Toooo Weeet… Attention on Deck… “Saints…October newsletter”…Arriving!

ALSO ON SAINTS WEBSITE

VA-163 SAINTS GRAM

October 2017

15th Year Edition

Established Nov 2002

VOL 1 Issue 179

Standing the Watch

Ed Copher, Editor, “Saints Everlasting Keeper of the Flame”

Saints Photo Page

http://www.flickr.com/photos/va163saints/sets/

Contains 80 Albums (Sets).... 4,832 Photos

View Counts as of 05 Oct 2017

Photos

749,695 views

Albums

30,772 views

Total

806,611 views

***SAINTS WEB SITE***

MAKE SURE AND VIEW THE WEBSITE. IT HAS BEEN RECENTLY UPDATED WITH LATEST NEWSLETTERS AND ROSTER

Saints website www.va163.org (password: Saints4ever (capital S)

13,707 Visitors since Mar 09

Message from the Saints Webmaster: Submitted by Jim Houston

Saints Website Roster & Newsletter changes:

I made a change in how the Roster changes will be posted on the website. It is too time consuming to publish the complete Roster list every month, so from now on only the changes will be posted. A complete updated roster will be posted once a year, and the complete roster is still available at any time on the website.

Check out the website to see how it works. Comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated.

Along the same lines, I'm going to edit the newsletters down and only publish the changes each month. I understand you have put a lot of work into them, but in my opinion, the members want to see the "news" in "newsletters", and not so much of the same stuff every month.

Jim

Saints Reunion Cruise 2019 survey: Date will be around April 2019 out of Galveston

This is the survey for count on how many might be interested.

Please fill out and return to Hubert Cook - hcook150@gmail.com (not later than Jan 2018). Click here for Survey form

Survey: April 2019 Saints/Ghost Riders Cruise

Please return to hcook150@gmail.com

____Yes/No would like to go on a cruise ____ Maybe, (will advise by January 2018)

____ Number of adults in your party 21 and over ____ Number of minors in your party

____ Early or late seating at Dinner (the majority will win and all do as the Romans)

____ Yes/No do you plan to drive to Galveston and park at the facility

Names of parties to attend: __________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Click here for Information on Cruise Ship

Wayback Machine

Connie Frances: Submitted by Ed Chadwick

Connie Francis visited the USS Oriskany in 1967. Check out the patches on this jacket. There is one our air group, one from an F8 squadron and another from VA164. One morning we had an Alpha strike scheduled for a target near Hanoi and I was the only person having breakfast before the mission. [Most guys didn't eat before going "Downtown", but I didn't want to be shot down on an empty stomach.] She walked in to the area where we could eat in flight suits and sat down across from me. We talked for several minutes. I was very impressed.

Link to info: Connie Francis Jacket

Connie connieJacket

Skipper Compton:

Compton

Information help needed : From George Blosser

I need a little help tracking down some information from an inquiry I received at Tailhook17. A formal Naval Aviator is helping the widow of Bill Johnson who died in the Oriskany fire in late 66. I believe Bill was in VA-166 in Air Wing 16 at the time. Apparently the events surrounding his death were never completely explained to the family. Bill’s wife raised their two children and has remained a widow. The youngsters at the time are now adult and are curious about what happened to their Dad. The guy asking the questions at Hook17 was Dennis Harris who lives in Charlotte, NC presently. I thought perhaps you could put me on the trail of someone from that cruise that might have some information.

Thanks in advance, George Blosser george.blosser1@gmail.com

Need Picture:

Hi Ed, I don’t know if this mail is still good but if it is: I’m looking for some pictures of Jim Busey's A-4 during 67-68. At least his AH number. I am finishing an A-4 remote control JET and would like to paint it as Jim Busey’s.

Thanks in advance

Sebastian Davanzo/ CDSUR email: sd@cdsur.cl

Four photos submitted by Ed Chadwick:

From Dan Lestage:

Hi all,

Helen and I have relocated to be closer to one of our kids (it’s an aging thing). Here is the new stuff:

Dan & Helen Lestage

601 Fairhope Avenue

Fairhope, AL 36532-2010

Ph. 251-517-7739(H)/cell unchanged 904-655-6413

Email: DBLFAL@gmail.com

I’m sure I’ve missed some of our “old shipmates” but pass it on if you would. Sorry we missed the last Saints/Ghostriders reunion but maybe next time.

Best to all form South Alabama,

Doc Dan

“ALSO”

Newsletters are on Saints Website:

Go to Saints Website, click on Newsletters,

To view the Roster: click on Roster, then either Roster Revisions or Complete Roster,

Password: Saints4ever (capital S)

SAINTS ONBOARD (260 Names)

“Muster Call”

Revised 05 Oct 2017

New or changed address:

See website roster

Please advise if you have any additions or corrections.

Complete Muster Call can be found on the Saints website –