ÿþ<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Blimp Squadron 33, Blimpron 33, ZP-33</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY BGCOLOR="#CBCBFF"> <Center> <IMG SRC="ZP-33TitlePage.jpg" Width=594 Height=173 ALT="United States Navy USN Blimp Squadron 33 Air Ship Squadron 33 Blimpron-33 Blimp Hedron 33 ZP-33 Detachment 33 in World War II Two WWII Tillamook."> <BR><BR><Font Size=3> <IMG SRC="Tillamook00.jpg" Width=800 Height=371><BR> <B>K-ship of USN Airship Squadron 33 at Tillamook, Oregon.</B><BR><BR> Also known as Blimp Squadron 33, Blimpron 33, Hedron 33, or ZP-33, the squadron operated from Tillamook, North Bend, and Astoria, Oregon; <a href="TillamookSheltonMontage.jpg" target="_blank"> Shelton</a>, Quillayute, and Eureka, Washington; and Del Mar, California between December 1942 to September 1945. Lieutenant Commander Emmett J. Sullivan was the first Commanding Officer of ZP-33 from December 10, 1942 until March 14, 1944 when he was promoted to Officer-in-Charge, Fleet Airships Pacific Training Unit (FAPTU) based at Naval Facility Del Mar, CA. Because of his LTA knowledge and experience with K-ships, magnetic anomaly detection (MAD), and crew training, in May of 1944, <A HREF="Lagens04.jpg" target="_blank"> Emmett Sullivan</A> was named the Squadron Commander of <A HREF="http://www.warwingsart.com/LTA/zp-14.html" target="_blank">ZP-14</a> which made the first transatlantic crossings by non-rigid airships (K-ships), conducted anti-submarine warfare (ASW) at the Straits of Gibraltar, and performed mine-spotting, minesweeping, and escort missions in the Mediterranean Theater. Sullivan chose another ZP-33 officer, <A HREF="Lagens04.jpg" target="_blank"> Lt. E. W. Steffen</A> as Operations Officer for ZP-14. Back at Tillamook, Lt. Cmdr. William R. Peeler succeeded Sullivan as Commanding Officer of ZP-33 on March 14, 1944.<BR><BR> <IMG SRC="K-87Quillayute.jpg" Width=1000 Height=333><BR> The two USN photographs of K-87 shown above were taken at Quillayute, Washington. The date was possibly September 8, 1944 when, according to<BR> the ZP-33 Squadron Diary, "pilot Lt(jg) Suhr, took 61 of the personnel from NAS Quillayute on short flights aboard the K-87."<BR><BR> <B><Font Size=4>Early Construction at Naval Air Station (NAS) Tillamook:</Font Size=4></B><BR><BR> <A HREF="Tillamook01.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook01t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>01 <A HREF="Tillamook02 NAS-3 18May42.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook02t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>02 <A HREF="Tillamook03 NAS-4 31Oct42.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook03t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>03 <A HREF="Tillamook10.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook10t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>04 <A HREF="Tillamook11.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook11t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>05 <A HREF="Tillamook12.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook12t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>06<BR> <A HREF="Tillamook13 NAS-1 23Mar43.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook13t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>07 <A HREF="Tillamook14 NAS-10 28Jul43.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook14t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>08 <A HREF="Tillamook15 NAS-14 A fm atop B 28Jul43.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook15t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>09 <A HREF="Tillamook17.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook17t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>10 <A HREF="Tillamook18.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook18t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>11 <A HREF="Tillamook20.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook20t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>12 <BR><BR> <B><Font Size=4>Ceremony at NAS Tillamook on December 7, 1942:</Font Size=4></B><BR><BR> <A HREF="Tillamook04 NAS-7 7Dec42.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook04t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>01 <A HREF="Tillamook05 NAS-9 7Dec42.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook05t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>02 <A HREF="Tillamook06 NAS-5 7Dec42.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook06t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>03 <A HREF="Tillamook07.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook07t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>04 <A HREF="Tillamook08.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook08t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>05 <A HREF="Tillamook09.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook09t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>06 <BR><BR> <B><Font Size=4>Personnel at NAS Tillamook:</Font Size=4></B><BR><BR> <A HREF="Tillamook58 Group Photo Aug. 25, 1944.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook58t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>01 <A HREF="Tillamook58a Group Photo Aug. 25, 1944.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook58at.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>02 <A HREF="Tillamook58b Group Photo Aug. 25, 1944.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook58bt.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>03 <A HREF="Tillamook59.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook59t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>04 <A HREF="Tillamook59a.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook59at.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>05 <A HREF="Tillamook59b.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook59bt.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>06 <A HREF="Tillamook60.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook60t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>07<BR> <A HREF="Tillamook60a.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook60at.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>08 <A HREF="Tillamook60b.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook60bt.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>09 <A HREF="Tillamook61.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook61t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>10 <A HREF="Tillamook63 Enlisted Men's Mess Hall 19 December 1942.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook63t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>11 <A HREF="Tillamook64.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook64t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>12 <A HREF="Tillamook62 September 1944.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook62t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>13 <A HREF="Tillamook56 Captain Karl Lange Relieved Of Command 9 Februar.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook56t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>14 <A HREF="NASTGroupBus.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="NASTGroupBust.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>15 <BR><BR> <B><Font Size=4>Aeronautical Equipment at NAS Tillamook in 1943:</Font Size=4></B><BR><BR> <A HREF="Tillamook44 Wall Instruments 8 June 1943.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook44t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>01 <A HREF="Tillamook45 8 June 1943.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook45t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>02 <A HREF="Tillamook46 Chart Desk 8 June 1943.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook46t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>03 <A HREF="Tillamook47 Teletypes 8 June 1943.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook47t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>04 <A HREF="Tillamook48 Instrument Table 8 June 1943.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook48t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>05 <A HREF="Tillamook49 Teletype Message Table 8 June 1943.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook49t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>06 <A HREF="Tillamook50.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook50t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>07 <A HREF="Tillamook51.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook51t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>08 <BR><BR> <B><Font Size=4>Aerial Views of NAS Tillamook:</Font Size=4></B> <BR><BR> <A HREF="Tillamook01.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook01t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>01 <A HREF="Tillamook02 NAS-3 18May42.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook02t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>02 <A HREF="Tillamook21.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook21t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>03 <A HREF="Tillamook22.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook22t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>04 <A HREF="Tillamook23.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook23t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>05 <A HREF="Tillamook25.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook25t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>06 <A HREF="Tillamook26.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook26t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>07<BR> <A HREF="Tillamook39 NAS-13 fm 3999ft 14Nov44.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook39t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>08 <A HREF="Tillamook40.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook40t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>09 <A HREF="Tillamook41 NAS-12 no date.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook41t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>10 <A HREF="Tillamook42 NAS-11 no date.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook42t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>11 <A HREF="Tillamook53.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook53t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>12 <A HREF="Tillamook54.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook54t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>13 <A HREF="TillamookUpdate01.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="TillamookUpdate01t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>14 <A HREF="TillamookUpdate03.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="TillamookUpdate03t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>15 <BR><BR><BR> <B><Font Size=4>Wreck of the K-71 near Long Beach, WA on November 20, 1943:</Font Size=4></B><BR><BR> <A HREF="K-71Wreck1.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="K-71Wreck1t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>01 <A HREF="K-71Wreck2.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="K-71Wreck2t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>02<BR> <B>Squadron Diary History - Airship Squadron Thirty Three</B> <I>20 November 1943 - Unable to reach her home base or auxiliary bases due to heavy weather and lack of fuel, the K-71 made a forced landing on the beach 2 miles north of Long Beach, Washington, to an emergency landing party. After approximately 10 minutes on the ground, the ship became unmanageable because of strong gusts of wind, which resulted in the starboard propeller hitting the sand. Both engines were out and the ship ripped to prevent it from being blown to sea.</I> <BR><BR> <B><Font Size=4>Crash of K-39 at Quillayute, WA on January 4, 1944:</Font Size=4></B><BR><BR> <A HREF="Tillamook K39 crash1a.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook K39 crash1at.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>01 <A HREF="Tillamook K39 crash2a.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook K39 crash2at.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>02 <A HREF="Tillamook K39 crash3a 7Jan44.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook K39 crash3at 7Jan44.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>03 <A HREF="Tillamook K39 crash4a.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook K39 crash4at.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>04<BR> <B>Squadron Diary History - Airship Squadron Thirty Three</B> <I>4 January 1944 - The K-39 landed to an emergency landing party at Quillayute, Washington and while attempts were being made to mast the airship, shifting winds caused it to roll and kite bending both propellors and necessitating cutting both engines. Heavy gusts then tore the lines from the handling party and the hauling-in line from the winch of the mast. The airship became airborne, out of control, and ripped.</I> <BR><BR> <B><Font Size=4>Crash of K-111 on Santa Catalina Island, CA on October 17, 1944:</Font Size=4></B><BR><BR> <A HREF="Tillamook55.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook55t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>01<BR> <B>San Diego Union, Thursday Morning, October 19, 1944: Five Killed When Blimp Crashes at Catalina</B> <I>Los Angeles, Oct. 18 (U.P.)--Discovery of the bodies of two more crewmen trapped in the smoldering wreckage of a U. S. Navy blimp which wandered off its course in a fog and smashed into a Santa Catalina island hill tonight brought the total of dead to five. Five other crew members were injured, three critically, navy officials said. Names of the dead and injured were withheld pending notification of next of kin.</I><BR><BR> <B>Los Angeles Times, Saturday Morning, October 21, 1944: Sixth Dies as Result of Catalina Blimp Crash</B> <I>Raising to six the death toll in the Tuesday night crash of a Navy blimp on Catlina Island in a fog, Lt. Thomas H. Ralston, U.S.N.R., whose widow Joan Ralston resides in Solana Beach, died yesterday of his injuries. Four others have so far survived their injuries.</I><BR><BR> <B>Squadron Diary History - Airship Squadron Thirty Three</B> <I>23 October 1944 - Memorial services for the officers and men killed in the crash mentioned under entry of 17 October were held in Hangar B.</I> See also: <A HREF="http://www.nastillamook.org/faqs/blimps/accidents.htm" target="_blank"> NAST Homepage</A>. <BR><BR><BR> <B><Font Size=4>More Hangar Construction Photographs:</Font Size=4></B><BR><BR> <A HREF="Tillamook24.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook24t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>01 <A HREF="Tillamook27.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook27t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>02 <A HREF="Tillamook28.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook28t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>03 <A HREF="Tillamook29.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook29t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>04 <A HREF="Tillamook30.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook30t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>05 <A HREF="Tillamook31.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook31t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>06<BR> <A HREF="Tillamook32.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook32t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>07 <A HREF="Tillamook33.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook33t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>08 <A HREF="Tillamook34.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook34t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>09 <A HREF="Tillamook35.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook35t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>10 <A HREF="Tillamook36.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook36t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>11 <A HREF="Tillamook37.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook37t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>12 <BR><BR> <B><Font Size=4>Maps of NAS Tillamook:</Font Size=4></B><BR><BR> <A HREF="TillamookMap.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="TillamookMapt.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>01 <A HREF="TillamookMapApproachZones.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="TillamookMapApproachZonest.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>02 <A HREF="TillamookMapBooklet.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="TillamookMapBooklett.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>03 <A HREF="TillamookMapHoldingArea.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="TillamookMapHoldingAreat.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>04 <A HREF="TillamookMapNewport.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="TillamookMapNewportt.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>05 <A HREF="TillamookMapPersonnel.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="TillamookMapPersonnelt.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>06 <A HREF="TillamookMapTaxiLanding.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="TillamookMapTaxiLandingt.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>07 <A HREF="TillamookMapTaxiTake-Off.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="TillamookMapTaxiTake-Offt.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>08 <BR><BR> <B><Font Size=4>Miscellaneous ZP-33 Photographs:</Font Size=4></B><BR><BR> <A HREF="Tillamook57 Enlisted Men's Barracks 19 December 1942.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook57t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>01 <A HREF="Tillamook16.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook16t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>02 <A HREF="Tillamook52.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook52t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>03 <A HREF="Tillamook38 NAS-6 Jul45.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="Tillamook38t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>04 <A HREF="TillamookProposedPatch.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="TillamookProposedPatcht.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>05 <A HREF="TillamookApprovedPatch.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="TillamookApprovedPatcht.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>06 <A HREF="TillamookUpdate02.jpg" target="_blank"><IMG SRC="TillamookUpdate02t.jpg" Width=100 Height=75></A>07 <BR><BR><BR> Read the <A Href="ZP-33 Squadron Diary.pdf" target="_blank"> ZP-33 Squadron Diary</A> (this is a large 16 MB pdf file). <BR><BR><BR> Unless otherwise mentioned, the photographs on this page were provided by Christian Gurling at the <A href="http://www.tillamookair.com/" target="_blank"> Tillamook Air Museum</A>.<BR><BR><BR> Contact: don.kaiser@gmail.com<BR><BR> <a href="zp-11.html" target="_blank">Airship Patrol Squadron ZP-11</a><BR> <a href="zp-14.html" target="_blank">Airship Patrol Squadron ZP-14</a><BR> <a href="zj-1.html" target="_blank">Airship Utility Squadron ZJ-1</a><BR><BR> <a href="http://www.naval-airships.org/" target="_blank">The Naval Airship Association, Inc.</a> <BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR> <!-- Site Meter --> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://s50.sitemeter.com/js/counter.js?site=s50blimp"> </script> <noscript> <a href="http://s50.sitemeter.com/stats.asp?site=s50blimp" target="_top"> <img src="http://s50.sitemeter.com/meter.asp?site=s50blimp" alt="Site Meter" border="0"/></a> </noscript> <!-- Copyright (c)2006 Site Meter --> </body> </html>