| Date: 2 October 1969 |
| Aircraft type: C-2A Greyhound |
| Serial Number: 152796 |
| Military Unit: VRC-50 |
| Service: USN |
| Home Base: Cubi Point NAS, Philippines |
| Name(s): |
| Lt Herbert Hugh Dilger (KWF) |
| Lt Richard Allen Livingstone (KWF) |
| PO3 Paul Kierstead Moser (KWF) |
| PO3 Michael James Tye (KWF) |
| PO3 Rayford Jerome Hill (KWF) |
| 20 passengers, names, ages, and units listed below. (KWF) |
| The aircraft carriers in the South China Sea and the Gulf of Tonkin were kept supplied with stores and ordnance while at sea by replenishment ships of TF 77. However, aircraft such as the C-1 Trader and the newer C-2 Greyhound were used for flying personnel and mail between ship and shore. Disaster struck on 2 October when a C-2 went missing during a flight from Cubi Point in the Philippines to the USS Constellation, which was operating in the Gulf. VRC-50 was a US Naval Reserve squadron that was based at Atsugi NAS in Japan with a detachment at Cubi Point and operated a mixed fleet including C-1As, C-2As, CT-39Es and KC-130Fs on transport duties throughout the Western Pacific and Far East area. The 20 passengers were from a variety of units and some were going to be transferred from the Constellation to other ships in the Gulf. The aircraft had made contact with the USS Constellation and reported that all was normal. The carrier’s radar tracked the aircraft until it disappeared from the screen about 10 miles from the ship. Helicopters took off immediately to search the area and a small amount of debris was spotted near an oil slick. The indications were that the aircraft had dived steeply into the sea and disintegrated. The cause of the accident was never established despite a salvage operation that lasted over a month although the most likely cause was thought to be an engine problem. All Navy C-2s were grounded for some time after this crash until modifications to the engine gearbox and mounting structure were made. A location of 70 miles northeast of Dong Hoi is given in one document for the location of the C-2’s loss.
The passengers aboard the aircraft that were all killed in the crash were: AME3 Terry L. Beck age 23 – VF-143 ATR3 Richard W. Bell age 22 – VF-142 ASE3 Michael L. Bowman age 20 – VA-27 PN1 Rolando C. Dayao age 34 - USS Walke (DD-723) HM2 Donald C. Dean age 27 – VAW-113 AMH2 Carl J. Ellerd age 29 – VA-97 AE2 James J. Fowler age 22 – VF-143 HM3 Roy G.Fowler age 22 – USS Constellation YNC Leonardo M. Gan age 40 - USS Walke (DD-723) MM1 Paul E. Gore age 29 - USS Constellation ABH3 William D. Gorsuch age 21 - USS Constellation AMS3 Delvin L. Kohler age 24 – VF-142 AN Howard M. Koslosky age 22 – VF-142 FTM2 Robert B. Leonard age 23 - USS Constellation AQB2 Ronald W. Montgomery age 22 – VF-143 MM2 William R. Moore age 23 – USS Long Beach ADJ2 Kenneth M. Prentice age 23 – VF-142 SD2 Fidel G. Saiazer age 33 – VAQ-133 DS3 Keavin L. Terrell age 19 - USS Constellation TN Reynaldo R. Viado age 24 – USS Hamner (DD-718) HC-7 Rescue Attempt Helicopter Combat Support Squadron SEVEN (HC-7) was established September 1, 1967. While simultaneously providing several fleet support activities in the Gulf of Tonkin, HC-7 assumed the responsibility for North Vietnam naval combat search and rescue. HC-7 prepared for action using UH-2B Kaman Sea Sprite helos inherited from HC-1 and were stationed in detachments aboard small boys, destroyers (DDs) and Guided Missile Frigates (DLGs), patrolling off the coast of North Vietnam primarily for the purpose of Search and Rescue (SAR) duty. The information at the following link was compiled by Ron Milam, the historian for HC-7, from ship's deck logs, official HC-7 Rescue Reports, other official and unofficial documents, interviews with crew members and survivors, and other sources, including the Chris Hobson book upon which this site is based. The details for the rescue attempt associated with this fixed wing loss can be accessed by clicking on this link. |
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