F-14 Tomcat Monument Update

Special NOTAM
from
RADM Bad Fred Lewis, USN (Ret)
President, F-14 Tomcat Monument Association

I'm sending you this email to keep you up to speed with what's going on with the Association that you have so generously supported. First, the Board of Directors of the F-14 Tomcat Monument Association is pleased to announce a change in corporate governance effective 1 June 2021.

As you know, we've had two successful monument installations - one in the Naval Aviation Monument Park at the boardwalk on Virginia Beach, VA, and the second at the National Naval Aviation Museum aboard NAS Pensacola, FL. The next focus is an installation in a San Diego location, where the iconic aircraft began it's long and historic naval service.

The Virginia Beach and Pensacola sites were both fairly easy to identify and to construct. However, the long pole in the tent for the San Diego Monument has been selection of an appropriate site. Several potential locations have been examined with their own pro's and con's, but it has been challenging for us to work long distance through the various governing bodies in that region. After long deliberations, we decided that the F-14 Tomcat Monument Association would best be served by passing leadership to those who reside in San Diego. We wanted to make sure the project would be in the hands of highly capable and motivated Tomcat guys who have more knowledge of the local regulatory and political landscape.

I'm happy to say that incoming Chairman RADM James 'JJ' Quinn, USN Ret. has selected several other retired F-14 personnel with strong links to the West Coast area, including CAPT Jim 'Guido' DiMatteo and CDR Mark 'Viz' Vizcarra, to continue fundraising and planning for the West Coast monument.

Second, due to Virginia Beach COVID restrictions, we unfortunately have had to again re-schedule the Dedication Ceremony for the Virginia Beach monument. We're working with the City to finalize a date in mid-September 2021, hopefully to coincide with the NAS Oceana Airshow, and will keep you informed.
Thanks again for your support for this noble endeavor honoring the thousands of personnel involved in the design, operation, and maintenance of the Tomcat, and memorializing those F-14 aviators who lost their lives serving our country.