VOL. 53 NO. 21 MAY 29, 2014
SERVING NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA, DAM NECK ANNEX, AND NALF FENTRESS
JET
INSIDE
PUKIN DOGS HOLD CHANGE OF COMMAND —Page 3
Photo by Harry Gerwien NAS Oceana Commanding Officer Capt. Kit Chope (r) joins Virginia Beach Mayor William Sessoms Jr. and local Boy Scouts in escorting the wreath from the City of Virginia Beach during the Memorial Day observance May 26 at the Tidewater Veterans Memorial at 19th Street. Chope was the guest speaker for the event, which included wreath-layings by 33 civic and veterans’ organizations.
Memorial Day service celebrates past, present veterans and families BY CATHY HEIMER Jet Observer Ray Zumpol Sr. considers himself lucky to be able to attend the Virginia Beach Memorial Day service each year. President of the Vietnam Veterans of America, chapter 969, Zumpol stood tall and proud as all military, past and present, were honored on May 26 at the Tidewater Veterans Memorial, across from the Virginia Beach Convention Center. For the medically retired chief shipfitter, not only being present at the observance, but just standing and walking without assistance
is an accomplishment. During his three years in Vietnam,Zumpol took seven bullets to various parts of his body on March 21, 1968. After serving on two destroyers just off the coast, Zumpol was assigned to River Division 513, part of River Squadron (RIVRON) 51. “My duties were taking Marine Recon, Navy SEALS and Green Berets in and out,” explained Zumpol. “We were just coming back from a gun run. I took a squad of SEALS in, coming back, we got a message that a squad of Marines were pinned down, my CO was dead.As command chief, I said ‘we’re going in,’” he recounted
that day very matter-of-factly. While under fire, Zumpol took bullets to the head,shoulders,back,chest and legs.After surviving a medical evacuation, painful surgeries and months of rehabilitation, Zumpol said military doctors told him he would never walk again.While it has taken him 40-plus years to get around without the aid of a walker or cane, Zumpol was always determined to prove the doctors wrong. Zumpol also jokes how “he avoids airports now days” because of the titanium implants he needed because of his injuries.
— See Memorial Day, page 8
SALT EDUCATES ON DRINKING AND DRIVING CONSEQUENCES —Page 9
MILITARY SPOUSE RESOURCE FAIR FFSC Oceana is hosting the event, June 5, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in building 531. Resource agencies expected to attend include Armed Services YMCA, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, American Red Cross, TRICARE, EFMP, Opportunity Inc. COMPASS, Adult Learning Center, Educational Opportunity Center, Navy College and more. For more information, call the FFSC at 433-2912.