Hmmm, with 100 in storage not sure why the can’t identify one to pull parts from it they really wanted it to keep flying.
I have flown on the US-3A model, and even did a carrier landing during Gulf War 1, as a passenger obviously.
One of the great Naval aircraft of all time, very versatile, performed maratime surveillance & reccon, tanker missions, it was a great submarine hunter. I have 7 traps and cats in the S-3 and another 30 in the C-2 Cod as a civilian from when I worked for AIRPAC; not as a pilot but as a passenger. The S-3 was also jokingly referred to as the Hoover; when playing golf at the course on base at North Island many a time an S-3 would take off (there was a runway right next to a couple of the holes, can’t remember which) and when the engines spooled up it sounded like a loud Hoover vaccuum cleaner. It was just an all-around great workhorse aircraft for the US Navy.
On a related aviation note, I've had quite a few BAe 146 flying real low over my house this week. We've got fires burning in North Idaho, Eastern Washington and Western Montana. They return to the firefighting base at Coeur d'Alene airport. I saw a large two-rotor helo with a snorkel dangling down headed toward the CdA airport a few minutes ago, too.
(no, they weren't dumping water on my house!)
As a stashed ensign at VS-41 (the S-3 RAG/FRS) awaiting a class slot for flight training in Pensacola, I got a single leg cross country, coast-to-coast ride in a Hoover for the holidays with the family. Had all my Tijuana-purchased Christmas goodies stored aboard. Great range & endurance and a versatile tactical platform!