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I am not sure if the entire VP-23 squadron was sent to Nassau in the
Bahamas to participate in an exercise called ASDEVEX 1-54, or a part of it
(Ed. note: It was apparently not the entire squadron, as your editor
recalls he didn’t go on that deployment). The exercise was to improve
our defense against enemy submarine attack.
Other air squadrons, 2 carriers and other war ships were to take part in
the exercise. We were sent to Windsor Field, which was a small airfield in
Nassau with relatively few accommodations. The crews were put up in tents
near the runway where you could hear the planes taking off during the
night.
MA-5 took off at approximately 3 am in ideal weather conditions with light
winds. It was seen to rise from the runway and begin to climb easily.
We were awakened just before daybreak and instructed to take off and start
a search up to 100 miles out. Since no communication was received from MA-5
after takeoff it was assumed that whatever happened was relatively close to
Windsor Field.
After we got airborne we could see manned balloons searching off shore. We
were in the air approximately 15 minutes when we received a call to return
to base. After we returned we were told that the wreckage was spotted
approximately 200 yards off shore by one of the balloons. We were all in
shock as many of us lost good friends that day.
Late in the day several of us walked down to the beach where you could see
the salvage work in operation. It was such a devastating scene that none of
us stayed more than a few minutes.
A memorial was built on the beach with a plaque listing the names of our
lost comrades. The plaque reads:
“In Memory of
These Officers and Men of Patrol Squadron Twenty Three, United States Navy,
Who Gave Their Lives on May 7, 1954---In the Service of Their Country and
the Free World.”
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LTJG William H.
Martin
Massachusetts
ENS Leland R. Osborn
California
ENS John C. Tinney
New York
Holle, John W. ADC
New York
Kiliszewski, Joseph A. AT3
Pennsylvania
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Nelson, Franz
E. AO3
California
Caylor, Thomas R. ATAN
Lepard, Gerald P. AD3
Michigan
Olson, Albert J. AT3
Minnesota
Sparks, Fred M. AL1
North Carolina
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Although Tom Caylor
is listed as a native of Michigan, according to Dave he was from Indiana
(Addendum from
Elmer Wilcox)
During the dedication of the monument two
aircraft from VP-23 conducted a flyover and spread hundreds of roses over
the crash site. I was a crew member in one of them, and needless to say I
was proud to have been chosen to be a part of this show of respect.
(Click the button below for a picture of the memorial service in Nassau)
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