At 10 a.m. on July 17, the NAS Whidbey Island flight line was silenced from the blast of turning engines as the Gray Wolves of Electronic
Attack Squadron (VAQ) 142 bid a final farewell to Commanding Officer (CO) Cmdr. James G. Stoneman. The change of command ceremony
welcomed incoming CO, Cmdr. Richard J. Meadows and Executive Officer, Cmdr. Courtney B. Smith.
In a crowded hangar full of family, friends and coworkers, Stoneman said his final farewells to the men and women who served under
him. He thanked all the Enlisted Sailors and Officers for truly making his command tour a “dream job” and considered them to be
“true family.” He did not have to remind the squadron that they have spent the past two Thanksgivings and two Christmases deployed
as Gray Wolves.
During Stoneman’s 13-month leadership, VAQ-142 was awarded the 2007 Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award. The squadron flew
sorties in Red Flag, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Mission Employment Phase and a HARM exercise accumulating 4,035 flight hours under
his command.
Stoneman’s next assignment will be PMA-265 in Patuxent River, Md. While Stoneman will be missed, the Gray Wolves look forward to
continued success under the new leadership of Meadows.
After serving as executive officer for 13 months, Meadows is ready to receive the torch as CO and keep the Wolf Pack family tried and
true to the Navy Core Values and maintain the excellence that is the squadron’s standard.