Phrog Farewell April 26th Up-Date

National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico Reception

Next month HQMC will be launching a web page that will open up registration and ticket sales for the Friday evening Quantico Museum Receptionto cover food and beverage charges. They are working hard to keep this cost as low as possible. We will send you another update as soon as this information is disseminated. Many of you have asked about bringing children/grandchildren to this event. I am in the process of finding out about this also.

Once you receive the web page information, you will be responsible for your registration along with your guests and for purchasing all necessary tickets.

As previously noted, the primary importance of the 1 Aug ceremony is to observe and honor the CH-46, as well as those who served in and around it. It will also provide an opportunity for the USMC to highlight the passing of the torch of the medium lift assault support mission to the MV-22 Osprey. Accordingly, the fly-in and ceremony will involve both aircraft. The industry partners' involvement and support is of great assistance in planning this event. Boeing will be involved along with a number of other industry partners.

Smithsonian Institution - National Air and Space Museum

Last Flight of a CH-46: A Retirement Ceremony for the CH-46 Program 1 AUGUST 2015

PANEL DISCUSSION

Following the Fly-In Ceremony, there will be a panel discussion to allow audience members to hear from veterans who have served with the CH-46. This will be held on the museum floor and open to the public. Judge Patrick Donovan is currently scheduled to be on the panel along with an "active duty CH-46 MOS USMC General Officer, and retired or former Marine from the Ground Combat Element. After introductions, each panel member will make remarks for approximately 10 minutes, sharing stories and personal reflections about the CH-46. Following these remarks, the moderator will open the panel to questions from the floor. Overall time for the panel is envisioned to be about an hour. When we find out who the CH-46 MOS Marine General Officer and the Marine from the Combat Element are, we will send out another up-date.

I have attached my list of attendees so that you might recognize those who you served with many years ago. Continue to pass the word…we have approximately 300 Crew and Family Members who plan to attend.

Semper Fi….
George N. Gitcho
HMM-364 RVN '69-70

george@gitcho.com

CH-46 "PHROG" 153369 Farewell:

The purpose of the 1 Aug ceremony is to remember and honor all those who served in, on and around the CH-46 during its 50+ years of service, from Vietnam to Grenada, Desert Shield/Storm, OIF/OEF, as well as countless other instances to include non-combatant evacuations, humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, and other operations. The ceremony will call out specific instances throughout the Phrog's history, and in doing so, honor all who were involved. Of particular significance, YK-19, Bureau Number 153369, was one of the aircraft that 1st Lieutenant J. Patrick Donovan, flew as a Purple Fox when he won his second Navy Cross for his actions of valor in Vietnam. Pat Donovan, now a Federal Judge, is a highly decorated Marine Aviator of the Vietnam era, and has been an inspiration for Marines and their families for many years.

CH-46 153369 has served with a number of squadrons. Many of those squadrons will be represented on 1 Aug. It is currently with HMM-164, where it was transferred after 364's reflag to VMM. In April, before 164 reflags to VMM, the aircraft will be flown and transferred to HMM-774 in Norfolk, VA. HMM-774, as the last remaining CH-46 squadron, will conduct the last flight, so the aircraft will bear 774 markings. Once stricken from the inventory and in the hands of the museum curators, the aircraft will be returned to HMM-364 markings in preparation for its display on the museum floor.

National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico Reception:

The reception on Friday, 31 July will be held at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, VA from approximately 1800-2100 (exact time is TBD but will be close to this). In the next few weeks there will be much more information coming via email, the National Air and Space website and social media (Facebook, etc). HQMC's 'last flight' team is working hard to put together this event and is looking forward to getting the word out to all interested parties

Smithsonian Institution - National Air and Space Museum Fly-In 1 Aug:

Saturday, August 12:00 pm Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA outside the Boeing Aviation Hangar.

The Smithsonian Institution - National Air and Space Museum Saturday greatly appreciates the widespread interest from all who were involved in and touched by the CH-46 over the years and look forward to hosting all who attend. Visitors coming to the museum specifically for the fly in ceremony will be given preferred access to the aircraft at the conclusion of the ceremony and before they are available to the general public for static display. Concurrent with the fly in and ceremony, The National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center will be hosting an annual family day event with additional programs and displays inside the museum. The current estimate is that over the course of the day between family day and the CH-46 event there will be between 10,000 - 13,000 visitors at the museum.
Last Flight of a CH-46: A Retirement Ceremony for the CH-46 Program

The Marine Barracks 8th & I band and color guard will also be there in support of this event.

Your interest in this two day event is greatly appreciated. HQMC and the Smithsonian Institution - National Air and Space Museum will be rolling out the details and registration information which I will pass on to everyone once received.

It is not too late to make plans to attend. Pass the word, and if you decide to attend, let me know so that I have an accurate head count for planning purposes.

George N. Gitcho at email address: george@gitcho.com

1. Will you attend the reception on 7/31/15?
2. Will you attend the fly-in on 8/1/15?
3. How many people in your party?

  Larry Britton has blocked 30 rooms for us at the Hampton Inn Dumfries, Comfort Inn and Holiday Inn for 30 July thru 1 Aug (2 Aug checkout). All the rooms are doubles. The rooms will be blocked until 31 June 15.

 The Hampton Inn Dumfries/Quantico ($90 Purple Fox Rate+ Tax) has set up a website (below) where you can register.

• The rooms have been reserved for 30 July - 2 Aug., 2015.
• The special rate is available until 1 July, 2015, or until the block of rooms is sold-out.

 Comfort Inn Near Quantico Main Gate North
 16931 Old Stage Road
 Dumfries, VA 22025
 703-445-8070
 $90.00 Purple Fox Rate +Tax

 Holiday Inn Dumfries - Quantico Center
 3901 Fettler Park Drive,
 Dumfries, VA 22025
 703-441-9001
 $99.00 Purple Fox Rate + Tax

 Please excuse any duplicate emails! We will keep you informed as the “Phrog Farewell” plans progress!