VP-5 Squadron Shipmates
http://www.vpnavy.org
VPNAVY Address

ShipmateCatbird ETD ShipmatesShipmate

Memorial Picture "...ANDRUSZKIEWICZ, Tony (Skevy)...I received word today that a long time P-3 Aircrewman (AT1 Tony (Skevy) Andruszkiewicz) was killed in a motorcycle accident in Sigonela Italy. Tony (Skevy) was attached to Executive Transport there in NAS Sigonella, Sicily and was a Radio/Radar Operator. Skevy had done tours in VQ-1, NRL and a few other P-3 Squadrons. He will be remembered by a great number of people in the VQ/NRL community. Details have not been forthcoming. Time will be short but I will be accepting donations to be contributed to a flower fund or foundation/charity if his family so chooses to name one. Being this has happened in the past 24hrs no details on burial or family desires have been impaired. Todd Cochrane cochrane@bbsnets.com..." [18JUN2001]

UPDATE "...I have contacted as many of you that I have e-mail or voice telephone numbers for. Those of you that did not get the word in time or are seeing it now for the first time I want to pass my feelings and some info on the tragic death of our Shipmate AT1 Tony "Skevy" Andrusziewicz. Skevy was killed 17 Jun 2001 in Sigonela, Italy. He was involved in single rider motorcycle accident while out touring the countryside. Skevy was stationed in NAS Sigonella, Sicily attached to ETD. Skevy left his immediate family as survivors he was not married. For those of you wishing to forward a letter, pictures or mementos to the family you can contact me via e-mail at cochrane@bbsnets.com and I will forward you the families address. Skevy had tours of duty in VQ/VPU/NRL/ETD. Skevy always had a sense of humor and like many of us Aircrewman loved practical jokes. Many sea stories involving Skevy will be forever folklore of the VQ community. There was a serious side to Skevy and although he had fun in his job he was always a professonal and was a team player. His death is a reminder to all of us that we need to live every day to the fullest. For those of us that are from the old school where Natops are for New Guys, that Sleep is Overated and Beer is food. I hope you all raise a mug in rememberance to a aircrewman who did his duty to the fullest and was many times the best. He accomplished much and will be missed by many...Todd Cochrane AT1 (NAC/AW) cochrane@bbsnets.com..." [23JUN2001]


BARBAGALLO, ADCS John Retired jablyd@earthlink.net "...I was a FE at VP-10 from 1976-1980 at Warminster Naval Air Development Center from 1980-83 then on Catbird NAS Sigonella, Sicily from 1982-1986..." [15MAY2006]

Memorial Picture "...BECKFORD, AEC(AW) Dayne...Memorial Funeral Mass for Dayne C.M. Beckford, 45, who died Sun., Nov. 26, 2006, at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, will be 1 p.m. Sat., Dec. 2, in St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, with the Rev. Mark Waters as celebrant. Military honors will follow outside the church. Family will receive friends from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Thursday in the church Memorial Room. Dayne was born March 26, 1961, in Kingston, Jamaica, to the late Hayden Thompson and the late Cynthia Beckford. Dayne served his country in the U.S. Navy for 21 years, receiving many decorations and commendations, and attaining the rank of chief. A resident of Palm Coast for six years, Dayne worked as a professor at Daytona Beach Community College and for the Flagler County Adult Education program. He was a member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, V.F.W. Post 8696, U.S. Navy Fleet Reserve, the Caribbean Club, the Flagler County Technical Council, and various motorcycle groups, hunting clubs, and many other organizations. Dayne was very active in his community, donating his time to many causes. He was also an avid outdoorsman and sportsman who loved hunting, fishing, camping, sailing, riding his motorcycle and flying. Dayne's greatest joys, though, came from spending time with his family. Dayne served with VP-56, VQ-2 and Catbird..." WebSite: CenterSeat (CENTERSEAT FORUM - Main Category - IN MEMORY) http://www.centerseat.net/ [08AUG2008]


DOHERTY, Christopher M. engineer@centerseat.net "...Was a VP-5 Flight Engineer from 1989 through 1993. VQ-2 in NS Rota, Spain from December 1993 to September 1998. I'm currently stationed at NAS Sigonella, Sicily flying the Catbird ETD aircraft for CINCUSNAVEUR..." WEBSITE: http://www.centerseat.net [BIO Updated 08OCT2000 | BIO and E-Mail Updated 19OCT98]


Memorial Picture "...FANNING, ATCS Irby H. Jr...Unfortunately We lost a good friend, FANNING, ATCS Irby H. Jr., January 17, 2018. He served with Catbird ETD and VP-22. He was on Catbird ETD Crew with me when we had the C-131 Catbird 1020 and we both did the transition to the P3A. He will be missed but never forgotten..." Contributed by SANTOS, AMS1 Ralph Retired ralph104_2000@hotmail.com [12NOV2019]

FANNING, ATCS Irby H. Jr. Retired wa4rim@aol.com "...I served with VP-22 (11/1969-05/1972 and 09/1978-09/1981) as an Inflight Communicator (Radio Operator), Catbird ETD (1981-1985), NAS Meridian, MS and retired in 1990. I would like to hear from former Shipmates..." [E-Mail/BIO Updated 17MAR2013 | 06MAR2013]


MAYER, Steve flyn8251@yahoo.com "...I served with VP-17, VP-4, VP-30, VP-9, Catbird ETD, VP-16 and NADEP NAS Jacksonville, Florida..." [18MAY2013]

Memorial Picture "...McDONELL, CAPTAIN Jack George Retired...Jack Mcdonnell passed peacefully in the arms of his wife Gerrie on October 1, 2013 at the Thomson-Hood Veterans Center, Wilmore, KY. Jack was my predecessor and model as the CINCSOUTH flag pilot. He was the OIC for the Catbird from 1958 to 1963 largely serving under Admiral Charles “Cat” Brown and thus the first pilot to fly the Catbird and later served under Admiral James Russell before I relieved him as flag pilot. Jack passed away last year and will be interred at Arlington on Thursday, April 10 2014 at 12:45 PM. All shipmates and friends of Captain McDonell are invited to attend. FUNERAL SERVICES FOR CAPT. JACK GEORGE MCDONELL, USN - Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia - Enter the cemetery from the Memorial Bridge side. Proceed to the right gate. Memorial services will be held at the Post Chapel (204 Lee Ave. Ft. Myer, VA 22211). Tell the guard you are going to Capt. Jack G. McDonell's funeral service at the Post Chapel and they will direct you there. Each adult in your vehicle must have ID ready to present at the gate. Park in the Chapel parking lot. Please be at the chapel no later than 30 minutes before the service (i.e 12:15 p.m.). After the service (which will last about 30-45 min.), there will be a processional following the caisson to the gravesite (Section 7A, Grave No. 105). You may walk in the processional, but all cars must vacate the chapel parking lot when the processional starts. If you are walking, please make sure you have someone drive your car in the processional to the gravesite, where you can find parking along the road a few steps from the burial site. Dad has earned a well deserved full military honors funeral, so there will be a band, six man body bearer team, bugler, caisson, escort, firing party, and bagpiper (graciously provided by a family member.) The piping of Amazing Grace will mark the end of the ceremonies. Capt. Jack George McDonell, USN, Section 7A, Grave no. 105..." Contributed by Captain Jack Kenny (Retired) john.kenny1@verizon.net [01APR2014]


OAKES, LT Tom oakes_tom@hotmail.com "...I served with VP-90 (1987 to 1988), VP-5 (1989 to 1992) and ETD (West Coast version of ASA (1992 to 1995). I am currently living in Bradenton, FL and flying G-V's for Netjets..." [E-Mail/BIO Updated 10SEP2008 | 30MAY98]


PYLES, ADC Melody A. Retired missmap04@msn.com "...I served with VP-50 (1980-1983) with deployments to NAS Adak, Alaska (2) and NAF Misawa, Japan, VF-126 at NAS North Island, San Diego, California, VC-1 (1987-1990) at NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii, instructor duty at Fleet Aviation Specialized Operational TRAining GRoUp PACific Fleet (FASOTRAGRUPAC) (1990-1993) at NAS North Island, San Diego, California, NAS Agana, Guam (1997) at AIMD Powerplants and NAS Sigonella, Sicily OMD with the Admirals P-3 and Cat Bird Maintenance where I retired. I would like to hear from former Shipmates..." [E-Mail/BIO Updated 17JUN2014 | 06JUN2000]


SANTOS, AMS1 Ralph Retired ralph104_2000@hotmail.com "...I served with Catbird (original 1020 crewmember) and phased into P-3A BUNO: 150511. I retired in July 1992 and now live in Florida..." [18JUL2010]

SKINNER, ATC(NAC) Jay Retired jay_d_skinner@yahoo.com "...I served aboard NAF Naples, Italy as crew aboard the C-47 and C-117 (Load Master) and C-54 as SixFleet Admirals Flight Comm, NAS Keflavik, Iceland (1969-1972) as crew aboard the C-54 and C-118, Catbird (1972-1975) as crew aboard CINCSOUTH's C-131 as Flight Comm, VQ-2 (1975-1981) as crew aboard the EP-3E, VP-31 (1981-1984) NAS Moffett Field, California as a Flight Instructor and back to VQ-2 (1984-1991) as crew aboard the EP-3E. I retired in 1991 with 26 years and 3 months service...." [E-Mail/BIO Updated 27SEP2011 | 14NOV2008]

SLIWA, David J. djsliwa@aol.com "...Attached as Pilot to VP-22 Blue Geese from Jan'84 - Mar'87 where I saw two deployments to NAS Cubi Point, Philippines, one of which was split to NAF Misawa, Japan. Left NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii to become a "Catbird ETD" CINC pilot in NAS Sigonella, Sicily ('87-'89), flying a VP-3A where I also was the theatre Natops Evaluator and OINC of the MED C-3 Center. Left Sig to become a shooter on Enterprise for her "around the world cruise" ('89-'90) after which I took the "Big E" into the yards and left active duty in '93. I am still active in the reserves and look forward to hearing from any Shipmates..." [12MAR98]

SMITH, Wayne Retired wayne75146@yahoo.com "...I joined the Navy in 1974. After schooling, my first tour was with VA-83 in FL. After that, I went to VR-24 Det in NS Rota, Spain. From there, I joined VQ-3 in November 1981 as an IFT. I was there until November 1985. I did a tour in HT-8 in FL, then returned to VQ-3 in 1989. I was there until VQ-3 went to OK, when I joined ETD at NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii. I retired in 1994 and moved to Dallas, TX. I have kept in contact with a few of the old crewdogs, but would love to here from anyone who remembers me and want to hear from me..." [20JUL2002]


WOOD, LCPO Ron w4woody@comcast.net "...Curently at BUPERS. Looking for Shipmates and FEs who served with VP-1 from 1982 to 1985, VP-6 from 1989 to 1992, NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii ETD from 1992 to 1996, VX-1 from 1996 to 1999, AIMD NSF Diego Garcia from 1999 to 2000, and VP-47 from 2000 to 2003. Lets hook up just to tell some old sea stories. Later Folks!..." [E-Mail/BIO Updated 01JUL2004 | BIO Updated 21APR2000 | 30DEC97]


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