VA-115 Ready Room

[Eagle3]

I have word from Pete Clayton, the ship's chief engineer, that Ready Room Five will be restored. However, whoever funds it get's to pick the squadron.

If you're like me you really don't want to see any other squadron in there, but VA-115.

Here's the info that I have so far. $3,500 is needed to sprinkle RR5 plus whatever cost is needed to restore the space. At this time I don't know what the restoration costs would be or how to make sure our donations go towards RR5. Stay tuned here as I will post news as soon as I get it. I want folks thinking about it though.

If thirty-five VA-115 shipmates donate $100 then that covers the sprinklers. I'll be the first to donate $100 for that. Who knows, if we're successful with this maybe we can get the Line Shack restored. :)

E3

[Eagle3]

Here's the gouge straight from Pete.

If you want to donate money specifically for Ready Room 5 and VA-115 put that condition on your donation. Conditional donation of the money controls it's use.

The additional cost of restoring RR 5 is small - light bulbs, cleaning, paint and whatever we would wish to do for VA-115 history.

The restoration does require a written plan to the Museum Exhibits Director and the Curator but they are both onboard with Pete.

A donation of $2500/ year over 5 years would seal the deal with the present administration.

I'm trying to pass this word on through other sites (Military.com, etc...) If you know of any Arabs/Eagles out there pass the word. E-mail me if you have any questions / comments.

E3

[Eagle3]

BTW - if you decide you want to be involved please send me an e-mail or PM. This will help me organize the effort.

[navybob]

I tried to find RR5 today with no luck. I'm pretty sure it's on the 02 level and I found RR1. If anyone remembers how to get to RR5 or maybe a frame/compartment number, that would help me a lot. I'm trying to get some pictures for Buzz to post.
Thanks. Bob

[Eagle3]

Thanks for looking Bob! I remember that the back of VA-115's RR was against the back of VF-161's RR. The entrance to VA-115's RR also faced outboard. I kind of recall that it was just aft of an expansion joint, probably the first one.

You know, I never memorized compartment or frame numbers, I just knew where to go. :laugh:

[Rander]

Buzz: If there is anything I can do to help please let me know.

Rander

:thumbsup:

If YOUR not having fun; YOU'RE not doing it right!!!!!

[RigTheBarricade]

Buzz,

I put up a notification on my site to try and enlist help in this effort. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help facilitate the restoration in the name of VA-115. I still have a few friends from VA-115 that I have contacted to try and get a little extra help. If there is anything that you need me to do, let me know, I'll be more than happy to help out.:)

God knows that we don't want anything in that Ready Room that promotes fighter pukes :what: or the land-lubbers of 185:confused: ...

[Eagle3]

Thanks guys. Still waiting on some details before I roll the page out. When I do I'll post the info here and ask people to get the work out.

I'm more worried that some squardron from one of the "cruise" ships gets aboard!
:nolike: :nuts: http://bushwhacked.net/forum/images/smilies/tweetz.gif

[Billntwrk]

Greetings Friends!

Your dedicated photographer was led by the proverbial hand to VA-115 R.R.

Navy Bob and Volunteer Bill Hays took me there. Believe me, without there help, I might never have found it. I also grabbed a couple of pics in VAQ-136. I did this with Troy Prince in mind!

There are others of a general or generic theme. I can report this. FLight Deck Restoration is underway. The fence project continues to make progress and we have become a site for Still Photographers to shoot Ad Layouts. Near as I can tell, two different AD campaigns in as many days.

We move closer to the Grand Opening. Rudy Shappee is set to graduate his first class of Docents this coming Monday and they already have Semi-Tours scheduled for the first week of May. Students and Adult chaparones.

Anything eles will appear here *first*
Billntwrk@yahoo. com sends.

[navybob]

I found it! RR5 is alive and well. Pretty empty but it's there. I sent a CD full of pictures to Buzz. He'll have them tomorrow and he'll post them when he posts them.
Also got photos of RR's for VAQ-136, 195 (Dambusters), and the Vigilantes.
Pete Clayton (Midway Engineer) says that funding better show up quick or the door will close. Better get the word out to all your 115 buddies to get this set aside for you. It would be a shame to have another squadron come in and remove that beautiful emblem on the deck. I've heard there are some Marine squadrons looking for a RR!! God forbid they should contaminate this room.
Good luck. I'm looking forward to seeing all of you in San Diego in the future. Tell me when you're coming and I'll show you around.
Bob......

[Rander]

:)

Bill and Navybob I'd like to take alook at Ready Room 5 and Help with the restoration. Can one of you send the directions to Ready 5 so I can look it over.

Lets save this Ready Room for VA-115 and get it restored. common Eagles its time to move forward!

Has any one written to the Current C.O. of VA-115 to see if we can get some of the current Officers and enlisteds to help with the project? whats the Zip Code for NAS Whidby Island?

Buzz send a link to NavyBobs pics of Ready 5 I'd like to see the pics.

E-mail: rander8828@hotmail.com

:thumbsup:

If YOUR not having fun; YOU'RE not doing it right!!!!

[Eagle3]

Thanks NavyBob, Billntwrk, Rander, and Bill Hays! If we can't save these Ready Rooms at least we'll your photos of what they used to look like.

To answer all your questions;

I'll be rolling out the Ready Room 5 Campaign web page soon. I dont' have all the funding information because the pricing policy is not finished. Regardless, I am pushing ahead with the best information I have and that comes from the CHENG. If things change then I'll just have to roll with it.

Marines?! Well, VMAQ-2 and VMFP-3 were aboard, but I could have swore they used a head for a ready room. ;) :Poke: :D

I have contacted the PAO for VFA-115 and they are interested in helping.

Here is the link (http://www.cv41.org/gallery/bp_april04) to Bill Purcell's photos that sent last night. I'll have NavyBob's up this weekend.

Any word on the opening week schedule yet? I'm wanting to make my travel plans sooner, rather than later.

Thanks again guys!
E3

[Eagle3]

The Restoration Fund Campaign web page is up! Check it out
http:///cv41.org/readyroom5/images/rr5-banner.jpg (http://cv41.org/readyroom5/)

Pass the word! Let's save some Midway history. :D

[Eagle3]

Folks, I've updated the Mission Statement and Donations pages at the campaign website. They now reflect the ready room lease policy just released from SDACM. I also announced working together with the Intruder Association. If you're not a member.... JOIN! ;)
http://intruderassociation.org/

[ADJ3KRatliff]

dont have that much but will any amount help? just found this forum think its great was on west pac 71-72, VA-115, hangar deck adj shop was across from foward starboard elevator
thanks kirk:thumbsup:

[Eagle3]

Hi Kirk and welcome! Nice to see another VA-115 alum here.

This is the link to the Intruder Association Ready Room 5 donation page;
http://www.intruderassociation.org/Ready5trifold2.htm I have no idea where they are at anymore with the donations and the progress of the Ready Room. I stopped getting updates a long time ago.

[navybob]

A-6 guys, I'll give you as much ready room update as possible:
The room is looking nice. They have obtained plaques from every A-6 squadron and they will be posted around the room. The plaques are very colorful and about 14-16" in size. Part of the room will be enclosed with a plastic wall. Behind the wall will be two ready room chairs with mannequins sitting in them wearing flight suits. Hanging on the bulkhead will be several flight helmets. The SDO desk will be set up with a guy behind it. There will be four or five other chairs in the room for guests to sit in.
If I can, I'll get some photos Friday when I'm on board. I'll get Buzz to post them.
Bob....

[Eagle3]

Thanks Bob... much appreciated and keep up the great work.

[Turbone]

Its been forever since I've been here, sorry for such a late post.
RR5 used to be my office in 74. Well, actually the back of it:p I was the Ops Yoeman from late 73 to mid 75. I believe theres pics I took in the photo gallery. Would love to have some input on the resto, if its still going on. At least what I can remember, getting chronic CRS at this stage in life.
I hope to make a trip to SD and see whats been done to the ship in the next year.

[Eagle3]

The last word I got was that there are several Ready Rooms opening this spring. Ready 5 is supposed to be one of them. I have some photos that NavyBob took that shows the room pretty well set up.
http://www.cv41.org/photos/gallery/rr5_bob_hartman

[Rander]

Last time I saw that Ready Room was in March 2004 while using a flashlight to see where I was going. Many Kudos to Bob Hartman for the pics.

[nipon ginko]

I tried to find RR5 today with no luck. I'm pretty sure it's on the 02 level and I found RR1. If anyone remembers how to get to RR5 or maybe a frame/compartment number, that would help me a lot. I'm trying to get some pictures for Buzz to post.
Thanks. Bob

If I recall right to get to ready room 5 you went to the ladder(on the hangar deck) just fwd of the... # 3 elevator door -# 3 elevator was just aft of the Island on the Stb side. go up the ladder to the O2 level walk fwd a few feet and go left ,you at that point should be just a few steps from the opening to RR-5, As I recall VA 25 used that RR on both the Midway(63-64)(65) and the Coral Sea(66) this was of course before the new deck in (66) so it might have moved anywhere !!:nuts:

[Turbone]

Thanks for the link to the pics E3.
Damn near brought a tear to my eye:cry:
Not exactly how I remember it, but close enough.
Wish they still had my office in the back :p

[nipon ginko]

Eagle 3 I just read you blurb on RR-5 and was very disappointed to see you comment "I really don't want to see any Squadron in there with VA-115" this was not the impression you gave me when we were sending e-mail back and forth concerning this same subject. I find this to be exactly like the reception two of our members (VA-25) received when they approached some of your people in regards to sharing the ready room ,I don't know if you noticed but VA-25 was in that RR long before VA-115 even had a clue it existed ,and for you guy's to run in there and declare this is ours is not a very Christian attitude,I'm sure that sense you have a large number of VA-115 people on board here I will receive a bunch of comments about this piece which is fine but how about lets keep it to the facts . Best regards

[Eagle3]

Hey Nipon, That statement was made back in 2004 when it was just me trying to get VA-115 alum's and the squadron to sponsor the ready room. Since then, as we discussed, the Intruder Association took over to make it an Intruder Ready Room covering all A-6 squadrons. Some of the RR's are being sponsored by aircraft type groups like the Intruders, Crusaders (RR7), and Hornets (RR1) and some are sponsored by specific naval aviation communities like the Helo (RR2) and Light Attack (RR3) groups. I am no longer in any way involved with any of these groups with the exception of hosting a web page for a few of them. No one asks my opinion on how they should be laid and no one would listen to me if I gave them an opinion. Again, RR5 is not being displayed or promoted as a VA-115 RR. It's the Intruder Association's ready room.

[smutman]

Eagle,that was a very Christian like response!!:thumbsup: