JUMP START

Walt was an exchange officer assigned to VF-31 Squadron, Carrier Air Group 3, at NAAS Sanford FL from 31 May 1951 for one year. When he arrived the Squadron was at sea but they left 2 F9F's for new pilots to fly and there was a British Exchange LSO to handle carrier landing practice. It took a lot of luck to finish that course.

WALT SAILS TO GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA

On the 6th of July, Walt ferried an F9F' to Norfolk Navy Airfield where he joined the rest of VF-31 on board the USS LEYTE. The carrier headed for Cuba and Walt's carrier landing qualifications began. His first attempt resulted in a beautifully smooth landing about halfway up the deck and ended up tangled in the barrier. The Air Force was welcomed aboard with alarm horns making sure that all hands were notified. After that auspicious beginning, the rest of Walt's landings were uneventful and day and night carrier qualifications were completed in a routine fashion.

AND NEXT TO THE MEDITERRANEAN

In September Walt left Norfolk aboard the USS LEYTE to join the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. Ports of Call were Gibraltar; Augusta, Bay, Sicily; Genoa, Italy; Naples, Italy; Cannes, France; La Spezia, Italy; Suda Bay, Crete; Athens, Greece; Izmir, Turkey; Algiers, Algeria; and Gibraltar again on the way back to Norfolk. Air Operations were conducted day and night as the carrier sailed from port to port. It was dangerous work and the squadron lost 2 aircraft and 1 pilot in the process.

THE DUTY AIR SQUADRON

Back at Sanford, Walt transitioned to F-2H-2 Banshees and the squadron was headed back to the USS LEYTE for carrier qualifications in the new aircraft when his year was up and he returned to the 60th FS at Westover, MA.

Looking back, it was a memorable experience and Walt met some of the finest people he has ever known.