"There I was" stories from a Vietnam era A-4 Driver

[BusyBee604]

Callsign: Busy Bee 604
USN - 1952-1974
A-4 Flt Time: 4245 hrs
A-4 Traps: 585 (day) - 202 (night)
Sqdns: VA-94; VA-55; VA-125 (FRS-IP); VA-146; VA-44 (FRS-IP)
Combat Missions: 247 in VA-146 '66, '67

That's it in a nutshell, I'm having a bit of trouble navigating this site right now but with the help of BROWNSHOE & Y'all I will prevail. Gotta few "TINS", war/sea stories, photos to share if interested; if not "no harm, no foul". Any questions on my background/authenticity, check my profile on NTWS website (link is on my public profile here).

Permission to come aboard Sirs! BzB:sleep_125

 

[brownshoe]

Callsign: Busy Bee 604
USN - 1952-1974
A-4 Flt Time: 4245 hrs
A-4 Traps: 585 (day) - 202 (night)
Sqdns: VA-94; VA-55; VA-125 (IP); VA-146; VA-44 (IP)
Combat Missions: 247 in VA-146 '66, '67

That's it in a nutshell, I'm having a bit of trouble navigating this site right now but with the help of BROWNSHOE & Y'all I will prevail. Gotta few "TINS", war/sea stories, photos to share if interested; if not "no harm, no foul". Any questions on my background/authenticy, check my profile on NTWS website (link is on my public profile here).

Permission to come aboard Sirs! BzB:sleep_125

Welcome aboard, Hugh!

Steve

 

[Mumbles]

You Mean This Guy??

Callsign: Busy Bee 604
USN - 1952-1974
A-4 Flt Time: 4245 hrs
A-4 Traps: 585 (day) - 202 (night)
Sqdns: VA-94; VA-55; VA-125 (IP); VA-146; VA-44 (IP)
Combat Missions: 247 in VA-146 '66, '67

That's it in a nutshell, I'm having a bit of trouble navigating this site right now but with the help of BROWNSHOE & Y'all I will prevail. Gotta few "TINS", war/sea stories, photos to share if interested; if not "no harm, no foul". Any questions on my background/authenticy, check my profile on NTWS website (link is on my public profile here).

Permission to come aboard Sirs! BzB:sleep_125

I think his guy vouching for you is authentic!

 

[phrogdriver]

Busy Bee 604? Did you guys keep ATO-style callsigns for life, or was that a "rocket number"-type callsign from a particular tour?

 

[A4sForever]

Welcome aboard ...

Were you in VA-55 when Bob Kirksey was at the helm ... ??? He was the CO of one of my ships later on ...

AND ... as you're about the right vintage: do you know a guy from A-4's Lemoore w/ a last name of "Stanley" ... ??? I've been trying to track him down for years; supposedly a squadron CO at one time (around your timeframe, I would guess), but none of what should be his contemporaries (A-4 or A-7) I've run into can offer any illumination and I'm no joy as of yet ... thanks in advance.

 

[BusyBee604]

Busy Bee was my sqdn callsign (VA-146), 604 was the modex (nose number) of A4C buno 149567 which was shot down 06/25/66 with me aboard. Luckily was rescued.

Yeah, I knew Bob Kirksey real well, great pilot & Officer. He was CO VA-55 in '67 (our Sister Squadron). Last saw him at a VA-55 reunion in Pensacola about 10 yrs. ago.

Thanks all for the welcome.

 

[A4sForever]

*edit* ... never mind, I posted this just a minute or so behind you --- again, WELCOME ABOARD !!!

If you liked Bob Kirksey ... you might get a kick outta' this .... check the left side of the patch -- "Kirksey's Rangers":

 

[brownshoe]

Busy Bee was my sqdn callsign (VA-146), 604 was the modex (nose number) of A4C buno 149567 which was shot down 06/25/66 with me aboard. Luckily was rescued.

Yeah, I knew Bob Kirksey real well, great pilot & Officer. He was CO VA-55 in '67 (our Sister Squadron). Last saw him at a VA-55 reunion in Pensacola about 10 yrs. ago.

Thanks all for the welcome.

You're in... now give with the sea stories.


Steve

 

[BusyBee604]

A4s Forever...
I have no recollection of a CO last name Stanley. I spent '62 to '65 in the VA-125 RAG & any PXO/PCO would have gone through there, I would've known him (unless he was east coast)?

 

[A4sForever]

A4s Forever...
I have no recollection of a CO last name Stanley. I spent '62 to '65 in the VA-125 RAG & any PXO/PCO would have gone through there, I would've known him (unless he was east coast)?

No ... he advertises West Coast and WestPac ONLY ... I think there might be a "problem" there -- and based on input similar to yours from other Lemoore drivers in both light-attack communities ... I've thought that there's a "problem" for years.

ANYWAY ... enough of that; it's good to have another A-4 Driver onboard -- if we play our cards ... just ... right .... we'll have ALL of these guys workin' for US one of these days.

 

[H60Gunner]

... enough of that; it's good to have another A-4 Driver onboard -- if we play our cards ... just ... right .... we'll have ALL of these guys workin' for US one of these days.
[/B]

Jeezus! TWO of them, now what? This is like the "no more than one SEAL at a time can go to SERE" because they will take over the place if plural.

 

[brownshoe]

... enough of that; it's good to have another A-4 Driver onboard -- if we play our cards ... just ... right .... we'll have ALL of these guys workin' for US one of these days.
[/B]

Okay... what do you two, need? Fuel, bombs or both?

Steve

 

[feddoc]

Welcome aboard. Old guys rule.

 

[Catmando]

Okay... what do you two, need? Fuel, bombs or both?

Steve

Or maybe a bogie to tangle with....

Welcome aboard, BzB.

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Lets give him some wings!