PEOPLE & PLACES: Summer travelers are busy
Published 11:00 am Wednesday, July 9, 2003
It was a long journey home for Doug Neil, his wife Kathleen and son Thomas, who arrived in Oak Harbor from New Zealand Thursday. The country in the Southern Hemisphere is in the midst of winter. Thomas brought his violin and played for the koffee klatch at Fairhaven for his grandmother Dorothy Neil, and guests.
Jennie and Elaine Brainard spent two weeks vacationing in Oak Harbor and visiting with Lee and Hugh Brainard. Elaine is one of 15 grandchildren of the Brainards.
Rebeca Ruth Cohen of Los Angeles spent her vacation time in Oak Harbor with her parents, Jake and Patty Cohen.
Leaving July 12 from Oak Harbor, Presbyterian young people will spend a week at Glacier National Park in a church group. They are Justin Ross, Pat Felger, Laura Berge, Margaret Bezold, Ryan Burge, Andrew Figgs, Cameron Johnson, Keith Lokkings, Ashley Smith and Mike Smith.
Kaitlyn McKim will be in Albuquerque, N.M., July 18-21 competing in Junior Olympics. Her sport is judo which she took up almost three years ago. Competitors in Junior Olympics range in age from 7 to 18 years old; Kaitlyn will celebrate her 13th birthday this month. On her trip to New Mexico, Kaitlyn will be accompanied by her mother, Jennifer.
William Lawler has relieved Thomas Payne as commanding officer of VAQ-130 at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.
Guest speaker was Captain Stephen P. Black, commanding officer, NAS Whidbey Island. Also attending were Rear Adm Enewold, deputy director for Joint Strike Fighter, and Capt. Mark A. Vance, commander, Carrier Air Wing Three. Capt. Vance presented Payne with his second Meritorious Service Medal.
A native of Erie, Pa., Cmdr. Thomas Payne graduated from Westminster College in May 1983. He received his commission in August 1993 and earned his wings in 1984.
After flight school, Payne reported to VAQ-129 for initial training in the EA-6B Prowler for his first sea tour with VAQ-133 in September 1985.
He has been stationed with Medium Attack Weapons School Pacific, VAQ-129, VAQ-134, VAQ-138,COMVAQWINGPAC and EA-6B Program Office in Patuxtent River, MD.
Cmdr. Payne became the Zapper executive officer in November 2000 and deployed aboard the USS Harry S Truman later that month. Payne flew missions over Iraq in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH.
He assumed command of VAQ -130 in February 2002, led them through work-ups and took the Zappers to sea again aboard the Truman in December 2002. The Zappers returned to Whidbey May 23, 2003.
Cmd. Payne has more than 2500 flight hours and 700 carrier landings in the EA-6B.
His follow-on assignment is the Industrial War College in Washington, D. C.
Cmdr. Payne is married to the former Leslie Morschauser, his wife of more than 19 years, and they have three children, Ryan, Kaitlyn and Jeffrey.
Commander William L. Lawler, Jr. is a native of North Kingstown, R.I. He was commissioned through the NROTC program at Marquette University and earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering in 1985. After training to become an aviator, Lawler earned his wings in March 1987 and was assigned to the Fleet Composite Squadron ONE in Barbers Point, Hawaii. While there, Lawler was an adversary and target pilot flying the TA-4J/A-4E Skyhawk. He remained in Hawaii until May 1990 when he reported to VAQ-129 for initial training in the Prowler before checking into VAQ-130 for sea duty. During his first tour as a ‘Zapper’ he made a Mediterranean deployment on board the USS John F. Kennedy.
In January 1994, Lawler went to VAQ-129 for duty as an instructor pilot. He has been stationed with VAQ-132 in September 1994. He made a deployment on board the USS Enterprise and participated in operations Joint Endeavor and Southern Watch.
Cmdr. Lawler began a second Mediterranean cruise with VAQ-132 aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower , before detaching to the Naval War College in 1998. He earned a master of arts degree in national security and strategic studies in November 1999. His next orders took him to Meridian Naval Air Station, Miss., at Training Air Wing ONE.
Cmdr. Lawler was in Meridian for almost two years before returning to the Pacific Northwest. He rejoined the Zappers as their executive officer in February 2002.
He deployed last December with VAQ-130 for aboard the USS Harry S Truman in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, returning this past May.
Throughout his career, Cmdr. Lawler has amassed more than 3,500 flight hours including more than 2,000 in the EA-6B Prowler.
He is married to the former Lori McGee, also of North Kingstown,R.I., and they live in Oak Harbor with their children Kaitlin, Anne, Michaela, Sean and Eleanor.
Assuming executive officer duties is another ‘Zapper’ legacy, Cmdr. Thomas A. Slais, Jr.
Coupeville High School Class of 1953 is planning to enjoys its reunion Sunday, July 27. A catered lunch will be served at 1 p.m. at Coupeville Rec Hall. All classmates and friends are invited to the celebration. $15 per person; RSVP to Dorothy Keefe, P.O. Box 186, Coupeville 98239.
