1Lt Bill Holmes, Jr., USMCR

Bill Holmes, Jr. served as an AD-4B aviator with USMC squadron VMA-225

 


Click on an image to see a larger version

The picture at the entrance to VMA 225's squadron headquarters was
taken around Christmas of 1955. At that time, VMA 225 & VMA-211 were
the only aircraft squadrons based at NAAS (Naval Auxiliary Air Station)
Edenton, NC, located some 65 miles south of Norfolk, VA. The hangings
above the door is actually greenery, including the Christmas tree to my
left. Film dye has long since faded from green to brown.:-)

 I shot the aerial photographs in 1956 while flying chase on a section instrument training hop. The other pilot is 1LT Ed Ballentine. We were in the Norfolk, VA, area. The historic James River is clearly in view in this photo.

 


The 1955 picture of the flt line is intended to show the sheet of ice on the ramp in front of the aircraft. Ordinarily, we parked with wings extended, but the snow and ice forecast prompted Maintenance to fold the wings. The Skyraiders in the background of the picture of me in flt gear belong to VMA-211, the other squadron in the air group. VMA-211 was at Wake
Island when it fell to the Japanese early in WWII.
The picture of the AD4B with # 1 on the cowl, was taken in late 1955 before the two-tone gray camouflage paint scheme was introduced. .
This is the CO's (LtCol. Jay McDonald) airplane and the only acft in the 24 plane squadron with an ADF receiver. The rest made do with a 550KHz LF coffee grinder receiver for radio navigation

 


Back to Image Collections