JO Training Flight - 1956

Since the squadron was stationed at Naval Station Coco Solo in 1956, and the station had no radar controlled approach equipment, we had to fly to JAX or Norfolk for our annual instrument qualification for approach surveillance radar (ASR) procedures. ASR is a type of radar instrument approach provided with active assistance from air traffic control. The only airborne radio equipment required for radar approaches is a functioning radio transmitter and receiver which,of course, we had. On this occasion, LTJG J.D.Stich (senior PP2P) and this LTJG (the author - a new PP2P) flew to JAX for our qualification in P5M-1 BuNo 130271 on 1/27/1956.

We began our qualification approaches the next day and each completed the required number in short order. We had a lot of fuel and no other mission that day, and a minimum crew. It was a beautiful day for flying and there were no senior squadron officers hanging around in JAX. So Jack Stitch, who, like myself, was a typical agressive and professional Naval Aviator, decided we should practice instrument flying while on a VFR flight and that the best plan would be to fly airways to New Orleans and back without benefit of a filed instrument flight plan.

While staying out of the clouds and enjoying the scenery allowed by good weather over the Southeast United States, our twenty-something year old brains started to cogitate about what we might do that would be really enjoyable. Hmmmm.....got it! What could be more fun than to, while enroute, fly under the Mississippi River Bridge? The P-5 was a big airplane but that bridge was pretty high with plenty of under-span clearance. So that is exactly what we did that just before getting to New Orleans.

Jack was from New Orleans and his parents still lived there so he naturally wanted them to see what kind of aircraft he flew. Being a good son, we flew right over their home - several times at a, still, very classified altitude - until someone from his family finally came out of the house to see what that huge roar was all about. That chore being done, we proceeded to fly right down Canal Street, again at a classified altitude - but pretty darn low even for those days.

Since that Mississippi River Bridge happened to be on our way back to JAX, we again cogitated a bit about it and decided that it was so much fun the first time, why not do it again from the other direction. We had no idea we were going to be captured on film from ashore (see badly damaged photo left).

After the simulated visual landing approach to another under-span pass, we stayed out of trouble the rest of the way and conducted simulated instrument procedures back to JAX. The flight back to Coco Solo the next day was anti-climatic. Not a soul ever came forward, to my knowledge, to report that flight's maneuvers over New Orleans or the flights under the bridge - certainly not a word from any of the crew - and not a word to any senior officers was even whispered. I have no idea how our damning picture showed up but it was, I guess, long after I left the squadron.

Submitted by Charlie Caldwell (VP-45 '54 - '57)