NAS, NARF
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Point of Contact = Squadron Duty Officer (SDO).
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FASron-8 - 1950 Provided by John Gabbard |
1989 Provided by Robert Krall Drawn by Bud Southworth. |
Heritage-Patches November 1, 1940 - Assembly and Repair (A&R) Department Alameda was established as part of Naval Air Station Alameda which was also established this day. July 1948 - Assembly and Repair (A&R) Department was redesignated the Overhaul and Repair (O&R) Department. April 1, 1967 - The O&R Department became a separate command redesignated as the Naval Air Rework Facility, Alameda (NARF Alameda). April 1987 - All six Naval Air Systems Command rework facilities were renamed, and NARF Alameda became Naval Aviation Depot, Alameda (NAD Alameda). The patch above comes from a 1989 NARF Change-of-Command |
Sources David Weber Bob Crall Bud Southworth Gary Verver |
Commanding Officers No info yet. |
Awards No info yet. |
Base Tail ID No info yet. |
Hosted Units NARF (Naval Air Rework Facility), O & R and FASron-8. |
Aircraft
NARF 26 October 1965 - - Douglas A4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawk * 15 June 1966- - - - Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk * 7 April 1966- - - - Douglas A4D-2N (A-4C) Skyhawk * 16 May 1966 - - - - Douglas A-4E Skyhawk * 7 August 1967 - - - Douglas TA-4F Skyhawk. 15 Jan 1968 - - - - Douglas A-4F Skyhawk. 31 January 1962 - - Douglas XA4D-1 (XA-4A) Skyhawk * 7 March 1958 - - - -Douglas YA4D-1 (YA-4A) Skyhawk * 15 October 1956 - - Douglas A4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawk * 24 April 1957 - - - Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk * 3 August 1960 - - - Douglas A4D-2N (A-4C) Skyhawk * 30 April 1965 - - - Douglas A4D-5 (A-4E) Skyhawk * FASron-8 2 October 1957 - - -Douglas A4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawk * 6 January 1959 - - -Douglas A4D-2N (A-4C) Skyhawk * * November 30, 1962 A4D-1 designation changed to A-4A A4D-2 designation changed to A-4B A4D-2N designation changed to A-4C A4D-5 designation changed to A-4E For A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to this unit see lower in this page: |
Events November 1, 1940: Naval Air Station Alameda was established to house an Assembly and Repair (A&R) Department. The A&R was established as a Naval Air Station Alameda department this date. July 1948: Assembly and Repair (A&R) Department was redesignated the Overhaul and Repair (O&R) Department. 1940 through 1952: Personnel in the A&R / O&R department provided aviation support during World War II and the Korean War. 1948: With the coming of the jet age, the Alameda O&R Department's mission grew to include electronic data processing and maintenance of jet equipment and missiles. 1959: The Department's support of active-duty fleet squadrons and patrol aircraft expanded further to include support for aircraft carriers and reserve air squadrons for the Pacific Fleet.
October 1, 1961: Capt. Leroy Mathews was killed when his A4D Skyhawk (A4D-1 BuNo 142146) 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, October 2, 1961, and Thursday, October 5, 1961.
February 10, 1963: Capt. John P. Beggin was killed when his Skyhawk (A4D-1 BuNo 139966) crashed on landing at NAS Alameda at noon on Sunday. Marine Air Reserve Capt. Beggin was a planner for the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency. Santa Cruz Sentinel, Monday, 11 February 1963. I was attached to MARTD Alameda during the period 1962-1963 as part of the support staff. The accident involved a VMA 133 pilot named Captain Beggin. As best I can recall, Beggin was making his approach in late afternoon under adverse weather conditions and his request for runway lights had been denied. Just prior to touchdown, as Beggin made his final runway alignment corrections (e.g. in the absence of runway lights), a cross-wind gust flipped his plane causing it to land upside down. I drove the staff car for the CO and Bagan’s pregnant widow for the funeral. From W. John Gammage. June 12, 1963: Lt. Edward C. Davis, 29, (NARF) ejected safely after his A-4 Skyhawk (BuNo 144902) collided with an A-3A Skywarrior piloted by Lt. Ronald L. Barr above the North end of San Francisco Bay and crashed about five miles NE of Hamilton AFB. Press Telegram, Long Beach, CA, Thur., June 13, 1963. The A-4B pilot joined on a A-3B Skywarrior that had an unsafe gear indication on the port main gear. The A-4B descended to about 30 feet below the A-3B to make the inspection and was closing very rapidly when the A-4B pilot realized he was much too close. He pushed the stick forward and reduced power and almost immediately felt the shock as the A-4B tail section contacted the bottom of the A-3B nose section. At this point a test pilot in an F-9E joined on the A-4B and informed him that most of the vertical stabilizer, rudder and starboard horizontal stabilizer was missing. In spite of considerable vibration and a severe yaw he was able to maintain control at 225 knots clean and 185 knots with the gear down. He elected to attempt a landing at a nearby AFB. The A-4B made an approach in excess of 200 knots and touchdown at 185 knots. The aircraft immediately started a swerve to the left and became uncontrollable. The pilot added full throttle to initiate a wave-off and ejected over an unpopulated area at 2,000 feet and 225 knots. NAN, Pettibone, March 1964. July 30, 1963: LCdr. W.O. Glather escaped with minor injuries when his A-4B (BuNo 142774) went off the runway on takeoff from El Paso International Airport. The takeoff roll was computed at 7,400 feet and he waited until the lead aircraft was about 1,000 feet down the runway commencing takeoff. He began to rotate at 5,000 feet and 120 knots and retracted the landing gear. As the gear retracted, he felt the A-4B vibrate and begin to settle back on the runway and he immediately placed the gear handle down and, in a few seconds, departed the runway. After skidding several hundred feet both wing tanks were torn away, and the aircraft finally dug a wing into a sand dune and came to rest in a flood of JP. The pilot exited the aircraft which had a small fire in the intake ducts. In a few minutes the seat cooked off and fire consumed the aircraft. NAN, Pettibone, June 1964. LCdr. W.O. Glather ejected safely when his Skyhawk lost power on takeoff from International Airport, El Paso, TX, at about 5,000 feet off the east runway at an altitude of 1,000 feet and crashed. El Paso Herald Post, El Paso, TX, Wednesday, July 31, 1963. November 03, 1963: Maj. Walter D. Waddell (USMC Reserve) was killed when he crashed (A-4B BuNo 142767) and exploded against a mountain in stormy weather 75 miles north of Las Vegas, NV. The Daily Review. Monday, November 4, 1963. A Marine Reserve pilot was killed Sunday when his jet fighter crashed on a flight from Yuma to NAS Alameda. USMC Reserve Maj. Walter D. Waddell of Bigjou, CA, died when his plane smashed into a mountain 75 miles north of Las Vegas. Waddell, a Marine air hero of WW II and the Korean conflict, was assistant district attorney for El Dorado County, CA. He and another pilot were flying Skyhawk fighters on a low altitude navigational mission from Yuma when the two jets encountered bad weather. The other plane climbed above the turbulence, but Waddell's craft slammed into the mountain at about the 6,000-foot level. A CAP plane circled the wreckage until a helicopter arrived from Nellis AFB. Waddell, holder of the DSC, had flown more than 2,000 hours for the Marines, 1,300 hours in jets. The Yuma Daily Sun, Monday, November 4, 1963.
April 1, 1967: On April Fool's Day the O&R Department became a separate command redesignated as the Naval Air Rework Facility, Alameda (NARF Alameda). August 6, 1967: Cdr. Edward Auerswald, 40, a former resident of Bridgeport, was killed Thursday in an airplane (A-4B BuNo 145060) crash at NAAS Fallon, NV, according to word received here. A mathematics teacher at Berkley, CA high school, Cdr. Auerswald was on duty with the Naval Reserves. He was a graduate of the University of Illinois and served in both WW II and the Korean conflict. Vincennes Sun-Commercial. Sunday, August 6, 1967. November 16, 1967: Capt. James L. “Jim” Admire, USMCR was killed, body never removed from Mono Lake . . . A Marine Reserve pilot was killed Thursday when he apparently blacked out at the controls of his jet fighter (A-4B BuNo 142097) which plunged into Mono Lake. The victim was identified as Capt. James. Lincoln Admire, a Pan American Airways pilot from Milpitas, CA. A Navy Spokesman said Admire and Marine Reserve Capt. James D. Gilliard were practicing tactics high over the eastern slopes of the Sierra when Admire's plane suddenly began a low shallow dive. Gilliard said he tried repeatedly to warn Admire that he was going down dangerously low but got no response. The jet continued its dive right into the Lake. A helicopter rescue team from NAS Fallon reported the plane and pilot had disappeared into the Lake. An investigating team from Alameda was dispatched to the area. The Daily Review. Hayward, CA, Friday, November 17, 1967. January 14, 1968: LCdr. Clarence T. Covill (42) (A-4A BuNo 142160) and LCdr. Alan L. Meader (34) (A-4A BuNo 137817) were killed when their A-4 Skyhawks crashed about 80 feet from each other in rugged terrain 15 miles north of Lake Berryessa Monday night. Both were active-duty fliers attached to Alameda Naval Reserve Squadron Two as instructors. They had been on a round robin flight which took them from Alameda to Fort Bragg, CA, Sutcliff, NV, Fallen, NV and back to Alameda. The Daily Review, Hayward, CA, Monday, January 15, 1968, and The Times, San Mateo, CA, Tuesday, January 16, 1968.
July 27, 1968: Capt Clyde S. Eberhardt escaped uninjured when his plane skidded off the runway and taxiway into a field at Buckley ANG near Denver, CO. Eberhardt had reported hydraulic problems while enroute to Illinois from NAS Alameda in San Francisco, CA. Kingsport Times, Kingsport, TN, Monday, July 29, 1968.
March 13, 1970: Lt.(jg) Leo Yoder, 27, (VRF-32) ejected safely at an altitude between 300-400 feet Friday before his A-4 Skyhawk (A-4C BuNo 145088) exploded and burned in an open field near the intersection of State College Boulevard and Orangewood Avenue, Anaheim, CA, while ferrying the aircraft from NAS North Island to NAS Los Alamitos. Independent Press-Telegram, Long Beach, CA, Saturday, March 14, 1970, and Star News, Pasadena, CA, Saturday, March 14, 1970. June 22, 1970: Capt. G.T. Taylor of (MARTD) Alameda parachuted safely from his A-4C (BuNo 148442) which crashed 22 miles SE of Lovelock, NV, June 22nd while on a practice bombing run. The Daily Review, Hayward, CA, Friday, July 10, 1970. July 1, 1970: Cdr. H.I. Sheppard Jr. ejected safely at low altitude from his A-4C (BuNo 147837) Skyhawk before it crashed Tuesday following take-off from Kirtland AFB's east-west runway and was heading east and turning south when the engine failed. Sheppard stayed with the plane trying to restart the engine until just before it crashed on hilly ground south of Sandia Base Headquarters. Albuquerque Journal, Wednesday, July 1, 1970. The Skyhawk was cleared for takeoff on the 12,000+ foot runway with a 5,000-foot elev. and a runway temp of 90 degrees. After rolling about 6,500 feet and reaching 145 knots the Skyhawk became airborne. Acceleration was very slow with a negligible rate of climb; flap retraction speed was not reached, and, at 135 knots, the aircraft was slightly descending. The pilot selected full flaps, noted the engine instruments were normal and decided he was on the "backside of the power curve" and ejected at around 300 feet AGL. Post-accident investigation revealed that the plane was 1,400 pounds overweight for the existing temperature and pressure. December 27, 1970: Maj. S.A. Staples, 34, ejected safely just before his Skyhawk (BuNo 148445) crashed on a Hillside near Burlingame, CA last night when his engine failed. Oakland Tribune, Wednesday, Dec. 30, 1970. April 14, 1972: Capt. Anthony McCarthy (USNR) was killed when his A-4 Skyhawk (A-4C BuNo 147824) went out of control and crashed during landing at El Toro Friday. Independent Press Telegram, Long Beach, CA, Sunday, April 16, 1972. Marine reserve pilot Capt. Anthony McCarthy was killed in Friday night accident when he ejects from his A-4 Skyhawk after tire failure on landing at MCAS El Toro after a flight from home base at NAS Alameda. Although he clears the airframe before it veers off the runway and into a fuel truck, authorities said the pilot bounced several times on the runway after ejecting. April 15, 1972: Maj. Edward Townley ejected safely seconds before the craft (A-4C BuNo 148480) exploded and plummeted into the ocean about a mile off Newport Beach Saturday. The crash was observed by thousands in the beach cities who reported seeing the bomber catch fire and the pilot bail out. Independent Press Telegram, Long Beach, CA, Sunday, April 16, 1972. The pilot was cleared for takeoff and passing 11,500 feet received a radar vector to his next radio facility. Commencing the turn and passing 13,500 feet he experienced "a series of violent chattering shudders and chugs and the engine started to unwind." He made one attempt at radio communication and deployed the RAT. The RPM was passing 60 percent, EGT was normal, however the fire warning light was on. The pilot glanced in the rear-view mirror and noted flames from the fuselage, turned towards the ocean and elected to remain with the aircraft until clear of populated areas. During the turn the entire master caution panel illuminated and control response became sluggish. In a nose down attitude the aircraft oscillated, and the pilot was unable to control it with rudder or ailerons and then saw flames over the top of the canopy extending to the windscreen. Because of the large G forces, he ejected while inverted using the alternate handle. NAN, Pettibone, December 1972. August 4, 1972: Capt. Thomas J. Luciano, 29, was in Oakland Naval Hospital Saturday recovering from painful injuries after parachuting from his crippled A-4C Skyhawk (BuNo 145111) SW of Avenal in Fresno while on a weekend training flight. Oakland Tribune, Sunday, August 6, 1972. July 19, 1974: (rank) Dennis Carroll exited safely after an arrested landing at NAS Alameda (A-4F BuNo 154208) when the Lox line burned through on 19 July 1974. After taking off from NAS Alameda (NARF to VA-164) the Fire warning light came on and the cockpit filled with JP fumes burning his eyes and throat. Dennis opened the small door to try and get fresh air and cabin pressure off. Engine & flight controls were OK so jumping into the bay, which had a lot of wind and white caps, was a bad decision from his perspective. By the time he exited the A-4F the fire crash crews were punching the probes through the tail section. From Dennis Carroll February 2016. 07/31/74 NAS Alameda, 2073 Hours - Status HC1 (non-flyable), 11/15/74 VA-164, 2073 Hours - Status IC0 (enroute via surface transportation), 12/24/74 NARF Pensacola, 2073 Hours - Status EH1 (awaiting, non-flyable), 03/03/75 NARF Pensacola, 2073 Hours - Status KCF, 03/01/78 NARF Pensacola, 2073 Hours - Status M80 (in storage - damaged - non-flyable), 03/01/78 NARF Pensacola, 2073 Hours - Status 1S0 (SOC Cat 1 damage). April 1987: All six Naval Air Systems Command rework facilities were renamed, and NARF Alameda became Naval Aviation Depot, Alameda (NAD Alameda). 20 SEP 1996: NADEP (Naval Aviation Depot) closed. 25 APR 1997: NAS Alameda closed. It is now known as Alameda Point. Photos 1961: MAY61 NAN photo of a pilot beginning transition into jets, A4D-1, and also moving from Oakland to Alameda. MAY61 NAN photo. 1961: BuNo 142083 parked at Edwards Air Force Base in 1961. She was assigned to NAS Alameda during this time, so she is likely doing some "test duty" at Edwards. This a/c was lost 07JAN67 at NAS Los Alamitos, CA. CDR Edward L. Bethel ejected successfully from his aircraft which crashed in an open field while coming in for a landing at NAS Los Alamitos. Photo credit goes to Dan Diveney. 20JUL1963: VMCJ-3 A-4B - NARTU, NAS Alameda by William T. larkins. BuNo 144927 at Alameda, possibly secretly claimed by VMCJ-3 with a midnight paint application; or perhaps legitimately used as a temporary multi-purpose a/c for a short time. VCMJ-3 was never assigned Skyhawks as a unit a/c, was utilizing RF-8A and other a/c. 10MAY67: YA4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawk BuNo. 137813. Bob Krall with YA4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawk BuNo. 137813 on the Naval Air Station Alameda Flight Test line. Bob had just test flown BuNo. 137813 after it's Overhaul and Repair (O&R) Maintenance. 12MAY67: YA4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawk BuNo. 137813 - May 12, 1967. Douglas YA4D-1 (A-4A) BuNo. 137813 flies past the United States Ship Oriskany (CVA 34) shortly after the carrier sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge - westbound. BuNo. 137813's pilot was Lieutenant Rique Beslin, a former F-8 pilot, on a NARF Alameda test flight. Lieutenant Bob Krall, who was flying in Skyhawk BuNo. 149539, took the photograph 12 May 1967. 1963: YA4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawk BuNo. 137813. Naval Air Facility China Lake YA4D-1 (A-4A) Skyhawk BuNo. 137813. The apparatus attached to the tail was made of asbestos and intended to mask the infrared signature of the jet exhaust. Not a big favorite of the plane captains, as they had to stand on something so they could hang over the side of it to inspect the tailpipe etc. during preflight. Official United States Navy photo from Gary Verver YA4D-1 Skyhawk BuNo. 137813 P-cola. The first Skyhawk to come down the production line YA4D-1 (A-4A) BuNo. 137813 didn't end up in the smelter. Mr. Edward Henry Heinemann and Bob Krall pose by BuNo. 137813 on May 10, 1986 at Pensacola. Today she rest proudly on display as VA-83 AJ 301 in the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida (It's free!). -- She's still there so please visit this little lady. Photographs by Captain Hook and from Robert Krall. 1967: A-4 Skyhawk BuNo. 145032. Lieutenant Dick Calvert on a FAM flight in BuNo.145032 heads toward the Golden Gate Bridge with Lieutenant Bob Krall flying chase. Pier 39 and Crissy Field are visible beneath the Skyhawk. Lieutenant Calvert flew the P-2 Neptune and A-1 Skyraider before assignment as a NARF Alameda test pilot because of the high workload (about 100 Skyhawks per quarter from 1965 through 1967). Photograph from Bob Krall. 1967: A-4 Skyhawk BuNo. 149492. On a routine 1967 test flight out of Naval Air Station Alameda, Lieutenant Bob Krall is flying BuNo.149492 on the port wing of a Lockheed P-3 Orion. Photograph by NARF graphic arts employee Dolly Wilson from Lockheed P-3A Orion BuNo. 51375. 1967: A-4 Skyhawk BuNo. 150037. On the NARF Alameda flight line BuNo 150037 is painted for a flight demonstration by Bob Krall as part of the Nimitz Field dedication on Naval Air Station Alameda on 26 in January 1967. Photograph from Bob Krall. NOV 1968: BuNo 144873, 6G-11, recently re-classified from A-4B to TA-4B (T for Training) so as to reduce the number of attack aircraft on the books. She also was moved from the NARTU to the MARTD on 01SEP69, both units being at NARF Alameda. Reserve units move aircraft around between the Navy and Marine Reserve Units as required to meet "whatever". Photo from Gary Verver. 1969: BuNo 144996 and 145012 rest at NARTU Alameda. 1975: BuNo 158514, ME-14 MARTD Alameda. Gary Verver Collection. 02 JUN 2011: BuNo 158514 in use with MARTD Alameda. Being used as a visual for training at MCOLF Atlantic, N.C. - per Sam Taylor on 02 JUN 2011. Displayed Skyhawk at Alameda Point.
Off-Duty Photos No info yet. |
NARF Aircraft
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O and R
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FASron-8
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NAS
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