Found this as eery and kind of moving about the VF-17...
The history of the Jolly Rogers at this point is a bit fuzzy, with many saying the squadron transferred over to form the new VF-84 on Bunker Hill. It is true that many members of the former squadron were assigned to this new squadron (including its new CO, Roger Hedrick), but according to the Navy's records, the Jolly Rogers name and traditions were passed to VF-5B in 1946, which subsequently became VF-61 on April 28, 1948. Also unclear is the timing of the legend of ENS Jack Ernie. Ernie, a new pilot to the Jolly Rogers, was shot down in combat during the invasion of Okinawa. On his last transmission to his skipper, Ernie said, "… remember me with the Jolly Rogers." After his remains were recovered, his family presented his skull and femur bones, mounted in a glass case, to the men of the Jolly Rogers as a living symbol and tradition of the squadron. Now, before every new commander takes over the Jolly Rogers squadron, there is a ceremony, called "The Passing of the Bones," where the remains of ENS Jack Ernie are passed from the old skipper to the new one. Though this story is said to be true, there are a few discrepancies. It is unclear to which squadron Ernie was a member of - VF-17, VF-84, VF-61, or another squadron. In Tommy Blackburn's book, The Jolly Rogers, he recounts the exploits of his squadron's tour of duty, the original VF-17. Nowhere in his book does Blackburn, the CO of VF-17, mention a word about ENS Jack Ernie, nor was he listed on the squadron roster. VF-17 was disestablished before the invasion of Okinawa (1945), anyway, so Ernie seems unlikely to have flown with Fighting 17. This leads me to believe that Ernie was flying with another squadron at the time of his demise, probably before VF-61 became the Jolly Rogers, but after VF-17 was disestablished. That leaves either VF-84, which was not a Jolly Roger squadron, or another Navy squadron of the time. The legend and mystery continue…
