EC0150

Manuscript poem typed on one page 2 stanzas long. Header indicates department of the Navy Reconnaissance attack squadron nine. Also has seal of the the department of the navy on the top left. Poem : "Give them their life: they do not know how short it grows; so let them go young-eyed, steel-fledged, gum-furious, for if the live they'll live, as well you know, upon the bitter kernels of their sweet ideals. Give them their wings: they cannot fly too high or far to soar above the dirty-moted, bomb-soured, word-tired world. And if they die they'll die, as you should know, more swiftly, cleanly star-defined than you will ever feel."

Must have been Vietnam because zip codes did not exist for WW2, and the squadron was formed in 1953

RVAH-9 "HOOT OWLS" ("HOOTERS") 1953-1977
Commissioned COMPOSITE SQUADRON NINE at NAS Sanford, FL on 15 January 1953 with 60 men, two TBM-3E's and a P2V-2, VC-9 began receiving AJ-1's and P2V-3's. During this period of the attack composite squardron's existence their mission was being expanded to include in-flight refueling of their fellow carrier squadrons. VC-9 conducted the first aerial refueling operations while tanking F2H-3 " Banshee's" of VF-31 from the USS MIDWAY (CVA-41). The squardrons first deployment was land based at Port Layautey, Morroco in 1954. Redesignated VAH-9 in November 1955 the HOOTERS, as the squadron unofficially became known, made their first carrier deployment on the USS TICONDEROGA (CVA-14) during December to May of 1956. HEAVY NINE received their first A-3 "Skywarriors" in January 1957, operating both dash 1 and dash 2's. They participated in the 1958 Labanon crisis while flying from the USS SARATOGA (CVA-60). After five MED cruises VAH-9 began transitioning to the RA-5C "Vigilante" in April 1964 and was redesignated RVAH-9 (Reconnaissance Heavy Attack Squardron Nine) in June of that year. After only eight months of training and preparation, the HOOTERS deployed for the first time with the RA-5C "Vigilante". on the USS SARATOGA (CVA-60) to the Med in December 1964. The unique design and capabililties of the converted A-5 "Vigilante" brought heavy demands on the aircraft, the squadron, and it's personnel during the Vietnam Crisis. Two combat tours (10 December 1965 - 25 August 1966 and 26 October 1968 - 17 May 1969) aboard the USS RANGER (CVA-61) followed. In early 1968, HEAVY NINE, along with her sister squadrons changed "homeport" to NAS ALBANY, GA after18 years at NAS SANFORD, FL. Now located in Southwest GA at the site of what was Turner Air Force base, HEAVY NINE, following her last Vietnam cruise made three more Med cruises. In January 1974 , Heavy Nine, again changed "homeport" to NAS KEY WEST, FL. The HOOTERS remained at NAS KEY WEST, FL. until it was one of the last "VIGGIE" squadrons to be decommissioned on 30 September 1977.