HC-7 RESCUE 76 (1) 25-Feb-1970 (Wednesday)

UH-2A Kaman Seasprite helo Clementine Det 107
USS Horne (DLG-30) Routine Day (2)
40 miles off North Vietnam coast

Pilot – LTJG Paul J. Skrzypek
Co-pilot – LTJG Joseph W. Behunin
1st crew – AE-2 Robert T. Conlin
2nd crew – AMS-3 Patrick L. Clark

F-4B Phantom 152286 NL-206 VF-161, (Chargers) USN
USS Coral Sea (CVA-43)

LTJG T. Young

A Phantom from the Coral Sea was lost due to a rare failure of a tanker aircraft not being in the correct position to give fuel when it was needed. The Phantom eventually ran out of fuel, the engines failed and the crew ejected and were rescued from the sea. (5)

Det 107 deployed aboard the USS Horne, rescue one of two pilots who ejected from a crippled F-4B. The other pilot was plucked from the water by another helicopter. (11)

USS Horne received the SAR alert at 15:12, changes course to obtain wind across the flight deck. USS Horne detaches USS Hoel (DDG-13), the shotgun to new station, 000⁰ at 5 miles. Both helos are away. Horne continues to steer toward the scene. Both pilots are aboard helos at 15:27. At 15:29 the two helos are recovered with pilot and RIO, pilot was LTJG YOUNG, RIO was LT GICHLRIST. (12)

Bill Harmon – HC-7 SeaDevil – member of Det 107 “ The H-3 launched first, then we broke a record getting our helo in the air. It was the best day of my Navy career. I really felt like I had been part of something good. “ (10)

1) Numbering as per HC-7 Rescue Log (accumulative rescue number)
2) HC-7 Rescue Log
4) Map – Goggle Earth
5) “Vietnam – Air Losses” By: Chris Hobson (with permission)
10) HC-7 History collection; Ron Milam – Historian
11) Kaman Rotor Tips – May-June-July 1970
12) USS Horne – Deck Logs

(Compiled / written by: Ron Milam, HC-7 Historian – HC-7, 2-1969 to 7-1970, Det 108 & 113)