Entry 403
Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2003 Time: 10:22 AM EST
Email=
Name= Mel Davidow LT USNR Ret
Served= 1953
Ship / Unit= USCGC Vance WDE 487 as an "aviation observer"
Age= 73
City=
State=
Zip=
Country= United States
Phone= 000-000-0000
A URL to share= No
How did you find this site?= Accidentally
Reasons for reading about the Vance= Other
Comments= I had the great pleasure to be assigned to the Vance as an "aviation observer" in 1953 for a trip from Sangley to Hong Kong. The assignment was actually in order to allow three of our pilots to have a few days R&R without being charged leave and to travel on the Vance.

At the time I was flying the P4M Mercators out of Sangley on classified electronic reconnaissance flights along the Chinese coast.

When I was nine I had wanted to fly the then new PBY for the Coast Guard but ended up in the Navy. I did get to fly with the Coast Guard Air Detachment at Sangley in their PBY so my boy hood dream finally came true.

Afraid I have nothing as far as Vance material but some memories of the trip to Hong Kong.

Not being a saltwater sailor, land based aviation only, I had a bit of introduction to, what to me was rough weather. At least the three "aviation observers" aboard where advised best to keep off deck as much as possible the second day crossing the South China Sea. I remember sitting down in the wardroom for breakfast and when it arrived, I gave it to the person who just sat down beside me, and spent the rest of the day in my bunk.

Good luck in getting more material, and a great website.

Mel .
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