Patty and Alan's Navy Quilt (12 of 13)
The pictured quilt was made by my wife, incorporating various patches I had accumulated over my 20+ years in Naval aviation. The text below provides some amplification on each of the patches.
After several tests, interviews and processing, Al is sworn into the Naval Aviation Officer Program on 2 July 1968 at Naval Air Station Los Alamitos. What a change of lifestyle for the newly married young Krauses. Only six months after the wedding, I leave Patty for Pensacola. On 19 August 1968, Al takes headed for Pensacola, Florida. He arrives at Naval Air Station Pensacola, reporting for duty and instruction at the Naval Aviation Schools Command (Row 1, Patch 1).
The first two weeks—Indoc—focused on medical screening, close order drill, physical fitness and inspections. For the next few weeks, the routine included academics such as Naval History, Leadership, Navigation, Aerodynamics, Naval Justice, and other courses. The physical fitness program was intense—swimming, cross-country, obstacle course, and general fitness. There were daily inspections (personal, room, and rifle), marching, and close order drills.
Each Friday morning, we would don our dress uniforms and march as a battalion to the parade grounds for a class graduation. The band played Sousa marches and other military music. These Fridays were a preview of Al’s highly anticipated graduation and commissioning. After a week, serving as a Candidate Officer (i.e. similar to a senior classman), on 15 November 1968, Al puts on his dress blues, meets Patty, and takes the Oath of Office and is commissioned as a Naval officer (Row 1, Patch 2).
Al enters Training Squadron TEN (VT-10) at NAS Pensacola for basic flight training and his first flights (Row 1, Patch 3).
In April, we leave Pensacola and head for NAS Glynco in Brunswick, Georgia for the next training phase. Completing the RIO school syllabus of classroom, trainer, and flight instruction, Al’s dad, Elmer, flies to NAS Glynco, Georgia to pin on Al’s “Wings of Gold” on 27 June 1969 (Row 1, Patch 4).
Al and Patty head to NAS Miramar (Row 1, Patch 5) with orders to Fighter Squadron ONE TWO ONE (VF-121), Al completes courses on the aircraft, tactics, weapons and survival. He begins his flight training in the F-4 (Row 2, Patch 1).
Al joins the fighter community when he has his first flight in the F-4 Phantom II on 5 November 1969 (Row 2, Patch 2). The VF-121 syllabus includes intercepts, inflight refueling, air combat maneuvering, ECM, bombing, carrier ops and missile firings in the F-4B/J aircraft (Row 2, Patch 3).
In May 1970, Al is accelerated through VF-121 and told to report to VF-92 Silverkings. He will fly to Manila, Republic of the Philippines and then drive to NAS Cubi Point to join them for their current WESTPAC (Western Pacific) deployment on USS AMERICA (CVA-66) (Row 2, Patches 4 and 5).
Our missions over Vietnam and Laos and in the Gulf of Tonkin varied from CAP (combat air patrol), strike (bombing), reconnaissance escort, and escorting a strike group (Row 2, Patch 6). On 16 September 1970, Al becomes a “centurion” (i.e. 100 arrested landings) on USS AMERICA (Row 3, Patch 1).
After a nine-month turnaround, on 1 October 1971, Al deployed on his second WESTPAC aboard USS CONSTELLATION (CVA-64) (Row 3, Patch 2). In November 1971, Al was selected for an exchange program with the U.S. Air Force. He went to Da Nang AB and flew missions in the OV-10 and F-4E (Row 3, Patch 3).
Operations were quite intense. In one five-week period, he flew 57 missions, most of them bombing. The month of May focused on large strikes on targets around Hanoi and Haiphong. On 11 June 1972 Al completed his last combat mission in Vietnam for a total of 267 missions (Row 3, Patches 4 and 5).
On June 29, 1972, flying from USS CONSTELLATION (CVA-64) Al completes his final cruise with VF-92 having accumulated over 200 traps on "Connie" (Row 4, Patch 1).
Al is selected for and reports to the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School at the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland (Row 4, Patch 2) in USNTPS Class 64 (Row 4, Patch 3).
After eight and one-half months of academics, flight tests, and report writing, Al graduates from the USN Test Pilot School, on 8 June 1973. Upon graduation, the class is taken on a field trip to the test centers of the free world, including Pratica di Mare (Rome, Italy); Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm GmbH (Munich, Germany); Linkoping, Sweden; EPNER (French Test Pilot School) in Istres, France; and Empire Test Pilot School (Boscombe Down, England) (Row 4, Patch 4).
Upon return to the States, Al is assigned to the Weapons System Test division of the Naval Air Test Center (Row 4, Patch 5). He has the opportunity to fly in several different types of aircraft from an ancient P-2 and C-54 to the Navy’s newest F-14 (Row 4, Patch 6).
A highlight was being selected to be on the F-14A evaluation team including sea trials on the USS NIMITZ (CVN-68) (Row 5, Patches 1 and 2).
Based on his performance as a student at Test Pilot School and his success on the F-14 and other test programs, Al is selected to be an instructor at USNTPS.
Another coast-to-coast move as Al, Patty, and family head back to San Diego. Since Al is current in the F-14, he has a refresher syllabus at Fighter Squadron ONE TWO FOUR (VF-124), the F-14 fleet readiness squadron (Row 5, Patch 3).
In June 1976, Al reports to Fighter Squadron ONE (VF-1) and begins work-ups for deployment on USS ENTERPRISE (CVN-65) (Row 5, Patches 4 and 5).
Cruise involve many exercises, operations, and port visits. 29 October 1976—The USS ENTERPRISE battle group receives an exceptional reception, as they are the first American warships to visit Hobart since WWII. The Hobart port visit was so memorable that it gave Al the idea to design, have made, and sell patches to commemorate the visit. He incorporated the “Anytime, Baby” theme, with the Australian flag as background, and the Tomcat wearing an “E” on his shirt to stand for the USS ENTERPRISE (Row 6, Patch 1).
During our turnaround training period, Al completes his 100th trap on the "Big E", the TOPGUN course and TOPSCOPE, part of the Navy Fighter Weapons School (Row 6, Patches 2 through 4).
On 4 April 1978, the "Big E" sets sail under the Golden Gate Bridge, heading west with all of the air wing loaded aboard. Bagging lots of "traps," Al achieves his 200th arrested landing on the "Big E" (Row 6, Patch 5). On 29 October 1978, Al says farewell to the "Big E" to rendezvous with the Wolfpack families at NAS Miramar (Row 6, Patch 6).
Al is assigned to the Naval Air Systems Command F-14 Program Office responsible for the production and logistics of fleet engines. This included coordinating fleet, rework facility, and supplier proposed updates to the F-14A engines. He is stationed at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company in West palm Beach, Florida (Row 7, Patch 1).
After two years in Florida, Al gets ground and airborne refresher training in preparation to reporting to the Fighter Squadron ONE ONE FOUR (VF-114) Aardvarks (Row 7, Patch 2). He joins the squadron in Singapore, deployed on USS AMERICA (CV-66).
On 2 September 1982, Al says good-bye to the family and flies out to USS ENTERPRISE (CVN-65) to begin his next cruise. Extensive flight operations on Gonzo Station, in the North Arabian Sea, to counter the potential threat of Iranian aircraft and missiles. U.S. P-3s were flying operations in the North Arabian Sea and the Strait of Hormuz. The CO of ENTERPRISE, awards Al his Triple Centurion patch. (Row 7, Patch 3).
This cruise ends up being what is called a “six-pack cruise.” When a ship went 45 days without a port visit, it was permitted to hold a “beer day”—two, opened beers were issued to each person on the flight deck where a barbecue was being held. We had three such periods, most of the time spent on Gonzo Station, resulting in a “six-pack cruise” (Row 7, Patch 4).
At sea for more than two months, makes a sailor eager for a little time ashore. There is no better place for relaxation than Perth-Fremantle (Row 7, Patch 5).
Once Al had screened for command, it made little sense to have him take up a department head slot in VF-114, so he says good-bye to the Varks (Row 8, Patch 1).
Al went TAD (Temporary Additional Duty) to COMFITAEWWINGPAC as the wing “FOD god.” With more than a year until he is scheduled to report to VF-154, Al receives orders to COMNAVAIRPAC at NAS North Island as the Fighter/AEW Training Officer (Row 8, Patch 2). He does some carrier work-ups on ENTERPRISE and completes his 400th trap on CVN-65 (Row 8, Patch 3).
On 21 March 1985, Al flies from San Diego to the Philippines to join the USS CONSTELLATION, which has already deployed. About one week later, the carrier pulls into port at Cubi Point. The Black Knights welcome Al aboard as the new Executive Officer of Fighter Squadron ONE FIVE FOUR (VF-154) (Row 8, Patch 4).
Al learns a new mission which is tasked to VF-154--photo reconnaissance. TARPS is the acronym for Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System, which was carried by some F-14s (Row 8, Patch 5).
Various operations and port visits all lead up to the 19 July Perth port visit (Row 8, Patch 6).
Al assumed command of the Black Knights on 2 September 1986…three days later he leads the squadron out to the USS CONSTELLATION for a deployment to the Northern Pacific (Row 9, Patch 1).
Always ready...11 April 1987—Tear-filled goodbyes…and the USS CONSTELLATION sails out of NAS North Island with the VF-154 Black Knights on board. One of our primary missions on “Gonzo Station” was “escort service.” We flew fighter cover as tankers transited the Strait of Hormuz; P-3s flew reconnaissance missions; and Naval surface units protected oil platforms. The Iranians were “rattling their swords” and making threats towards US units and oil tankers (Row 9, Patch 2).
Once again, we anchor at Fremantle. We establish an Admin Ashore (meeting place and hospitality suite) in Perth. And yes, another “Anytime, Mate” patch (Row 9, Patch 3).
Al achieves a Naval aviation milestone--1000 carrier arrested landings (Row 9, Patch 4). In July 1987, Al got his 400th trap on "Connie" (Row 9, Patch 5). Approximately one month later, he achieved 2000 hours in the F-14 (Row 10, Patch 1).
We do some limited flying on the transit to San Diego. Al has his last “trap”—his 1083rd—on 6 October. The morning of 11 October and family and friends are gathering at Hangar Two—shore based castle of the Black Knights. Al completes his eighth and final cruise, his third on USS CONSTELLATION (CV-64) (Row 10, Patch 2).
29 February 1988—Leap Day...Al has his last flight in VF-154…in the Tomcat…in the Navy. A fire truck hose-down, a pie in the face, and champagne made for a great celebration (Row 10, Patch 3).
Throughout his career, Al has enjoyed many experiences like competing in live missile firings (Row 10, Patch 4); being part of the first 100 years of naval aviation (Row 10, Patch 5), and suffering the loss of squadronmates in combat (Row 10, Patch 6).
In Row 11 you can see some of the other bases, schools, commands, and activities in which Al had the opportunity to serve. Also, you can view his awards and the several types and models in which he flew.
Interested in having this pantograph stitched for you? Request a quote