JULIAN FUENTEZ

USS WESTCHESTER COUNTY (LST-1167) was a Terrebonne Parish-class tank landing ship commissioned by the United States Navy in 1954. Designed to support amphibious operations, she played a critical role during the Vietnam War, transporting troops, vehicles, and supplies along the rivers and coastlines of South Vietnam. On November 1, 1968, she suffered a devastating Viet Cong attack while anchored in the My Tho River, resulting in heavy casualties and damage. Decommissioned in 1973, USS WESTCHESTER COUNTY was later transferred to the Philippines, where she served as BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57).

Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron TWO (VQ-2), known as the "Batmen," was a U.S. Navy squadron established in 1955 at Naval Station Port Lyautey, Morocco, before relocating to Rota, Spain, in 1959. The unit specialized in signals intelligence (SIGINT), operating aircraft such as the P4M Mercator, A3 Skywarrior, and later the EP-3 Aries. VQ-2 played a crucial role during the Cold War, monitoring Soviet naval and air activities in the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Middle East. After decades of service, the squadron moved to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington, before being disestablished in 2012.