VA-202 |
Point of Contact = Squadron Duty Officer (SDO).
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Patch No info yet. |
Sources David Weber John Gabbard |
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Handle No info yet. Heritage No info yet. |
Home Ports No info yet. |
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Air Wings No info yet. |
Aircraft Date Type First Received - - - - - - Type of Aircraft: 1961: Douglas A4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawk 1963: Douglas A42-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk 1966: Douglas A4D-2N (A-4C) Skyhawk 1974: Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk 1977: Douglas TA-4F Skyhawk |
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Deployments No info yet |
Commanding Officers No info yet. |
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Awards No info yet |
Awards continued No additional info |
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Events October 1, 1961: Capt. Leroy Mathews was killed when his A4D Skyhawk crashed in the High Sierras north of Bass Lake in the Strawberry Mine area while on a tactical flight from NAS Alameda. Oakland Tribune, Monday, Oct. 2, 1961, and Thursday, Oct. 5, 1961. The body of a Marine reserve pilot whose A4D jet fighter crashed 16 miles NE of Oakhurst Sunday was returned to NAS Alameda Thursday night, UPI reported. Some of the 200 searchers found the body Thursday about a mile and a half from where the plane crashed in Jackass Meadows digging a 15 feet deep crater. Capt. Leroy Matthews. 29. Capitola, CA, an American Airlines pilot, was killed when he ejected from his crippled plane at too low an altitude, a Navy spokesman said. The pilots parachute was partly open. The ejection seat was found Wednesday by Madera County Sheriff's Deputy Jess K. West about two miles from the plane. The body was located 300 yards from the seat, the Navy said. Matthews was on a tactical flight from NAS Alameda with another pilot when his plane became disabled. A report from the Calif. Division of Forestry said that the plane accompanying Matthews' circled the crash scene and flew north. Cause of the crash still had not been finally determined today, as the Navy drew a veil of secrecy over the investigation. It was learned that representative of Douglas Aircraft Co. was on the scene today, sifting through the wreckage The crash was first reported Sunday afternoon by a deer hunter, who saw and heard the plane go down. West arrived on the scene of the wreckage late Sunday, but no trace of the pilot was found. L. T. Brittsan, a Fresno auto dealer, called the Sheriff's Office Monday night that he had seen a bright while and gold streamer fall about three miles from where the plane went down While search parties combed the rugged mountains for the body, pumps were brought in to remove water that seeped into the crash crater from a nearby spring. The victim is survived by his wife, Margaret, and a stepson. Van. 15. Madera Tribune, Friday 6 October 1961. December 15, 1968: LCdr. Edward H. Dolan, 35, was killed when his VA-202 NAS Alameda based A-4 Skyhawk (TA-4B BuNo 145014) crashed on takeoff from the Naval Auxiliary Air Station in Fallon, NV, yesterday. Oakland Tribune, Monday, 16 December 1968. LCdr. Edward H. Dolan, 35, a San Francisco based UAL pilot of Mountain View, CA, was killed when his A-4 Skyhawk crashed and burned beside the runway while starting a return flight to Alameda from NAS Fallon, NV, yesterday. Reno Gazette, Monday, 16 December 1968. |
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Unit Photos No info yet. Off-Duty Photos No info yet. |