Covering Whidbey Island’s NAVAL AIR STATION Community
Whidbey
Volume 1, No. 49 | 02 M arch 2012
www.whidbeycrosswind.com
Wizards return to Whidbey By. LT. ROY WALKER
VAQ-133 Public Affairs
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An EA-6B Prowler, flown by Lt. Cmdr. “Bozo” Bankart, demonstrates in-flight refueling capability during the Tiger Cruise Air Power Demonstration. U.S. Navy Photo by AD1 (AW) Thomas
Mayhew/Released
Capt. Dale Horan, left, Commander, Carrier Air Wing 9, presents AFCM (AW) Jeffrey Adams and Lt. Cmdr. Billy “Slow” Lehner with the Golden Wrench award for maintenance excellence. U.S. Navy Photo by AD1 (AW) Thomas Mayhew/Released
fter seven months away, the Wizards of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 133 finally returned to Whidbey Island after completing their first carrier-based deployment in over 19 years. The squadron deployed in late July aboard the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), a part of Carrier Strike Group 3 (CSG-3), and was attached to Carrier Air Wing 9 (CVW-9). The Strike Group was tasked with supporting Operation New Dawn as well as Operation Enduring Freedom. During the course of the deployment, the Wizards exceeded even their own expectations, flying 181 combat missions over Iraq and Afghanistan, logging a total of 971 combat flight hours and boasting an impressive 99 percent combat sortie completion rate. This continued superior performance led to multiple awards for VAQ-133. The outstanding efforts of their maintenance team earned the squadron the CVW-9 Golden Wrench award. The Wizards were also presented both the 2011 CVWP 1st and 2nd half semi-annual Safety “S” Awards and the Blue “M,” signifying an outstanding level of medical readiness. “It is a testament to the leadership and hard work of the officers, chief petty officers and sailors, many of
SEE Wizards | PAGE 8
Recollections of the Greatest Generation Author relates experiences of local World War II veterans By KATHY REED
Whidbey Crosswind
It’s not something a lot of World War II veterans talk about. Many don’t care to share their war stories. But Sharon
Nicholson not only got many of these local heroes to talk about their experiences, she managed to put them all together in a book. Nicholson is the author of “Their Place in History, An Anthology of WWII Autobiographies.” She, along with two of the veterans featured in the book, will appear Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Wind and Tide Bookshop in Oak Harbor. “Some of them really had amazing experiences, but they came back home, married their high school sweethearts and went on with their lives,” Nicholson
said. “I kind of consider these legacies for the family, especially those who have no idea what their uncle did, what their father did.” Nicholson said many of those featured in the book, which is a collection of 20 autobiographies, are familiar Whidbey Island names, like Zylstra, Carter, Koetje, Ferrier. “All these stories to me are just fascinating,” Nicholson, who is a retired
SEE Author | PAGE 2
NASWI’s VQ-1 commander relieved of duty The commanding officer of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island’s Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 1, Cmdr. Jeffrey Wissel, has been relieved of duty while allegations of personal misconduct are investigated. Wissel was relieved late Monday afternoon by Vice Cmdr. Jeffrey Wissel Adm. Allen G. Myers, according to a brief statement released by Commander, Naval Air
SEE Wissel | PAGE 8
this Edition Will Oak Harbor get Mother Mentors?................pg. 2 What’s playing at the Skywarrior?.............pg. 3 Pets’ Sake: A dog named Stir Fry..........................pg. 4 Navy to hold open house for comment on EIS......pg. 8
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