Note:

I went to Air Anti–Submarine Squadron 4 — "The Shamrocks" squadron — looking for a St. Patrick's Day feature opportunity.

During my initial visit to the North Island navy squadron headquarters (across the bay from downtown San Diego), I came up with the idea to "Shamrock" 75 personnel around an S–3A Viking jet, a submarine hunter/killer aircraft, and I arranged to shoot it the following morning.

However, The Shamrocks' CO (Commanding Officer) got word of it and ordered his entire squadron to muster in their dress uniforms for the photograph — the very next morning!

The Associated Press AP wire service picked this image up and it went world wide, including Europe and Asia as a Saint Patrick's Day feature photo.

Photo by G. Ballard, San Diego