| Grampaw Pettibone Squadron (GPS) is a professional, non-profit, educational and fraternal society supporting and promoting Naval Aviation and the military in general. Our main purpose is to educate the public and our national leaders on the vital roles of Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Aviation as key elements of our national defense posture. GPS continuously seeks to elucidate the key current issues impacting Naval Aviation through published writings, symposiums, speeches and discussions with various interest groups. GPS also seeks to foster the strong pride, esprit and fraternal bonds which exist among those associated with Naval Aviation. GPS is open to everyone (Civilian or Active Duty) and no prior military service is required. If you have an interest in helping to preserve the historic service of our United States Navy and Marine Corps aviators, consider becoming a member of the Grampaw Pettibone Squadron, which operates and meets in Garden Grove, California. The squadron gathers together once a month for lunch and various types of presentations to the general membership. As a proud member of the squadron, I can tell you it is made up of a terrific group of men and women, and there is no better way to show your support for their brave service to our great nation. Click on either banner above to visit the Association of Naval Aviators/Grampaw Pettibone website and join today! www.gpsana.org |
| Above: (left to right) A Navy/Marine AN6543, leather flight helmet with original avionics and Polariod Type B-8 goggles, An AN6540 series flight helmet displayed with Mark II goggles with amber lenses, A US Navy/Marine Corps 1092 leather flight helmet with leather ear cups (with the correct TH-37 receivers) displayed with Seesall goggles with blue tinted lenses, An M-450 flight helmet with original period, private purchase set of goggles. |
| WWII era United States Navy shoulder insignia which once belonged to Jaynes. From left to right the insignia represent the rank of: Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant and Lieutenant JG (Junior Grade). |
Various original WWII era photographs showing Jaynes in various USN uniforms and a flight jacket.
Lieutenant Commander G. H. Jaynes: VRF-1 Floyd Bennett Field
| Below are items in my collection relating to Lieutenant Commander Grailey Hewitt Jaynes. The inside of Jaynes visor indicates he flew with VRF-1 from Floyd Bennett Field in New York. So far, little is known about Jaynes and his military career. I am continuing to research Mr. Jaynes and will add additional information as it becomes available. VRF-1 (Air Ferry Squadron One) was an Aircraft Ferry Squadron which was established on December 1, 1943 at Floyd Bennett Field in NAS New York. VRF-1 would become the Navy's largest squadron during WWII. Originally designated as an Air Delivery Unit (ADU), the squadron used small transports aircraft to ferry pilots to the manufacturer's plant to pick up newly manufactured aircraft. The transport would then fly to the station where the aircraft were being delivered to bring the pilots back to either the factory for another flight, or to their home station. At least 60 VRF-1 pilots were lost during the war. By December 1943, air traffic at NAS New York was so congested that ferry command moved its training detachment to NAS Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. At Willow Grove, pilots received additional ground and flight training, and indoctrination into specific requirements of the ferry command and the multiple types of aircraft they would encounter during their service. The most commonly flown aircraft encountered by VRF-1 pilots were the F6F, F4U, TBF and SBD. Other aircraft encountered by VRF-1 pilots included: J4F, JRF, J2F, F3A, FM, TBM, SB2A, PV, SB2C, FG, R4D, GH, PBJ, JM, SBW, TDR, SNV, BTD, N2S, F4F, F7F, PBY and PB4Y. VRF-1 rosters from 1945 do in fact show Lt. Grailey H. Jaynes as being assigned as a pilot with VRF-1. The rosters read as follows: On VRF-1 roster dated 1 March 1945: File No. 174776; JAYNES, Grailey H (Married); Lieut. (A5)L; rank as of 7.1.43; 459 Beach 139th St., Belle Harbor, LI; Assistant Flight Officer; total Navy flight hours to 1.31.45: 1,471; total Civil flight hours: 1,550. Senior pilot. Qualified to fly: B2, F236, J2345678, R1245, S1, SB12, T1. On VRF-1 roster dated 1 October 1945: File No. 174776; JAYNES, Grailey H (Married); Lieut. (A5)L; rank as of 7.1.43; 459 Beach 139th St., Belle Harbor, LI; Flight Utility Pilot; total Navy flight hours to 1.31.45: 1,808. Senior pilot. Qualified to fly: B24567, F23678, J2345678, R1245, S1, SB12, T1 (Thank you to Richard Reed of the Floyd Bennett Field Task Force for supplying the VRF-1 roster information.) |
| Above: Jaynes' United States Navy aviator visor cap. The interior of the cap reads: "Lieut. G.H. Jaynes, Floyd Bennett Field, VRF-1, New York, New York." |
| Floyd Bennett Field Task Force |
| A valiant effort is being made by a group of dedicated volunteers to help preserve the history of Floyd Bennett Field, and the memory of the men and women who served at this historic airfield. The Floyd Bennett Field Task Force is dedicated to preserving and teaching the military aviation heritage of Brooklyn's Floyd Bennett Field and linking the Field to WW2 home front sites on Long Island and elsewhere. To learn how you can help support this endeavor, visit the link below: www.floydbennett.org |
| At the time America entered into WWII following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps aviation units were represented by approximately 5900 pilots on active service. By the end of the war, over 12,000 USN and USMC pilots and aircrew would fail to return from the war, having met their fate in the defense of our nation over a foreign territory or a vast and endless ocean. Throughout the war, USN and USMC aviators and aircrews would account for the destruction of 15,000 enemy aircraft, both on the ground and in the air, approximately 174 Japanese warships and approximately 447 merchant ships. The USN would also see success in the Atlantic and other parts of the world, sinking enemy warships and merchants as well as a large number of submarines. Much like the United States Air Corps, the USN and USMC would quickly rise to the occasion following Pearl Harbor, coming to the defense of our nation and performing admirably and with terrific success. Although some setbacks were experienced during the initial stages of the war, the USN and the USMC would ultimate cause the fall of the Imperial Japanese empire within a few short years. This page was created to display just a few of the WWII era US Navy and USMC aviation items and original era photographs in my private collection. This portion of the collection stands as a living memorial and a tribute to the men of the Navy and the Marine Corps, who risked their lives in the air to defend our nation, far from home. |
Proud Member
| A familiar sight to many fledgling USN/USMC aviators, the instrument panel of the "Yellow Peril", an N3N-3 trainer. This panel contains all of the original WWII era instruments as used by aviation cadets during flight training, including an original compass card. The white around the center section of gauges aided pilots while flying in low light and darkness. Wartime publications such as the "Meet the N3N" booklet shown below, show photographs of wartime N3N's configured with this white faced panel. |
The V-5 Program:
| Cadet (NavCad) Program or U.S. Naval Reserve's Aviation Cadet program (class V-5))...was no different than the AAC/AAF Aviation Cadet Program. The main difference is that V-5 Cadets were were allowed to wear "wings", to designate them as V-5 Aviation Cadets (NavCad), until they received their "Real Wings of Gold." All Cadets enlisted in the USNR, in the Rank of Apprentice Seamen (USNR)...others with some education or with a degree came in as 1st or 2nd Class Seamen (USNR). They maintained that rank until they washed out or until they graduated, the day they earned their wings, and were made Ensigns in the USNR, or 2nd LT's in the USMCR. Age restrictions for the V-5 Program were 17 to 25. |
| A safe used by Donald A. Stocks while serving aboard the USS Block Island (CVE-106) during WWII. This still functioning safe is unchanged since its service time during WWII and still uses the same combination to unlock it. Read more about CVE-106 at: http://ussblockisland.org/Beta/Welcome.html |
| Although electronic "copies" of this booklet can commonly be found on various internet auction sites, this is an original wartime copy of the "Meet the N3N-3" booklet, as issued by the United States Navy during flight training. |
| The C.E. Daniel Collection |
| Above: A pre/early war USN cadet training flight helmet, with gosport tubes. |
| A page removed from a WWII era photo album, showing an original wartime photograph identified as "1st landing, USS Solomons." The close-up above shows an F4F Wildcat just about to touch down on the carrier deck. Note: The series of USS Solomons photographs below and the photo album page and photo from the left were obtained from completely different sources. |
| Above: A series of three, original wartime photographs, taken aboard indicate this is the 1,000 landing aboard the USS Solomons, which occurred on June 7, 1944. The notations identify the pilot of the landing aircraft as Lt. (jg) K.T. Casanega. The Landing Signals Officer (LSO) is identified as Lt. T.G. Lewis. Further research revealed that the pilot, Lt. (jg) Kenneth Casanega was well known for another reason. Casanega was drafted in the 3rd round (16th overall) in the 1942 professional football draft. Following his military service, Casanega would go on to play two seasons of professional football with the San Francisco 49ers, wearing #83. If anyone has any additional information concerning either the pilot or the LSO, I would enjoy hearing from you. |
| Three variations of the WWII era V-5 overseas cap. |
Above: WWII era V-5 items including a V-5 patch, a pair of V-5 wings and a V-5 lapel pin.
| A small V-5 grouping which once belonged to Joseph Shifflett Horne, USNR. |
| A WWII era license plate topper from Pensacola Naval Air Station. |
| A custom painted flight helmet related to MAG-21, who lost all of their aircraft during the December 7th, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Squadrons from MAG-21 fought at the Battle of Wake Island, Battle of Midway and as part of the Cactus Air Force during the Battle of Guadalcanal but the group itself remained at MCAS Ewa until February 1943 when they departed for Banika in the Russell Islands. By June 1943, MAG-21's squadrons were fighting large scale operations against Japanese installations in the northern Solomon Islands. The group moved to Efate in November 1943 and remained there until June 1944. Their final destination during the war was on Guam where they were based from August 1944 until the end of the war. |
| MAG-21 insignia during WWI. |
| A very rare and hard to find United States Navy V-5 cadet identification card. This ID card and pin belonged to Charles Summers McAndrew, dated November 20, 1942. The back of the card provides the following descriptive information for Mr. McAndrews: Hair Color, Height, Weight, Eye Color and his date of birth. |
| The above aircraft art/profiles are used with the generous permission of aviation artist Edward Grabot. Additional aircraft profiles by Mr. Grabot can be located at the following site: www.renohighrollers.com/profiles.htm. You may also contact Mr. Grabot for specific art work at ehgrabot@gmail.com. |