






Jeff Kindrick, remaining, poses with his dad, Ace, circa 1970. (Photo offered)







“Airplane Captain” Jeff Kindrick and his A-7E Corsair II attack fighter jet, circa 1972. (Photograph supplied)
Navy veteran Jeff Kindrick produced two WESTPAC cruises with Attack Squadron VA-97 and Carrier Air Wing CVW 14 aboard the nuclear aircraft provider USS Enterprise, from 1971-72 and 1972-73. These stints provided a file-environment 63 times at sea.
When the Air Wing 14 squadrons flew the final beat sorties of the Vietnam War, on January 27, 1973, Kindrick was serving at CVW-14 Seaside Detachment, Naval Air Station at Cubi Issue, Subic Bay, Philippines.
A very well-regarded Helena title, Kindrick Legion Subject is named in honor of Jeff’s late father, WWII veteran and longtime Senators baseball advocate Ace Kindrick.
Right after graduating from Helena Superior in 1969, Kindrick adopted in his Dad’s footsteps and enlisted in the U.S. Navy that August. On December 15, alongside with his buddy Greg Hoffer, he flew down to San Diego’s Recruit Teaching Middle.
On completion of boot camp, he noted to the Naval Air Technological Instruction Heart at Millington, Tennessee, for Avionics A Faculty.
In August 1970, Kindrick attended VA-122 teaching squadron at Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore, California. The 11-7 days study course consisted of fundamentals important for operating with the A-7E Corsair II mild assault aircraft.
“At that time, the A-7E was the Navy’s latest floor attack jet with the most state-of-the-art laptop built-in flight, navigation and weapons programs management in the earth,” Kindrick, 70, linked. “I then transferred to VA-97, the squadron that would be my house for the relaxation of my enlistment.”