Missing USN Squadron Patch

[Maverickson]

This is a photo of my late father CDR "Buck" E. E. Sheeley Jr. USN retired seen sitting second from the left in his 1955 issue G-1 flight jacket. He is on board the USS Wasp. The time frame is 1962 or 1963. This jacket was stolen out of his locker in 1969 at NAS Alameda and I am attempting to locate the jacket patches as seen in this photo.

My desire to duplicate father's original flight jacket has lead me to contact father's old squadron mates. Among my father's papers, I was fortunate enough to find a twenty year old reunion pamphlet listing known VA-55 members.

Locating Warhorse members has proved helpful in identifying the patches. With the help of dad's old Warhorse squadron mates I have been able to identify nearly all of his patches and receive patches as seen in this photograph. All except for the one on his right arm. This patch has become know to me as the mystery patch.

By looking at the different patches attached to other squadron members in this photograph I have bee able to figure out what my father would have been wearing on his jacket. Although this is a great group photograph of the VA-55 squadron members, unfortunately the only part of my father that can be seen is his head.

Between the two of these group photographs I should be able to identify the missing patch seen on to my father's upper right sleeve. So far none of the five fellows I have spoken with have been able to positively identify the patch. This patch is no doubt rare.

Subsequently, I found this same mystery patch attached to two other VA-55 squadron members jackets. Although I have been in contact with five VA-55 survivors, only two of the guys can be seen wearing this same mystery patch as seen in the group photograph taken next to the FJ-4 Fury. Both of these fellows have gone missing. Neither photograph offers a clear picture of this mystery patch. This best example of the mystery patch came from John Barnes jacket. The problem is I can not contact him as he was killed in 1970 while test flying a A-5 Vigilante.

I have posted the just recongnizable USS Hanncock gaggle patch which is seen in both of these group pictures. I can just make out the shape of this patch attached to the left sleeve of father's jacket. This type of patch, called a " gaggle" patch, is no longer in use and subsiquently designates the squadrons which made up the Carrier Air Wing for that particular cruise.

A lucky find! I put the question to the surviving VA-55 members. One of my dad's squadron mates a Mr. Richard Wright came through. As it turns out, the patch as seen above my father's I.D. Tag was made to commemorate The Warhorses USS Bennington cruise that happened fify years ago. In addition, I beleive this Taiwan patch was hand sewn. The attack airplanes as seen on the patch are the FJ Fury. On the other hand the Airforce used it's Sabre jet as a fighter. The only mystery patch remaining to be identifed as pictured in this photograph is the one on his upper right sleeve.

With the advent of jet aircraft the World War 2 style patches and their Disney type qualities were to become a thing of the past. The Fury was the Navys counterpart to the Airforce F-86 Sabre. Ironically, The Fury was used by the United States Navy as an attack ( bomber ) aircraft and nuclear delivery system.Interestingly enough, as seen on the ATG-2 Hancock patch, VA-116 was already advertising there nuclear capability.

According to father's squadron mate Mr. Richard Wright USN retired, he always kept his old Korean War style VA-55 patch on his jacket. Prior to 1955 the Warhorses were know as the Torpcats. What really spiked my interest in the squadron was when I found out that this squadron originated locally at Pungo Airfield in 1943 at my home town. In addition, in southern Virginia Beach and just adjacent to the Pungo Airfield is another more modern airfield. Please visit this site http://www.fighterfactory.com/airworthy ... raider.php . Subsequently, I have also found that the air worthy Skyraider owned by the Fighter Factor was in fact originally a combat veteran of VA-55. By coinsidence, I found another website as seen this website http://www.koreanwar-educator.org/topic ... roup_2.pdf lists a very close serial numbered AD-4 as battle damaged. This battle damaged Skyraider serial number coincides to that one owned by the Fighter Factory as being repaired. I have found that squadrons were given airplanes from the factory with close or nearly consecutive serial numbers. This plane owned by the Fighter Factory was and went to fight to Korea with VA-55 and that I was able to surmise by my father's flight log and Dick Wright's accounts that this particular airplane probably was in the Squadron up to and including the first three months that my father was connected to the squadron. That as documented in father's flight log and Dick Wright's statement to me in December of 1955 the squadron traded off the old AD-2 & AD-4 aircraft and received the new and improved AD-6 Skyraider.

In relation to the found 1958 USS Bennington cruise patch, as explained to me by my father's squadron mate, a contest was set up to see who could draw the best patch. This patch was to tell the story of the Warhorse's mission on this cruise aboard the Bennington. During this cruise, the possesion of the Quemoy Islands was a heavily contested issue between Communist Mainland China and Taiwan. At that time the Bennington was sent there to stop if necessary the Red Chinese from invading Taiwan. The fellow did not tell me who won the patch contest. He did advise me that they had these patches made for the squadron members in Japan after stopping there on the way back home.

In addition, I am pleased to say that I have located and am currently in possesion of another G-1 jacket. This new to me vintage jacket is what I believe to be an exact duplicate of my father's originial flight jacket. His original G-1 jacket was issued to him soon after he was awarded his wings in 1955. As pictured the original G-1 has scolloped pocket flaps and a large collar. I beleive that this jacket was either a Werber or a Cagleco. A large size Werber jacket was located and came home to me this past week. This G-1 Weber will act as a replacement jacket and will be used to attach these duplicate patches to replicate my father's originial jacket. In the near future, I will be posting photos of this completed jacket following it's refurbishing.

This experience of talking to my father's squadron mates has been eye opening. As explained, some of these fellows joined the squardon upon it's return from combat in Korea. At that time the Skyraider's paint job transitioned from navy blue to grey. Following the squadron's Korean War combat deployment that in 1955 the Warhorses recieved 15 new AD-6 Skyraider. According to one of my father's Squadron mates Dick Wright, of these the Warhorses managed to destroy 5 in air accidents the first year. Nearly all of the accidents proved fatal. One of these fifteen Skyraiders is currently a static display at the Aviation Museum in Pensacola http://skyraider.org/skyassn/skywarb/135300/135300.htm. Throughout father's three year tenure with the Warhorses five aviators were lost in flight operational accidents from the original seventeen members. Later and following father's separatation from the squadron three more of those seventeen original Warhorse members were later lost to operational accidents and combat.

I hope you all enjoy the patch photos!

 

[Atticus]

Re: Missing USN Squadron Patches

Hi Maverickson,

Interesting photo! In addition to your Dad's G-1 there's lots of other cool jackets in this picture.

Check out the guy standing behind your Dad first from the left wearing the WEP. Several years ago I bought a 1968 WEP off of e-bay. When it arrived, it's fit was so short that I assumed it had been shrunk in a washing machine---as have so many L-2Bs. But now, after seeing your photo here, I understand that its just the way those jackets were cut.

Also, check out all the deck jackets!

AF

 

[deeb7]

It's not very clear .... but is anyone able to help?

 

[Maverickson]

I have found the missing patch. After much effort I was able to find the patch through contacting the survivng VA-55 squadron members which proved to be the only way possible of finding and or identify this missing patch. I have been in contact with both the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola and the Tailhook Association and neither organizations were aware of this patch.

Two of the squadron members from this group VA-55 photograph can be seen wearing the same odd patch as was on my father's original jacket but were both known to have past away. So, after exhausting all known avenues by sure luck one of the Squadron members, James Toncray suggested that I write Dick Barnes's widow as he had kept her mailing address. Immediately. I composed her a letter including a copy of this same group picture seen below along with an explaination of what I was looking for. This explaination included the fact that her late husband as seen in the provided photograph had the exact patch combination on his G-1 flight jacket as my father. Dick is seen here in the front row and closest to the FJ-4 Fury. Jim Toncray is on the top row next to the American Indian Ens. Culver and second from the right.

The late CDR. Richard Barnes was killed in an operational aviation accident in his Vigilante while aboard the USS Forrestal in 1970. I had not bothered to think of asking CDR. Richard Barnes's widow prior to the suggestion by James Concray as I was abundantly aware that Richard Barnes had long been gone. It is by shear luck that his wife had kept all of her late husband's naval aviation memorabilia.

As it turns out, Mrs Barnes had never seen this group photograph of the squadron and was happy to recieve this fify year old photograph. In addiition, she had kept her late husband's patches on a wall in the den displayed in a shadow box. That missing patch now known to me as the ATG-2 patch is seen on the bottom row and in the middle of the frame. These momentos were placed there according to Mrs. Barnes as too provide a consant reminder to the two daughters that Dick Barnes had left behind that they once had a father. These two girls were not old enough to have remembered their father while he was living. Mrs Barnes became a school teacher, raised her two daughters and never remarried.

In thinking back over my life and in the worst of times I do not think any thing compares to the loss these folks endured. I asked the daughters if they had taken those displayed patches off of his flight jacket to have them mounted in the shadow box but I was told that the mother had used the father's duplicates. As explained, Dick's flight jacket was not returned with his possibles. CDR Richard Barnes had been lost while wearing it.

I have made the arrangements to have this unique ATG-2 patch duplicated. The duplicated Barnes ATG-2 patch has been promised to be completed and returned to me by the patch maker around Christmas of this year. With the discovery of this final missing ATG-2 patch will bring closure to my quest to duplicate my late father's original stolen flight jacket. I will now have the Werber G-1 flight jacket sent out and have it refurbished by Aero in Scotland. The particulars of this duplication process and the finished product will be posted upon it's return to me. By all accounts the jacket should be completed one year following my father's passing.

 

[greyhound52]

This is a fantastic story. Thanks for sharing this.

 

[deeb7]

Yes, thanks for posting the outcome, Dave.

A great story, and I'm glad to hear that the jacket can now be completed.

 

[Maverickson]

I have received the remanufactured ATG-2 copied from CDR Dick Barnes naval aviation pathces his widow had framed. I contracted this work to exaclty duplicate the original AGT-2 patch in every way. The machinery used to perform the work were proposed to have been those exact machines that orginailly made these patches in Japan. In my mind the manufaturer missed the mark.



In looking at these two patches the first of of the two patches to be seen is an origal ATG-2

This second patch is the one I had remanufactrued from the original and I had planned on using on Dad's Jacket.

As I see it, this newly manufactured patch has two major discrepancies. All of the problems eminate form the square peg. The top angle of the peg is to high which leaves no space between the hammers head and the top of the peg. Also, the original colors of the square peg is copper and the face is white with a red lettered side. On the other hand, the new patch was upgraged to include brown with a silver and red lettered side. By changing the color to this duplicated patched may have upgraded the looks of the newly manufactured patch but it degrade my original intent of perfectly duplicating my father's original jacket & those attached patches.

Ironically, January 29, 2009, comes on the first aniversary of my father's passing. The manufucturer had assured me that he can and will solve all of these problems on the next go around. By waiting this will textend my completion date would then be April or May of 2009. Originally, I had planned on duplicating fathers missing patches as seen on his original G-1 flight jacket and to wear that completed jacket on the first aniversary of his passing. Again, I will not have the G-1 jacket refurbished untill I have all five of his original patches neatly tucked under the new lining. I have already missed the one deadline. What would you do if you were in my shoes?

Plesae adise.

 

[watchmanjimg]

Dave:

In your shoes I would be immensely proud of my efforts to commemorate the service of CDR Sheeley and honor his passing. Unfortunately third parties have frustrated your plan so far as meeting the exact date, but as they say "it's the thought that counts." I think you've done a fantastic job so far and I'm actually quite impressed with the newly-made patch.

On another note related to this thread, I enjoyed seeing the picture of the chaps wearing dark covers on their saucer caps. I assume this is the aviator's forest-green uniform. Am I correct? These aren't terribly common in my experience, and I think the dark-blue cover is rarer still.

 

[Maverickson]

Dave:

In your shoes I would be immensely proud of my efforts to commemorate the service of CDR Sheeley and honor his passing. Unfortunately third parties have frustrated your plan so far as meeting the exact date, but as they say "it's the thought that counts." I think you've done a fantastic job so far and I'm actually quite impressed with the newly-made patch.

On another note related to this thread, I enjoyed seeing the picture of the chaps wearing dark covers on their saucer caps. I assume this is the aviator's forest-green uniform. Am I correct? These aren't terribly common in my experience, and I think the dark-blue cover is rarer still.

The maker is going to be giving me another shot at getting them done right. While he was at it I had six other different patches copied. However, only one out of those six patches came back as I would have expected or made acceptable to my taste. This would have been the very rare 1958 Bennington.

But those are the ones that I already have. I needed that shield shaped ATG-2 patch to get this ball rolling.

As to the dark forrest green heavy wool uniforms Yes, I believe that they are currently unusual and probably no longer in use. The only vestage of that uniform that I have is his pisscutter. I appreciate your support in regards to my endeavor. While I did not meet my deadline to finish this duplicated jacket, To honor my father throughout this day I wore his command jacket.

Thanks, Dave

 

[zoomer]

You're mostly right about the "working greens." There was a letter writing campaign recently to keep them authorized, but they're impractical for working and not allowed for dress.

They may allow G-1 wearers to use the Marine cutter and trousers along with it, but that isn't really the same.