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Graf Zeppelin: Captain Tom, 'Nam, Utes and Lakehurst
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Graf Zeppelin: Captain Tom, 'Nam, Utes and Lakehurst
The saying goes: "There are old pilots and bold pilots but there are no old, bold pilots..."
One of Phil's friends - now sadly no longer with us - was Tom Casagrande, a retired US Army pilot who certainly fits into the latter category...
Tom made it through 2 tours in Vietnam - the first starting in 1966 flying Hueys with C Company of the 227th AHB of the famous First Cavalry Division, flying from An Khe. During this tour he was shot down 3 times - twice, so Phil believes - on the same day!!
With that out of the way, Tom's second tour was flying RU-21Ds on covert surveillance missions over Thailand and Laos.
After the leaving the Army, Tom became a civilian test pilot, flying from Lakehurst on various tasks for the Department of Defense. Some people have a natural ability when it comes to flying, and that must have been the case with Tom as, over 20 years, he managed to accrue over 13,000 flying hours in more than 190 different types of aircraft! He was type rated in aircraft ranging from rotary wing, fixed wing and jets, as well as WWII fighters and bombers. He was awarded over 60 military medals and commendations throughout his career.
Sadly, he was killed in a flying accident in 2010. A foundation has been set up by his family to help veterans - https://www.lzpony.org/
Phil became great friends following the great "T-28 Across the Atlantic" flight, and Phil was a frequent visitor to the family home and Lakehurst, recording many unusual aircraft in his logbook, as I shall now reveal...
Vietnam
Next post - RU-21s
One of Phil's friends - now sadly no longer with us - was Tom Casagrande, a retired US Army pilot who certainly fits into the latter category...
Tom made it through 2 tours in Vietnam - the first starting in 1966 flying Hueys with C Company of the 227th AHB of the famous First Cavalry Division, flying from An Khe. During this tour he was shot down 3 times - twice, so Phil believes - on the same day!!
With that out of the way, Tom's second tour was flying RU-21Ds on covert surveillance missions over Thailand and Laos.
After the leaving the Army, Tom became a civilian test pilot, flying from Lakehurst on various tasks for the Department of Defense. Some people have a natural ability when it comes to flying, and that must have been the case with Tom as, over 20 years, he managed to accrue over 13,000 flying hours in more than 190 different types of aircraft! He was type rated in aircraft ranging from rotary wing, fixed wing and jets, as well as WWII fighters and bombers. He was awarded over 60 military medals and commendations throughout his career.
Sadly, he was killed in a flying accident in 2010. A foundation has been set up by his family to help veterans - https://www.lzpony.org/
Phil became great friends following the great "T-28 Across the Atlantic" flight, and Phil was a frequent visitor to the family home and Lakehurst, recording many unusual aircraft in his logbook, as I shall now reveal...
Vietnam
Next post - RU-21s
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Re: Graf Zeppelin: Captain Tom, 'Nam, Utes and Lakehurst
As promised...
71-21059 - Beech RU-21J Ute
Now, to Lakehurst:
67-18062 - Beechcraft U-21A Ute - NAS Lakehurst - 17 March 1981
67-18062 - Beechcraft U-21A Ute - NAS Lakehurst - 17 March 1981
64-14263 - Grumman RV-1D Mohawk - NAS Lakehurst - 17 March 1981
149455 - McDonnell F-4B Phantom II - NAS Lakehurst - 22 June 1987
147701/4B-131 - Douglas A-4C Skyhawk - NAS Lakehurst - 22 June 1987
141561 - Goodyear ZPG-2 (Gondola only) - NAS Lakehurst - 22 June 1987
154443/-406 - LTV A-7B Corsair II - NAS Lakehurst - 22 June 1987
142106/AB-366 - Douglas A-4B Skyhawk- NAS Lakehurst - 22 June 1987
148273/AB-000 - McDonnell F-4A Phantom II- NAS Lakehurst - 22 June 1987
146698/AB-305 - North American A-5A Vigilante - NAS Lakehurst - 22 June 1987
NAS Lakehurst - 22 June 1987. Apparently the old airship hangars are great homing beacon for the airfield, being visible from around 100 miles away on a good day!
Bell JUH-1H Iroquois - NAS Lakehurst - 19 June 1987. Four of the 5 SOTAS Hueys used as battlefield surveillance choppers were also present. Each was fitted with retractable skids and a rotating radar mounted externally under the cabin floor.
Bell JUH-1H Iroquois - NAS Lakehurst - 19 June 1987
And one day, Phil got lucky - REAL lucky...
Next post - a couple of nice little extras from these visits.
71-21059 - Beech RU-21J Ute
Now, to Lakehurst:
67-18062 - Beechcraft U-21A Ute - NAS Lakehurst - 17 March 1981
67-18062 - Beechcraft U-21A Ute - NAS Lakehurst - 17 March 1981
64-14263 - Grumman RV-1D Mohawk - NAS Lakehurst - 17 March 1981
149455 - McDonnell F-4B Phantom II - NAS Lakehurst - 22 June 1987
147701/4B-131 - Douglas A-4C Skyhawk - NAS Lakehurst - 22 June 1987
141561 - Goodyear ZPG-2 (Gondola only) - NAS Lakehurst - 22 June 1987
154443/-406 - LTV A-7B Corsair II - NAS Lakehurst - 22 June 1987
142106/AB-366 - Douglas A-4B Skyhawk- NAS Lakehurst - 22 June 1987
148273/AB-000 - McDonnell F-4A Phantom II- NAS Lakehurst - 22 June 1987
146698/AB-305 - North American A-5A Vigilante - NAS Lakehurst - 22 June 1987
NAS Lakehurst - 22 June 1987. Apparently the old airship hangars are great homing beacon for the airfield, being visible from around 100 miles away on a good day!
Bell JUH-1H Iroquois - NAS Lakehurst - 19 June 1987. Four of the 5 SOTAS Hueys used as battlefield surveillance choppers were also present. Each was fitted with retractable skids and a rotating radar mounted externally under the cabin floor.
Bell JUH-1H Iroquois - NAS Lakehurst - 19 June 1987
And one day, Phil got lucky - REAL lucky...
Next post - a couple of nice little extras from these visits.
Last edited by Northolt Nobbler on Sat Jun 06, 2020 12:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Graf Zeppelin: Captain Tom, 'Nam, Utes and Lakehurst
...and finally...
N149S - Martin 404 - Monmouth County Airport - 24 June 1987
70-15906 - Beechraft U-21G Ute - 17 March 1981
67-18061 - Beechcraft U-21A Ute - 17 March 1981
The ultimate taxi cab arrival:
"We're Coming in Hot..." - John F Kennedy Airport - May 1983
And the ultimate FREE taxi rides:
N122AE - Canadair CL-44D4-2 Air Express International - John F Kennedy - May 1983. JFK to Stansted
N121AE - Canadair CL-44D4-2 Aeron International Airlines - John F Kennedy - June 1987. JFK to Manston
N149S - Martin 404 - Monmouth County Airport - 24 June 1987
70-15906 - Beechraft U-21G Ute - 17 March 1981
67-18061 - Beechcraft U-21A Ute - 17 March 1981
The ultimate taxi cab arrival:
"We're Coming in Hot..." - John F Kennedy Airport - May 1983
And the ultimate FREE taxi rides:
N122AE - Canadair CL-44D4-2 Air Express International - John F Kennedy - May 1983. JFK to Stansted
N121AE - Canadair CL-44D4-2 Aeron International Airlines - John F Kennedy - June 1987. JFK to Manston
Re: Graf Zeppelin: Captain Tom, 'Nam, Utes and Lakehurst
That is one awesome flying career
How many aerials can one plane have
Thanks for posting
Paddyboy
How many aerials can one plane have
Thanks for posting
Paddyboy
Re: Graf Zeppelin: Captain Tom, 'Nam, Utes and Lakehurst
Stunning series of photos, especially the Nam Huey shots
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for sharing
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Re: Graf Zeppelin: Captain Tom, 'Nam, Utes and Lakehurst
Brilliant, not every day you get to see in country images from Vietnam.
Cheers.
Cheers.
- Ghastly Whisper
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- Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 5:43 pm
Re: Graf Zeppelin: Captain Tom, 'Nam, Utes and Lakehurst
Outstanding! Fantastic post, many thanks for sharing. Those 'nam pics...... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlsfM2BmsJU
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Re: Graf Zeppelin: Captain Tom, 'Nam, Utes and Lakehurst
Excellent post, and so nice to see shots of such rare airframes
Re: Graf Zeppelin: Captain Tom, 'Nam, Utes and Lakehurst
Great set, great memories and to live through it to record for posterity. What a guy. Hats off!!! Thanks for sharing
Re: Graf Zeppelin: Captain Tom, 'Nam, Utes and Lakehurst
Excellent post.
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