Several months ago, WarbirdsNews published a fascinating article by Will Tate about his time flying with the US Navy on long, maritime patrols from Reykjavik, Iceland. At the time, he told us about a friend of his, Raymond T. West, who had served with VP-50 during the Viet Nam War. VP-50 was one of the last US Navy flying boat squadrons to see wartime operations. They flew the mighty Martin P5M Marlin; re-designated as the P-5 after 1962. Will Tate kindly contacted Raymond West, and we will let him take up the conversation here and hope you enjoy the story…
My friend and former shipmate, Raymond T. West, has kindly written a short synopsis of his tour of duty in Vietnam, 1966-67, while serving in one of the last Navy seaplane squadrons to see active wartime service. Ray West writes…
“In October 1966 I was stationed in VP-50’s home port at NAS North Island, San Diego. We were deployed to Sangley Point, Philippines with a 30 day TAD (Temporary Additional Duty) detachment to Cam Ranh Bay, Republic of Vietnam. There we operated off a sea plane tender; in our case the USS Currituck (AV 7). We were involved in Operation Market Time, the interdiction of supplies coming down the coast of North Vietnam into South Vietnam. The SP-5B Marlin would take off and fly a four hour round-trip patrol north of Cam Ranh Bay or a four hour round-trip patrol south of the base.
The SP-2Hs, SP-5Bs, and P-3Bs armed with 2.75 folded fin rockets were hard pressed to knock off the small sampan, loaded to the gunnels with supplies and equipped with a large outboard. They were very fast and nimble targets. But the SP-5Bs armed with four M60 machine guns, one at the forward and aft hatch on each side of the fuselage made short work of the spirited craft. More than one Charlie was seen abandoning ship when faced with a Marlin skimming across the wave tops heading his way. The squadron did not lose any planes or crew members in carrying out these patrols.
By January 1967, VP-50 had returned to Sangley Point for a final month of operations before returning home to North Island. On 6 January, 1967 we launched Crew 13 on a ROCKEX (Rocket Firing Exercise) with a Marlin loaded with 5 inch HVAR rockets. One of the rockets exploded on the wing during lunch. The wing broke off the aircraft and the Marlin fell into the sea killing all ten of the crew. The Navy surmised that the rocket had been either dropped or mishandled in storage, causing the solid propellant to fracture. This caused the rocket to explode on ignition while still on the rail. After this incident, the Navy stopped using the 5 inch HVAR rocket.”
WN: VP-50’s deployment would be the penultimate in Marlin operations, with VP-40 making the type’s final sortie in November, 1967. Sadly, of the 250 or so examples to see service, there is only one complete survivor known to exist, SP-5B Bu.135533 currently on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. The image below shows this aircraft landing after her final operational flight, although her actual final flight was in to Pensacola.
WarbirdsNews wishes to thank Raymond T. West for writing in, and for the generous use of his images. We are especially grateful to Will Tate for his help in the story as well!
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Richard Mallory Allnutt's aviation passion ignited at the 1974 Farnborough Airshow. Raised in 1970s Britain, he was immersed in WWII aviation lore. Moving to Washington DC, he frequented the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum, meeting aviation legends.
After grad school, Richard worked for Lockheed-Martin but stayed devoted to aviation, volunteering at museums and honing his photography skills. In 2013, he became the founding editor of Warbirds News, now Vintage Aviation News. With around 800 articles written, he focuses on supporting grassroots aviation groups.
Richard values the connections made in the aviation community and is proud to help grow Vintage Aviation News.
I just love stories about “Big Ugly Round Engine Airplane”. Thanks for sharing, would like to see more. Keep up the good work.
Did you know a PR2 fitzgerald in VP-50
Hi Bob, what a gallant bird you flew! Proud to know you, the man that wore the best looking gold wing a guy could! My wings took me to the air for Fed Ex, and that was my claim to fame.
I was there with you ,I road the ship from PI to Cam Ranh Bay. I was a AME work in the PR shop. Was you there when they drop a flare in the the boat we use to get from one plane to another, I had just got off to check the life raft and other gear when it happened. I love your story it sure brought back a lot of memories. Thanks
I was there with VP-50’s last deployment to Cam Ranh Bay. Served for twenty and live in Payette, Idaho. Very nicely done article.As a side note, I was scheduled to go ahead of crew 13 the day they went in; As plane captain I ran the engines up on my crew’s plane and had too many fouled plugs to launch with. I worked the plugs and while I was doing that crew 13 took our HVAR’s and went flying. We loaded the next ones and went out and fired them with no incident. on our way back we were diverted to the range to see if we could find SG13. All we found was debris. Sad memories.
Great story. I wondered where vp-50 went after I war separeted. I was in vp-50 from 1962 to 1965 crew 9 panel operator. Great experience!
My father, Jack Morton Morris, Ltjg was a part of crew 13 I am writing his letters home up to January 3
Thank you for a bit of insight into his life
Writing: reading
Hi Dennis,
My Father, Bill Toliver was in VP-50 the same time you were. I was born in 1962 at MCAS Iwakuni. Any chance you knew of my old man? He recently passed (on July 4th 2020) and I’d welcome any information you could share.
I’m sorry to hear of your dads passing, yes I did know him, he was an electronics tech chief, I was an ax3.I recall he was very smart, and the no nonsense type when on the job. I didn’t no him socially since 3rd class techs didn’t mix with chiefs. Other than that I don’t think I can be of much help, I believe he was a good man.
I was AX3 in VP50 at IWA and NORIS. Started out as 3rd tech in IWA and finished as crew leader at NORIS. All with crew5. Chief “Catfish” Toliver was well liked and respected by Officers and Enlisted alike. Great sense of humor. He flew with us one time I’m aware of, I suppose to get his monthly skins in. When he and “Stub Davis” got together it was a guaranteed laugh. Miss those days.
I worked for your dad (Catfish) in Iwakuni! Sure would like to talk to you. When you get a chance, please contact me.
Hi Bill
I served with your father in VP 50. I was in MCAS Iwakuni in 1962. I was in VP 50 from 1962-1966, we went from MCAS Iwakuni to the Philippines and then Vietnam.
I was in Crew 4 most of the time and was AX 2 and was 1st Tech
I knew your Dad not only as Chief but as a friend also, also learned a lot from him.
So sorry to hear of his passing
I was an aircrewman with VP1 66-68 and while in aircrewman school with VP31 in 65
got to ride in one of these …takeoffs gr8 landings sucked…i was a tech flying P2Vs and we flew out of CRB,Sangley and Iwakuni ,and in 66 out of TanSonNhut Saigon…..funny I never saw another P5 after I left N.Island 1/66 always wondered what happened to them and now I know
I need your help on two issues. I’m doing research on the Navy Martin SP-5B Marlin seaplane which crashed on 6 January 1967 with Crew 13 on board. What was the seaplane’s assigned BU number? This seaplane is not listed in any data base I’ve searched, including Chris Hobson’s “Vietnam Air Losses”. Are these names engraved on the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, DC? Thanks in advance. Joseph Montoya, Culver City, California. 6 December 2022.