MCPO Frank Duckworth
U.S. Navy – Naval Aviation Support
U.S.S. America – VA 82 – HC-7 Det Cubi Pt
Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam
1965-1970
US Navy 1965 - 1985
U.S. Navy – Naval Aviation Support
U.S.S. America – VA 82 – HC-7 Det Cubi Pt
Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam
1965-1970
US Navy 1965 - 1985
Virgil Franklin Duckworth was born in Brevard, North Carolina in 1947. Everyone called him Frank. Frank enjoyed growing up in small town North Carolina in the 1950’s. “It was like a Mayberry type of town. Real, real small”. There were two very large employers at the time, Ecusta Paper and a DuPont plant and they employed most of the people in the town. “It was a place and a time where the middle class came along in this area and prospered. They had good wages…people came from poverty to middle class, and it was great to see”.
Frank attended Brevard High School and had a graduating class of 212, but only 85 males. “We had a lot of young ladies we had to entertain”. Toward the end of high school Frank wanted to see the world beyond Brevard. In 1965 the Vietnam War was ramping up and the draft was going on. Frank had an uncle that served in the Navy during the Korean War as a Naval Aviation Mechanic, and he had a lot of respect for him. Frank had a real interest in aviation, and he liked the idea of being on the water and sailing around the world on an aircraft carrier. So, in 1965 after graduating, he enlisted in the Navy and headed off to Great Lakes Illinois for basic training.
Frank had requested aviation as his MOS and the Navy made him an airman. He was sent to Ellison Field, a helicopter training base in Pensacola, Florida. Frank went into one of the many support roles to keep aircraft flying. He started his career logging the maintenance and flight hours for a fleet of 120 helicopters at HT-8 Ellyson Field. “It was almost too good to be true….beautiful beaches …and I made some friends. I got to go out with the test pilots sometimes after an aircraft that had maintenance that required a test flight. The helicopter was an old Korean War vintage TH-13. Occasionally the pilot would let me fly the aircraft…it was a real fun experience”.
After two years at HT-8 Frank was promoted to Petty Officer 2nd Class and assigned a new duty station at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, FL. He joined a new squadron, VA82, which was transitioning from A4 Skyraiders, a small ground support attack aircraft in the Vietnam War, to a new A-7 attack aircraft. They loaded their 12 attack planes aboard the aircraft carrier the U.S.S. America and departed from Norfolk, Virginia for Vietnam.
The trip from Norfolk, VA took the ship down to Rio De Janeiro South America, around the tip of Africa, through the Indian Ocean, through the Straits of Sumatra and into the Philippine Sea. After a brief stop, they head for the Gulf of Tonkin for their 60-day combat rotation in the Gulf of Tonkin. The aircraft carrier would operate in the area called Yankee Station in the Gulf of Tonkin. Yankee Station was a set of coordinates where the ship would launch air missions into Vietnam. After 60 days the U.S.S. America would be relieved by another aircraft carrier and return to port to resupply. The A7 was a troop support aircraft carrying 500-pound bombs. “In our first months on Yankee Station…we had a few aircraft shot down because they weren’t familiar with the routines of flying in Vietnam. When they got under 5,000 feet they were getting hit routinely so they had to change their tactics and drop their ordinance from higher elevations to avoid the flak”.
Frank recalled that most of the missions flown off the ship were into North Vietnam targeting bridges and trails through the jungle used for resupply of the Viet Cong. There were several rescues of pilots who were forced to eject and parachuted into the jungle. Helicopters would be sent to rescue the pilots if possible. “Little did I know that would be my next duty station”.
When the deployment ended the ship returned to Norfolk, Virginia in December of 1968. Frank was honorably discharged, and he returned to his hometown of Brevard. Frank took a job at Ecusta Paper Mill, a local mill and one of the areas largest employers. Frank was hoping to break into the growing field of computer programing. After 87 days Frank had enough. Most of the jobs in the factory were menial and boring. Each day he came to work and punched in and punched out and Frank thought there had to be more to life than Ecusta. Frank “had so much challenge and excitement in the Navy” he decided to return. Frank tendered his resignation and contacted the local Navy recruiter. The recruiter told him he had two days to report, or he would lose a stripe. The recruiter drove to Frank’s house, picked him up and drove him to Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina for immediate enlistment back into the Navy.
Frank was shipped to San Diego where he eventually was assigned to a squadron based in the Philippines; Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 7 (HC7 Det Cubi). The detachment in the Philippines was focused on helicopter maintenance for aircraft used in the search and rescue of downed pilots and radar intercept officers in either the jungle or ocean. The helicopters were based on destroyers and aircraft carriers in the Gulf of Tonkin and would return to the Philippines for scheduled maintenance at the appropriate interval. Some of the helicopters had light offensive firepower to protect them from enemy fire during rescue missions. The Helicopters used were H-2 and H-3 models. The H-3 Helo was referred to as the Big Mother Truckers. The Squadron stayed on Yankee Station from 1967 to 1975, rotating personnel and aircraft. Over this period of time over 150 pilots and aircrews were rescued by the squadron. “One such rescue was so dangerous and life risking that the pilot was recommended for and received the Presidential Medal of Honor award”.
After 12 months Frank received orders for Naval Air Force Pacific Fleet Headquarters in San Diego. Frank was now a 1st Class Petty Officer. In San Diego he worked for a Senior Chief Petty Officer who was responsible for managing the inventory of all Navy and Marine aircraft in the Pacific Fleet. Each day Frank’s office would provide information such as, the location of various aircraft, operational flight status, when the next overhaul was scheduled and so on. This data was sent throughout the Headquarters to whoever was managing the particular types of aircraft. Most all of this tracking was done on manual spreadsheets with pencil and paper. The Senior Chief was trying to computerize the process and Frank worked with the data processing folks on this project. Frank was successful in helping computerize the data which made tracking and inventory management much easier. The program was later rolled out to the Atlantic Fleet for implementation.
Frank was ready to rotate back to sea duty, and in 1975 he was assigned to a fighter squadron in Miramar, CA. The F-4 squadron was in the process of upgrading to the next generation of fighter aircraft, the F14. Frank helped pack up the squadron and move everything to Naval Air Station Oceana, in Virginia Beach, VA in preparation for deployment on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. America.
During his time in San Diego Frank met Rosemary Alves who was a native of San Diego. The couple fell in love and were married in 1975.
The squadron deployed in 1977 with 12 aircraft for a cruise in the Mediterranean Sea. Vietnam was over but there were still some hot spots in the world. “Some of our F14’s had to shoot down two Libyan aircraft that were harassing the U.S. aircraft”. The rest of the deployment was low key and in 1978 Frank returned to San Diego.
Frank, now a Chief Petty Officer, returned to the same job he had left before his deployment. They wanted him to continue improving his inventory and aircraft management system. Frank helped rewrite policies and procedures for the Navy and Marine Corps Pacific Fleet assets. They looked to provided new reports and information requests for the end users. During this time Frank also enrolled in night school at National University a college in San Diego. Four years later he earned his bachelor’s degree in business with minor in Computer Information Systems.
In 1982 Frank was promoted to Master Chief Petty Officer and his next assignment was the roll out and implementation of the Naval Aviation Logistics Management Information System (NALCOMIS). Frank had a team of six Chief Petty Officers; they were responsible for managing the implementation of the program which involved putting mainframe computers on all the ships and in all of the Naval and Marine Air Stations in the Pacific Fleet. They also had to teach the end users how to operate the system and how it tied into the Aviation Naval Supply Center in Philadelphia, PA. They also developed a program that accurately described the current status of each aircraft. If the aircraft wasn’t being used it also directed the maintenance crews to apply appropriate preservation measures as necessary to preserve the operability of the aircraft. That could include spraying a protective coating on the aircraft to prevent corrosion from the harsh salt environment of the ocean.
The project was a big success. Properly managing inventory and maintenance of aircraft in the Navy saves money and identifies problems early on. By 1984 the NALCOMAS system was up and running in Miramar Naval Air Station and was rolling out to the rest of the Navy. In 1985 when it came time to re-enlist, Frank decided he would retire and focus on his family which now consisted of his wife and two young children.
Frank and his family returned to Brevard, and he started a new career as an insurance broker using his business and management skills he acquired in the Navy. He went into business with a retired Marine selling “A little bit of everything”. They sold Auto, property, group health, individual health, Medicare, long term care, life insurance and more. He was able to offer small town Brevard big city coverage options. Frank later broke off and went on his own and after 25 years sold his company. These days Frank and Rosemary are enjoying their children and five grandchildren.
Frank toiled away in obscurity for many years developing systems to manage inventory. Nine of every ten military members serves in a support role to keep combat troops ready. Thank you, Frank, for all of your sacrifices to serve our country. Your unit made sure the Naval Aviation assets were properly cared for, in the air and properly accounted for worldwide.
Frank attended Brevard High School and had a graduating class of 212, but only 85 males. “We had a lot of young ladies we had to entertain”. Toward the end of high school Frank wanted to see the world beyond Brevard. In 1965 the Vietnam War was ramping up and the draft was going on. Frank had an uncle that served in the Navy during the Korean War as a Naval Aviation Mechanic, and he had a lot of respect for him. Frank had a real interest in aviation, and he liked the idea of being on the water and sailing around the world on an aircraft carrier. So, in 1965 after graduating, he enlisted in the Navy and headed off to Great Lakes Illinois for basic training.
Frank had requested aviation as his MOS and the Navy made him an airman. He was sent to Ellison Field, a helicopter training base in Pensacola, Florida. Frank went into one of the many support roles to keep aircraft flying. He started his career logging the maintenance and flight hours for a fleet of 120 helicopters at HT-8 Ellyson Field. “It was almost too good to be true….beautiful beaches …and I made some friends. I got to go out with the test pilots sometimes after an aircraft that had maintenance that required a test flight. The helicopter was an old Korean War vintage TH-13. Occasionally the pilot would let me fly the aircraft…it was a real fun experience”.
After two years at HT-8 Frank was promoted to Petty Officer 2nd Class and assigned a new duty station at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, FL. He joined a new squadron, VA82, which was transitioning from A4 Skyraiders, a small ground support attack aircraft in the Vietnam War, to a new A-7 attack aircraft. They loaded their 12 attack planes aboard the aircraft carrier the U.S.S. America and departed from Norfolk, Virginia for Vietnam.
The trip from Norfolk, VA took the ship down to Rio De Janeiro South America, around the tip of Africa, through the Indian Ocean, through the Straits of Sumatra and into the Philippine Sea. After a brief stop, they head for the Gulf of Tonkin for their 60-day combat rotation in the Gulf of Tonkin. The aircraft carrier would operate in the area called Yankee Station in the Gulf of Tonkin. Yankee Station was a set of coordinates where the ship would launch air missions into Vietnam. After 60 days the U.S.S. America would be relieved by another aircraft carrier and return to port to resupply. The A7 was a troop support aircraft carrying 500-pound bombs. “In our first months on Yankee Station…we had a few aircraft shot down because they weren’t familiar with the routines of flying in Vietnam. When they got under 5,000 feet they were getting hit routinely so they had to change their tactics and drop their ordinance from higher elevations to avoid the flak”.
Frank recalled that most of the missions flown off the ship were into North Vietnam targeting bridges and trails through the jungle used for resupply of the Viet Cong. There were several rescues of pilots who were forced to eject and parachuted into the jungle. Helicopters would be sent to rescue the pilots if possible. “Little did I know that would be my next duty station”.
When the deployment ended the ship returned to Norfolk, Virginia in December of 1968. Frank was honorably discharged, and he returned to his hometown of Brevard. Frank took a job at Ecusta Paper Mill, a local mill and one of the areas largest employers. Frank was hoping to break into the growing field of computer programing. After 87 days Frank had enough. Most of the jobs in the factory were menial and boring. Each day he came to work and punched in and punched out and Frank thought there had to be more to life than Ecusta. Frank “had so much challenge and excitement in the Navy” he decided to return. Frank tendered his resignation and contacted the local Navy recruiter. The recruiter told him he had two days to report, or he would lose a stripe. The recruiter drove to Frank’s house, picked him up and drove him to Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina for immediate enlistment back into the Navy.
Frank was shipped to San Diego where he eventually was assigned to a squadron based in the Philippines; Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 7 (HC7 Det Cubi). The detachment in the Philippines was focused on helicopter maintenance for aircraft used in the search and rescue of downed pilots and radar intercept officers in either the jungle or ocean. The helicopters were based on destroyers and aircraft carriers in the Gulf of Tonkin and would return to the Philippines for scheduled maintenance at the appropriate interval. Some of the helicopters had light offensive firepower to protect them from enemy fire during rescue missions. The Helicopters used were H-2 and H-3 models. The H-3 Helo was referred to as the Big Mother Truckers. The Squadron stayed on Yankee Station from 1967 to 1975, rotating personnel and aircraft. Over this period of time over 150 pilots and aircrews were rescued by the squadron. “One such rescue was so dangerous and life risking that the pilot was recommended for and received the Presidential Medal of Honor award”.
After 12 months Frank received orders for Naval Air Force Pacific Fleet Headquarters in San Diego. Frank was now a 1st Class Petty Officer. In San Diego he worked for a Senior Chief Petty Officer who was responsible for managing the inventory of all Navy and Marine aircraft in the Pacific Fleet. Each day Frank’s office would provide information such as, the location of various aircraft, operational flight status, when the next overhaul was scheduled and so on. This data was sent throughout the Headquarters to whoever was managing the particular types of aircraft. Most all of this tracking was done on manual spreadsheets with pencil and paper. The Senior Chief was trying to computerize the process and Frank worked with the data processing folks on this project. Frank was successful in helping computerize the data which made tracking and inventory management much easier. The program was later rolled out to the Atlantic Fleet for implementation.
Frank was ready to rotate back to sea duty, and in 1975 he was assigned to a fighter squadron in Miramar, CA. The F-4 squadron was in the process of upgrading to the next generation of fighter aircraft, the F14. Frank helped pack up the squadron and move everything to Naval Air Station Oceana, in Virginia Beach, VA in preparation for deployment on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. America.
During his time in San Diego Frank met Rosemary Alves who was a native of San Diego. The couple fell in love and were married in 1975.
The squadron deployed in 1977 with 12 aircraft for a cruise in the Mediterranean Sea. Vietnam was over but there were still some hot spots in the world. “Some of our F14’s had to shoot down two Libyan aircraft that were harassing the U.S. aircraft”. The rest of the deployment was low key and in 1978 Frank returned to San Diego.
Frank, now a Chief Petty Officer, returned to the same job he had left before his deployment. They wanted him to continue improving his inventory and aircraft management system. Frank helped rewrite policies and procedures for the Navy and Marine Corps Pacific Fleet assets. They looked to provided new reports and information requests for the end users. During this time Frank also enrolled in night school at National University a college in San Diego. Four years later he earned his bachelor’s degree in business with minor in Computer Information Systems.
In 1982 Frank was promoted to Master Chief Petty Officer and his next assignment was the roll out and implementation of the Naval Aviation Logistics Management Information System (NALCOMIS). Frank had a team of six Chief Petty Officers; they were responsible for managing the implementation of the program which involved putting mainframe computers on all the ships and in all of the Naval and Marine Air Stations in the Pacific Fleet. They also had to teach the end users how to operate the system and how it tied into the Aviation Naval Supply Center in Philadelphia, PA. They also developed a program that accurately described the current status of each aircraft. If the aircraft wasn’t being used it also directed the maintenance crews to apply appropriate preservation measures as necessary to preserve the operability of the aircraft. That could include spraying a protective coating on the aircraft to prevent corrosion from the harsh salt environment of the ocean.
The project was a big success. Properly managing inventory and maintenance of aircraft in the Navy saves money and identifies problems early on. By 1984 the NALCOMAS system was up and running in Miramar Naval Air Station and was rolling out to the rest of the Navy. In 1985 when it came time to re-enlist, Frank decided he would retire and focus on his family which now consisted of his wife and two young children.
Frank and his family returned to Brevard, and he started a new career as an insurance broker using his business and management skills he acquired in the Navy. He went into business with a retired Marine selling “A little bit of everything”. They sold Auto, property, group health, individual health, Medicare, long term care, life insurance and more. He was able to offer small town Brevard big city coverage options. Frank later broke off and went on his own and after 25 years sold his company. These days Frank and Rosemary are enjoying their children and five grandchildren.
Frank toiled away in obscurity for many years developing systems to manage inventory. Nine of every ten military members serves in a support role to keep combat troops ready. Thank you, Frank, for all of your sacrifices to serve our country. Your unit made sure the Naval Aviation assets were properly cared for, in the air and properly accounted for worldwide.