VSF-3 |
Point of Contact = Squadron Duty Officer (SDO). See FAQ/Research/Contact link under [SA] in the menu. |
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This Skyhawk Association website page is posthumously dedicated to: Lt. Fredrick Morrison Kasch |
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Lt. Kasch was 26 years old at the time of his death. His remains were repatriated in 1989 and he rests in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego California. Photograph from John W. Hays.
 On Tuesday, July 2, 1967, Lt. Fredrick Morrison Kasch was flying a Douglas A-4B Skyhawk, AK-112, BuNo 145002, from the USS Intrepid (CVS-11) on Yankee Station. Lt. Kasch was killed after being hit by AAA fire while attacking a target in North Vietnam. Photograph from Jacki Lomangino. Lt. Fredrick Morrison Kasch is remembered on "The Wall" panel 22E, line 106. From shipmate "Boom" Powell: Fred was from San Diego where his father was a college teacher/prof. Believe he went to San Diego State and got his wings as an AOC. He was in VA-125 the same time I was along with Howie Fowler as we all reported to VSF-1 in Alameda on the same day. He was a bachelor and lived simply, ie, BOQ, no smoking or drinking. His only luxury was to fly to SD on weekends to visit his family. Used his VW bug once and the glove compartment had a half dozen un-cashed pay checks. He had two younger sisters and years later Honey married Dan Swinford who was in VSF-3 with us.(2nd time around for both. At Alameda he bought a 35mm SLR camera and loved using it. He was interested in getting air-to-air to the point where he and I were going to get checked out in the Station's T-33. He took the photo of me in A-4B over the Golden Gate Bridge.  |
 TorpRon 3 - 1943 |
 VSF-3 Chessmen |
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Patch When the detachment left at Naval Air Station Alameda grew larger than the deployed VSF-1, it became VSF-3... and an attack squadron in all but name. Here was another opportunity to continue tradition. A tiny cadre persistently submitted the insignia of previous squadrons. The cadre had what they felt was winner; TorpRon Three which was on Yorktown at Midway. The number was the same. The crest a red dragon wrapped around a bomb; VSF-3's color and new mission. Alas, the traditionalists were voted down. R. R. Boom Powell, Cdr, USN (Ret), VSF-1 1966 & VSF-3 1967 |
Sources David Weber Bud Southworth John W. Hays "Boom" Powell |
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Handle VSF-3’s callsign was Nevada City (The Hook spring 2006) usually shortened, as were the others, to Nevada. VA-34 was (Fighting)‘Tiger’, Photo F-8’s Corktip, VA-15 Active (Boy), VA-145 Electron, and VF-111 Old Nick. Heritage MAR 1967: VSF-3 established. 9 FFEB 1968: VSF-3 disestablished. |
Home Ports MAR 1967 NAS Alameda |
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Air Wings MAR 1967: AK - USS Intrepid CVS-22 |
Aircraft Date Type First Received - - - - - - Type of Aircraft: 1 Jul 1966: Douglas A4D-2 (A-4B) Skyhawk For A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to this unit see lower in this page: |
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Deployments 11 May 1967 to 30 Dec. 1967 Westpac on USS Intrepid CVS-22 |
Commanding Officers CDR Lesli C. Hofto |
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Awards No info yet |
Awards continued No additonal info |
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Events 1 July 1966: VSF-3 WAS COMMISSIONED. Anti-Submarine Fighter Squadron One -- VSF-1 was split in half: One half remained as VSF-1 and deployed on the United States Ship Shangri-La -- CVS-38 to the Mediterranean. The other half was called VSF-1 Det Alameda -- and VSF-1 Det Alameda was then renamed VSF-3 Chessmen. 11MAY67: VSF-3 deployed to WestPac on the USS Intrepid CVS-11, on 11 May 1967, and returned to the United States on 30 December 1967. The combat line periods were: 2 July 1967: Lt(jg). Fredrick Morrison Kasch was killed after his Skyhawk was hit by AAA over Hai Duong and crashed while trying to glide his flamed-out Skyhawk to the safety of the Tonkin Gulf. His wingman, ex-NavCad Dick Harris, heard him call, "I'm at 500 feet," and told him to get out, but there was no apparent ejection. from Boom Powell. 3 October 1967: LTJG A. D. Perkins ejected (A-4B Skyhawk, AK-102, BuNo 142114) and was rescued by USS Coontz (DDG-40) HC-7 Det. 108, HU-2B Sea Sprite 9 miles 20 ⁰ from Haiphong, two miles W. of shipping lane, 60 yards from freighter, mud flat, lost to AAA. Hit by AAA while on a flak suppression mission over Haiphong. Perkins was wounded in the leg and could barely control his airplane. He jettisoned his canopy in an attempt to clear the dense smoke which was keeping him from seeing his instruments and was either hit again or his engine exploded. He ejected and landed in Haiphong Harbor. An HU-2K helicopter from HC-1 picked him up yards away from an enemy ship. from Boom Powell. Photograph from John W. Hays. 1650 ... Closing the beach to assist in a rescue mission. 1710 Ships helo recovered downed pilot, condition good ... 1715 Recovered ships helo with rescued pilot LTJG A.D. Perkins, embarked 1729. 1825 Launched SH3 helo with LTJG A.D. Perkins embarked. USS Coontz (DLG-9) Deck Log, Tuesday, 3 October 1967. November 26, 1967: LTJG Bruce Hollinger ejected from A-4B BuNo 142742 and was rescued after engine flamed out at Cubi right after the break to land and the A-4 went into the bay. No effort was made to recover the airplane for investigation. USS Intrepid was there to off load the pilots for the magic carpet ride home. CO CDR Leslie C. Hofto wanted the whole thing wrapped up before Magic Carpet time so Jerry and the Board worked full time, allowing no time for frivolity at the Club, as I remember and Jerry was not a happy camper... Last day of flying on that deployment. From Boom Powell. 9 February 1968: VSF-3 Chessmen were disbanded. Assets and some personel were transfered to the VA-152 Fighting Aces. |
A-4 Skyhawk aircraft assigned to this unit:
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Unit Photos 1967: VSF-3 A-4B being loaded aboard CVS-11, USS Intrepid. "Boom" Powell. 1967: A-4B being moved aboard CVS-11, USS Intrepid. "Boom" Powell. 1966-67: VSF-3 Skyhawk BuNo 142126, AK-103, and Valions Skyhawk BuNo 148484 on the Intrepids hangar deck during a sweep-down. "Boom" Powell. 1967: VSF-3 Skyhawk BuNo 142687, AK-111, armed with Sidewinder missiles and on Alert aboard the Intrepid. "Boom" Powell Photo. 1967: VSF-3 Skyhawk BuNo 142687, AK-111, armed with Sidewinder missiles and on Alert aboard the Intrepid. "Boom" Powell Photo. 1967: Ordies loading up a Skyhawk 1967 CVS-11. 'Boom' Powell' VSF-3 A-4B SKYHAWK BuNo. 142140 AK-108 on the Intrepid Catapult. Photograph from John W. Hays. VSF-3 A-4B SKYHAWK BuNo. 142131 AK-110 in the Intrepid pattern. Photograph from John W. Hays. Circa 1967: A-4B of VSF-3 shows the need for a paint job. "Boom" Powell Photo. 1967: "Boom" Powell atop the boarding ladder of Skyhawk BuNo 144889, AK-101, aboard the Intrepid. Photograph from "Boom" Powell. 17 NOV 1967: LTJG "Boom" Powell inspects the damage received over Hanoi to VSF-3 Skyhawk BuNo 144889, AK-101. Photograph from "Boom" Powell. 1967: VSF-3 Skyhawk BuNo 142100, AK-109, and BuNo 142849, AK-102, in flight with Bullpup missiles on the wing pylons which they trained with, but did not use anytime during the deployment. Photograph from "Boom" Powell. 1967: VSF-3 Skyhawk BuNo 142100, AK-116, on the deck edge elevator. Probably during work-ups off of the east coast. 1967 Intrepid Cruise Book, "Boom" Powell. 1967: 1967: #1 in a sequence of LCDR Tom "Cork" Corkhill (VSF-3 maintenance officer) in Skyhawk BuNo 142131, AK-110, going into the barricade after one of his landing gear would'nt come down on a maintenance check flight. 1967 Intrepid Cruise Book, "Boom" Powell.
1967: 1967: #2 in a sequence of LCDR Tom "Cork" Corkhill (VSF-3 maintenance officer) in Skyhawk BuNo 142131, AK-110, going into the barricade after one of his landing gear would'nt come down on a maintenance check flight. 1967 Intrepid Cruise Book, "Boom" Powell. 1967: 1967: #3 in a sequence of LCDR Tom "Cork" Corkhill (VSF-3 maintenance officer) in Skyhawk BuNo 142131, AK-110, going into the barricade after one of his landing gear would'nt come down on a maintenance check flight. 1967 Intrepid Cruise Book, "Boom" Powell. 1967: 1967: VSF-3 Skyhawks BuNo 142772 and 145002 await their turn to be loaded aboard the USS Intrepid. VSF-3 and the rest of CVW-10 flew into NAS Norfolk and taxied to Intrepid for a hoist aboard before departing on deployment. 1967 Intrepid Cruise Book, "Boom" Powell. 1967: 1967: VSF-3 Skyhawk BuNo 142772, AK-110, serves as the backdrop for a crew photo aboard the Intrepid. VSF-3 Officers Pic1, VSF-3 Officers Pic2. 1967: Early 1967: VSF-3 Skyhawk BuNo 142100, AK-109, and BuNo 142849, AK-102, in flight with Bullpup missiles on the wing pylons which they trained with, but did not use anytime during the deployment. 1967 Intrepid Cruise Book, "Boom" Powell. 1966-67: VSF-3 Skyhawk BuNo 144889, aboard the Intrepid. Photograph from "Boom" Powell. 1966-67: VSF-3 Skyhawk BuNo 144929, AK-104, topside on the Intrepid with a byte out of the vertical fin. Photograph from "Boom" Powell. 1967: SF-3 Skyhawk AK-105 with Sidewinder missiles is towed forward as it goes on alert. Photograph from "Boom" Powell. Circa 1967: VSF-3 Skyhawks line the starboard bow side of the Intrepid. Photograph from Boom" Powell. Circa 1967: VSF-3 Skyhawk moments from an OK 3 aboard the Intrepid. Photograph from "Boom" Powell. Circa 1967: VSF-3 Skyhawk over the rounddown. NAN DEC 1967. August 1967: USS Intrepid flight deck Skyhawks and Skyraiders, left side: VA-15 Valions A-4C Skyhawk BuNo 149524, AK-202; VA-15 A-4C BuNo 148495, AK-203; VA-34 Blue Blazers A-4C BuNo 149518, AK-307; VA-15 A-4C BuNo 148484, AK-214; VA-15 A-4C BuNo 149529, AK-206 and VA-34 A-4C BuNo 149593, AK-305. 2nd line from left: VA-145 Sunday Punchers A-1H Skyraider BuNo 137511, AK-504, VAW-33 Nighthawks EA-1F Skyraider AK-6__ ... Off-Duty Photos No info yet. |
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