Wings Over Gillespie 2007
This was the 13th year that Wings Over Gillespie (WOG) Air Show was held at Gillespie Field, El Cajon, CA. In order to prevent cancellation of the air show because of inclement weather, this year’s event was held on 16-17 June 2007. Last year it was almost rained out in the morning on one of the two days. CAP has been there from the start, helping out with flight line security. Mr. Steve Real, Commemorative Air Force (CAF), Air Group One Commander again requested assistance and San Diego Cadet Squadron 144 spearheaded the CAP support. Capt Dennis Ammann was designated as the Project Officer and attended the weekly CAF planning meetings one month prior to the air show.
On Saturday, 16 June, 0630 hours, the following personnel reported to the Project Officer in front of the airport admin building:
Skyhawk Composite Sq. 47
LtCol Michael Woods
Capt Tony Diaz
Capt Richard Nelson
1Lt William Dean
2Lt David MacGregor
C/CMSgt Kyle Wheeler
C/Amn Tyler MacGregor
C/Amn Michael Chung
C/Amn Kaila Reed
C/AB Conor Fox
C/AB Christian Saunders
South San Diego Sq. 201
LtCol Steve Handrop
C/CMSgt Andrew Handrop
C/TSgt Amy Hannibal
C/TSgt Jason Hannibal
C/TSgt Mark Hannibal
C/SrA Steven Hannibal
C/Amn Jacob Pucci
Group 7 Staff
Maj Deanna O’Sargent
San Diego Cadet Sq. 144
LtCol Ben Aaron
Capt Dennis Ammann
2Lt Jeff Cable
2Lt Chris Haukom
SM Tony Ramos
C/2Lt Matthew Corey
C/2Lt Joseph Connolly
C/MSgt Chandra Murphy
C/TSgt Alex Ramos
C/Amn Alec Benter
C/Amn Spencer Beaulieu
C/Amn Marshall Bryan
C/Amn Andrew Elsken
C/Amn Courtney Ellis
C/Amn Eric Johnson
C/Amn Brent Timm
C/Amn Chris Riha
C/AB Anthony Tavan
Capt Ammann welcomed the CAP squadrons to WOG and commenced the safety and WOG information brief. After the brief Chaplain Richard Nelson led the group in a word of prayer for the safety of all how worked, flew, and attended the air show that weekend. The group then proceeded to the admin building for the CAF portion of the safety, security, and information brief.
At 0800 hours Mr. Steve Real, welcomed and thanked the CAP personnel for assisting with the air show. He spoke about emergency services, aircraft crash procedures, flight line security, and taxi/runway incursions. He also introduced his First Aid Responder, Ground Boss, and Public Relations Rep.
After the two briefings, CAP control was set up next to a hangar by taxiway B-4. C/2Lt Matthew Corey was in charge of the combined CAP cadets with C/2Lt Joseph Connolly as his assistant and the two senior cadets from Squadrons 47 and 201 supporting the contingent. Three flights made up of about 25 cadets were assembled the first day along the flight line. Another responsibility for CAP was patrolling across runway 17-35. One hour watches were set up with one senior member and three cadets taking up positions there. Although CAF initially transported the security detachment across the active taxiway, 1Lt William Dean took the initiative to transport CAP personnel the rest of the day utilizing his van and receiving permission from the tower by utilizing his personal radio. This saved a lot of time and relieved CAF personnel to concentrate on other areas of the air show. The other cadets rotated on the flight line from taxiway B-4 to the intersection of runways 8-27L and 17-35. There were numerous other calls from CAF to assist with other aspects of the air show operations. All senior members rotated among the cadets in order to observe any safety concerns that might crop up with the aircraft or public spectators. The cadets performed very well, especially with the personnel who rent hangars and tie down spaces and expect to get in free by side stepping the front entrance. Most of the holes were blocked with cadets to avoid this situation, but a few times, senior members had to step in to back them up.
Maj Dee O’Sargent, Cadet Alex Ramos, and C/Amn Tyler MacGregor set up a recruiting table under the starboard wing of the C-53 Skytrooper (C-47 Skytrain derivative). This aircraft was configured as a paratrooper jump plane and participated in the D-Day invasion on 6 June 1944 of occupied France during WWII. Their recruiting efforts netted about 15 names that were divided up among the participating squadrons according to their geographical locations to the prospective contacts.
Some of the aircraft that flew during the weekend were: Four T-34 Mentors flying a missing man formation just before the opening ceremonies and National Anthem. Two A-1 Skyraiders owned by Bob Grondzik and Rick Morrison from Ramona Airport demonstrated low strafing/bombing passes as they might have done during the Vietnam War, complete with pyrotechnics in between runways 27R and 27L; this was a real crowd pleaser. The Planes of Fame flew a F8F Bearcat, F6F Hellcat, P-40 Warhawk, and a P-51 Mustang for low passes and aerial maneuvers. The California Department of Forestry (CDF) brought two aircraft; a modified ex-Navy S-2 Tracker aerial fire bomber and an ex-USAF OV-10 Bronco aerial fire command and control aircraft. They were to suppose to fly an aerial firefighting demonstration, but were called out to fight a fire at Bonsall, to the northwest. Mr. John Colliver performed his aerobatic show flying an AT-6 Texan with Mr. Craig Teft also flying an aerobatic show in his Pitts Special by-plane. Other flight demos were: four AT-6 Texans who flew around the pattern in formation; two L-19 Bird Dogs flew formation; a TBM Avenger like President George H. W. Bush (41st President) flew in WWII made a few passes with its bomb bay doors open; four L-19 Delfin jets flew formation demos. Unfortunately there were no heavy or medium WWII bombers like last year flying for the crowds at WOG because they were all on tour in other parts of the western United States.
Other aircraft in the static display area were: The C-53 Skytrooper that was previously mentioned, an A-20 Havoc twin-engine medium bomber, an F-14 Tomcat, F-86 Sabre, F-16 Falcon, and AV-8 Harrier all towed across the airport from the San Diego Air and Space Museum Annex at Gillespie Field; a DeHavilland DH4 WWI (70% scale) was flown in by an old WWII pilot from Arizona who modified his WWI light bomber into a post-WWI U.S. Mail plane. Numerous civilian antique aircraft were flown in by their owners and included: Stearmens, Wacos, Cessnas, etc. The largest plane on display, a C-46 Commando owned by CAF from Camarillo, CA. This aircraft was the mainstay for the re-supply effort in the China-Burma-India theater supporting the combined Chinese/Allied Forces during WWII. All supplies had to be flown over the Himalayan Mountains between India and China. Many C-46s and C-47 Skytrains crashed because of bad weather and overloaded aircraft, thus naming their route “the Aluminum Trail.”
At the end of the air show on Saturday, the combined squadrons formed up in front of the C-53 Skytrooper for a group photo. Squadrons 47 and 201 were thanked by Capt Ammann for their outstanding support for the CAF WOG Air Show and secured at 1730 hours.
The weather each day was overcast in the morning but lifted about 1000 hours and was clear the rest of the day. The high temperatures were in the middle 80 degrees with a cool breeze coming in about 1600 hours each day. Water was always available by the CAF water wagon that made numerous rounds along the flight line.
On Sunday, 17 June, the following personnel again reported in front of the Gillespie Field admin building at 0630 hours:
San Diego Cadet Sq. 144
Capt Dennis Ammann
2Lt Chris Haukom
2Lt Jeff Cable
SM Tony Ramos
C/2Lt Matthew Corey
C/2Lt Joseph Connolly
C/MSgt Chandra Murphy
C/TSgt Alex Ramos
C/Amn Spencer Beaulieu
C/Amn Marshall Bryan
C/Amn Courtney Ellis
C/AB Anthony Tavan
C/SrAmn Daniel Gorin
C/AB Scott Lynch
C/AB Kevin Mihalik
El Cajon Senior Sq. 57
1Lt Shairrie Van Duzer
Group 7 Staff
1Lt Richard Lovick
Although the number of CAP personnel reporting in on Sunday were scaled down from the previous day, the cadets took a lesson from the U.S. Marine Corps to “improvise, adapt, and overcome” in support of the numerous requests from CAF. Only one senior member was assigned across the runway with a two hour watch, taking a strategic position where the two runways cross. We utilized the airport security guard to transport the senior members across the active taxiway, again freeing up CAF. Cadets were spread thin but were alert to their expanded area. We were fortunate to have 1Lts Shairrie Van Duzer and Richard Lovick volunteer to augment our senior member force on Sunday. Lt Lovick drove all the way from Costa Mesa to help out.
A lesson learned from Saturday was to form a quick response team (QRT) like Capt John Binder, CAP Sq. 20 set up at the Chino Air Show for emergency responses. When the two CDF aircraft had to respond to a fire in Bonsall, CAP had no personnel on the other side of the static display, so were not aware they were leaving or needed assistance clearing the spectators away. On Sunday we were ready and alert for such a repeat of this situation. There were no CDF responses on Sunday.
There was a medical emergency at about 1600 hours with CAF requesting CAP assistance to clear the entrance to the front admin building parking lot as an eight year old female was having trouble breathing. The CAF Emergency Medical Team (EMT) initially responded and waited for back up from El Cajon Fire and Ambulance Department. 2Lt Jeff Cable (a SD Policeman by profession) took the lead at the T-street entrance directing traffic away from the admin building parking lot so the ES vehicles could enter. 1Lt Rick Lovick also assisted, directing people out of the entrance along with Cadets Corey and Connolly. Capt Ammann cleared people away from the front main entrance. This worked out very well, as the EMT were inside and performing their duties. CAP QRT was secured and returned to the flight line.
At 1730 hours, CAP was requested to start clearing people from the air show so that aircraft could be moved and vendors could secure their tents and merchandise. At 1830 hours, CAP was secured from duty and everyone who was left formed up in front of the AV-8 Harrier for a group picture.
In closing there were no runway/taxiway incursions or any accidents on the flight line thanks to the members of CAP. The CAP cadets were very professional, sharp looking, and always ready to lend a hand at any request demanded of them. CAP made a very positive public influence at this air show by not only setting up a recruiting booth but also providing a commanding visible appearance while working the flight line.
Thanks to all who attended!
Semper Vi !
Capt Dennis Ammann
WOG Project Officer
SD Cadet Sq. 144
