Gregory P. Kelley  VP-2  63-66

I was born in a hospital 22 miles from my home town of Jonesport, Maine, a small fishing village.  We lived in other towns around Maine and I graduated from Bangor High School.  I wanted to attend either West Point or Annapolis and received appointments to both.  But by accident, I learned of the NROTC program, applied and was accepted to go to Penn State.  Great Choice as I met Sue, who was to become my wife, in my sophomore year. Fortunately my two summer cruises were both on destroyers.  That convinced me that aviation, whatever it was, was the correct choice after graduating.

I went to Pensacola in June 1961, now convinced that land based patrol was my calling.  Sue and I were married during my six day Christmas leave that year.  Our first son was born the next year in Corpus.  After completing flight training and the RAG in VP-31, we reported to VP-2 in May 1963.  Thoroughly enjoyed the time in the squadron where I flew in Crews 4 and 7.  Biggest disappointment was when the Naval Hospital neglected to send a message that our second son had arrived.  I learned of it a few days later from Walt Cook when we arrived in Adak from Kodiak.  After a deployment and a mini deployment to Kodiak and another deployment to Southeast Asia, we were off to VT-27 in Corpus Christi for Flight Instructor duty in the S-2.

Our third son was also born in Corpus Christi.  Leaving Active Duty in October 1967, I affiliated with the Reserves in 1970 at NAS Floyd Bennett in Brooklyn flying P-2s.  The unit soon relocated to NAS Willow Grove, PA and formed part of the new VP-66.  During the nine years there we transitioned to P-3s.  I then spent a year as a weekend CDO at the base and then five years in COMNAVAIRLANT.  During that period I also went to The Naval War College in Newport twice.  I retired from the Reserves as a Captain in Houston.

After leaving VT-27, I was hired by Pan Am as a Pilot Flight Engineer on the Boeing 707.  With furloughs, that lasted four years over a nine year period.  I was also employed in Property and Facilities and then went on to get an MBA.  After working in Revenue Accounting, I left Pan Am for Continental Airlines,  became a CPA and retired as Director Revenue Accounting in 2002.  In 2013, I accepted a part time position as the Houston Area Admissions Representative recruiting for my alma mater.  Great to get paid for what you used to for free.

In addition to our three sons, Sue and I have six grandchildren and currently two great grandchildren.  We live in Houston, and spend our summer months at a cabin on a lake in Maine.  We travel when we can.

Then -
Now -