TCVA Celebrates 28 Years!
28 Years Ago, 5 Shipmates Began a Legacy
28 years ago, five old shipmates gathered in Buff Crowell’s “man cave” and founded what has now become the TACAMO Community Veterans Association (TCVA). At the time, none of them could have imagined the lasting impact that meeting would have. Today, nearly 4,000 members stay connected through Facebook, keeping in touch with friends and shipmates who might otherwise have been lost to history.
During that meeting, the idea of scholarships was discussed as a future possibility. Today, we proudly award five $1,000 scholarships to aspiring students who are the children or grandchildren of TACAMO shipmates. And thanks to our collective efforts, The TACAMO Foundation now exists to support educational programs for generations to come.
Other educational initiatives, such as the TACAMO exhibit at the Patuxent River Naval Aviation Museum, are the result of our community members’ dedication. Through their efforts, we’ve preserved and shared the significant role our shipmates played in our national defense and in maintaining world peace.
We should all take pride in our service and the legacy we’ve built together. What started as a chance meeting has grown into a thriving, official community. Whether you’re an old Herc salt, a newbie on the aging Mercs, or a future E-130J sailor, you’re family in this community.
Thanks for being part of the journey.

VQ4 at PAX RIVER
AZ3 Lent 1970’s Swing Shift Tool Room Supervisor
“The pioneer's work always tends to be forgotten when experience and routine later make everything seem easy…” - Hugh Alexander
Thanks to these “Pioneers” we all enjoy the the memories and tidbits of our collective history when we were young warriors and intimate comrades. We soared away from our homes and our loved ones to continually stand watch and provide an ever-ready and recognizable deterrent against determined agressors. While it was/is a serious mission, it was also a glorious time of camaraderie and esprit de corp. Thanks to these visionary pioneers we can, if just for a few fleeting moments, remember our younger days. Thanks for the memories.
Well, it was a great idea. I read every single one. Don't always know the names, but the mission and organization and people made it what it was/is now.