Aircraft: A-4 Skyhawk Custodian: VA-106 BuNo: unknown modex: AK-300, 302, 306, 310 Location: air-to-air Date: March 1961 Description: Gladiators Skyhawk formation over the United States Ship Shangri-La, CVA-38, in the Mediterranean off Navplion, Greece on returning from an escort mission.   Photo credit: USN photo from Otto Krueger contact:

An accompaning VFP-62, F-8 Crusader flying top cover rolled on his side and snapped this picture from his side camera. The Crusader photo bird was piloted by LCDR Norm Youngblood, Officer in Charge, of VFP-62 Det 44. The Shang was headed into the wind and launching the next flight cycle. The Skyhawk flight was actually made up of 6 planes but two were cropped from the picture. LCDR Otto Krueger the VA-106 Operations Officer was flying lead in AK 300; Left wing was LTJG Jim "Trim" Tabb in AK 302; On right wing was LT Bob Kemper in AK 306; Tail-end Charlie in AK 310, was LTJG "Jack" Peace who was subsequently Killed in Action December 31, 1967. CDR John Darlington Peace III, is listed on the Vietnam Memorial Wall panel 33 line 10. The pilots of the two cropped Skyhawks were LTJG John Kessler and LTJG Jay Rower. Wire services published this picture and erroneously identified the lead plane pilot as CAG CDR Frank Ault.

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