Who We Are

Providing a resource of unity for anyone who shares an interest in preserving the history and legacy of the men and women who have served as Sensor Operators in the Lockheed S-3 Viking or Radar Operators and Sonobuoy Operators in the Grumman S-2 Tracker aircraft.

If you ever strapped into the left aft seat of the S-3 Viking, stood the acoustic watch, dropped sonobuoys, ran the MAD boom, or answered “SENSO” on the ICS, this is your association!

Back in the middle of 2022, two old SENSOs got together for some drinks and reminiscing. Now what might have sounded to outsiders like a recipe for disaster turned into something far better.


Blair Smith, who had lived in Las Vegas for years, still made it a point to reconnect with his old squadron mates whenever he visited the San Diego area. He had served as an instructor in VS-41 and flown fleet tours with VS-37 and VS-29. Jay Blinn, who had also instructed at VS-41 and flown with VS-21, had stayed close to their shared history.

Blair saw the post announcing the death of Dave Wein and reached out. What started as a call to honor Dave quickly expanded. The two men toasted departed friends and realized the losses were only going to accelerate. Then Jay spoke the words that changed everything: “It sure would be great to get some of the ole’ gang together before we’re all gone or too old and decrepit to travel.”

The idea caught fire. Drinks were sipped, energy surged, and the plan took shape. Since they had both served as instructors at VS-41, they decided to start by gathering some of the old SENSO instructors in San Diego for a reunion — a chance to honor those who had passed and reconnect those still here.

Legend has it that Jay then looked straight through the phone into Blair’s SENSO soul and delivered the line: “Blair, you are the perfect person to put this together.”  And that, as they say, is how the first reunion and the VSA organization was born.