Harrier Pilot honors WWII hero great-uncle in commemorative flight

Capt. Raymond Hower, a U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier pilot with Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 223, recently conducted a commemorative flight to honor his great-uncle, LCDR Louis A. Conter. Conter, who passed away on Apr. 1st, at the age of 102, held the distinction of being the last known survivor of the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Raymond Hower, a native of California and an AV-8B Harrier II jet pilot with Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 223, poses for a photo holding his great-uncle Louis A. Conter’s naval aviator wing insignia at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, April 18, 2024. Conter was the last known survivor of the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and passed away April 1, 2024. Hower flew U.S. flags and Conter’s naval aviator wing insignia during the flight. Conter served in the U.S. Navy from 1939 to 1967. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Orlanys Diaz Figueroa)

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U.S. Navy takes delivery of first two T-54As

The U.S. Navy marks a new chapter in multi-engine pilot training with the arrival of its first two T-54A trainer aircraft at Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi on Apr. 18th. The T-54A, a modified Beechcraft King Air 260 designated for the Navy, replaces the T-44C Pegasus, which has served faithfully since 1977.

A T-54A multi-engine aircraft sits on the flight line of Naval Air Station (NAS) Corpus Christi, April 18. The arrival of the T-54A heralds a new generation of Naval Aviators who will use the trainer to earn their wings of gold as they prepare to fly such aircraft as the P-8A Poseidon, E-2D Hawkeye and C-130 Hercules. The T-54A replaces the T-44C Pegasus, an aircraft that has been in naval service since 1977.

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U.S. Navy welcomes first East Coast CMV-22B Osprey

The U.S. Navy’s transition to the CMV-22B Osprey for its long-range and medium-lift aerial logistics missions took a significant step forward on Apr. 5, with the arrival of the first tiltrotor aircraft assigned to the East Coast at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.

The first East Coast-assigned Navy tiltrotor vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aircraft CMV-22B Osprey lands at Naval Station Norfolk, April 5. The CMV-22B Osprey belongs to Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 40 the “Mighty Bison.” The CMV-22B airframe will provide the fleet’s medium-lift and long-range aerial logistics capability, replacing the C-2A Greyhounds of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 over the next several years. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Sylvie Carafiol)

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