HC-7 RESCUE 107(1) 18-Jun-1972 (Sunday)

HH-3A Sikorsky Seaking helo Det 110 Big Mother ( 60 ) (7)
Combat Day (2)
85 miles off North Vietnam coast

Pilot – LT Craig A. Peterson
Co-pilot – LT William D. Young
1st crew – ADJ-3 Timothy M. McCarthy
2nd crew – AMS-3 Allan L. Gaynor

F-4J Phantom 157273 (NH-107) (Black Lion 107) VF-213 (Black Lions) , USN,
USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63)

Lt Cdr Roy Cash Jr.

A section of Phantoms was flying a BARCAP mission over Hon Nieu island near Vinh during a dawn attack on a merchant ship. Lt Cdr Cash was jinking at 1,000 feet in an attempt to throw the anti-aircraft gunners off their aim when his aircraft was hit by 23mm flak. The port wing caught fire and fuel streamed from the aircraft as Lt Cdr Cash headed out to sea towards his carrier. About 100 miles out to sea the pilot eventually lost control as the hydraulic system began to fail completely. The crew ejected safely and were quickly picked up by a Navy helicopter. Lt Cdr Cash and his NFO. (5)

18-Jun Approx. 07:30 Rescues of Kitty Hawk aviators accomplished;

A. – BM 67 – Pilot Koch, copilot Budd, 1st crewman Plamondon, 2nd crewman Tremel successfully rescued LT Ron Laib VF-213 RIO.
B. – BM 60 – Pilot Peterson, copilot Young, 1st crewman McCarthy, 2nd crewman Gaynor successfully rescued LCDR Roy Cash VF-213 Pilot. (8)

1) Numbering as per HC-7 Rescue Log (accumulative rescue number)
2) HC-7 Rescue Log
3) HC-7 Det 110 Rescue report – NONE
4) Map – Goggle Earth
5) “Vietnam – Air Losses” By: Chris Hobson (with permission)
6) Unclassified Accident Report – B-3-64
7) Naval Aviation News – August 1972
8) Confidential Message – Combat Rescue Report
10) HC-7 History collection; Ron Milam – Historian
11) Loss aircraft location data provided by: W. Howard Plunkett (LtCol USAF, retired)

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