Pete Hofstedt's Obituary (former VP45 pilot)..... Peter Donald Hofstedt,74, longtime resident of Briarcliff Manor and loving Husband and Father of five, died on April 22, 2010, at his home after a long illness. A Tarrytown native and U.S. Naval Aviator, Peter married his high school sweetheart, Ann Elizabeth Marron, at Transfiguration Church, in 1958. Peter was born on December 21, 1935, in Brooklyn, NY, to Carl and Genevieve Hofstedt, and grew up in Tarrytown, NY, where he attended Washington Irving High School, serving as school president and lettering in three sports. He was appointed to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1954, lettering on the baseball team and serving as vice president of his graduating class. He graduated in 1958 with a BS degree in Electrical Engineering. Upon graduation, Peter was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy and attended flight school where he earned his aviator wings in 1959. Peter piloted a Martin P5M Marlin and was stationed in Bermuda (Squadron VP-45) where his role was to patrol our nation's coastline in search of Soviet submarines. He next became an instructor in the School of Pre-Flight at NAS Pensacola, Florida. In 1963, Peter was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy with the rank of Lieutenant. After returning to Westchester with his family, Peter joined the New York Telephone Company/NYNEX in 1964. He retired after 30 years. Peter was also active in the Briarcliff community during his 45 years as a resident, serving as a Little League coach, league officer, vice president, and treasurer; a Boy Scout Webelo leader; a lector at St. Theresa's Church; and a volunteer at the Ossining Food Pantry. Peter was also a Briarcliff School Board Trustee for seven years, serving as president from 1980-81 and 1983-84. Through the years, Peter enjoyed watching his children perform on the athletic fields and stages of the Briarcliff schools. He was also an avid reader, sports fan, and fisherman always in search of a lunker. Peter is survived by his beloved wife of 51 years, Ann, as well as his five cherished children and 13 adored grandchildren: Chris and Christine Hofstedt of Larchmont, NY, and their children Meg, Peter, and Natalie; Doug and Denise Hofstedt of Severna Park, MD, and their children Clare, Michael, and Patrick; Beth Ronan of Briarcliff Manor, NY, and her children Bobby and Brian; Matt and Ariane Hofstedt of Annapolis, MD, and their children Anderson and Quin; and Jennifer and Dan Krehnbrink of Guilderland, NY, and their children Finn, Aidan, and Kaitlin. He is also survived by his sister, Marjorie "Bunny" and Henry Crepeault of Tarrytown, NY. Visitation will be at the funeral home,Thursday, April 29th from 2 to 4 PM and 7 to 9 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, April 30th at 11 AM at St. Theresa's Church in Briarcliff. A private burial will take place at the family gravesite in Winchendon, MA. Memorial donations may be made to The American Heart Association ( www.americanheart.org). Waterbury & Kelly Funeral Home of Briarcliff Manor 1300 Pleasantville Road Briarcliff Manor, N.Y. 10510 914-941-0838

The 2008 Patrol Squadron FORTY-FIVE video put together for the recent squadron reunion in Jacksonville is now up on you tube.  Because of you tube limitations, it was uploaded in three parts. The links are provided below, but if you just go to www.youtube.com and search for VP-45 you will find all three parts of the video.

Thanks for another great reunion of a really special Navy squadron.

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8OvLw-ept8&feature=channel

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLn6Q_R0xbk&feature=related

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD_ARX3GQwc&feature=related

 Along with a colleague, I am writing a book about the history of aviation in Bermuda. This project has been in preparation for several years and we hope to finish it within a year. I am requesting that if any of your members have information or photos to contribute to the book to please contact me. I would also like to know if any of your members has information/photos of the US Navy Flying Club at the NOB in Bermuda. They had two Luscombe floatplanes in the late 1950s. Many thanks, Tom Singfield, 25 Chennells Way, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 5TW, UK; tom@singfield.freeserve.co.uk.