Page Updated 10/24/10

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Information provided as noted

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• Service jacket entry for Flight Electronics Technician designation (8287).
  
  Copy provided by Fredrick W. Becker ATN2 VW-1 64-66 TE-6, 1, 2, 7.
  
  This patch was designed in 1958 by the 1st radioman on crew 7, at that time I was the 2nd radioman. His name was Doc Doughtery (spelling?), Doc had red hair and was an all around great guy. Doc told me about the PlayBoy magazine but at the time I had very little knowledge of what he was talking about.!!
  
  Copy provided by Carroll Walker AT3 VW-1 58-59 TE-7
  
  Crew patch of crew 4 circa 1955 includes the words "NI BAN" meaning number 2 in Japanese. Several possibilities of this conflict are explained by Gordon.... "The records show that 128323 was initially given a side number of 2, it was the first super connie in the squadron and was used to train the pilots it was then sent back to Burbank and had all the electronics installed painted gray and then re-designated as TE-4 when it returned to the squadron because by that time there was another aircraft assigned as TE-2. Or we probably were trying to recognize that we were originally #2, or that we lost two engines trying to return to Barbers Point. The duck on the patch was because we were the only gray plane in the squadron we called ourselves the ugly ducks, because we were not bright and shiney silver.
  
  3rd. Picture from left courtesy Gordon Olson '54-56 TE-4.
  
  Survival, Escape and Evasion school certificate
  
  4th. Picture from left courtesy Dan A Ragan AT3 '54-'56.
  
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• 1st. patch on the left is the typical 100 knot'er. These are some of the patches that were worn on Moon's flight jackets.
  
  2nd. patch from the left: Quote from Moon, "The 5 - 20kt patch I had made for crew Numbah Ten after we were assigned to go "investigate" 5 weak circulations on 5 days in one week....always less than "storm" velocities (we always hated this assignment because you knew there would be "nothing"....but JTWC would see them on the radar, and immediately send someone to look. They started east of PGUM and moved west toward the PI, but never grew in intensity....and so, I had that patch made for our crew....5 - 20kt same as 100kt."
  The other patch in this picture is probably from one of the initial (1940's or early 50's) typhoon chaser squadrons either VJ-1 or VPW-1. See e-mail received from Ray Parsons below the next group of pictures.
  
  3rd. patch from the left: Shows VW-1's efforts in the Viet-Nam war.
  
  Patch on the right: Again a quote from Moon "Aircraft Cmdr was LCDR Frokjer, so again, just had the "Frokjer's Strokers", meaning Crew Numbah Ten GOT THE JOB DONE, regardless. Kinda proud of our group.....NEVER LATE and NEVER MISSED an on-time fix.....and NEVER, NEVER a radar fix. My rule was....I got a nose-bleed above 1500 ft, so all fixes were at 1000 ft or less. They were a good group!"
  
  Copy and comments provided by Claude R "Moon" Mullen AGCS 69-72 TE-7, 10 Metro
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• Your web-site manager has been in casual contact with a few crewmen of the 1st typhoon chaser squadrons formed in the middle 1940's. I have often wondered about the squadron patch shown in the second picture in the row above which led to my comment.
  
  "The other patch in this picture is probably from one of the initial (1940's or early 50's) typhoon chaser squadrons either VJ-1 or VPW-1."
  See e-mail received below after these guys were asked about the patch.
  
  Pete
  Your patch is from one of our weather squadrons working the West Pacific area from 1946 thru 1947.
  
  VPW-1 was the first "weather" squadron formed at Camp Kearney, CA (Miramar MCAS later). VPW-1 was the first true weather squadron formed after the Navy and ADM Halsey about lost the fleet during a typhoon in the latter stages of WW2.
  
  VPW-2 was established a few weeks later. Both squadrons operated in the Pacific and one year later VPW-2 was disestablished and the Squadron name was changed to VPM-1. That squadron was disestablished at the end of 1947, ending the original weather squadrons. I was one of the few who was in all three squadrons.
  
  I have collected the squadron history and information and have located about 40 members of the squadrons still alive. If you want additional information, contact me.
  
  Ray Parsons.
  
  Pictures and comments provided by Ray Parsons VPW-1, VPW-2 and VPM-1 1946 - 1947
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• Navy Unit Commendation awarded to George E. Stewart for service wth VW-1 detachment assigned to CAG 5 in Korea 1 January 1953 to 5 June 1953.
  
  Provided by George E. Stewart VC-11 50-52; VW-1 52-55:
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• Air Medal awarded to Don Ray ADR-2 Provided by Don Ray VW-1 63-64, and 69-71
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• Service jacket entry for contribution to an accident free year.
  
  Aerographers Mate School Class "A" graduation certificate awarded to Richard Rowan.
  
  Air Crewman certificate awarded to Richard Rowan.
  
  Copies provided by Richard Rowan AG3 VW-1 1964 - 1966.
  
  
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• VW-1 Det. "A" crew one patch worn by Dan A Ragan AT3 '54-'56, This patch was designed by Gordon Olson AT3 VW-1 '54-'56.
  
  Patch worn by Crew one members during the VW-1 Det."A" deployment May - July 1955. According to the picture they had deployed with TE-4.
  
  Patch worn by VW-1 Det. "A" members commemorating the February 1955 Tachen Island evacuation.
  
  Patch worn by survivors of the Escape and Evasion School conducted by COMFAIR Hawaii. circa 1955.
  
  Pictures copied from Dan A Ragan's book entitled AEWRON ONE (VW-1) HISTORY. Dan was an AT3 in VW-1 from '54-'56 flying with various aircrews as a radioman.

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• Crew patch picturing a red devil (VW-1's radio call sign) eyeing a WV-2 with a geisha girl on top. I am not sure what the wording on the patch is supposed to signify. .
  
  One can only imagine what the significance of this crew one patch.
  
  NAS Barbers Point patch
  
  NAS Atsugi patch.
  
  Pictures copied from Dan A Ragan's book entitled AEWRON ONE (VW-1) HISTORY. Dan was an AT3 in VW-1 from '54-'56 flying with various aircrews as a radioman.
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• 1st. patch on the left: Crew 2 patch, circa 1966
  Courtesy James Schram VW-1 1965 - 67
  
  2nd. patch from the left: The story behind the patch is: The Crew 2 Weather Officer (Lt Workman) was the designer of it, as I remember. The patch was not real popular at that time, but I went ahead and got one anyhow. Of course the VW-1 tactical radio call sign was "Rainproof" and Crew 2's call sign was Rainproof Two". The patch contains two guys in raincoats and rain hats that are covered by one large umbrella and walking on top of some clouds, which would equate to "Rainproof Two".
  
  Now in retrospect, the patch does depict the scenario quite well.
  Courtesy Lyle Fisher AT2 VW-1 61-63 TE-2
  
  3rd. patch from the left: A patch from Richard R. Rowan's flight suit.
  Courtesy Richard R. Rowan AG3 VW-1 64-66 TE-6
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