By
Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A 2005 Richland
High School graduate and Richland Hills, Texas native is serving in the U.S.
Navy aboard Naval Air Station Jacksonville, the largest base in the Southeast
Region and third largest in the nation.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Samuel Bingham is a naval
air crewman (operator) serving with Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing
11.
A naval air crewman is responsible
for the safety of the flight crew and country by ensuring that there are no
submarine threats to U.S. property.
“My job gives me a sense of pride
because I know that what I am doing is making a difference in ensuring the
safety of my country,” said Bingham.
According to Navy officials, Wing 11’s history and
reputation remain unparalleled since being commissioned on August 15, 1942.
Throughout the decades, Wing 11 has continued to fly combat missions in direct support of
the troops on the ground and delivered
traditional maritime capabilities, real-time intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance.
Beginning in the
1960s, the P-3C Orion, a land-based, long-range anti-submarine warfare patrol
aircraft, replaced the P-2V Neptune fleet. After 50 years of faithful
service and the 50th anniversary of Maritime Patrol and
Reconnaissance Force, the P-3C Orion is being phased out of the fleet,
according to Navy officials.
The P-8A is a modified Boeing airframe
featuring a fully connected, state-of-the-art, open architecture mission system
designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; and
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, Navy officials
explained.
"The U.S. Navy sometimes asks the
impossible of our people. It is sailors that make the impossible possible,”
said Capt. Anthony Corapi, Commodore, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11. “Petty Officer Bingham is one example of a
selfless servant of our nation. These
heroes ask for very little recognition and perform their daily job with pride
and professionalism defending freedom and our way of life around the
world. Each member of the Navy's combat
team is crucial to our success. I am very proud to have Petty Officer Bingham
on our team!"
Bingham is part of a crew that is transitioning to the P-8A Poseidon and preparing for deployment in the future.
“The camaraderie at this command makes
me love what I do,” said Bingham. “The bonds that we build here are lifelong.”
According to Navy officials, the Navy
continues to meet milestone after milestone on this world-class mission and is
providing an aircraft with superior capabilities to the men and women in uniform
that will have a lasting legacy promoting a global maritime strategy.
“Since joining the Navy I have gained
confidence in myself,” said Bingham. “I am more aware of my abilities and I
know that I can tackle any task thrown my way.”