported aboard Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC), Norman, Oklahoma to undergo four weeks of Aviation Fundamentals School. In July he departed NATTC Norman and reported aboard NATTC Memphis, Tennessee for seven weeks of Aviation Machinist Mate Jet (ADJ) Class A Jet Engine Training School.

Upon completion of Jet Engine School in August 1957, Ed reported back to NAS Niagara Falls where he was assigned to the Aircraft Maintenance Department Fighter (VF) Line Crew. In that capacity he performed Flight Line duties and routine maintenance on the F2H-2 Banshee and later the FJ-2 Fury. He was promoted to Aviation Machinst Mate Jet Third Class (ADJ3) in May 1958.

In 1958, the Eisenhower Administration announced the scheduled closure of several stateside military bases to take place in 1959. NAS Niagara Falls as well as NAS Akron were on the closure list. In May 1959, well ahead of the scheduled closure date, Ed departed NAS Niagara Falls under Permanant Change of Station orders and reported on board NAS Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. He was assigned to the Aircraft Maintenance Department Anti-submarine (VS) Line Crew where he performed Flight Line duties and routine maintenance on S2F-1 and S2F-2 Anti-submarine Warfare Aircraft. In November 1959, having completed his three years of active duty, he extended his active duty obligation for an additional four years.

Ed was reassigned from the VS Line Crew to the Patrol (VP) Line Crew in November 1962. There he performed Flight Line duties and routine maintenance on several models of the Lockheed Neptune Patrol Aircraft, including the P2V-5, P2V-6M, EP2E and SP2E. It was during this period of assignment that he showed an interest in becoming an Aircrewman in the position of Flight Crew Plane Captain.

In August 1963 Ed received his transfer orders. He departed NAS Willow Grove in September and reported on board NAS Los Alamitos, California in October. He was assigned to the Aircraft Maintenance Department VP Periodic Maintenance Crew. There he performed periodic maintenance checks on EP2E and SP2E Anti-submarine Patrol Aircraft.

Ed began the ground and flight training syllabus to qualify as an Aircrewman in the position of VP Flight Crew Plane Captain in the Summer of 1964. He completed his training in December, was given a check ride and qualified for the position. He was designated an Aircrewman on 29 December 1964 and authorized to where the Aircrew Breast Insignia.

In July 1965 Ed reenlisted for four years. In December 1965 he was designated a Flight Crew Plane Captain Instructor in the EP2E and SP2E model aircraft.

During his tour of duty at NAS Los Alamitos, Ed made two-week deployments to NAS Moffett Field, California and NAS North Island, California in support of active duty for training of Los Alamitos based Patrol squadrons.

In September 1967 Ed received his transfer orders. He departed NAS Los Alamitos on 01 November and reported aboard NAS Brooklyn, New York on 25 November. He was assigned to the Aircraft Maintenance Department VP Line Crew as Line Crew Supervisor.

Shortly after his reassignment to the Aircrew Training Division, NAS Brooklyn made the transition from the SP2E to the SP2H model Patrol aircraft. By virtue of his assignment as Senior Flight Crew Plane Captain Instructor and Flight Evaluator, Ed was the first NAS Brooklyn Flight Crew Plane Captain to qualify in the new aircraft.

During Ed's tour of duty at NAS Brooklyn, he attended training courses in VP Mad/Trail Operator and VP Flight Communications Operator at the Reserve Anti-submarine Warfare Training School East at Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. As a result of the successful completion of the courses, Ed added Aircrewman qualifications as VP Mad/Trail Operator and VP Flight Communications Operator to his primary Aircrew position of Flight Crew Plane Captain.

While assigned to NAS Brooklyn, Ed made two-week deployments in support of NAS Brooklyn based Reserve VP squadrons to NAS Jacksonville, Florida, NAS Los Alamitos, California, NAS Rota, Spain and NAS Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. Additionally, he made short-term deployments to Naval Air Facility (NAF) Lajes, Azores and NAF Hamilton Air Force Base, Bermuda.

In August 1970, he received his transfer orders. He departed NAS Brooklyn in September 1970 and reported on board Naval Air Reserve Training Unit (NARTU) at NAS North Island, San Diego, California in October. He was assigned to the Aircraft Maintenance Department Quality Assurance Division where he functioned as a Quality Assurance Inspector on SP2H model Aircraft.

On 10 July 1971, Ed reenlisted for another four years. He served as Aircrew Training Supervisor for a year. The division was then split into two divisions. Ed was reassigned and tasked with the responsibility of organizing and setting up the newly formed division, the VP Tactical Analysis and Support (TAS) Division. He would serve as the TAS Supervisor and in the capacity of Operational Control Center (OPCON) Program Manager supporting NARU Point Mugu Reserve OPCON units until his retirement.

About two years after Ed's arrival at NARU Point Mugu, the locally assigned Reserve Patrol Squadron, VP-65, transitioned to the P3A Orion model aircraft. Ed continued to fly as Flight Crew Plane Captain on the SP2H right up until the day the last P2 left. In fact, Ed had the privilege of flying the last VP-65 SP2H out of Point Mugu. Ed made the transition to the P3A by qualifying in the position of Flight Communications Operator.

During his extended tour of duty at NARU Point Mugu, Ed made two-week deployments in support of VP-65 to NAS Barbers Point Hawaii and NAS Agana, Guam. In addition, he deployed for two weeks to Managua, Nicaraga where he took part in a joint counter insurgency exercise with the armed forces of Nicaragua, Guatamala and El Salvador. He also attended two-week accelerated training courses of instruction in Operational Control Center Operations, Anti-submarine Warfare Tactical Analysis and Applied Environmental Sciences to Anti-submarine Warfare at the Reserve Anti-submarine Warfare School East, Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.

While serving at NARU Pont Mugu, Ed was selected as NARU Pont Mugu Sailor of the Month for June 1973 and Sailor of the Quarter for the period April - June 1975. He also received several letters of commendation for his efforts in organizing and establishing a functional Operational Control and Anti-submarine Tactical Analysis Center, the only one of its kind throughout the entire Naval Air Reserve Command.

Ed reenlisted for four more years for the last time on 10 April 1975. On 15 January 1976 he bid the Navy and his shipmates farewell in a formal retirement ceremony in front of the NARU Point Mugu Administration Building. At the time of his retirement from Naval service Ed was authorized to wear the Good Conduct Medal with four bronze stars, the National Defense Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with hourglass and the Aircrew Breast Insignia.

Wilson

Photos	Ed	Nia	Evannah	Samoa

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