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PATROL SQUADRON SIX VP-6
“The World Famous Blue Sharks” (1943-1993) PATRON SIX“
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HomeA Navigator With a Sense of Humor



A Navigator With a Sense of HumorMichael Thomas - Feb 17, 2003

Our aircraft were equipped with the "new" Doppler navigation on our deployment to Iwakuni in 1961. It was still kind of experimental so we depended a lot on LORAN and "old time" navigation. Our navigator in Crew One was Brant Powell. He was a young Ensign at the time and had a great sense of humor. Once he gave instructions to "come right 2 degrees" and the Capt responded "You can't turn this thing 2 degrees." So Powell thought a minute and said, "come right 5 degrees."   We came right 5 degrees. Then Powell said, "come left 3 degrees." Ha! And the whole crew cracked up. But the Doppler wasn't trusted by too many people yet. We had a young, spit and polish Academy type Ltjg by the name of Lorusso who didn't trust the Doppler or Powell (Lorusso didn't have a sense of humor and he didn't trust anyone who did)...So, Lorusso flying second yoke kept this gnarly little writing tablet taped to his right leg so he could keep a log of everything Powell was doing. Both those guys went on to retire as Captains, but I bet Powell still has that great sense of humor; a great people person.