Welcome.
This is the Home
Page of Squadron 235. The Death Angels. We are a
small band of Marines all of whom served in one
or more of the following Marine Corps Aviation
Squadrons: VMSB-235, VMF-235, VMF(AW)-235,
VMFA-235. Our members, while in these squadrons,
flew, crewed or serviced & maintained the
SBD Dauntless, F4U Corsair, F9F Panther, FJ
Fury, F8 Crusader, F4 Phantom, or FA18 Hornet
aircraft during the period from 01 JAN 1943 to
14 JUN 1996.
We are an "At
Large" Squadron of the Marine Corps Aviation
Association and we gather each year in
conjunction with the MCAA Annual Symposium. Our
first reunion took place in Pensacola in 1989.
We continue to meet each fall at the site of the
MCAA Symposium. 16-19 October of 2008 we will be
in Myrtle Beach, SC..
If you served in
one
of the 235 squadrons and are not on our roster
please notify us through the Contacts
link or the Log-In
link. Welcome aboard and Semper Fi.
best
viewed at 1024 x 728 pixels
TAPS:
We are
saddened to report the death of Joseph "Joe"
Lynch, XO of VMF-235 in 1960 - 1961. For more on
Joe, click
here.
PHOTO
ADDITIONS:
Check
out a few new pics on page 3 of the
Crusader
photos and
page 3 of the 60's
era snapshots.
MCAA
SYMPOSIUM - MYRTLE BEACH. SC - 16-18 OCTOBER
2008
Marines will gather at
the Sheraton
Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel
beginning
16 October 2008. Start making your plans now. We
will post information re the Squadrom Ready Room
shortly. Stay tuned.
For
additional information and registration forms,
go to the MCAA site in lefthand
sidebar.
MARCAD-NAVCAD-AVCAD
REUNION
Mark
your calendar now for 23-25 October 2008 Reunion
in Pensacola.
Tell
your Cadet friends and click
here for all details.
SQUADRON
CRUISE REPORT - JANUARY 2008
The January '08
Squadron Cruise was a grand success and a fine
time was had by all. On the eve of departure the
cruisers gathered with Val and Vince for a Bon
Voyage dinner at an excellent Miami
eatery.
There was great concern
on the day of sailing as to weather Hondo would
be able to locate the docks before the lines
were cast off, and if Dave would get on the road
in time to arrive prior to the ship departing.
Fortunately no one missed the movement. We
suspect some luck was involved.
Hands gathered in an
upper deck watering hole to watch the departure
and we were off. Our food and service were
outstanding and our waiter was exceptional. With
day stops in Key West and George Town, Grand
Cayman and the weather getting more pleasant
each day, it was a fun time.
Judy and Jim hosted
everyone for cocktails in their luxurious
stateroom. You had to be there.
Take
a look at a brief slide
show, More
pics to come.
VMF-235
NOVEMBER WEEKEND
We gathered in
Pensacola for a great extended weekend.
Veterans' Day and the USMC Birthday were both
celebrated and a Blue Angels' airshow topped off
the gathering. More
here.
MCAA
2007 - RENO
Hono reports a low
Squadon turnout but overall a lot of west
coasters showed up, making for a successful MCAA
Symposium.
THINK
YOU'RE GETTING OLD AND FORGETFUL?
Take the Squadron-235
concentration challange and test your skills.
You may do better than you might think. And if
you win, the prize is outstanding.
Just
click here.
THE
NAVAL AVIATOR NETWORK
John Powers passed this
along: I came across a really neat web site that
provides pre flight class info amongst other
data. I have been seeking fellow 24-54
classmates and had only found Chuck Pitman. I
hope that this will begin to fill in the
blanks.
http://www.naval-aviator.net
SPRING
MINI GREAT SUCCESS
The
Spring gathering in Orange Beach saw an
excellent turnout. A total of thirty three
participants attended the various functions over
the weekend. Friday's brunch (and the entire
weekend) was blessed with perfect weather and
everyone had a great time visiting with old
friends. We just picked up where we left off in
October.
Click
for more photos.
click for larger
image
NEW
ARTICLE ON '235 IN VIETNAM
WE RECENTLY RECEIVED
THE FOLLOWING:
My latest article on
Marine Air will be out in the June issue of FLY
PAST magazine that comes out in early May. It is
about Marine F-8E Crusaders from '235 in
Vietnam. Barnes & Noble and Borders
bookstores carry it in the magazine section.You
can get on their website @ www.flypast.com
Also....I have another
article that will appear in the next Yellow
Sheet. It is about VMF(N)513 (F3D's) and their
MiG-15 kills in the Korean War..
Semper
Fi,
Warren
Thompson
NEW
ON-LINE SQUADRON ROSTER
A roster of our members
is now available on our website. It is available
for browsing on-line and for downloading as a
pdf file. The file is accessed with a Password
that is available only to those members whose
dues are current. The password will be published
in the year end issue of the Red Nose Review,
going only to dues paying members.
If you want access
sooner, send us an email. If your dues are
current the log-on info will be emailed to you.
If you are not current, send $15.00 to Jim
Strawn and then email us for the log-on
info.
LINK
TO ROSTER
F8
DRIVERS
Enjoy
this clip courtesy of Mel Sautter.
Click
here
VMF-235
SNAPSHOT POTPOURRPI
Take a look back on
seventeen years of gatherings of good friends.
Click
here.
2007
BLUE ANGELS' SCHEDULE
Click
to the link
MCAA
2006 - WASHINGTON, D.C. (TYSONS CORNER,
VA)
MCAA '06 saw a good
turnout both for Squadron-235 and for the MCAA
in general. With the Squadron Ready Room located
at the Marriott's Residence Inn, we were a block
from the headquarters hotel, Sheraton Premiere.
At the annual membership meeting, we expressed
our displeasure at the choice of host cities and
lack of adequate facilities to accommodate
squadrons in the host hotel. Our remarks were
received graciously and the outlook for future
accommodations will hopefully
improve.
The Thursday evening
Squadron Dinner at Clyde's Restaurant proved to
be a popular choice. Good turnout and good food.
On Friday, Billy and Judy Adams were our
gracious host for a dinner party at their home
in Arlington. Judy's dinner (and dessert) was
superb, as usual. For
pics click here.
x
click for larger
picture
NEW
POLICY FOR RED NOSE REVIEW
A new policy on the RNR
distribution was enacted at our Spring
Gathering. Increased cost of printing and
postage dictated a change. There will now
be three mailings a year instead four. All who
have current e-mail addresses will receive the
issue electronically. Every issue will be sent
to those with e-mail addresses. Please
advise us if your current e-mail address is not
in the roster, or If you change your address.
This will be a big cost cutter for us. We will
continue to snail mail to those without e-mail.
The first issue, Spring, will be mailed to
all who have a current address on file. The
second issue, Summer/Fall, will be mailed to all
who have paid their dues in the past four years.
The third issue, Winter (roster edition), will
be mailed only to those who have paid the
current year's dues.
THE
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE MARINE
CORPS
The museum is scheduled
to open in November of 2006. Go to the
museum
site for
information on becoming a member of the Marine
Corps Heritage Foundation and for current
information on the museum.
click image for
larger view
MINI
GATHERING - 2006
The Pawleys Island
weekend of 28-30 April 2006 was a grand success.
Wallis and Chuck were super host and everyone
throughly enjoyed themselves at the Houseman's
Friday evening supper. Marilyn amd Joyce got in
enough exercise for all of us with their
"crack-of-dawn" golf game. A leisurely Saturday
with a trip to Bookgreen Gardens was topped off
with another great dinner. After dinner drinks
in the Ready Room per usual.
Among those attending
were Dave Swaney, Hondo & Donna Ondrick,
Chuck & Wallis Houseman, Jim & Judy
Strawn, Vince & Val Falzarano, Marilyn &
Bill Ridings, Joyce & Warren Wells, Tom
O'Rorke, Claire and Joe Gregorcyk and Gloria
& Roy Seaver.
With Pawleys Island
added to our list of successful mini-gatherings,
plans are in the making for 2007 in Orange
Beach, Alabama; location of the first mini in
2002. Stay tuned for details.
Click
here for photos.
click for larger
image
SEARCHING
FOR FJ PARTS
Steve Phillips.
Director of Maintenance for Rich Sugden, is
looking for tail hook assembly parts. Please
pass on any leads. See the request on the
Message
Page and
check out their airshow website at:
migfuryfighters.com
MCAA
2005 - RENO - 13-16 OCTOBER
Reno proved to be a
good choice for the MCAA symposium. Great
weather and a good turnout. The Friday evening
Squadron dinner was a grand success. In no small
measure due to Hondo's excellent planning. The
Ready Room was spacious and comfortable with
grand views of the surrounding mountains. Those
in attendance included Marilyn and Bill Ridings,
Billy Adams, Bill Bartlett, Donna and Hondo
Ondrick, Jerry and Yvonne Cobb, Carol and John
McNelly, Melanie and Tom O'Rorke, Duane and
Joanne Newton, Carson Day, Dick Percival, Wes
and Carol Wessel, Rocky and Betty Plant, Larry
and Jean Whipple, Fritz and Helena Menning. See
you in Washington D.C, in 2006.
For
photos click here
MCAA 2005 -
Reno, Nevada
VMSB-235
PHOTOS POSTED
Take a look at Bill
Bartlett's photos
from the South Pacific. Bill was with VMSB-235
in the 40s. We are looking forwared to seeing
him in Reno in October.
PUNCHED
OUT?
Those of you who have
ejected may want to help Mike Bennett with his
Ejection History. Click
here for information.
SUPER
SAVANNAH
Social Chairman Ondrick
came through big time. The Marriott Courtyard,
The Shrimp Factory, Pink Lady, De Soto, and Six
Pence all proved to be excellent choices. Hondo
also arranged a V.I.P. tour of MCAS Beaufort
complete with lunch at the new O-club. A stop at
the 8th Air Force Museum made for an full day.
Marilyn and Bill
Ridings, Billy Adams, Wallis and Chuck Houseman,
Jim Strawn, Barbara and Dave Swaney, Warren
Wells, Ann and Pete Lyon, Bill Houseman, Claire
and Joe Gregorcyk, Tom O'Rorke and Donna and Bob
Ondrick all enjoyed a delightful long weekend.
Slideshow
here.
For a link to the PAO
photos click
here. Click
on the photos below for the larger
version.
Wallis & Chuck
insisted on hosting the 2006 mini at Pawley's
Island. How could we refuse? Paw-leeee!
Paw-leeee!
BUNO
142412 • F8A
Any F8
drivers fly this bird? Check your log book and
look at the info request on the Message
Board.
235
BIRDS RESTING SAFELY IN CAROLINA'S AVIATION
MUSEUM
Check the museum's website
for a couple of aircraft that formerly flew in
235 and are now on display in Carolina's
Aviation Museum, Charlotte, NC. Link made
available courtesy of Edward Chandler.
Click
Here.
SQUADRON
GATHERING - WASHINGTON, DC - 02-05 APRIL
2004
The spring 2004 mini
gathering in Washington DC went smoothly except
for one or two minor mishaps on the Washington
Metro. Some of us observed that the skills
required to operate the subway gates are not
necessarily those required for flying high
performance aircraft.
Accommodations at the JW
Marriott were excellent and Billy and Judy Adams
were gracious host at the Friday night dinner at
their lovely home. Judy provided a superb feast
and a grand time was had by all.
Orson Swindle arranged for
our dining Saturday evening at Nam Viet, the
Vietnamese restaurant in northern Alexandria.
Excellent food and good company made for another
delightful evening.
The group dined Sunday
evening at the Old Ebbitt Grill and during the
daylight hours managed to take in the Air and
Space Museum on the Mall as well as the new
Udvar-Hazy air museum annex. Several folks
squeezed in tours and trips to others of the
great Washington museums. Informal discussions
regarding next year's mini yielded no decisions.
We are open to suggestions. PHOTOS
For an interesting
footnote on the mini weekend click
HERE
A Jug in front
of the Enola Gay at the Udvar-Hazy air museum
annex
SLIDE
SHOWS
Squadron
web site new-comers may have noticed the several
slide shows offered throughout the site. Most of
these will require QuickTime software. QuickTime
is a free download and comes in a PC and a Mac
version. Click on the QuickTime logo at the
bottome of this page to get this handy
program.
SAY
GOODBYE TO USMC AIR?
Click
here
to read this account by Carlton
Meyer.
SITE
DIRECTORY
Please
note the Site
Directory
page. Viewers new to our site may find it useful
in navigating the territory.
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mini
MCAA - 2002
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23
January 2002
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Aircraft
Page (SBD)
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24 March
2002
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Museum
Symposium '02
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17 May
2002
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Dauntless
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02
September 2002
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Corsair
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02
September 2002
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Fury
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Hornet
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Locator
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Aircraft
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October 2002
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Crusader
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07 July
2008
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Snapshots
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07 July
2008
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Roster
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15 June
2008
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Deceased
Roster
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15 June
2008
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Panther
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07 July
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Archives
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Events
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Phantom
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22 Maech
2004
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Washington DC mini
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09 April
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Log-In Page
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Message/Locator
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30 June 2004
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Roster,:
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15 June 2008
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14 December 2004
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Contacts
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14
February 2005
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The
'40s Pics
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25
June 2005
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Links
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10
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February 2006
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Events
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February 2007
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On-Line Roster
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09
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MCAA-2006
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13 September 2007
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07 July 2008
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