John R. Dailey, AKA Zorro, Squadron

04/28/2024

An after action report on the Midway Reunion 4/17 - 4/20 In San Diego. The event planned by Kenny Watts and Len Ingram executed by Carolyn Davis of Strategic Meeting Partners was a great success, We had 55 attendees. I take that as meaning that among those that transitioned from MCARA to form the Zorro Squadron remain interested in an annual event. After 5+ years at the helm of the JRD Sqd. I'm turning it over to Doc Schwartz. The other Board of Directors officers will remain during the transition. The squadron faces the same challenges of recruiting younger members as we have since inception. Aging the unit out is an issue that most organizations like us are facing.

S/F

Buck

02/23/2024

Update on the Zorro Squadron Reunion April 17 - 19, San Diego, CA

We're in the closing stages of this reunion. We're signing contracts and the schedule of events has been solidified. There are currently 31 Marines (not including wives and partners) that have signed up and paid up to go. Embassy Suites - our hub - will probably continue to accept reservations at the reduced rate. There is a full docent led Midway Tour scheduled and there are 45 tentatively scheduled to participate. Same for the MCAS Miramar tour and the dinner at the San Diego Air & Space Museum We're looking at a cut-off date of April 1st to freeze participation. If you have questions, post them here.

Buck

10/10/2023

We are in full operational mode, the NOTAM with details has been released by MCAA and sign-ups for the JRD Squadron Reunion April 17-20, 2024 in San Diego have started. If you are planning on attending, sign-up now and make your hotel reservations at the reduced rate. We have contracted for 20 rooms at the reduced rate. There are indications that we will exceed that number of contracted rooms. Don't delay. Buck Buchanan

10/05/2023

A Full Scale Reunion is coming together for 17-20 April 2024 in San Diego, CA. If you have not received it already, you will receive a NOTAM from MCAA with details if your email address at MCAA is correct. There is also an announcement of up coming events that provides details and necessary links below:

MCAA's Squadrons are active in all corners of the United States. These local MCAA organizations host some of their own local membership activities and offer scholarship programs and fundraisers to support their communities and the mission of MCAA.

05/09/2023

There is also mini-reunion getting organized for the late summer/fall time frame 2023 at CPNC. Tom Carter and John Suhy are heading this effort up. It is a low key event. You may have received an email from Tom with an XL Spread Sheet that came from Doc Schwartz's recent and very successful/well attended mini-reunion in DC containing a list of attendees. He's asking for input on interest.

Buck

05/09/2023

Marines,

The Zorro Squadron is contemplating a reunion in the San Diego area in 2024. The tentative time frame is Spring 2024 (March-May).

The plan for the reunion would consist of events held over two days. Day 1 would include a tour of the Midway, and a tour of the Leatherneck Museum would be scheduled for Day 2. The Leatherneck Museum is in the process of moving to El Toro, so a bus ride to that location is likely.

We are also looking at the possibility of a dinner at San Diego Air & Space Museum on the first evening of the reunion.

We would like to gain a sense of the level of interest in attending a reunion next year, and would like input on preference of date(s).

Please email Len Ingram or Kenny Watts with your comments and input. Their email addresses can be found below.

If you prefer to chat over the phone, please contact Len at 256-783-0013.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Semper Fi!

Len: [email protected]

Kenny: [email protected]

12/19/2022

Happy Holidays VMC, VMCJ, VMAQ Marines. You should have received two emails - one from John Radar (Smoke) - President MCAA on Friday, one from the John R. Daily Squadron today. If you did not receive both of them check your spam folder. If they still can't be located either you are not a member of MCAA or, if you are member of MCAA, you've not affiliated with the Zorro Squadron or your email is incorrect. I urge you to join MCAA and affiliate with the Zorro Squadron/update you emaill.

I'm doing my best to reach out to all VMC, VMCJ and VMAQ Marines who operated or maintained the RF4B, EA6A or B. As well, we have a few Marines who are associated with the EF10 and RF8. Keeping up to date with Marine Aviation news and Maintaining connections with fellow squadron Marines is our goal. There are other organizations for that purpose: VMAQ 5 and the Prowler Association (PA) both have Face Book pages and the PA has a web site.

If you are unaware, the MCAA web site allows you to access the MCARA web site which is now platformed by MCAA. There's a rich history there that rather abruptly ends right around the time that VMAQ 2 spit into four squadrons (1992). It is regretful that the rich history from 1992 - 2019, including a number of combat tours, of the 4 VMAQ squadrons is missing. Historians are welcome and encouraged to add history. Contact me here, VMAQ 5 or through the Prowler Association to contribute.

Looking forward to more active years ahead in 2023 and beyond. See the two emails mentioned above for details.

S/F

Buck Buchanan

08/27/2022

There may be an opportunity for a Zorro Squadron gathering at the dedication ceremony for the VMAQ Monument on Saturday, November 11th. You should have received an email from the Monument Foundation on 8/25 with details. The Foundation requested you to go to their FB page and tell them if going or interested. So far there are 15 VMAQ Marines going. Jimmy Carter sent an email to all Zorro Squadron members on the same day that provided an embed of the Foundation announcement and also asked Zorro Squadron members to indicate if they are going. Based on a head count from that email, and if the numbers warrant it, we'll put something informal together. Get to it. Buck

08/16/2022

Zorro Squadron Update .......

I posted a few weeks ago regarding the MCAA Symposium being held at MCAS CPNC. We're planning no organized events for this gathering. If you are interested in attending, here's the registration link: https://www.events.afr-reg.com/e/MCAACP

The MCARA web site has been nested aboard the MCAA website. You can access it by going to the MCAA website > Squadrons > John R Dailey Squadron > Click website.

This has been along time coming but the first step is done - getting the MCARA website a platform to exist on. We're still working out the details of making the site live. Currently it is written in a code that needs to be transitioned to the code used by MCAA/their webmaster; alternatively, if this is too costly or cumbersome, there will be two links: (1) a live set of John R. Dailey Squadron pages for announcements to include a section for Taps - another long time goal. (2) a link to the static MCARA site that holds a huge amount of important USMC EW/Recon history.

Finally, we actually have a membership list in .XLS format. I have a copy with member emails (can't be published openly due to privacy concerns). Many thanks to MCAA's financials and membership guru, Debbie Martin. Roxanne Kauffman our previous operations contact at MCAA has been replaced by Kristina Bitancurt. Like Roxanne, both of these new POCS are go getters - "Can Do Easy" is the response I get from both of them when I ask for help.

There are 230 names on the Zorro Squadron roster. Of these, 130 members are former life members of MCARA and have been transitioned to MCAA Life membership. No MCAA dues required. Of the remaining 100 members there are 73 members that are are current on MCAA dues. 27 aren't up to date either by choice or by not knowing they aren't up to date. You can determine your status, delist or bring your MCAA membership up to date by contacting Debbie Martin (Mobile: 478-321-3134). You can also email her at flymcaa.org, attn Financial & Membership Services.

MCAA dues is the JRD Squadrons source of regular income - we get a rebate. It's only 4% so, in the most recent accounting, we received $292 (73 X $4). In going to the MCAA life membership model for MCARA members, if future JRD Sqd. gatherings are contemplated, admin costs are going to be spread over attendees in the form of registration fees. Nothing new really.

Finally, after a 28 month hiatus, I'm planning on convening a JRD Sqd. Board meeting first week in October. I'll announce it by email to members that are current and are either lifers or current on dues. Last time we did one of these, it was in March '20 during the planning for the Midway Reunion in San Diego, May, '20.

There are 4 current board members out of the 5 authorized in the by-laws. They are myself, CO, Jim Brubaker, XO, George Cook, Treasurer, Jimmy Carter, Memberships. Jamie Stanley (VMAQ Monument Foundation) was the fifth and at large Board Member. We need a quorum to conduct business and we have some. In the event one of these BOD members cannot attend, I'll assign an at-large member from the membership to get the BOD to the necessary 5 to conduct business and vote.

Stay tuned as we ramp back up to an active unit.

S/F

Buck

07/31/2022

Received an email from John Radar (Smoke), President MCAA giving us a heads up on a rapidly maturing MCAA Symposium to be hosted by CG 2nd MAW, in New Bern and MCAS Cherry Point, 26-28 September. I'm not planning on organizing an official Zorro/JRD Squadron event to run coincidentally with this symposium. If others want to jump in and put something informally together (e.g a happy hour and/or dinner exclusive event) have at it. I've posted Smoke's email to me below and at VMAQ5 FB page.

Buc,

Wanted to let you know of a rapidly maturing event at Cherry Point in September. We expect to launch a registration site for the upcoming “Marine Corps Aviation, post 2030" in Cherry Point, NC, for 28-30 September. The event is Hosted by CG, Second MAW, will be run by the Deputy Commandant for Aviation, and sponsored by MCAA. The discussions will be at the Secret classification level, with other events and followup discussions at the unclass level for those that do not have a clearance. Since many of the older MCARA folks probably don’t have clearances, the morning would be spent o notes flight line and listening in on the unclass discussion before lunch. The Bogue field tour is open to all. We have buses running from New Bern in the morning and returning in the evening. Buses will also transport folks to and from events during the day.

Both Generals Cerderholm and Benedict will spend much of the day with attendees. The top level agenda is a welcome reception Wednesday Evening in New Bern, with discussions and flight line events Thursday morning and a demonstration at Bogue outlying field in the afternoon, and an informal reception that evening. We close the event on Friday with a golf outing in the morning. We have rooms blocked at hotels in New Bern.

Thought you might want a heads up. Hope all is well.

Smoke

04/05/2022

Marines attending the reunion and signed up to play golf, a red golf shirt is available instead of blue. If you want a red one, post a comment here.

04/04/2022

Less than 2 weeks out from the Prowler/Zorro Sqd/VMAQ Monument Foundation joint reunion in P-Cola. There are upwards of 250 attendees signed up. I have the alpha roster. I count around 15 Marines signed up (I'm getting a current roster today and there will be other VMCJ/VMAQ Marines that I know are coming not on the list so, don't worry.

Our muster station is at the Sole Hotel. Don't forget to register and pick-up your registration packet at the Downtown Courtyard, 700 E. Chase St. Pensacola, FL 32502. Wed. 0800-0930, 1500-1700, 2000-2200. Thursday, Friday, same times.

As a reminder we're informally gathering at the meet and greet, April 22nd, 1630 - 1930, Perfect Grain Brewery, 50 E Garden St. Downtown P-cola. Then lunch gathering,1100 at the Cubi Bar Cafe, inside the Naval Aviation Museum, on base. The Cubi Cafe will have been reserved for the event but not specifically for us. You need to have pre-purchased a ticket to get in.

For the Banquet on Saturday evening, show up around 1700 and will try to corral a table. There is no reserved seating.