"Bob Harrington" wrote in message
...
"Thomas A. Hoffer" wrote in
:

Actually, until 1970, all naval reserve Neptunes were stationed at the
former NAS Seattle (Sandpoint). VP-69 was established at Whidbey after
the closure of the airfield at Seattle.

(Delayed response - me 'n' the cat have had a ~really~ bad week, but think
survival is in the offing)

I've only lived in Seattle since 1963, so I was naturally unaware of this
fact...

It does, however, explain an experience I had one winter evening in 1968
or '69 as a kid of 13 out on my paper route in the area along Lake
Washington a couple miles north of NAS Sand Point. Typical northwest low
clouds lit by city lights when a loud rumble was heard overhead. I looked
up to see the unmistakeable silhouette of a Neptune, complete with blue
flames visible from the engine exhasusts, at an altitude that couldn't
have been much more than a thousand feet or so, heading south. Makes
sense to me now that he was on approach to Sand Point, as the next closest
airport of consequence was Boeing Field - way too much farther away and in
somewhat the wrong direction.

And to think they laughed at me when I had that Brain Clapper® with a
built-in 38 year time delay installed...

Bob ^,,^

Ah, NAS Sand Point, the place where, back in 1962, I took my first flight
physical and signed on the dotted line commencing 23 years of naval service.
It seemed strange to visit last summer and see all the old building in
disrepair and see that the place has been converted to a "community garden'
and dog park. The only aircraft I say was a RC model flying over one of the
softball fields.

Wayne
http://www.soaridaho.com/