VC-2 Quonset Point Detachment provided target towing services using US-2C aircraft for shipboard gunnery exercises prior to deployments to Nam and  elsewhere.   Other services were available, also. We used the MK23 conical sleeve with a wire cable towline length varying from a few hundred feet to 1/2 mile, depending on the gunnery profile needed by the ship involved.  Needless to say, Murphy was alive and well, both in the air and on the ships, but at least we had the command authority to discontinue services if required.  VT frag got us a least twice but we survived to tell about it.  The only thing we needed over open ocean was a backup "pigeons to home plate" from the customer. 

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1970's Pictures and memories submitted by Walt Keane

Pictures below submitted by Jay Harris