Corrections and Comments

Wings of Gold, Spring 2006

Regarding the story and letter on USS New York's sinking (summer and winter issues, 2005 and 2005/06, respectively) by CDR Lambert and CAPT Kendrick, permit me to throw in a couple of additional facts.

1. New York was hit by all manner of ordnance and went down, as stated, on July 8th, 1948, 45 miles off Oahu. The date has significance because it relates to the following:

2. CVAG-19 (note CAG-19 was NOT so identified until later that year) flew from Boxer.

3. NAS Kanehoe Bay closed in 1949, went into caretaker status and was activated as MCAS Kaneohe Bay in 1952, replacing the closed MCAS Ewa.

4. VP-32 (the third such squadron so identified), formerly VP-AM-2, was activated in September 1948 with the P2V; VP-MS-6, formerly VPB-32, was activated in November 1946 with the PBM-5, and redesignated VP-46 in September 1948. Thus, it appears there was no VP-32 in July 1948 when New York was sunk, or am I missing something? Also, who was still flying PBYs then?

5. USS Macon (CA-132) was not a destroyer. Was there a destroyer with a similar name?

I can remember seeing the tired old New York anchored in the North River on October 27th, 1945, rendering honors to President Truman on the bridge of Renshaw as she slowly passed. Something you never forget!

In the Clinton Ware story it should read that Clinton's VBF-83 was aboard Essex not Randolph. The squadron formed in January 1945 when VF-83 divided into a VF and VBF (like a lot of air groups at that time). It reported to Essex March 19th 1945 and remained til the end of hostilities. The squadron that had been rotated elsewhere (pg. 59) was probably VF-4.

On page 46 of the winter issue the aircraft identified as Harriers are really Ospreys. Also, in CAPT Brown's Tale Wind I suspect Intrepid was not one of the three CVAs involved. She participated in "Strikeback" in the North Atlantic in October 1957 and returned to NOB Norfolk later in the month. Bon Homme Richard was deployed in the western Pacific at the time and carried the first heavy attack unit to deploy in that part of the world (two A3D-2 Skywarriors, Det Bravo/VAH-2) or so I believe. I've been wrong so many times that I insert a lot of possibly's in my correspondence.

I really enjoy the magazine!

Jim Mulquin