Aviator Ever In VP-45 at the Las Vegas reunion, even though it was not a unanimous vote

PATRON FOUR FIVE ASSOCIATION

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In August, 1953, Patrol Squadron FORTY-FIVE was involved in a project sponsored by the Office of Naval Research to launch a series of high altitude, constant level, SKYHOOK plastic balloon flights from the vicinity of the Galapagos Islands. The purpose of the expedition was to conduct research into the fields of primary cosmic radiation, physics of the upper atmosphere, and meteorology.

Since many turtles are known to roam the desolate volcanic shores of the Galapagos Islands, it seemed appropriate to name this project in honor of a turtle named "CHURCHY", one of the principal characters in the comic strip Pogo. Mr. Walt Kelly, creator of Pogo, agreed and gave permission for using the name.

The expedition consisted of the Navy units VP-45, USS Currituck (AV-7), USS Ellyson (DMS-19), and USS Rodman (DMS-21), and over thirty organizations and universities participating in a series of such expeditions worldwide.

Project CHURCHY was conducted in the Galapagos because only at the Geomagnetic Equator can the high- energy cosmic-ray particles which the scientists wish to study be obtained without the complication, of accompanying low-energy particles. Data collected was expected to prove helpful in guiding future research efforts with multi-billion-electron volt particle accelerators.

Plastic balloons, launched from the deck of Currituck, which rose to a constant level between 90,000 and 105,000 feet carried the scientific instruments. Aircraft from VP-45 took off an hour after balloon launch and visually tracked the balloon until it released its cargo and deflated. The instruments were observed until splashdown, and marked for the destroyers to retrieve. Flights lasted about ten hours each, and usually required two flights to cover the entire mission.

The squadron deployment to the seadrome at Aeolian Bay, Isla Baltra was concluded on 12 September 1953, and a total of 41 direct support flights required 324.5 flight hours. Eight crews and PBMs were assigned, and consisted of crews EE-1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, 11, and 12. CDR T. R Periy was C. O. and led the deployment—his co-pilot, R G. (Bob) Stiles reported that the duty wasn’t bad: The weather and water were warm, the flights easy (except for the cranked necks from watching the balloons so far above the aircraft), and the fishing fabulous. He said it was the only time he ever experienced the junior officers asking for crash boat duty. While waiting in the seadrome, they could fish the best spots! The crews didn’t do so badly in the fishing department either—grouper were so numerous that anything less than eight pounds was thrown back. Sharks were fairly common too...

A big THANKS to Al Raithel (member of Crew 1 with Bob Stiles) for his research, having this data declassified and sending it for the archives, and to Hank Ingber and Bob Stiles for their contribution.