COVERING WHIDBEY ISLAND’S NAVAL AIR STATION COMMUNITY
CROSSWIND Whidbey
VOLUME 1, NO. 21 | 19 AUGUST 2011
www.whidbeycrosswind.com
Marines of MATSG-53 run to honor one of their own
VP-40 to the rescue By Lt. CHRIS L AWSON
VP-40 Public Affairs
ANDERSON AIR BASE, Guam — Members of Patrol Squadron (VP) 40 recently took part in a rescue effort near Guam. On the evening of July 19, VP-40 was asked to assist in the search and rescue effort of a small boat with 15 passengers that had been reported missing in the Federated States of Micronesia. Combat Aircrew (CAC) 12 and six maintainers launched on short notice to Guam to help with the search. “I got the phone call on my way back from shopping. Within an hour and a half, we were airborne and headed to assist with the search,” recalled Aviation Structural Mechanic
SEE RESCUE | PAGE 2
THIS EDITION Col. Bradley Close, left, leads a group of Marines as they approach the finish line of the fifth annual Major McClung Memorial Run Saturday at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. KATHY REED/WHIDBEY CROSSWIND
Memorial run draws good crowd By K ATHY REED
A
Whidbey Crosswind
light breeze and overcast skies Saturday morning made for perfect running conditions for the fifth annual Major McClung Memorial Run at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. More than 225 people turned out to run either the 5K or 10K race in honor of Maj. Megan McClung, the first female Marine Corps officer killed in combat during the Iraq war. The annual event is organized by Megan’s parents, Mike and Re McClung of Coupeville, and Marine Aviation Training Support Group 53 at NAS Whidbey. “We have a little over 200 runners this year,” Mike McClung said. “We had 500plus runners for the same race that was held in Afghanistan.” This year’s goal was to raise $10,000 to benefit the Semper Fi Fund, a non-profit
organization that provides assistance to wounded Marines or other members of the armed forces injured in support of Marine forces. “Megan sent us an email once telling us we wouldn’t believe how badly the soldiers in Iraq were being wounded,” Mike said. “So we knew she would have been Maj. Megan doing something to McClung help them.” According to Mike, 99 people in Washington received help through the Semper Fi Fund last year, to the tune of nearly $750,000. Just as Megan’s family knew she would have supported the Semper Fi Fund, they knew establishing the memorial run would be a good way to honor her memory. Megan was a devoted runner, and
even recreated a version of the Marine Corps Marathon in Iraq. “This run is really about mind, body and spirit,” Mike said. “Megan felt running helped clear her mind, it kept her body in shape and it raised her spirits. She believed you can’t just be a drone sitting at a desk — you have to keep your health up.” Participants in this year’s race had various reasons for wanting to run, but supporting a good cause and supporting their health ranked high among them. “I think it’s a good cause,” said Marine 1st Lt. Kristine Wong. “I believe in the charity it benefits and it’s for another Marine.” “It’s a good way to show support to the family and a good way to show support to the Semper Fi Fund,” agreed Catherine Schmidt, also a Marine 1st Lt. This was Schmidt’s first 10K.
SEE RUN | PAGE 12
Change of command for NOPF .....................pg. 2 For Pets’ Sake: It’s flea season ...................pg. 4 CWSA holds Rendezvous Days .....................pg. 6 Retired Master Chief’s helpful quest ....................pg. 7
7