VAH-5 Roster for May 15, 1956 to October 15, 1956 deployment

The nucleus of this file — the list of officers — was taken from a set of orders to Arthur C. "Mac" McAdams Jr., Mcadams318@aol.com. The orders were signed by the CO, CDR Speltz, on 1 May 1956. The first paragraph reads:

1. Proceed on or about 10 May 1956 to Port Lyautey, French Morocco, thence to the USS INTREPID, thence to the USS TICONDEROGA, thence to the USS CORAL SEA, thence to the USS RANDOLPH for temporary additional duty in a flying status involving operational or training flights in connection with squadron deployment for a period of about five (5) months. You are authorized to omit or revisit any of the above mentioned places and to vary the above itinerary itself as may be deemed necessary.

The endorsements for Ensign McAdams reveal that he reported at the Naval Air Station, Port Lyautey, French Morocco on 12 May 1956, departed for the Intrepid on 16 May, arrived aboard the Intrepid on 17 May, departed the Intrepid on 23 August, reported aboard Coral Sea on 23 August, arrived at Port Lyautey on 14 October, departed Port Lyautey on 18 October, and arrived home at Sanford on 26 October 1956. (A lost engine between Lages and Argentia and the resulting wait for repairs accounts for the delay in the journey home.)

Officers (in the sequence in which they appear on the orders)

Paul H. Speltz, CDR, USN, 085772/1310
Joseph M. Tully, CDR, USN, 123648/1310
James S. Stafford, CDR, USN, 149039/1310
Glenn C. Michel, CDR, USN, 124204/1310
Arthur G. Elder, LCDR, USN, 156687/1310
Jessie L. Caton, Jr., LCDR, USN, 277960/1310 (Apparently he was nicknamed "Roy.")
John (n) Dooley, LCDR, USN, 264060/1310
Charles C. Donnaud, III, LCDR, USN, 262947/1310
Charles R. Tucker, LCDR, USN, 282/799/1310
Cyrus F. Fitton, LCDR, USN, 298959/1310
Jesse S. Cleveland, LCDR, USN, 315617/1310
Robert B. Williams, Jr., LCDR, USNR, 363402/1315
Duan W. Linker, LCDR, USN, 368573/1310
Frank H. Dauer, LT, USN, 397306/1310
Robert J. Baker, LT, USN, 397604/1310
Robert S. Stone, LT, USN, 256118/1310
Carl G. Tegfeldt, LT, USN, 476737/1350 (See "Radar Targeting" at http://community-2.webtv.net/cerebralhushtoo/doc/page10.html.)
John W. Hill, LT, USN, 485248/1310
Jule F. Merkel, LTJG, USNR, 569235/1355 ("Jay," his active reserve obligation completed, was released to inactive duty from Lyautey in early July.)
James W. Wagner, LTJG, USNR, 570845/1355
Robert G. Blackwood, LTJG, USNR, 568648/1355
Curt H. Kretzschmann, LTJG, USN, 572231/1350
Michael J. Morrill, LTJG, USNR, 575025/1355
Gordon L. Jacobson, LTJG, USNR, 586728/1355
Frank O. Baty, LTJG, USN, 544796/1820
Gerald M. Ryman, LTJG, USNR, 588371/1325
Dean A. Ortmann, LTJG, USNR, 569643/1325
Paul F. O'Dea, LTJG, USNR, 569645/1325
Robert J. Fitzsimmons, Jr., LTJG, USNR, 569639/1325
Richard D. Morrow, ENS, USNR, 588813/1355
William E. Martin, ENS, USNR, 588797/1355
Arthur C. McAdams, ENS, USNR, 594171/1355

Crews

2. Tully/McAdams/Ackerman (In Det 33 aboard Intrepid and Det 31 aboard Coral Sea)
?. Stafford/Kretzshmann/????????
?. Caton/Fitzsimmons/Bill Kelly AOC (In Det 33 aboard Intrepid and Det 31 aboard Coral Sea until accident of 8 September 1956)
7. Donnaud/O'Dea/???????? (Definitely Det 31 Coral Sea. It was their plane, NB7, Caton was flying.)
?. Fitton/Jacobson/???????? (In Det 33 aboard Intrepid)

Enlisted

The deployment orders dated 1 May 1956 state that there were 259 enlisted men. Not having been on the deployment myself I am not able to list any except for a few that I can glean from other sources. Additions are requested.

Ackerman (Third crewman for Joe Tully; 1st class(?); radioman(?))
A. J. "Jack" Allen, AOC (Flight time passenger with LCDR Caton on 8 September 1956)
John (n) Bayko, AEC
W. W. Chandler, ALC
R. J. DeJong, AQC
Mel Freedman, AN (AE Striker) He worked for Otis Goal AE1 and spent time on both USS Ticonderoga CVA14 and USS Randolph CVA15. (This info from email from Mel Freedman [manuel38"at"optonline.net] on 2 April 2007)
C. L. Fyler, AQC
Otis Goal AE1 (This info from Mel Freedman on 2 April 2007.)
Bill Kelly, AOC (Third crewmand for LCDR Caton on 8 September 1956)
G. A. Massey, ADC

The following photograph of Detachment 33 was taken aboard USS Intrepid in July or August of 1956. The aircraft in the background is NB2. The squadron was flying retrofitted AJ-1s on that deployment. LTJG Henry M. Walker appears in the group, even though his name did not appear in the group orders above. Possibly he had received separate travel orders for some reason. (Assistant Maintenance Officer and not in a flying status?)

Third Row: ADC G. A. Massey; AOC A. J. "Jack" Allen, Jr.; ALC W. W. Chandler;
AEC John (n) Bayko; AQC C. L. Fyler
Second Row: AQC R. J. DeJong; LTJG Robert J. Fitzsimmons, Jr.; LTJG Gordon L. Jacobson;
LTJG Henry M. Walker; LCDR Frank H. Dauer; LT Robert J. Baker;
ENS Arthur C. McAdams, Jr.; LTJG Gerald M. Ryman; LTJG Michael J. Morrill;
ATC M. N. Smith
First Row: ASB Rep. E. J. Tysenhouse; LCDR Cyrus F. Fitton; CDR Paul H. Speltz;
CDR Joseph M. Tully; LCDR Jessie L. "Roy" Caton, Jr.; LCDR Charles R. Tucker;
FRI Rep. F. W. Burton