Attention Navy Patrol Squadron Veterans

Attention Navy Patrol Squadron Veterans:

By now, you may have heard that there is an effort underway to raise funds to support the upkeep of the Truculent Turtle at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola. The Truculent Turtle is the most famous and historic patrol plane in the 100 year history of naval aviation. If in doubt, read about it on the VP-2 website at www.patron2.com/files/Turtle/turtleproj.html. In 1946, the Truculent Turtle flew a record-shattering non-stop flight from Perth, Australia to Columbus, OH… 11,236 miles in 55 hours 17 minutes. That record stood for 40 years…no computers, no satellite GPS, no electronic navigation… just four aviators in a brand new P2V-1 Neptune.

I’m not a professional fundraiser. I’m retired Navy and a veteran of three tours of duty in patrol squadrons. I learned how to find Soviet submarines flying the P2V-7 in VP-2 in 1960. In subsequent tours, I flew the P3A, P3B and P3C, and commanded a P3C squadron. The P3 is an incredible aircraft that continues into its fifth decade of naval service. The P2V was a marvel of aeronautical engineering that was years ahead of its time. P2V flight crew members will attest to the durability, flexibility and survivability of the Neptune. From nuclear weapon delivery to carrier feasibility studies to ski-equipped Antarctic operations to mining, reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, and its primary mission: anti-submarine warfare, the P2V gave the Navy an unprecedented capability. The record-setting flight of the Truculent Turtle is credited with cementing the Navy’s maritime patrol mission at a time when the Army Air Forces wanted that role to help justify its expansion into a larger separate-service Air Force.

Go to the VP-2 website at www.patron2.com/files/Turtle/turtleproj.html to read the engrossing story of the Turtle and its crew, and to learn how you can make a contribution to the fund that will support the upkeep of the Truculent Turtle as it occupies its rightful place of honor in the Pensacola air museum. Your tax-deductible donation, large or small, will help to keep the memory of the P2V and, specifically, the Truculent Turtle, in the forefront of aviation history. Think about it; can you name any Navy aircraft logo other than the Truculent Turtle?

Help us to spread the word among your friends and former squadron-mates about the preservation of the Truculent Turtle, and let me or Bob Champoux (rchampoux@comcast.net) know if you have any questions.

Best regards,

Vic Gulliver, VP-2 Association