Preserving History, Honoring Heroes

The Story of the Stoof (S2F)

I am the S2F Tracker, though most of the crew that used to fly me called me the “Stoof.” Built in the early 1950’s, I was designed to patrol the seas, hunting for submarines that posed a threat to the fleet.  My sleek wings, rugged built, and dual prop engines made me perfectly suited for long missions.  I was no fighter jet, but I played a vital role, quietly protecting my fellow ships and sailors.  My radar and sonar systems—cutting edge at the time– allowed me to seek out submarines lurking beneath the waves, making sure they stayed far from the carrier groups.

In the early days, I was stationed on a massive aircraft carrier, my wings folding neatly to fit among the other planes in the hangar.  I could hear the roar of jets launching, but my job was more patient, more methodical.  Once I was airborne, I would glide over the ocean, scanning for any signs of a submarine below.  When I found one, my crew would load my bomb bay with depth charges, ready to neutralize the threat.  

I was there through decades of Cold War tension, my crew always on high alert.  I flew from the Pacific to the Atlantic, and from warm tropical waters to the cold Artic seas.  I was stationed on many aircraft carrier ships including the USS Valley Forge, USS Leyte, USS Randolph, USS Tarawa, USS Essex, USS Ranger, and the USS Enterprise.  

I remember June 9, 1960, vividly.  I was assigned to the USS Essex, a grand aircraft carrier that cut through the waters with purpose.  We were part of three intense anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercises, including NATO’s “Operation Swordfish” in the Norwegian Sea and Bay of Biscay.  I soared over cold, choppy waters, scanning for unseen threats below the surface, my crew relying on me to keep them safe. 

Fast forward to 1961, and over 70,000 people came to see me and the Essex in Hamburg, Germany.  I stood on the deck, wings folded, a symbol of power and security during a time of rising tension.  Just 178 miles away, the Berlin Wall was going up—an unsettling reminder that the world was changing rapidly.  But even as the crisis in Berlin loomed, I remained steadfast, ready to defend the seas, a sentinel in the sky watching over the uncertain world below.

Over time, technology advanced, and newer aircraft began to take on the duties I had once performed.  Yet I wasn’t ready to retire just yet.  Some of my sister aircraft became part of training fleets, teaching new generations of pilots about the Navy’s history.

Now I sit outside, weathered and exposed to the elements, while on display at Princeton, MN in the Flight Expo collection. I no longer soar through the skies but stand proud, showing all that venture near the proud markings of an old Navy plane. My once-proud frame, built to withstand the harshness of the ocean and sky, is now vulnerable to time’s wear.  I have stories to tell, even though my engines are silent.  I may no longer hunt submarines or patrol the seas, but my legacy lives on in the hearts of those who flew with me, the sailors I protected and the wide-eyed children that visit me today.

I need a shelter—a building to preserve what remains of my legacy. In this safe place, I can continue to tell my story of duty and service, a tribute to the men and women who flew me and the history I helped shape. Visit Flightexpo.org or mail a check to PO Box 155, Zimmerman MN 55398. Please consider a generous donation today.

“The sanctity of our battlefields, monuments, and veterans’ institutions is of upmost importance to preserve military history and pay respect to those who fought.” 

US Representative Henry Waxman