Det 110 Loses "Big Mother"

I had a photo of the original "Big Mother" oil painting in my desk at work.  I was
Det 110 OinC in 1970 with Bob "Pappy" Elerick as my 1st gunner/crewman
when we were cross decking to another carrier.  The Big Mother oil painting,
by tradition was carried on the OinC's aircraft which was the fist helo to arrive
on the new carrier. The painting would be immediately carried to our new
ready room, signifying that Det 110 HAD ARRIVED!! I had just landed on
the starboard side of the bow with two other Big Mother H-3s landing just aft
of me, when Pappy screamedover the ICS, "Big Mother's in the water!!!". In a
panicked voice, I inquired which aircraft had gone over the side, to which Pappy replied, "Not an aircraft, Boss, the painting, a gust of wind ripped it out of our hands when we were passing it to one of our deck guys!!" As I recall, we were greatly grieved to have lost Big Mother, for she is the symbol about which we were fighting the war.

Captain E. Earle Rogers II, USN (Ret)
Vice President for Education

Naval Aviation Museum Foundation
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