AN - E3 - Navy - Reserve
Length of service 0 years
His tour began on Jun 17, 1966
Casualty was on Jun 17, 1966
In OFFSHORE, MILITARY REGION 2, SOUTH VIETNAM
Non-Hostile, died missing, FIXED WING - CREW
Loss Coordinates: 125336N 1093123E (CQ398257)
AIR LOSS, CRASH AT SEA
Body was not recovered
Panel 08E - Line 58
Other Personnel in Incident: Ralph B. Cobbs; Jack I. Dempsey; Stanley J. Freng; Edward L. Romig; Curtis D. Collette; Donald E. Siegwarth; Robert A. Cairns; Gene K. Hess; Connie M. Gravitte; Oley N. Adams; Larry E. Washburn (all missing)
On June 17, 1966, a C130E "Hercules" aircraft departed Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam en route to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa on an operational airlift support mission.
Aboard the flight were the crew, consisting of LtCdr. Ralph B. Cobbs; ADJ2 Curtis D. Collette; YN2 Jack I. Dempsey; ADR2
Stanley J. Freng; Ltjg. Edward L. Romig; AN M.J. Savoy; and Ltjg. Donald E. Siegwarth. All were assigned to the 7th Air Transport Squadron. Also aboard the aircraft were U.S. Air Force personnel SSgt. Robert A. Cairns; SSgt. Gene K. Hess; Capt. Connie M. Gravitte; SSgt. Oley N. Adams; and A1 Larry E. Washburn, and one other individual.
About 30 minutes into the flight, when the aircraft was 43 miles northeast of Nha Trang, the crew of a naval gunboat cruising off the South Vietnam coast observed the C130 explode and crash into the South China Sea.
No hostile fire was observed, and the exact cause of the crash could not be determined. The vessel arrived at the crash scene only minutes after the impact and began an immediate search.
The accident took place so swiftly that it must be assumed all aboard perished instantly. Some debris and wreckage have been recovered including parts of the aircraft and personal belongings.
Because this incident occurred far out to sea and in relatively deep water, the search and rescue (SAR) personnel believed no remains could be recovered by enemy forces.
The fate of the remaining crew and passengers aboard the Hercules is not in doubt, and it appears there's little to no chance of recovering their remains.
Only one body was recovered from the crash site. The others are listed as "Dead/Body Not Recovered."