The attached news should be of interest to all VA176 folks, especially the plank owners who are still with us.

Fred (Pete) Crosby was a plank-owner of VA 176 in 1955, and was still there in 1957 when Nancy and I arrived.  

He eventually wound up in an F8U squadron flying Photo- Crusaders in Nam.  As the article states, he came up missing in 1965, and no one knew anything until his remains
were found a year ago.  

Nancy and I were first welcomed to VA 176 in Feb 1957 by Pete and his wife Mary, when we were treated to dinner at their home in Jacksonville along with a few other 
newcomers and old timers.  

Mary attended the second VA 176 AD drivers reunions about 25 years ago, having raised 4 children of her and Pete as a single Mother.  She finally passed away about ten
years ago, still not knowing what had happened to him in Viet Nam.  A great lady.  

Somewhere around here I have picture of six of the older pilots, including Pete, who went in the Summer of 1957 to a compex among AD squadrons at Gitmo for dive 
bombing among other  entertaining competitions of the trip.   

I am  still looking and not finding the picture, A story that I seem to remember is that the team won the competition, and two of our team each had 2 bulls-eyes and a ten
footer with three practice bombs in 70 degree dive-bombing from a 7000 foot roll-in.  They came in second and third, however, because Pete had three bulls-eyes.

I will keep looking for the missing picture and send it .  meanwhile please forward this soon to everyone you think would be interested.

Thanks,  Ray Hallett