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The "PBY CATALINA" INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION
SECOND 1990 EDITION "NEWSLETTER"
Volume 2 Number 2
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SECRETARY/TREASURER: JAMES P. THOMPSON, 1510 KABEL DR., NEW ORLEANS, LA 70131 USA
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INT'NL COORD: WARREN L. MARTIN, 60 CHEVIOT RD., R.D.2, NO. AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
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NEWSLETTER EDITOR: I. JAMES MORRISON, P.O.BOX #2, GILMANTON, NH 03237 USA
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NOTICE: This association is a non-profit organization whose mandate is to promote enjoyable camaraderie within the "Catalina" airplane international community and within the purview of non-political relations or commerical gains.
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Dear associates
As of 8 April 1990, we have completed our second anniversary since our assembly in Jacksonville, Florida. Following the initiative of our Secretary to communicate with a few of his known World War TWO associates to have some sort of a "get-together", the "Grapevine System" prevailed with affirmative replies coming from all over the world. It was a pleasant surprise and quite a challenge for "Jim" Thompson to react to the magnitude of response. In the selection of a suitable site for the number of responses for a PBY veterans "get-together", Jacksonville was by favorable chance, ideal for the 6-10 April 1988 event. This time-frame coincided with another aviation minded organization that had scheduled a gala event at the local Naval Aviation Facilities. Jacksonville had been one of the first major operational training sites for PBYs at the onset of and during World War TWO that also offered at this time a special value judgement to have the PBY veterans meet at Jacksonville. The Naval Aviation authorities also welcomed the opportunity to host this gathering of the "World Wide Catalina Community". We were really overwhelmed with the THREE-DAY options of events our hosts availed to us. These events "Hi-Lites" included an "Open House" visit to three of the major facilities within the U.S. Navy's Fleet Air Command at Jacksonville; ie. The Mayport Aircraft Carrier Basin with a five hour off shore cruise on board the nuclear powered attack aircraft carrier "U.S.S. FORRESTAL" (CVA-59) to observe an aircraft recovery operation. An airshow at Naval Air Station CECIL FIELD consisting of performances provided by the famous "Blue Angels" team of the U.S. Navy, the operational aircraft home ported at the station and a plus given by the Aerobatics team of "Quality Motor Inn Corporation" as well as a surprizing flight display presented by the U.S. Marines "HARRIER" (AV-8 designated Vertical/Short Take Off & Landing 'V/STOL' aircraft) from M.C.A.S. Beaufort, S.C.. The "queen" in our estimation was Bob Frank's PBY-5A he aptly named "Spirit of Naval Aviation", that was on static display during the airshow. The final hosting facility for us was at the old PBY training site, Naval Air Station Jacksonville. It is still the suppport center for the modern day patrol airplane, the (P-3) "ORION" turboprop airplane, patterned after the commercial versioned "Lockheed Electra". We were at first given a theatre presentation with a film then a personal orientation of the physical features and philosophy of its capabilities and operation, by the involved operators of respective equipment employed. Then as we departed N.A.S. JAX, we reverently took our hat off to an honored PBY-5A that is pedestaled adjacent to the Main Gate. On the AM of the 8th, preceding the airshow event, we assembled within a suitable auditorium provided by "billeting host" to hold our first business meeting. It was unanimously decided by this body of vets from Australia, Canada, England, Holland, New Zealand and the United States, that we maintain continuity within the identity of "THE PBY CATALINA INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION" and that our credo be "Camaraderie and be without recognition of rank/rate or other forms of "pecking-order" and of course maintain ourselves within our professional demeanor without any political orientation or commercial gains. Our muster roll fell just short of 200 members at that time although there were nearly half of those in attendance to the first "Meet". |
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