The Hook - The Battle of Palmdale - Spring 2004

Cover: VAW-I 10 E-2C Hawkeye, BuNo 160415, banks over NAS Miramar on an 18 Apr '84 flight. The Firebirds were established on 20 Apr '67 as RVAW-110, the West Coast E-2 replacement squadron and home squadron for deploying E-lBs. It became UAW-110 on I May '83 and disestablished on 30 Sep '94. lifilCro-160211-5-served with UAW-120, UAW-110 and the Coast Guard before being placed in storage at Davis-Monthan AFB on 5 Oct '92.

Table of Contents

BRIEF

• The Navy's New Operational Construct
  ADM William J. Fallon, USN
• Fleet Response Plan and Naval Aviation
  RADM Mark P. Fitzgerald, USN
• From the President: Current Operations Update
  CAPT David A. "Roy" Rogers, USN
• From the Executive Director: Planning for Tailhook '04
  CAPT J.R. Davis, USN(Ret)

TAILHOOK EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

FROM THE CATWALK

• From the Catwalk
  conducted by CAPT Hook
• U.S. Navy Support, Train Hoook and Aircraft Test Units
  LCDR Rick Burgess, USN(Ret)
• The Battle of Palmdale
  Bob Wilson
• The Further Adventures of Youthly Puresome: Cheating Grampaw Pettibone
  CDR Jack D. Woodul, USNR(Ret), artwork by Carl Snow

LAUNCH

• CVG-101 and Boxer In Korea: "Where Do We Get Such Men?"
  Rick Morgan
• Tailhook Aircraft From Mr. Grumman's Iron Works: Vietnam — The Graveyard Spiral, Part Five — 1960-1969
  Bob Lawson

AT MARSHAL

• Command Changes
• Air Wing and Squadron Reports

RECOVERY

• Washington Report: CVN-21 on Path to Begin Construction in 2007
  Sandra I. Erwin
• Midway Embarks on Final Mission
  Scott McGaugh
• Navy's 2005 Budget Begins Downsizing Trend
  Sandra I. Erwin

IN REVIEW

RESPOT

• The Beginning of the End for the Viking
  CDR Doug Siegfried, USN(Ret)
• Black Aces Homecoming
  Cheryl Bly Chester

WAVEOFFS & BOLTERS

• What Is It?
  Steve Millikin and Hal Andrews

IBC PATCH PAGE

• VS-29 and VS-38 Farewell

Articles and news items are welcomed. Submit material for The Hook to: Editorial Offices, The Hook, 9696 Businesspark Ave., San Diego, CA 92131-1643. (858) 689-9227 or (800) 322-HOOK, Fax: (858) 578-8839

Air Plan *%,

©2004, all rights reserved ISSN: 0736-9220

VOLUME 32 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2004

photo by Bob Lawson

EDITOR
CAPT Steve Millikin, USN(Ret)

MANAGING EDITOR
CDR Jan C. Jacobs, USNR(Ret)

ASSOCIATE EDITORS
CAPT Wynn F. Foster, USN(Ret)
Barrett Tillman
Carmelle Carter

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Hal Andrews
Margaret Bone
CDR Doug Siegfried, USN(Ret)
Mike Weeks
CDR Jack D. Woodul, USNR(Ret)

CONTRIBUTING
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ted Carlson
Rick Llinares
Jose M. Ramos
CDR Chris Buhlmann, USNR

Printing by Neyenesch Printers
San Diego, Calif.

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THE HOOK, Spring 2004 Page 1