OCTOBER 31, 2024 – Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 26 hosted a former aviator from its predecessor squadron, Helicopter Combat Support Squadron (HC) 6, to walk through squadron history and heritage following the 249th birthday celebration of the U.S. Navy.
Every November, the United States takes a day to honor veterans for their service and sacrifices to their country. As Veteran’s Day 2024 approaches, HSC-26 reflects on a recent and unique opportunity to do just that while hosting retired Capt. Pete Lumianski and his wife Chris for a tour of his former squadron.
The couple now reside in Phoenix, Arizona, so the trip was inspired by the opportunity to visit friends and peers from their time in service who they don’t often have the option to visit, leading to a short stop in Norfolk to reminisce on Lumianski’s early days of service.
A U.S. Naval Academy graduate of the class of 1965, Lumianski arrived to his first fleet command, HC-4 Detachment Norfolk, in 1967 following the conclusion of flight school and the pinning of his “Wings of Gold”. Shortly after his arrival, the squadron was re-designated as HC-6, meeting various missions with multiple different helicopters.
“HC flying was a terrific start to my Navy career. There were three types of choppers on the flight line: H-34s, H-3s and H-46s, about 30 assigned pilots, many operational missions and lots of opportunities to head out to sea on board a variety of ships including destroyers, frigates, amphibious assault ships and aircraft carriers,” Lumianski said of his first sea tour.
He was designated as an aircraft commander for both the Sikorsky RH-3A Sea King and the UH-34 Sea Horse helicopters, executing mine countermeasures and combat support missions respectively, but also logged copilot time in the Boeing CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter executing vertical replenishment and logistics missions before he received orders back to flight school as an instructor at Helicopter Training Squadron (HT) 8 in 1970.
“I loved my first operational flying assignment in Norfolk, a squadron with many diverse and odd-ball pilots assigned. The ready room was always a ‘Star Wars Bar Scene’ look-alike,” Lumianski expressed.
Lt. Maxwell Gray, a pilot currently assigned to HSC-26, assisted with the visit. Starting off in the ready room, he showed Lumianski and his wife various offices and work centers, maintenance spaces and projects as well as the paraloft, ending the tour with a static display of HSC-26’s current helicopter platform, the MH-60S Knighthawk.
“Meeting with Capt. Lumianski was a great honor and experience that I’ll never forget. His stories of flying the mighty H-3 were inspiring and I am grateful for the wisdom he shared,” Gray said of the experience. “I’ll carry it with me for the rest of my career.”
The hard work and dedication of squadron personnel were impossible to miss. Multiple aircraft in the hangar were in varying levels of assembly while maintenance personnel kept replacement parts as well as those which were to be returned to their airframes organized in easily identifiable locations. To the untrained eye it may have appeared chaotic, but Lumianski saw expertise, attention to detail and pride shine through.
“Overall, the hangar looked and sounded a lot like it was back in the 60’s: busy, mission-oriented, rugged, with well-worn, hard-working aircraft, and the assignment of lots of officers and enlisted to make things work,” Lumianski said. “I leave you feeling that the Navy is in good hands and the helicopter world is still a big contributor to the Navy’s readiness and success.”
Nowadays, Lumianski has dedicated himself to giving back to his local community and other Cold War veterans like himself by promoting a project that would bring unique Cold War monument to downtown Phoenix.
“I’ve been working on this project in Phoenix for the past 30 years, and we’re finally making significant progress with the city’s help,” Lumianski said.
As a plank owner of a special city-appointed group, the USS Phoenix (SSN 702) Commission, Lumianski has led an effort to ensure 65 tons of salvaged parts from the Cold War era Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine make their way to their namesake city. The project was created in an effort to help preserve history and allow visitors to “Learn, Honor and Remember” Cold War military Veterans of all services, as well as civilians serving in defense and national security areas for their contributions to ending the Cold War.
He feels it is truly a culmination of his life in service as a Cold War era naval aviator qualified and capable of executing the anti-submarine warfare mission, and a passion project that is nearing realization.
“I spent 27 years in the Navy, and overall had a tremendous and gratifying learning experience. The opportunities for using and growing my leadership and management skills, the accomplishment of developing and perfecting my operational and flying skills, the hard work and adventures of operational life, and most of all the fun, enjoyment and satisfaction of working with so many fine officers and enlisted persons over many years have all fixed and maintained my positive perspectives and attitudes about life,” Lumianski reflected. ”I owe a lot to my naval career, and greatly appreciate what it has done to and for me.”
The impact and legacy of Pete Lumianski will no doubt leave a lasting impression on the members of HSC-26 who were fortunate enough to meet him.
Story by Lt. Julie Johnson
Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic