In the early spring of 1961 VMF-235 deployed to the U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for gunnery training. These photos were taken at Leeward Point, Guantanamo Bay. While many gunnery hops were logged, the Squadron devoted most of its time manning a two A/C hot pad, flying escort for commercial aircraft around the eastern end of the island and maintaining CAP over the Bay of Pigs prior to and during the Bay of Pigs Invasion. Alas, they never called us.

The Squadron's Commanding Office was LtCol "Skinny" Lamar, XO - Maj Joe Lynch, OPS - Maj J. J. Fischer

The pictures are shots of several of the Squadron Pilots and their Plane Captains. As you will see, we had more aviators than PCs.

 

PILOT	PLANE CAPTAIN
Capt R. H. (Hawk) Miller	Cpl Karpaitis
Capt Stoney Mayock, II	-
1/Lt. R.T. (Deacon) Douglas	Cpl Karpaitis
1/Lt Bob Johnson	Pfc Becher
1/Lt J. F. (Mac) McNelly	Cpl Desroches
1/Lt L. (Pappy) Polk	Cpl Mays
1/Lt J.E. (Bud) Iles	Cpl O'Byrn
1/Lt Phil Longdon	Cpl Parks
1/Lt Mike Hanley	Cpl Karpaitis
1/Lt W. K. (Wildcat) Wells	Pfc Bailey
1/Lt Logan Doyle	L/Cpl Desroches
2/Lt Tom O'Rorke	Cpl Wolfe

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