ERMA — With a thunderous roar, a Navy F/18 Hornet jet landed at the county airport Wednesday June 3 for a visit to the Naval Air Station Wildwood Museum.

CDR. Samuel Paparo piloted the jet and offered a lecture on Naval air operations at the museum. His visit was extended 12 hours by heavy thunderstorms in the region that delayed a planned 8:30 p.m. departure.

Paparo hails from Philadelphia and was a 1987 graduate of Villanova University. He was designated a naval aviator in 1989 through the Aviation Officer Candidate School.
In his first tour of duty, he flew the F-14 Tomcat with the “Tophatters” of Fighter Squadron 14 at NAS Oceana, Va. serving until 1995.

Paparo graduated from Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) and reported for exchange duty with the Air Force, flying F-15C Eagles with the “Ironmen” of the 71st Fighter Squadron for the Air Force at Langley Air Force Base.

Beginning in October 1998, he reported for training in the F/A-18C, NAS Cecil Field, Fla. and then served as a department head with the “Valions” of VFA-15. He flew combat sorties over Iraq and Afghanistan.

In March 2002, he reported to Commander, Naval Air Forces as an F/A-18 training, readiness and requirements officer.
Paparo next reported as executive officer of the “Dambusters” of VFA-195, part of the forward deployed naval forces, located at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan. He assumed command in August 2005, serving as commanding officer until December 2006.

In January 2007, he reported to Fort Bragg, N.C. for training as commanding officer of the Provincial Reconstruction Team, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, deploying until April 2008.

In May 2008, Paparo assumed command of the Gladiators of Strike Force Fighter Squadron 106, the Fleet Replacement Squadron for the F/A-18 Aircrew for the Navy and Marine Corps on the East coast.