USS Oriskany Vietnam War 1966-1967 skipper
US Navy Captain John H Iarrobino
This grouping is from a Naval aviator who joined the Navy in World War II and went on to command the carrier USS Oriskany during the Vietnam War. He was skipper during the tragic fire of Oct. 1967 that killed 44 crew members.
This grouping includes some one-of-a-kind items: his personal guestbook as CO of the Oriskany, signed by such VIP's as then-Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, the Secretary of the Navy, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and top Navy officers. There are signs from the Captain's cabins on the Oriskany and a small plaque which Capt. Iarrobino himself made from a section of the wood flight deck and a nut used to fasten the deck. There is an oil painting of him as a young officer, presentation plaques, a letter from the Village of Oriskany, New York, ribbons and medals, and more, a photo and reunion cap from the USS Bayfield, his command before the Oriskany and more.
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Not shown here is an 8x10 color photograph of the Captain in uniform.
This grouping is from Capt. John Irrabino, a Naval aviator who joined the Navy in World War II and went on to command the carrier USS Oriskany during the Vietnam War. He was skipper during the tragic fire of Oct. 1967 that killed 44 crew members.
This grouping includes some one-of-a-kind items, that cannot be duplicated: his personal guestbook as CO of the Oriskany, signed by such VIP's as then-Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, the Secretary of the Navy, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and top Navy officers. There are signs from the Captain's cabins doors on the Oriskany and a small plaque which Capt. Iarrobino himself made from a section of the wood flight deck and a nut used to fasten the deck.
There are mounted medals, apparently never worn, a set of pinback H&W Navy pilots wings and three bullion wings, one each for the khaki, dress blue and aviation working green uniforms. There is a cloth ribbon set on khaki, collar and cap insignia, a cap badge for the visor cap, a pair of Wolf-Brown Captain's shoulder boards, name tags including one on which they misspelled his last name, his navigator's tools, a Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club patch, a wood plank shaped like the Oriskany flight deck and presented to him at the end of his tour by the wardroom officers, and a large plaque also presented at the end of his one year tour at the helm of the Oriskany. a portrait, retirement certificate, Legion of Merit certificate, ribbons and much more.
Another presentation piece was given to him by some enlisted men: it's a desk set with a handmade model of the Oriskany. The model is covered by a plexiglas cover held on by two screws. The deskset has a pen, clock and a brass plate with inscription.
Additionally there is a book about WWII Navy fliers in the Southern, inscribed to Capt. Irrabino by author and fellow Naval aviator Bob Rice.
This was his guestbook for Captain's visitors to the USS Oriskany from March 1966 to March 1967:
The final entry was made by the officer who relieved him, Capt. Billy D Holder:
This wonderful piece was made by Capt. Irrabino and is self-descriptive:
I don't know when he got these, whether they were something given to him when at the end of his command, or possibly later when the Oriskany was decommisioned and turned into a reef:
Okay here are the items added to this grouping as of Dec. 14.
This is a set of ribbons that were obviously used:
This large oil portrait of the Captain shows him as a young officer. The image size is about 16 by 20 inches and the frame is 23 x 26:
The Captain was a big golfer and someone created this wonderful 16 x 20 piece about that:
His command before the Oriskany was the USS Bayfield and while skipper he helmed her during participation some of Marines early assaults in Vietnam.
Here's a photo signed to him by Admiral Thomas M. Moorer, who went on to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Chief of Naval Operations:
This large 22 x 24 inch plaque thanks him for his service and his donation of Oriskany items to the museum in Oriskany, New York:
The Village of Oriskany made him an honorary citizen:
This is another large plaque (16 x 22 and, like the one above, resin-coated). It has a clock and a photo of the Oriskany anchor at Trinkaus Park in Oriskany, NY:
And this plaque is from the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. Its brass plate has information about the Captains's service:
My email is bob at bobhudson.com or you can use this email form or call me at 760-622-1893.
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