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November 29, 2007
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Local U.S. Navy pilot reports on performance of Prowler to its makers

Above, Lt. D'Ambrosio is shown with his family in front of the aricraft he flies with the Navy.
Lt. Andrew D'Ambrosio, of Amity Harbor, returned to Long Island after serving eight months in Iraq, Afghanistan and other areas flying Grumman's EA-6B ICAP III Prowler. He reported on the performance of the electronic attack aircraft, designed to blind radars, jam communications, perform so-called information operation missions and affect electronic systems used by adversaries, to the men and women of Northtrop Grumman and Republic Aviation who built it.

D'Ambrosio was born and raised in Amity Harbor and attended St. John the Baptist High School and Nassau Community College before earning his degree at Oneonta. He is part of the U.S. Navy squadron VAQ-138 based in Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, Washington.

During deployment , he and his crew members operated from aircraft carrier U.S.S. John C. Stennis.

Lt. D'Ambrosio nurtured a wish to become a military pilot since he was in junior high school, said his father, Andrew Sr. "He pursued that hope and got his wish, graduating Top Gun in his class," said his father.

D'Ambrosio, who was joined by his family, and Commander John Thompson, squadron commanding officer and Lt. Commander Benedict Clark. They addressed Northrop Grumman employees last month, telling them how the plane they built performed in the support military operations in which they were engaged.

"I was stunned by the wonderful reception he got at Grumman and Republic," said the elder D'Ambrosio.

Lt. D'Ambrosio was able to spend some time on Long Island with his family in August and is now in Washington D.C. undergoing additional training before he receives his next assignment.

Shown in photo, left to right are Lt. D'Ambrosio's mother Carmen, his father Andrew, his cousin Jason Abraham, Lt. D'Ambrosio, his cousin Michelle Abraham, his aunt Laura Doherty and his uncle Tom Doherty.
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