Helicopter Utility Squadron TWO

1947, I don't have all the details, but I know my father went from boot camp in Great Lakes in 1947 to then be stationed at NAS Lakehurst as part of VX-3 that was later decommissioned and recommissioned as HU-2. He served aboard the Coral Sea and the Saipan, but his favorite was that his squadron was the first helicopter squadron stationed aboard a battleship - the Missouri. I have pictures of him and his crew mates with their helicopter on board the Missouri if anyone is interested. My father left the Navy in 1950 and passed in 2011.

Dec48-Jun53, I went from boot camp to HU-2 at Lakehurst,NJ. Made 2 short cruises and 1 Med cruise on the USS Baltimore (CA-68) in 1952. Enjoyed the sqdn very much. Worked in the metal shop. I retired in Jacksonville, Fl 1971 Don. Townsend AMS1 USN Ret -

1953, My Dad, Cmdr. Bob Street was maintenance in HC-2, and retired shortly after the Fleet Angels settled into their new home in Norfolk. He did three tours at Lakehurst. I was born there in that little dispensary in 1953 when he was with LTA squadron ZP-3. Then to Akron, Ohio where he was stationed with Goodyear when they were building blimps, on to Argentia, Newfoundland, and back to a blimp squadron at Lakehurst when I was 5. His last tour there was with HSL-30 and HC-2 helicopter squadrons. I still have a big ribbon that my mother saved from a floral arrangement sent to my brother’s funeral from HC-2. It says HC-2 Fleet Angels on it. -

early 1950-1960, HU 2 detachment 1, was based at NAS, Norfolk, VA. Air Sea Rescue and anti submarine duties. Primary aircraft. Piasecki HUP Served 1952/1955

1952-1955, HU-2 Det. 1 NAS Norfolk, Va

1953-1955 CAPT Richard Roberts was the Commanding officer (Turning 107 years old April 17th, 2021)

1958-59 Served at HU-2 as a Helicopter Rescue Crewman Swimmer on two deployments. The USS Wasp and then the USS Valley Forge as a Helicopter Rescue Swimmer aboard a Kaman HUK (Angel). Commander Reilly was my Pilot. He enjoyed doing auto rotations at sea, Me not so much.nDennis K. Wilkes

1963-64, I was sent to Lakehurst from my A school training at millinton tenn. first trip was aboard the Roosevelt CVA-42 to the Mediterranean after that I became an air crewman and went aboard the Independence CVA-62 to Vietnam found out later there are 2 documentary’s made from both my crusis Flight Deck on the Rosevelt in 1964 and Ready on arrival on the independence 1965 our comanding officer commander Sapp received the distinguished flying cross for a rescue made over in Vietnam we flew in the UH-2A helicopter which had one engine and was NOT very good in the tropical areas . Later on they added another engine . Funny thing was we worked on the engine with one quarter inch ratchet set and it was like a minachure J-79 engine which was the engine in the F-4 famton

1965, My father was HU-2 Executive Officer when it was based in Lakehurst NJ. I can remember him sitting at our dining room table in quarters going through the recommendations for the new squadron patch for HC-2. As Commanding Officer he flew one of the squadron’s UH-2A single engine helicopter to Kaman Aerospace Connecticut to be modified to a UH-2C twin engine helicopter.

1971, right after New Years, I reported for duty at HC-2 in Lakehurst. I remember CDR Street was the maintenance officer and was unique in that he had blimp pilot wings and was a mustang (worked his way up thru the enlisted ranks). If I remember correctly, he had a daughter Roberta. I volunteered to fly, became a rescue swimmer, got my wings after SERE, etc, etc. I was one of the first to be trained for the SH-3G aircraft. We still had the SH-2F aircraft also, so for a while we had quite a crowded hangar. I was on detachments to several ships but mostly on the FDR thru 1973. Hurricane Agnes in PA in 1972. Unfortunately the Navy moved us to NAS Jax and it just wasn't the same.