Some Marine Corps Moments 1976-1980
As I have said, this web page is graphic intensive. On this page you will see pictures of some of the events that happened too, and around me while I was in the Corps.
My Boot Camp Graduation Photo. I am on the top row, wearing utilities (BDU's), 3rd from the left. Those of us in utilities had to wear them for the picture because our Class A uniforms had not been altered yet.
This is the Avionics Repairmans Class of May 1977. We had all completed Aviation Fundamentals and Principles (A, Fun, P), Basic Electricity and Electronics (BE&E), then Mess duty, or Base Support, then ARS. I am standing first from the left, next to me is Harry Strickland (now retired from the Corps.)
This is a photo of me sitting in the cockpit of an A-4 Skyhawk. The A-4 was the bird of choice for the Navy and Marine Corps to use as training instruments. They would put problems (gripes) on the plane and it was our job to troubleshoot the problem and repair the bird. That way we learned to work on an actual aircraft and not some simulator.
This is a picture taken from another Harrier of an "A" model Harrier dropping NAPALM on an island off the coast of North Carolina.
This shot shows a Harrier just before VERTICAL touchdown (or just after a vertical takeoff, depending upon your point of view).
This photo shows a Harrier in a Maximum Power Climb out, after having just hovered off the Port side of the flight deck (the old FDR, I believe).
This is a shot of LHA-1, USS Tarawa, with Harrier ops going on.
These 3 shots show the Experimental "B" Model Harrier. Actually, what McDonnell Douglas did was to take a couple of wrecked, or turned in for major repair operational Harriers and modify them with the Avionics, Engine, Wing, and Flight Controls of the up coming "B" model. All of these shots were taken by M/D during the late 1970's (1979-1980). Marines at MCAS Cherry Point were given the opportunity to see the "new" birds in early 1980.
Here are a couple of pictures a C model and two A model Harriers. You can tell the difference by the running lights (formation lights) on the side of the aircraft. The C model had formation lights, the A model didn't.
The ski ramp picture is from a test done at MCAS Quantico. The purpose was to demonstrate a way to get a fully loaded (all fuel and all weapons) Harrier off the deck. In those days the engine didn't have the thrust available to do short take-offs or vertical take-offs with a full load. This is a C model Harrier.
Next is a couple of A model Harriers flying in formation.
More to come.
Updated April 6, 2003 at 14:30.
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