NAAS Whiting Field

Naval Auxiliary Airfield Whiting Field, Milton Florida

1962 - 1964  EM1 -  EMC

What the heck is a Snipe doing in a place like this??  Got pictures?  Nope, never took any.  The picture above was obtained courtesy of an outfit called NASP at Pensacola Fl.  Notice it's hanging by a string from the overhead.  As I recall, at Whiting they actually took them outside and turned them loose!  Thanks for the picture NASP guy's.  I tried all over to get a picture and all the outfits turned their backs on me until I contacted these folk. 

My first shore duty and it turns out to be an Airdale ranch!  I was an instructor in the Petty Officers Military Academy, (POMA).  The academy was a spin-off of General Order 21.   This General Order was issued because of what was considered as the poor performance of the US Military that were captured during the Korean conflict.  It was believed that Petty Officers needed a better foundation in World politics, US Government, Communism and how to march around in little circles on a tennis court without running into the fence.  This would make the US Military a force to be reckoned with.  Did it work??  You be the judge.

The rest of the Auxiliary airfield was a host to 3 training commands, VT2, VT3, & VT6.  Here they taught young officer candidates to fly an airplane well enough to go to Viet Nam and get killed.

The most memorable things that happened to me here?  I was promoted to Chief Petty Officer in 1963 and I got orders to go back to sea in 1964, to the USS Conserver (ARS 39), a Rescue Salvage ship out of good ole' Pearl Harbor.

Two names I remember well from this station are Herbert Thomas, (no relation) and Robert Tuck.  Found Robert July 2000, thanks Pete Pilgrim!  I was best man at both of their weddings.  Both of these gents were black shoes (fleet sailors).  Herb was a radarman and Robert a storekeeper.  I have no idea what happened to these gents although I have heard that Robert Tuck retired in Wyoming.  Can anyone help me find them??

Onto the Connie Maru