Centennial of Naval Aviation

I just became aware of the Centennial of Naval Aviation celebrations scheduled for this year. There is a killer website devoted to it. Very cool!

Does anyone have spare copies of the book?

Happy new year, folks.

Periodically I get inquiries from family members regarding the question of availability of the VPB-118 book. For the last several years my answer has always been the same: the book is out of print and sold out. If there are any VPB-118 people out there with extra copies of the book that would like to get them in the hands of descendants of VPB-118 members, please contact me and we can go about setting up a process to take care of this need. Any help that can be given would be appreciated.

– Richard

How the Pearl Harbor Veterans Are Coping

Here's an article about a much bigger reunion group. They are contemplating disbanding also, but since 1973 they've had a "sons and daughters" organization that will continue on.

Google Maps

If you haven't looked at the maps page on this site, it's worth a visit. I have links to maps of major airfields that VPB-118 spent varying lengths of time at. Google has enhanced their maps to link to photos taken on the ground. You can now get a much better idea of what some of these locations look like currently. Some of the locations, like Iwo Jima and Tinian, have preservation areas which are largely maintained as they were back in 1945. You can see the gooney birds on Midway Island and rusting guns where they were abandoned. Open each map in a new window using the link below the map and explore!

Veterans Day 2010

Thank you to the veterans of VPB-118, as well as to all of the men and women who have served in the armed forces of the United States of America, in both peacetime and time of war.

On The Subject Of Joint Reunions

At the last VPB-118 reunion, I was asked to explore the possibility of conducting future reunions jointly with another squadron.

It seems to me that this is not a totally far-fetched concept, or I would have said so at the time. My experience of the VPB-118 guys is that they in general have a positive, pragmatic outlook. Therefore, sharing reunion space with another squadron of like background might be a small sacrifice and might even be very rewarding.

Unfortunately, I have so far gotten no takers. My current estimation on the feasibility of doing this is that there are not many VPB squadrons that are still meeting and out of those, few or none would wish to mingle with people from other squadrons. VPB-118 members and relatives have commented that they are "like family." This is probably true of all squadron reunion groups - not unique.

Anyway, there's optimism that we can hold at least one more on our own in 2011 and take it from there.

2010 VPB-118 Reunion in Grand Rapids

I've been back from the latest VPB-118 Reunion for a few days now and have had a few days to think about it. I think the guys had a very nice reunion, although the attendance was down owing to various reasons, not the least of which is the advanced age of the surviving veterans. At the business meeting the possibility of merging the VPB-118 reunion with the reunions of one or more VPB squadrons came up. I was delegated the task of exploring the feasibility of this possible option because I have this forum with which to reach other people. Please do shoot me an email if you have knowledge of other squadrons that have joined up to have their reunions jointly, or of other squadrons that may be exploring this option.

Also decided at the business meeting was the intention to plan for a 2011 reunion in Salt Lake City. This version of the reunion is contingent on getting enough attendees signed up and for non-adoption of the previously mentioned possibility.

The veterans who attended this year's reunion:

L-R: Jack Leonard, Bob Wilson, Harold Taylor, Kent Hatch, and Stanley Ostazeski