VA-164Photograph Album1962-63 BuNo 142123, AH-407, BuNo 142895, AH-404, BuNo 142127, AH-405 and BuNo 142710, AH-40x. A-4B BuNo 142724 with un-retarded Mk-81's. Taken at China Lake and is official U.S. Navy dated 7 June 1963. Gary Verver Collection. 07 JUN 1963: Ghost Riders Skyhawks dropping conventional ordnance during the demonstration for JFK at NOTS China Lake. Looks like 18 Mk-81's per Skyhawk. U.S. Navy photo 07 JUN 1963: closer view of Ghost Riders Skyhawks dropping conventional ordnance. U.S. Navy photo 07 JUN 1963: following the ordnance demonstration, JFK thanks the Bluejackets & pilots lined up in front of Ghost Riders Skyhawk AH-407 & China Lake DF-1D Fury BuNo 136064. Naval Aviation News Photo BuNo 155026, NP-412, parked on the flightline. Jim Brady Feb 1965 BuNo 151139, AH-410, and AH-486 (above) as they fly over one of the NOTS China Lake ranges. Gary Verver Collection 01 FEB 1965: Ghost Riders Skyhawk BuNo 151139, AH-410, in formation with Ghost Riders BuNo 151180, AH-466. U.S. Navy Photo 01 FEB 1965: Ghost Riders Skyhawk AH-409 over one of the China Lake ranges. U.S. Navy Photo 1965: catapult crew lines up Ghost Riders Skyhawk AH-460 for launch from the Oriskany's flight deck. Naval Aviation News Photo< 15 SEP 1965: Ghost Riders Skyhawk AH-464 as she crosses the Vietnam coastline. U.S. Navy Photo 10 NOV 1965: Ghost Riders Skyhawk BuNo 151180, AH-466, and Skyhawk, AH-462, in formation over the Vietnam countryside. U.S. Navy Photo 1966: Ghost Riders Skyhawk BuNo 151180, AH-466, assigned to LT Dave Hodges taxies forward on the Oriskany. VF-111, AH-101, and VF-162, AH-222, F-8E Crusaders in the background. Gary Gottschalk 1966 BuNo 152092, AH-402, and Snakeyes ready for launch from the USS Oriskany port catapult. U.S. Navy via Tom Herold. VA 164 Skyhawks AH 406, AH 412 & AH 413 USS Oriskany (CVA-34) M-117, 500-pound and 1000-pound bombs line the carrier's flight deck during Vietnam War combat operations in the South China Sea, 21 August 1966. Photographed by PHAA C.B. Vesper. Planes parked nearby include A-4, F-8 and A-1 types. Official U.S. Navy Photograph - Photo #: USN 1118303. From Gary Verver Photo of four VA-164 Skyhawks in formation. Top to bottom they are AH-406 BuNo.15204x, AH-104 BuNo.151986, AH-416 BuNo.152085 and AH-411 BuNo.151186. Caption on reverse is:" Air-to-Air of VA-164, A-4E over Sierra Mountains, 3 Feb 1967. Official U.S. Navy photo by PHC H. Estes, NAS Lemoore. Photo from Don Scott, now in Gary Verver collection. BuNo.151194, air-to-air left side view of Ghost Riders Skyhawk, AH-406, en route to a target in North Vietnam. The aircraft is piloted by Cmdr. William F. Span, XO of VA-164. U.S. Navy photo by LTJG Nelson. 21 NOV 1967: An air-to-air left side view of Ghost Riders Skyhawk, BuNo 151194, AH-406, en route to a target in North Vietnam. The aircraft is piloted by Cmdr. William F. Span, XO of VA-164. U.S. Navy photo by LTJG Nelson "Lady Jessie" A-4E BuNo. 151180 - December 17, 1967. VA-164 Ghost Rider Lady Jessie A-4E BuNo. 151180, side number AH-407 is photographed landing at Naval Air Station Atsugi, Japan. Photograph by Takahashi. Dec 1967 USS Oriskany, CV-34, in port with Carrier Air Wing 16 aboard. VA-164 Ghostriders A-4E Skyhawk on deck at left. Photo by Dan Verver. "Lady Jessie" A-4E BuNo. 151180 - Early 1968 Ghost Rider AH 407 in flight, all five stations loaded with bombs. This photograph was probably taken as the Ghost Riders were working up for their last United States Ship Oriskany cruise which ended January 31, 1968. Black and white USN photograph courtesy of Harry S. Gann. A-4E Skyhawk BuNo. 151180 - before 1968 Ghost Rider AH 466 from the United States Ship Oriskany, rolling in on a target. At this point BuNo. 151180 is no longer in "Lady Jessie" paint. Black and white USN photograph courtesy of Rear Admiral Thomas Brown. JUL 1968: Ghost Riders Skyhawk, BuNo 151194, NP-405 assigned to LCDR L.B. Massey parked on the ramp. Roy Lock A-4F Skyhawk BuNo. 155022 - 1969 April 5, 1969, United States Ship Coral Sea CVA 43 stopped at Yokosuka, Japan after completing Southeast Asia operations. The next day Coral Sea off loaded aircraft and VA-153 Blue Tail Flies A-4F BuNo.155022 was transferred to the VA-164 Ghost Riders --- to become the new "LADY JESSIE." The replaced Ghost Rider Skyhawk appears to have been lost October 2, 1968 to triple A, over North Vietnam, killing Commander D. E. Erwin in A-4E BuNo. 151126 side number NP 411. Photograph by Masaaki Hayakawa, Webmaster of the Jet Intake Website. "Lady Jessie" A-4F BuNo. 155022 - 1969 Ghost Rider A-4F BuNo. 155022 NP 401, assigned to the United States Ship Hancock CVA 19 pictured on the ramp. Color left rear 1/4 photograph by Harry S. Gann. "Lady Jessie" A-4F BuNo. 155022- Hawaii - 1969 "Lady Jessie" is photographed in 1969 as A-4F Skyhawks BuNo. 155029 NP-401 onboard the United States Ship Hancock CVA19. Probable location is Pearl Harbor. This "Scooter" BuNo. 155029 went on to fly with the "Blue Angels" in 1973. Photograph provided by Rob Lee. Warhorses & Ghost Riders Skyhawks line the Hanna's deck edge. L-r: VA-55 NP-514, VA-164 NP-412, NP-402, NP-411 and Lady Jessie NP-401 which was either BuNo 155018 or 155022. Photo from Art Tarver, AQF2, Vf-24 via JR Nelson, 164 SDO. A-4F Skyhawk BuNo. 155022 - 1970 Ghost Rider NP 402 from the United States Ship Hancock CVA 19, taking off from Naval Air Station Atsugi, December 18, 1970. 155022 is no longer "Lady Jessie." Photograph by Masaaki Hayakawa, Webmaster of the Jet Intake Website. A-4F Skyhawk BuNo. 155022 - 1970 Ghost Rider NP 402 from the United States Ship Hancock CVA 19, dirty in the landing attitude for recovery at Naval Air Station Atsugi, December 21, 1970. 155022 is no longer in the "Lady Jessie" paint. Color photograph by and courtesy of Takafumi Hiroe of Yokohama, Japan. Takafumi Hiroe's website index to his USN aircraft pictures. Ghost Riders Skyhawk BuNo 155022, NP-401, "Lady Jessie", parked on the ramp. Gary Verver Collection A-4F Skyhawk BuNo. 155024 - 1970 Ghost Rider NP 415 from the United States Ship Hancock CVA 19, dirty in the landing attitude for recovery at Naval Air Station Atsugi, December 18, 1970. Photograph by Masaaki Hayakawa, Webmaster of the Jet Intake Website. 1970-71 USS Hancock at Hong Kong. VA-164 Ghost Riders Skyhawk NP-414 on deck (left), VA-212 Rampant Raiders Skyhawk (middle) & VA-55 Warhorses Skyhawk (right) on deck while docked in Hong Kong. Photo by Jim Polen. A-4F Skyhawk BuNo. 154210 - 1972 March 20, 1972 while United States Ship Hancock CVA 19 lay anchored at Yokosuka, Japan A-4F Skyhawk BuNo. 154210 side number NP 402 was chained to the Hancock flight deck. An elephant painted on 402's nose indicated missions in Laos. The red box identified Skyhawk BuNo. 154210, NP 402 was assigned to VA-164 Executive Officer Cdr. Stan Arthur (later Admiral Stan Arthur) and this plane was known as the "Bingo King" -- as it liked to Bingo to Da Nang or points south (such as Saigon). Photograph by Kazuo Nagata A-4F Skyhawk "Lady Jessie" BuNo. 155018 - 1972 March 20, 1972, VA-164 A-4F Skyhawk BuNo. 155018 side number NP 401 "Lady Jessie" pictured in the United States Ship Hancock CVA 19 hangar bay. Hancock was making a port call at Yokosuka, Japan. Photograph by Kazuo Nagata A-4F Skyhawk BuNo. 154998 - 1972 March 20, 1972 while United States Ship Hancock CVA 19 lay anchored at Yokosuka, Japan A-4F Skyhawk BuNo. 154998 side number NP 403 was chained to the Hancock flight deck. VA-164 A-4F Skyhawk BuNo. 155018 side number NP 401 "Lady Jessie" was below in the hangar out of camera range. Photograph by Masaaki Hayakawa, Webmaster of the Jet Intake Website. A-4F Skyhawk BuNo. 155027 - 1972 March 20, 1972 while United States Ship Hancock CVA 19 lay anchored at Yokosuka, Japan A-4F Skyhawk BuNo. 155027 side number NP 414 was chained to the Hancock flight deck. VA-164 A-4F Skyhawk BuNo. 155027 now resides at the Quonset Air Museum at North Kingston, Rhode Island. Photograph by Masaaki Hayakawa of the Jet Intake Website. 1972 USS Hancock Hangar Bay 2 looking forward, Ghost Riders Skyhawk NP-405 in foreground and Rampant Raiders Skyhawk in the background. Photo by Jim Polen. 1972 USS Hancock hangar bay 1 looking aft, VA-164 Ghost Riders Skyhawk NP-414 at right. Photo by Jim Polen. 1972 VA-164 Ghost Riders AE3 Kem "Moe" Muller, AE flight deck troubleshooter in front of Rampant Raiders Skyhawk NP-302. Photo by Jim Polen. 1972 Ghost Riders Skyhawk NP-413 & crew catching some rays on the port wing. Photo by Jim Polen. THE GHOST RIDER SKYHAWK DIAMOND Black and white USN photograph courtesy of Rear Admiral Thomas Brown. 02 Nov 1972 BuNo 155066, NP-404, on final for an arrested landing. Note the laser designator in the nose. U.S. Navy Photo. FOUR GHOST RIDER SKYHAWKS BREAKING Black and white USN photograph courtesy of Rear Admiral Thomas Brown. 20 July 1974 Ghost Riders Syhawk BuNo 155018, NP-402, parked on the ramp next to a USAF F-104 Starfighter. Photo by D. Spering, Gary Verver Collection OCT 1974: BuNo 155022, NP-401, "Lady Jessie" parked on the Lemoore flightline. Dave Steinbacker TA-4F Skyhawk BuNo. 154622 - 1975 Ghost Rider NP 416 from the USS Hancock, taxiing at NAS Atsugi, August 19, 1975. Color photograph by and courtesy of Takafumi Hiroe of Yokohama, Japan. From Takafumi Hiroe. VA-164 A-4F BuNo. 154991 - 1975 Ghost Rider BuNo. 154991, side number NP 414 and flight leader in NP 406 take the Atsugi runway for takeoff. The Ghost Riders were then assigned to United States Ship Hancock. Photograph by Masaaki Hayakawa, Webmaster of the Jet Intake Website. VA-164 A-4F BuNo. 155017 During the Vietnam War Skyhawks flew more defence suppression missons than any other types of Navy aircraft. This A-4F of Va-164 at NAS Lemoore on 17 November 1972 carries a practice AGM-45A Shrike anti-radiation missile beneath its starboard wing. The "Ghost Riders" had just returned From their seventh war cruise during which, operating from the USS Hancock (CVA-19), they had lost six A-4Fs in combat and one in an operational accident. Two pilots were missing and two were taken prisoner of war; the three other pilots were recovered. BuNo 155028, NP-415, and BuNo 155066, NP-404. Photo by Arnie Soderman, Gary Verver Collection BuNo 155028, NP-415, and BuNo 155066, NP-404, over the Presidio and Golden Gate Bridge. Photo by Arnie Soderman, Gary Verver Collection JUN 1975: BuNo 154991, NP-414, parked on the ramp. Bruce Trombecky |