COVERING WHIDBEY ISLAND’S NAVAL AIR STATION COMMUNITY
CROSSWIND Whidbey
VOLUME 1, NO. 5 | 29 A PRIL 2011
www.whidbeycrosswind.com
‘The Whale’ returns to NAS Whidbey Island
DUI impact panels are coming to NASWI By K ATHY REED
Whidbey Crosswind
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island commands are encouraged to schedule and attend two upcoming DUI/substance abuse prevention panels in May and June. The panels are part of an ongoing joint safety effort between NAS Whidbey Island and the Impaired Driving Impact Panel of
SEE IDIPIC | PAGE 6
An A-3 Skywarrior takes off from the deck of the USS Kittyhawk in 1960. Nicknamed “the whale” because of its size, the Skywarrior first came to NAS Whidbey Island in 1956. PHOTO COURTESY OF BILL BURKLOW
Skywarrior comes home By DENNIS CONNOLLY
Whidbey Crosswind
The Douglas A-3 Skywarrior, the first aircraft to rumble with the sound of jet engines on Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, is back. The aircraft was to return today at 1 p.m. After some work to render it incapable of flight, the A-3 Skywarrior will be permanently displayed near the main gate at the corner of Ault Field Road and Langley Boulevard, just a few hundred yards east of the Chiefs Club. The A-3, also called “the whale” because of its size, was first stationed on NAS Whidbey in 1956 with Heavy Attack Squadron 4, the first jet squadron on the island. Six squadrons and a training squadron would also call Whidbey Island home during the Skywarrior’s service; the last was decommissioned in February, 1971. The A-3 was originally designed as a strategic bomber during the cold war, but was mostly used by the Navy as a refueling tanker, and also for photo reconnaissance and electronic warfare.
In all, 251 people lost their lives flying and working on the Skywarrior. It has returned to Whidbey Island to stand as a memorial because of the efforts of the Whidbey A-3 Skywarrior Memorial Foundation. Foundation members Bill Burklow, Ralph Estes, Bill Young More than 20 A-3 Skywarriors line the runway at Whidbey Island and many othNaval Air Station in the late 1950’s. PHOTO COURTESY OF BILL BURKLOW ers have worked Vietnam War. Though it was the biggest relentlessly to get a and heaviest plane on aircraft carriers “whale” to Whidbey and their work has — 73 feet long by 72 feet wide — it was paid off. quick. “The whole reason behind this is to “It was very fast,” said Young. “Its dedicate the memorial to 251 lost souls,” cruise speed was faster than most other said retired Navy Capt. Young. airplanes could go. F-4’s would have to Aviators flew the A-3 out of NAS Air Station Whidbey Island, off carriers and SEE PLANE | PAGE 6 other land bases at the height of the
THIS EDITION Volunteers pitch in for Earth Day at NASWI.........pg. 2 Diane Small returns from big job in D.C. ..............pg. 3 Search and Rescue heroes share stories ..........pg. 7 Memories of Pacific Partnership ...........pg. 8
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