4 Great DIRSUP photos - scroll down

Narrative from Don East: This was the old EC-121M (Super Constellation - Connie) that was our aircraft during my Junior Officer years in VQ-2. We traded these in for EP-3E aircraft in 1972-1973. As history shows, we lost one of these and 31 people to the North Koreans in April 1969. I flew approximately 1,500 hours in this shuddering aircraft!

Narrative from Don East: An EA-3B crew from VQ-2 about to go to the "Bird Farm" - in this case the USS Roosevelt. A short time later, we lost this bird and Tom Walls (Navigator, 2nd from left) in a "cold cat shot" of the carrier. A CT "I-brancher", whose name esacpes me, is on the extreme right. LT Don East is 4th from the left and is in a squat position. The VQ-2 squadron C.O. is CDR G. Hatch (2nd from right, standing). Dave Ballas (Elint Op) on extreme left bailed out of another EA-3B later over Germany and survived.

Narrative from Don East: This is a cartoon of a VQ-2 EP-3E (Aires) aircraft that indicates the services of the EP-3E (and the EA-3B) were fought over by the Squadron that owned the aircraft (VQ-2), NSA, and the operational US Navy. Sometimes, it was difficult to serve 3 masters when you were the OIC of a deployed aircraft	Narrative from Don East: Skipper Don East (left) with newly promoted Lieutenants at VQ-2 Rota, Spain - 1983. Photo taken in front of VQ-2 EA-3B aircraft. (L-R): Cdr Don East; Lt. Oren; Lt. Inach; Lt. Barry; Lt. Leeds; Lt. Hilbert; Lt. Conghran; Lt. Snits; Lt. Holly