i flew with vince at 124, iran and calverton . he retired from the usn in '82 and then logged another 16k hrs.
"
To All My Friends:
This past Thursday I flew my last Lear Jet flight for the Navy., out of NAS North Island, San Diego. I am now retired,retired. It has now been a total of 48 and 1/2 years flying in or for the Navy. If anyone can beat that, I'll gladly buy them a drink!
Vince "
from ' 'the history of vf 103',
In 1971, again deployed with CVW-3 onboard SARATOGA, the squadron participated in an experimental carrier concept designed to test the operational compatibility of attack and ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) squadrons. AQ2 John MacPherson recalls an August 1971 incident during that Med Cruise. "CVA 60 was anchored off Piraeus Greece. I was awakened one morning to “General Quarter, General Quarters. Flooding in the Number 3 Main Machinery Room. The ship had taken on a great deal of water in the starboard quarter and was listing badly. The decision was made to launch aircraft to lighten the load and to redistribute the weight. Since the carrier was dead in the water, the catapults were tweaked to provide max pull and the aircraft were not supposed to need afterburner since the ship was bow on to the Acropolis and all that Greek antiquity."
"One of the pilots, LCDR Vince Lesh (who later was shot down over Vietnam in 1972) put on a personal airshow. After the cat shot, he dipped to a very low altitude and went into full A/B. He accelerated until he was over the beach-which was crowded with people watching the spectacle of carrier launches just outside the harbor. LCDR Lesh then made a high G turn until he was heading back to the ship. Still at low altitude, he went inverted until he was abeam the ship when he stood it on its tail and did victory rolls while going straight up. This incident is described by the man who was CAG on that cruise ADM (later) Paul Gilchrist in his book Feet Wet. (His recollection differs from mine in several minor details.)."
"
To All My Friends:
This past Thursday I flew my last Lear Jet flight for the Navy., out of NAS North Island, San Diego. I am now retired,retired. It has now been a total of 48 and 1/2 years flying in or for the Navy. If anyone can beat that, I'll gladly buy them a drink!
Vince "
from ' 'the history of vf 103',
In 1971, again deployed with CVW-3 onboard SARATOGA, the squadron participated in an experimental carrier concept designed to test the operational compatibility of attack and ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) squadrons. AQ2 John MacPherson recalls an August 1971 incident during that Med Cruise. "CVA 60 was anchored off Piraeus Greece. I was awakened one morning to “General Quarter, General Quarters. Flooding in the Number 3 Main Machinery Room. The ship had taken on a great deal of water in the starboard quarter and was listing badly. The decision was made to launch aircraft to lighten the load and to redistribute the weight. Since the carrier was dead in the water, the catapults were tweaked to provide max pull and the aircraft were not supposed to need afterburner since the ship was bow on to the Acropolis and all that Greek antiquity."
"One of the pilots, LCDR Vince Lesh (who later was shot down over Vietnam in 1972) put on a personal airshow. After the cat shot, he dipped to a very low altitude and went into full A/B. He accelerated until he was over the beach-which was crowded with people watching the spectacle of carrier launches just outside the harbor. LCDR Lesh then made a high G turn until he was heading back to the ship. Still at low altitude, he went inverted until he was abeam the ship when he stood it on its tail and did victory rolls while going straight up. This incident is described by the man who was CAG on that cruise ADM (later) Paul Gilchrist in his book Feet Wet. (His recollection differs from mine in several minor details.)."