When Pigs Fly
SH-2F Sea Sprite
That time a helo crew dropped greased pigs onto an aircraft carrier
By Claire Barrett
What’s faster than a greased apple down a drainpipe? A greased pig, apparently.
In 1986, members of a U.S. Navy helicopter crew stationed aboard the USS America sought to bring a moment of levity to the conclusion of their six-month deployment to the Mediterranean.
With the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy poised to relieve the Kitty Hawk-class super carrier, aircrewman Brian Christoff and his fellow aviators hatched a plan.
“I was an Aircrewman/SAR Swimmer with HS-11 helo squadron,” Christoff wrote in a since-deleted Facebook post. “The fighter jet jocks got with us and came up with this slant, on an age-old tradition, of releasing a greased pig onto the deck of the relieving ship.
Gotta keep an eye on those Aircrewman/SAR Swimmer types, always up to no good. I bet the Air Boss vapor-locked.
Category: Humor, Navy, Search and Rescue
Hack Stone recognizes those three greased pigs. They frequented the Camp Del Mar Enlisted club every weekend.
No more lonely nights…
I went in there once when on a contact team from Yuma. My Corporal chevrons turned into PFC chevrons as soon as I walked in the door.
ROFLOL!!
And I’ll bet a paycheck swap that the mess cooks created a fine BBQ after those slathered swine were caught
When you could still have fun without a Cmdr. Karen ruining the party
The reddish one looks familiar…
Saw her Saturday morning pushing a cart at the Andrews Commissary.
Bummer. I was on America in 1983 IIRC for their NAS cruise. Great ship. Great skipper. Adm “Snuffy” Smith. Sorry I missed this hilarity.
Looks like Kennedy immediately sent in the country boys. That first pig was caught “right quick”!
Pretty sure a toothless swabbie was later observed telling one of the beasts to “squeal like a pig.” (It was a long cruise….)
Ha ha ha! Outstanding!
Great prank from back in the days before all of the politically correct snowflakes took over, when we could still have fun in Navy and Marine Corps Aviation!
No names were changed in this post in order to protect the “innocent”. Our Beloved AW1Ed admits nothing. Call his JAG Lawer. He may even try to lead us to believe that all of this happened “before his time”. Math is hard.
Gotta wonder, too,…did the swabbies have cold slaw or tater salad for their sides at the pig pickin’? Mustard, vinegar, tomato based sauce, or done properly with a dry rub? The Chief’s Mess had no comment…
If Ed needs a JAG lawer may she be a dime….-and-a-half.
Hopefully she has that lovin’ feelin’ tied down securely.
I’d like to check her “briefs”.
Then there’s this one…
https://twitter.com/intent/like?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1771390265414058021%7Ctwgr%5E73220b81788600a77542a35006d8d08070eec4a8%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitchy.com%2Ffuzzychimp%2F2024%2F03%2F25%2Fmonday-morning-meme-madness-n2394088&tweet_id=1771390265414058021
Too funny. Are you still standing while he sits.
Breaking news.
The Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore has collapsed after being struck by a container ship. The bridge is a major throughway part of Interstate 695. It is 1.6 miles long, and built between 1972 to 1977. Several cars plunged into the Patapsco River. Water temperature is in the 40s.
Baltimore bridge collapses into harbor after ship strike | Fox News
Just heard that a few minutes ago. Holding out hope for all involved.
Ah my beloved SH-2F Seasprite. I was in HSL-34 when the Seasprite was retired and the HSL’s decommissioned.
To be clear, the story posted below the picture was from HC-11 (now HSC-11) which never flew the SH2. They flew Seabats, then Sea Kings, and now Seahawks.
The SH-2 was solely the domain of the HSL squadrons, who typically operated from Frigates with flight decks too small for the larger birds. When the last of the FFs were retired, the SH-2 became “excess to requirements” and were likewise retired.
Interestingly, the Navy had already placed a large order for the next generation of SH-2G aircraft. When that order was fulfilled, because the HSLs were on the way out, the newer SH-2G’s were sent to the Naval Reserves. During the last few years of the HSL’s the Naval Reserves actually had a newer version of the bird than the Active Duty squadrons and the Reserves continued flying them for a few more years after the active navy had retired them.
HSL’s transitioned to the SH-60 Seahawk. The H-2 pictured is a bit of vanity on my part. That is the official Wiki pic of the Sea Sprite, and that yellow helmet is on display in my den.
My understanding is that the HSLs that weren’t decommissioned outright were transitioned to HSM squadrons.
At any rate, very cool on the helmet.
I was a ground pounder so…you’re welcome for letting you borrow my airplane occasionally.
The appreciation I have for you guys is huge. I was all over that helo learning whatever else I could from y’all.
HSL 34 traveled with us on Med cruises (FF-1097). There is an H-2 from Green Checkers on display at the National Naval Air Museum in Pensacola.
Red, white and blue swine. A very patriotic prank!
….What they should have done was number the pigs 1,2,and 4….then watch the Kennedy’s crew go nuts looking for #3.