F-14 RIO.

[Tikka]

Hi.
Just a heads up really.

TV in the UK is pretty Garbage. My Wife likes soap operas which i refuse to watch. Hence i like to read and watch interesting stuff on you tube.

Came across a guy called Ward Carroll. He has put some really interesting stuff up. He was a RIO in the F-14. I know there is a lot of interest in the F-14 so i thought i would give the heads up. It may even be a trip down memory lane for our own Astro-14.

 

[Astro14]

More than a trip down memory lane...His call sign is “Mooch”. I’ve known him for about 30 years, we’ve flown together, instructed together. I’ll spare you most of the stories, and out of respect for his dignity, I’ll never reveal any of the liberty stories.

Mooch is given to a bit of hyperbole, but does a good job as editor of the Military.com and working for the USNI.

His book, “Punk’s War” was a disjointed collection of sea-stories in search of a plot to stitch it together, but I thoroughly enjoyed it, because I could tell precisely which Tomcat guys he was mirroring in his characters.

I’ll have to give it a watch.

And then, likely, give him some grief, for what I suspect will be a bit of shameless self-promotion that slips out in his narrative.

He’s a Tomcat guy, after all!

 

[Tikka]

Hi Astro.
I noticed he served around the same time as you and i did wonder if your paths had crossed.

I find him very interesting to listen to. He has a vid where he talks of the time they lost the canopy of the TA-4J. It landed in someones back yard in Virginia Beach.

I smiled when i read your 'liberty stories' sentence. I am guessing your job was very much work hard then play hard.

 

[GoToGuy_Ron]

Yeah, old memories of Miramar NAS, and a tour of duty with VF-213 Black Lions. Work ups on the the Big E. West Pac on the Kitty Hawk. Then next in the Med on the America.

 

[Astro14]

Yeah, old memories of Miramar NAS, and a tour of duty with VF-213 Black Lions. Work ups on the the Big E. West Pac on the Kitty Hawk. Then next in the Med on the America.

Very cool! When were you in those squadrons? We might know some of the same folks...

Cheers,
Astro

 

[GoToGuy_Ron]

I reported to VF213 December of 76. They had returned from the pullout of Viet Nam. And transitioned to F-14's. All the tv of sailors pushing helos off carriers, those became the guys i worked with. Jake Jaccanin was CO. It was some crazy time, before the westpac, during the westpac and getting home.

 

[supton]

Interesting enough, one of the first things that popped up tonight me on going into youtube was: Lieutenant Kara Hultgreen, USN. I know Astro has written about this incident, and I am hesitant to drop it down, but it is what it is.

 

[Malo83]

 

[wpod]

My sons Scout master was a RIO on a F4 these guys are scary smart I went of every outing. He taught us how todo navigation in the forests that the results were mind blowing, there was a bunch of 13 to 18 year olds that could navigate a 50 mile 6 day back packing trip.