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| Ruth & Ken Chilstrom; Cory Meyer & Fran Knoizen |
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Guests, Ruth and COL Ken Chilstrom, USAF-RET. Ken was the first Air Force officer carrier qualified and coincidentally was a squadron commander in Air Group 7, flying F 8 F Bearcats off the USS Leyte in 1948. That is the same air group Bill Gortney heads today. They join their good friend Corky Meyer, and his date Fran Knoizen reminiscing about the Glory Days of their aviation careers.
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| V. Johansen; Carol Stewart; Angela Santoro, & |
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| Jake Lundin; Jim; Ruth & Dick Stewart |
CAPT Jake Lundin, USN-RET had a most interesting career. In the early days of WW II, he joined the RCAF, was shipped to England, where he transferred to the RAF, and then to the USN, finding a permanent home. As a yound LT, he served as CDR David McCampbell's section leader, in VF-15 flying off the USS Essex, and is credited with seven kills. In typical Naval Aviator fashion, Jake brought two female guests, not one.
Dick Stewart joined VF-15 as a young ensign later in the game, but had the honor of flying with the battle hardened veterans of the Phillipine Sea Campaign. Dick & wife Ruth had their lovely daughter Carol and her friend Jim accompanied them.
Both Jake and Dick are Honored Members of the NEW McCampbell's Aces Squadron.
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| RADM P.D. Smith, P.X. O'Neill, Reynolds Beckwith, |
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| CAPT William E. Gortney, Joel Jacobs |
RADM P.D. Smith, ANA's hard working Prez; P.X. O'Neill, USNA, 1954, squadron supporter; CAPT retired, Reynolds Beckwith, USNA, 1949, squadron Prez; CAPT Shortney Gortney, recently back from the Mid East; and Joel Jacobs, squadron's founder and first president.
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| Mariann & Bob Watkins; Fran Knoizen & Corky Meyer; |
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| Caroline & Bill Trillo |
These were the majority of the Grumman Gremlins in attendence. Bob Watkins, retired VP of Field Service and former GM of the Stuart operation, and Bill Trillo who was VP and Project Manager of the A-6 Program. Corky Meyers, a Grumman test pilot and senior engineer, 1942-1978 brought date, Fran Knoizen the widow of well known RADM Ken Knoizen. Meyer, who is one of the few civilians to be carrier qualified, and an Honoray Naval Aviator, writes of his experiences regularly in Flight Journal magazine.
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