NAS Memphis |
Point of Contact = Squadron Duty Officer (SDO).
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 Courtesy Steve Wetzel |
 Courtesy Steve Wetzel |
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Heritage-Patches 1917 established in Millington, near Memphis TN. |
Sources David Weber Joe Turpen Gary Verver John Gabbard John Caldas |
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Commanding Officers No info yet. |
Awards No info yet. |
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Base Tail ID No info yet. |
Hosted Units 17 April, 1987: VMA-124 with A-4M Skyhawks were aboard with BuNo.160036. VMA-124 is the reserve unit of MAG-42, 4th Marine Air Wing (parent of all Marine reserve squadrons). |
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27 May 1968 - - - - Douglas A4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawk * 25 October 1968 - - Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk * 2 July 1973 - - - - Douglas A4D-2N (A-4C) Skyhawk * 1 November 1976 - - Douglas A-4L Skyhawk NARTU 8 March 1966- - - - Douglas A4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawk * 9 September 1964- - Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk * 27 October 1969 - - Douglas A4D-2N (A-4C) Skyhawk * 11 April 1971 - - - Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 6 June 1975 - - - - Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk MARTD 18 April 1970 - - - Douglas A4D-2N (A-4C) Skyhawk * 1 February 1971 - - Douglas A-4L Skyhawk 26 July 1975- - - - Douglas A4D-5 (A-4E) Skyhawk * 1 March 1976- - - - Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk BUWEPS 25 July 1960- - - - Douglas A4D-2N (A-4C) Skyhawk * 6 October 1976- - - Douglas A4D-5 (A-4E) Skyhawk * * November 30, 1962 The A4D-1 designation changed to A-4A The A4D-2 designation changed to A-4B The A4D-2N designation changed to A-4C The A4D-5 designation changed to A-4E For A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to this unit see lower in this page: |
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Events November 1917: Army Signal Corps Aviation School "Park Field" established. September 15, 1942: Naval Reserve Aviaton Base (NRAB) commissioned for the purpose of training pilots. January 1, 1943: NRAB was designated a Naval Air Station. June 14, 1965: Cdr. Monroe C. Smith (BuNo 144877) LCdr. James L. Hilke (BuNo 142724) from NAS Millington both ejected safely from their A-4B Skyhawks Monday (with Smith suffering a dislocated shoulder) after the planes went into spiral dives under icing conditions during a thunderstorm and crashed about 21 miles southwest of Arkadelphia, Arkansas, near Okolona enroute to a refueling stop at Webb AFB, Big Springs, TX. Northwest Arkansas Times, Tuesday, June 15, 1965. The two A-4's departed the mid-west NAS on a point-to-point IFR plan with a weather briefing advising of scattered thunderstorms enroute with tops of 25,000 feet. During climb out IFR conditions were encountered, and the flight level was progressively raised from FL 280 to FL 350 and finally to FL 390. In IFR conditions at FL 390 both canopies frosted over and in a very few minutes the leader noted his DME and radio were out and the altimeter was unwinding. At about the same time the wingman's gyro horizon and TACAN went off. As the leader descended, the wingman decided to separate and go on partial panel, but neither pilot regained control, and both ejected. October 3, 1965: 1st Lt. Richard Elliot "Dick" Overman ejected from A-4B BuNo 144973 following a collision with A-4B BuNo 142898 flown by Maj. H.L. Jackson (who also ejected) 20 miles south of Henderson, TN on 3 October 1965. Two Marine Reservists parachuted safely Sunday when their planes collided about three-mile NE of Henderson, TN. The planes crashed to earth in rural Chester County near Jack's Creek. The Capital Times, Monday, October 4, 1965. November 5, 1966: LCol. Wilzie Eston Cooley, 44, VMA-124 CO, was killed Saturday when his Marine A-4B Skyhawk crashed shortly after takeoff in a wooded area two miles south of Munford, TN and exploded. Cooley was part of a flight of three planes which had taken off from NAS Millington. Flying with him when he crashed were Capts. J.W. Massenburg and R.F. Leftwich. The Jackson Sun, Sunday, November 6, 1966. LCol. Wilzie Eston Cooley, 44, VMA-124 CO, was killed Saturday when his Marine A-4B Skyhawk crashed shortly after takeoff from NAS Millington in a wooded area south of Munford, TN and exploded. Cooley, an Athens, AL, businessman, commanded 200 officers and men of VMA-124. Kingsport News, Monday, November 7, 1966. April 29, 1967: LCdr. David Louis Schloredt, 39, of Huntsville, was killed when his Navy jet (A-4B BuNo 144942) crashed 3 miles S of NAS Jacksonville Saturday. The right wing and a belly tank were found in the muddy St. Johns River Sunday after a Navy helicopter spotted an oil slick in one of the rivers widest spots in the approximate location radar contact was lost. The pilot, on a routine training flight from NAS Memphis to NAS Pensacola, had completed one practice approach and was commencing the second when radio and radar contact was lost at 10:40 p.m. The Orlando Sentinel, Monday, 01 May 1967. April 17,1987: VMA-124 with A-4M Skyhawks were aboard with BuNo.160036. VMA-124 is the reserve unit of MAG-42, 4th Marine Air Wing (parent of all Marine reserve squadrons). October 1, 1998: NAS Memphis was redesignated NAVCSUPPACT (Naval Support Activity) Memphis. October 1, 1998: The name was changed to "NAVCSUPPACT Mid-South". |
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Photos Webmasters note: Prior to 1970, reserve aircraft belonged to the local NARTU or Reserve Naval Air Station. Except for those squadrons on active duty, as in Korea, no reserve squadron "owned" their aircraft, as they were assigned to the NARTU/Station. In 1970, during that reorganization of the reserves into the "Reserve Force" concept, each new squadron was made independent of NARTU (later called NAR), and assigned either to CVWR-20 or CVWR-30. All squadrons were then made in the image of active duty units, with the reserve unit Commanding Officer owning the aircraft and reporting to the CAG. MAR70: Left front view of NAS Memphis A-4C Skyhawk BuNo 149520, 6M-8, on the ramp, location unknown, March 1970. Copyright R.W. Harrison. APR72: TA-4F BuNo 159796 with a center line drop tank. Photo taken by John Freeman at NAS Memphis. 21OCT75: NARU Memphis Skyhawk BuNo 153492, 6M-692, parked on the ramp. Gary Verver Collection via R. Dowers. 21OCT75: NARU Memphis Skyhawk BuNo 153680, 6M-680, parked on the flight line. Gary Verver Collection via R. Dowers. 21OCT75: A-4A Skyhawk BuNo 142144 sitting on its tail in the NATTC Memphis dump. F-3 Demon behind #8. R. Dowers, Gary Verver Collection. 21OCT75: A-4A Skyhawk BuNo 142194 riding on a dolly in one of the A school hangars. R. Dowers, Gary Verver Collection. 21OCT75: Skyhawk BuNo 142929, 002, surrounded by work platforms in one of the A school hangars. R. Dowers, Gary Verver Collection. 21OCT75 Skyhawk BuNo 142940, 007, surrounded by work platforms in one of the A school hangars. R. Dowers, Gary Verver Collection. 21OCT75: NATTC MemphisA-4B Skyhawk BuNo. 142834, #12, and BuNo 142715. R. Dowers photo, G. Verver collection. 28OCT75: Memphis A-4A BuNo 142180. Gary Verver Collection. MAY81: NATTC Memphis BuNo 142940 Photographer is B. Curry, from Gary Verver. NAS Memphis in April 1982. Photos taken by John Freeman. Aircraft do not carry unit markings. 27MAY83: NATTC Memphis Skyhawk BuNo 145082, side number 010. W. Munzenmaier. 2007: BuNo 149505 waits on the restoration flight line at the Museum of Naval Aviation at NAS Pensacola FL. Richard Lane. > VMA-223 160039 taxiing at Memphis. Name below the canopy is CPL Myers. Photo by D. Wilton. BuNo 142141: Most likely used for training aircraft mechanics at NATTC, NAS Memphis, TN. BuNo 139945: Memphis bird will no doubt rest here at El Mirage Dry Lake until? After 1968: NATTC Memphis: Formers NARTU Los Alamitos Navy/Marine TA-4A Skyhawk BuNo 137823, 7L-56, on the NATTC Memphis ramp, date unknown. Gary Verver Collection. Off-Duty Photos No info yet. |
A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to NAS:
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A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to NARTU:
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A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to MARTD:
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A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to BUWEPS:
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