Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 33

1973-1977. I was in HSL 33 having transferred from HSL 31. I was a plane captain and then worked with the electronics shop as an AX. Made 2 westpacs and was in operations frequent wind and new life. Steven See AX2 -

1980, Paul Aster, Plane Captain HAL 33

1981-1984, I served in HSL-33 as a hell mechanic. Clifford L. Rodgers. Sr

1985-1988, I served airefram shop, was a cdi and corrosion control supervisor. Amh2 moore and I went on many detachments with theses a/c I also was an lee for all my detachments. Smooth flying a/c if ever there was one.

1986-1989, I served in the AE shop. I was a Plane Captain, CDI, night shift supervisor of AE shop. I'm AE2 Jon M. Dishaw and was forward deployed to Atsugi Japan det. 4C. This was the best aircraft and command that I served in and enjoyed flying in the whenever I got the chance. I also was the senior AE for the Ready Det for many months and had one of the best officers I've ever known or had the privilege to serve under. At that time, he just made Lt. Commander, LCDR Mark A. Storch, I'd fly to hell and back with him again.

1988-1992, I showed up at Snake Town on July 88, with a group of young AW's from Moffet field. We had all been slated for P3 duty out of A school. It turned out the Navy had to many P3 candidates and needed more lamps crewmen. None of us were SAR swimmers, although almost all of us eventually did become such. I was one of the rare dry crewmen. I could swim all day but I did not have the 1/2 Olympic swimmer, 1/2 Olympic wrestler ability required to make the cut as a SAR swimmer. I am proud to have served with these brave souls. HSL-33 was head and heels above our sister squadrons. 3 out of the 4 years I was there we took the battle E. From the pilots I flew with to the maintenance personnel I sailed with, I have not known any finer men. I made 11 cruises on 9 different ships. Most were short 1 month or less. My 2 long cruises were DET 6B, to CGN 31 the USS Sterett, and again DET 6 aboard the USS Truxtun. I remember one of the first things the AW shop had all of us young AW's do was look through a photo album full of crash pic's just to give us an idea what we were getting in to. Unfortunately only a few months later reality hit when one of our Detachments lost a bird just outside the Persian gulf. I only knew the crewman AW3 Bill Martini. It is my understanding from an account I got from the H3 crewman that was first on scene to attempt a rescue, that all 3 men made it out of the aircraft alive, but there was to many sharks in the water jump a swimmer. Things like this make me realize that every day we have on this planet must not be taken for granted.