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THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS AND IS NOT A DEFINITIVE LISTING - ANY HELP WITH CREW PHOTOS EXTRA INFO APPRECIATED

  

  Aircraft by type

Vought F-8 Crusader
Losses & Ejections
Part 1: 1956 - 1964
[Part 2 : 1965 - 1966]
Preliminary Listing
(Help appreciated to add pilot names and photos)
[any errors or omissions noticed please let me know so that I can correct them - mbenshar@aol.com ]

   Operators

USN
USMC		        
               
Date Air Force A'cft Unit / Serial based crashed crew photo seat
      1956

1st February 1956
Vought
USMC

Vought F8U-1
Crusader

140444

Edwards Air Force Base

Crashed  north Of Edwards AFB

Vought test pilot Harry T. Brackett
killed

Vought
4th May 1956
Vought
USMC		 Crusader F8U-1 141337 crashed  near Greenville, Texas during an evaluation flight in US Captain James Feliton, USMC ejected safely.
This was the first ejection from a Crusader.
[see 14th August 1956]		 Vought
14th August 1956
Vought		  F8U‑1
Crusader		     engine failed at high altitude Test pilot John W. Konrad, the first man to fly an F-8 in March 1955, was forced to eject (in a pressure suit) Vought

?? December 1956
USN

Vought F8U-1  Crusader

XC

VX-3
NAS Atlantic City, NJ USA

Landed short of runway

Pilot
???

 

 

21st December 1956
USN

Vought F8U-1 Crusader

XC

VX-3
NAS Atlantic City, NJ USA

Lost wing at around 500 knots

pilot ???
killed

 

 
      1957
30th January 1957
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		 141350 VX-3 in US CAPT Robert "Bob" Dose ejected

[personal testimony]

 Vought

2nd April 1957
USN

Vought F8U-1 Crusader

XC

VX-3
USS Franklin D. Roosevelt

Landing gear broken on landing

pilot
???

 

 

5th April 1957
USN

Vought F8U-1 Crusader

141358
XC

VX-3
USS Franklin D. Roosevelt

Lost power on take off. Crashed into sea

pilot and helicopter winchman drowned

 

 
6th June 1957
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		 141361  VF-32 in US LTJG M, G, McCanna Jr, ejected   Vought
Friday 7th June 1957 Vought  F8U‑1
 Crusader		   Vought Crashed following explosion near Trinity Rivers following low high speed pass over Hensley NAS  demonstrating the aircraft to graduating cadets. At he end of the runway the aircraft disintegrated due to the structural limits of the airframe being esceeded Vought Test Pilot
James Buckner
31
killed		   Vought
  Summer 1956: Vought pilot Buckner killed. First Name? Cause?
Question sent to web site -
 
It turns out that he was in the Navy Test Pilot School Class 17 - James P. Buckner. However, Class 17 ran from August 56 to January 57, which means he couldn't have crashed in the summer of 56. Do you have a month/year?

Buckner was making a 500 knot/ 100 ft pass down the main runway at Vought

for the benefit of a group of Naval Academy cadets. As he pulled up at the north
end of the runway, the aircraft disintegrated. Wreckage was scattered throughtout
the neighborhood and major parts traveled to the south end of Irving. The wing
section was leaning against the garage of a fellow engineer. Luckily, no one on
the ground was hurt. Cause was flexing of the fuselage which caused excessive
trailing-edge-up travel of the UHT, exceeding structural limits of the airplane.

 
  7 June - Chance Vought Aircraft pilot James P. Buckner is killed while performing a high-speed flyby of CVA's tower at Hensley Field, Dallas, Texas, while demonstrating an F8U-1 Crusader for a graduating class from the Navy Post Graduate School there. Executing a zoom climb after his low-altitude pass, he apparently overstresses the fighter and it disintegrates before he can eject. [115] The aircraft's wreckage violently explodes at low altitude over Main Street in adjacent Grand Prairie, Texas, causing minor injuries to several bystanders, and pieces of the fighter are scattered throughout the floodplain of the nearby Trinity River; Buckner's body is recovered a few hours after the crash. [116]
24th June 1957
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		 141690 VF-32
NAS Cecil Field		  Flame out shortly after take off. Crashed near Cecil Field in US LTJG Jerome T. T. Dennehy ejected   Vought

" I went to burner at 2500 feet after takeoff from Cecil Field and went into a violent "JC" manoeuvre; ie 70 degrees nose down to 70 degrees nose up repeatedly.  I then flamed out and ejected going nose down thru 1300 feet.  I blacked out; came to and was cart wheeling thru the air; blacked out and came to falling; looked for my chute to pop which did not happen; saw the ground coming up & then the chute opened, I did a half oscillation and hit.  I still have a bad back from it."

Jerome T. T. Dennehy
in email 15th December 2009
24th July 1957
USMC		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		 141357 VX-3 in US MAJOR A. F. McCaleb Jr., ejected

First USMC ejection
(from this type of aircraft ??)		   Vought
30th July 1957
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		 142414 VF-32  Returning from a NAS Pensacola static display in US LTJG H. D. Veland ejected
killed		   Vought
15th August 1957
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		 143702 VF-154  in US LTJG R. J. St. Leger ejected   Vought
5th September 1957
USN		 F8U-3
F-8A Crusader		 143733 VX-3 in US LT R. H. Tabor
(M. C.)
ejected		   Vought
12th September 1957
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		 141356 VF-32 in US LTJG H. J. Smith ejected   Vought

20th September 1957
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		 143700 VF-32 Mid-air while on deployment in US LTJG C. B. Lapp ejected
[see also 17th October 1957]		   Vought

23rd September 1957
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		 143704 VF-211
 (redesignated VF-24 on 8 Mar. 1959)		 Monterrey Bay
in US		 LTJG R. Clifton "Cliff" Jones Jr., ejected
Recovered by helo		 Vought
17th October 1957
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		 142413 VF-32  Mid-air while on deployment in US LTJG C. B. Lapp ejected
[see also 20th September 1957]		   Vought
1st November 1957
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		 143736 VF-103 in US ENSIGN W. R. Cruthirds Jr., ejected
[Check name]		   Vought
 6th November 1957
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		 143721 VF-32 in US LTJG C. T. Lusk ejected   Vought
19th November 1957
USN

Vought F8 U-1 Crusader

 143727
NL-4???

VF-154

Crashed into Pacific after landing problems. Disappeared flying back to land base

pilot Ltjg Cliff Thompson
killed

 

 
      1958
6th January 1958
USN		 YF8U-1
Crusader		 141343 NATC PAX. in U.S MAJOR T. J. Keane Jr., ejected   Vought
7th January 1958
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		 142415   in U.S LTJG Wayne Bartley ejected   Vought

21st January 1958
is date 23rd ??


USN

Vought F8U-1 Crusader

143773
NL-402

VF-154

Ramp strike. Crashed into the Pacific about 400 miles west of Los Angeles

Ltjg Lou Jesse killed

 

 
5th March 1958
USN		 F8U‑1 Crusader  143801
NL 411		 VF-154 from carrier USS Hancock (CVA-19) hydraulic failure during attempted landing on carrier. Crashed shortly after boltering. In Pacific off Ohau, HI, USA  LTJG Chuck F. Ramsey ejected.
Pilot killed
photo via John "Crash" Miottel		 Vought
 

"As to ejection from a CRUSADER, the F 8 had quite a lurid record. Except for one single month there was at least one F 8 ejection each and every month during the 13-year period from June 1957 to May 1970. The real problem was that for those of us flying the F 8 prior to the mid 1960s, the ejection scenario had a very discouraging glitch. If you had less than 1,500 to 2,000 feet of altitude when the time came to part company with your aircraft, the chances of surviving such a  "low level" ejection ran the entire gamut from nil to zero.

My roommate, Chuck Ramsey had confirmed that ugly reality as I prepared for my CRUSADER'S debut with the barricade. I watched in horror as his F 8 touched down on deck and WHAM! His port main landing gear disintegrated. Unfortunately, this was an all too common occurrence at this stage of the CRUSADER'S career. It was even more distressing because the landing gear struts also served as the reservoir for the hydraulic fluid necessary to operate the CRUSADER'S flight controls. Chuck poured the coal to the crippled CRUSADER.

He was trying to nurse it up to speed and to get to an altitude high enough to eject. The F 8 staggered up to about 700 feet when one of the control officers on the ship apparently mistook the streaming hydraulic fluid for smoke--to him this meant only one thing, FIRE! He frantically squawked over the radio "BAIL OUT-BAIL OUT NOW!!" Before I could even key my mike to warn Chuck otherwise, he ejected. He was just able to unstrap and disengage himself from the ejection seat. He tumbled in free fall and his parachute streamed. But the chute did not have time to blossom. He dropped like a sack of rocks and hit the water at terminal velocity. The chopper was busy trying to pick Chuck's body out of the sea as I was turning on final approach.

For me, the suspense of my predicament was now further heightened by the realization that, because everyone was operating in new and untested territory, fatal mistakes like Chuck's abortive ejection were more than a remote possibility.  And Hell, I had never even seen a picture of a barricade before this flap I thought,

"Watch out Buster or you'll be next!"

As I came onto glide path "in the groove" aft of the ship I saw my first barricade all right. But, what I DID NOT SEE was the mirror, the pilot's only guide to a successful carrier landing. I finally realized that the mirror was obscured behind the huge port barricade stanchion. In the few instants that it took me to figure this out and to get to a point where I could see the mirror I was both off alignment and VERY LOW, not a pretty picture! I was correcting as I skimmed a couple of feet over the ramp end of the ship. I drove the F8 into the net at about 150 MPH. Everything seemed OK until the force of the engagement with the lower horizontal load strap of the barricade suddenly tore off my port landing gear. The F8 instantly pivoted on the wing tip. I hit the burner but it wasn't doing any more flying that day-I was well and truly snagged-hooking and skidding to the port edge of the carrier deck. I was on my way to an unanticipated and highly unwelcome salt-water immersion."

extract by kind permission of John "Crash" Miottel.
The full narrative of John's career and experiences with barricade landings can be found at his web site

LINK

 

5th March 1958


USN

Vought F8U-1 Crusader

143792
NL-404

VF-154 from carrier USS Hancock (CVA-19)

Arrestor hook failure. Barricade landing tore off port landing gear. Went over the side

John "Crash" Miottel
egressed under water from the aircraft. He did not eject.
recovered

Vought
   
12th March 1958
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  143744 VF-96 from carrier USS Midway (CVA-41) Over water in U.S. LTJG G. M. Lindsay ejected.   Vought
3rd April 1958
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  144433 VF-211
 (redesignated VF-24 on 8 Mar. 1959)		 in GCA pattern at Moffett Field - flame out (fuel pump swallowed O-Ring)
Over land in U.S.		 LTJG R. Louie Fisk ejected too low for LTV seat capability and was killed in aircraft   Vought
10th April 1958
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  143757 VF-32 from carrier USS Saratoga (CVA-60) Over water in U.S. LT Billy Phillips
1st ejection see also 25th September 1958		   Vought
30th April 1958
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  143779 VF-154 from carrier USS Hancock (CVA-19). Over water in U.S. LTJG E. W. Madsen ejected   Vought
9th May 1958
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  143706 NAF China Lake Over land in U.S. CDR S. N. May ejected   Vought
11th May 1958
USN		 F-8A Crusader  144455 VF-211
 (redesignated VF-24 on 8 Mar. 1959)		 Over land in U.S. LTJG D. W. Wilson ejected   Vought
26th June 1958
USN		 F8U-1 Crusader     Over water in U.S. LTJG R. C. Burlingame
ejected		   Vought
10th July 1958
USMC		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  143765 VMF-334 Over land in U.S. 2LT H. Black ejected   Vought
16th July 1958
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  143712 VF-11 Over land in U.S. LT J. B. Barnes ejected   Vought
24th July 1958
USN		 RF-8A Crusader  145605 VFP‑63 or VFP-154 from carrier USS Midway (CVA-41) Over water off West Coast returning to Midway from Alameda LCDR Len G. Derse
OINC of the Det
ejected.
First  (F8U‑1P) crash ejection		   Vought
13th August 1958
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  145332 VF-103 in U.S LTJG H. F. Herndon ejected
landed in a tree		   Vought
18th August 1958
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  143717 VF-124 U.S. LTJG W. D. Darden ejected
low level - landed in seat		   Vought
4th September 1958
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  145407 VF-194 Over land in U.S. LTJG R. R. Warthen ejected   Vought
25th September 1958
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  143747 VF-32 from carrier USS Saratoga (CVA-60) in U.S. LT Billy Phillips
 2nd ejection from an F-8
see also 10th April 1958		   Vought
26th September 1958
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  143805 VF-211
(redesignated VF-24 on 8 Mar. 1959)
 from carrier USS Midway (CVA-41)		 Over water in Formosa or Okinawa area LTJG D. R. McKee ejected about 5,000 ft after losing main mounts in pitching sea recovery. Recovered by helo. Vought
Regretfully, DR was later killed in 1959 flying with the Blues
 6th January 1960
6th November 1958
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  143687 VF-NARF Norfolk  in U.S. CDR W. G. Andrews ejected   Vought
17th November 1958
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  143763 VF-32 in U.S. LCDR James David LaHaye ejected
[KIA flying and F-8 on 8th May 1965]		   Vought
19th November 1958
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  146364 VF-194  in U.S LT K. Krigbaum ejected   Vought
20th November 1958
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  145340 VF-174  in U.S. LT R. F. Bradberry ejected   Vought
9th December 1958
USN		 F8U-1 Crusader 145341 VMF-334 During ACM training, U.S 1LT W. Pierre Lemond
USAF Exchange Pilot
ejected		   Vought
      1959
9th January 1959
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  144460 VF-103 , CVA-59, USS Forrestal Runaway fuel control waited until the plane flamed out at 11,000 feet, ejected and landed at an Italian Arsenal on the island of Sardinia (Italy). Lt. William "Bill" E. Haase ejected Vought
21st January 1959
USMC		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  145376 VMF-334 Crashed in US MAJOR K. G. Fiegener ejected   Vought

31st January 1959


USMC

Vought F8 Crusader

145338

x

x

CAPT L. L. Lind
ejected

x

Vought
20th February 1959
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  143781 VF-174 Crashed in US ENSIGN J. Terry Kryway [1st ejection also ejected from an F-8 on 21st October 1961]   Vought
23rd March 1959
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  144451 VF-211 Crashed in US LT E. J. Hickey ejected

LTJG H. F. Hoffman ejected

Who was in which aircraft

   Vought
23rd March 1959
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		         Vought
4th April 1959
USMC		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  143761 VMF-334 Crashed in US MAJOR T. A. Coleman ejected   Vought
24th April 1959
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  143769 VF-211 Crashed in US. LTJG P. J. Crahan ejected   Vought
29th April 1959
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  144459 VF-196 , CVA-,61, USS Ranger unknown - over water LT R. J. Peterson ejected   Vought

-- June 1959

Vought F8U-1 Crusader

145535
NJ

VF-124

x

x

x

x
9th June 1959
USMC		 RF-U-1
Crusader		  145619 VMCJ-1 Crashed in US MAJOR J. E. Wilson ejected   Vought
18th June 1959
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  143820 NATC PAX Crashed in US LT D. B. Pringle ejected   Vought
30th June 1959
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  145393 VF-194. Crashed in US LT W. D. Stevenson ejected   Vought
Sunday
26th July 1959
USMC 		 F8U‑1
 Crusader		 144446
is the BuNo correct ???
DC
"Tiger One"		 VMF-122
MAG-32
"Crusaders"
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort
Engine failure, NC USA		 LTCOL William Henry Rankin
ejected over VA
remained in the air in his parachute thrown about in a thunderstorm. Came down in N.C.		 Vought
  The events of the LTCOL Rankin's epic ejection are related in his book "the Man Who Rode the Thunder"

26th July 1959
USMC

Vought F8U-1 Crusader

143696

H&MS-32

 

Pilot ejected

 

Vought

3rd August 1959
US

Vought F8U-1 Crusader

?

 

 

 

 

 

10th August 1959


USN

Vought F8U-1E Crusader

 

VF-124

 

 

 

 
11th August 1959
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  144440 VMF-122 Crashed
over Atlantic off S.C coast. Fired sidewinder with non-propulsive attachments still on. A/C caught fire
 1LT John E. Glenn ejected-chute failed to deploy. fatal   Vought

18th August 1959


USN

Vought F8U-1E Crusader

145524

VF-154

 

 

 

 
24th August 1959
USN 		 F8U‑1
 Crusader		  145465 NATC PAX. CVA-62, USS Independence unknown LCDR R. D. Pollard ejected   Vought

25th August 1959
USN

Vought F8 Crusader

 

USS Independence

Norfolk VA. Crashed into aft section of carrier
1 killed
[was this the pilot ?

pilot ???
fate not determined

 

 
10th September 1959
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  145414 VF-124 Crashed in US LTJG J. S. Hellman ejected   Vought
23rd September 1959
USN		 F8U-2
F-8C Crusader		  145556 VX-3 Crashed in US LCDR R. H. Jester ejected   Vought
7th October 1959
USN		 RF-8-1 Crusader  145638 VCP-61, CVA-19, USS Hancock   LTCDR H. B. Harlow
ejected		   Vought

29th October 1959


USN

Vought F8U-1P Crusader

146853
BuNo need confirming

VCP-63-Det M

 

LT W. G. Offerman ejected in a spin

 

Vought
30th October 1959
USN		 RF-8-1 Crusader VFP-63-Det M Crashed in US LTJG P. S. Tarantino ejected   Vought
12th November 1959
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  145373 VF-174 Crashed in US LCDR H. J. Post
ejected		   Vought
13th November 1959
USN		 F8U-1P  Crusader  146840 VFP-62, CVA-42, USS Franklin D. Roosevelt   LTJG Phillip J. Smith
[see also 16th July 1960] 		  Vought
17th November 1959
USN		 F-8C Crusader  145573 VF-84 Crashed in US LT J. D. Anthony ejected   Vought
21st December 1959
USN		  F8U‑1
 Crusader		  143798 VF-124 Crashed in US LT C. E. Southwick ejected OK   Vought
Is this Charles Everett Southwick who ejected from an F-4B during the Vietnam War on 24 April 1967 and again on 14 May 1967 and became a POW???
      1960
7th January 1960
USN		 Crusader F-8C 145571 VF-84

CVA-62, USS Independence

 Crashed in the US LTJG R. E. Box ejected   Vought
8th January 1960
USMC		 Crusader F-8A 143745
WV or WU		 VMF-334
"Falcons"		 Crashed in the US LT William C "Bill" Mirams ejected at about 250 feet, nose down.
 [personal testimony - 7/April/2006]		 Vought Seat with recent mods. to improve performance
12th January 1960
USN		 Vought F8U-2 Crusader       LTJG J. J. Smith Jr.
ejected		   Vought

27th January 1960


USMC

Vought F8U-2 Crusader

146921
VM

VMF-451

x

x

x

x

5th February 1960


USMC

Vought F8U-2 Crusader

145505
WT

 

 

no ejection noted in files

 

Vought
5th February 1960
USMC		 Crusader F-8C 146954
VM-13		 VMF-451 Engine quit just West of ELCentro Ca en route to t NAS Dallas CAPT Hal W. Vincent
ejected
about 3500 feet		 Vought
17th February 1960
USN		 Crusader F-8A 144441 VF-124 Crashed in the US LTJG J. M. Burns ejected   Vought
17th March 1960
USN		 Crusader F-8B  145500 VMF-232 Crashed in the US 1LT D. W. House ejected   Vought

24th March 1960


USN

Vought F8U-1E Crusader

145494
NP-2??

VA-216

x

x

x

x
25th March 1960
also seen as 23rd
USN		 Crusader RF-8A 146841 VFP-63, CVA-19, USS Hancock Crash area unknown LTJG L. H. Roecher ejected   Vought
29th March 1960
USN		 Crusader  F8U-2 (F-8C)  145552 VF-84, CVA-62, USS Independence Bad Cat shot LTJG Claude Douglas "Doug" Clower ejected

[ejected a second time from F-4B 150997, VF-151, USS Coral Sea on 19th November 1967 and became POW]

 Vought
14th April 1960
USN		 Crusader  F8U-2 (F-8C)       2/LT Jack L. Omer ejected   Vought
15th April 1960
USN		 Crusader F-8C 146978 VF-84, CVA-19 Crashed in the US CAPT J. R. McMamara
USAF
ejected		   Vought

22nd April 1960


USN

Vought F8U-1P Crusader

146885

VCP-63

Damaged beyond repair

x

x

x

29th April 1960


USN

Vought F8U-2 Crusader

145564
NG

VF-91

x

x

x

x
17th May 1960
USN		 Crusader F-8A 142411 VMF-312 Crashed in the US MAJOR R. S. Rash ejected   Vought
2nd June 1960
USMC		 Crusader F-8B  145508 VMF-232 in the US 1/LT J. E. Herlocker ejected   Vought
Tuesday 7th June 1960
USMC		 YF8U-2N
F-8C Crusader 		 147039 NATC PAX in the US CAPT Francis M. Parsons ejected   One was a  Martin-Baker seat the other was a Vought seat - which was which
Swerved following catapult launch at air station with one wing low and flew into a helicopter waiting to taking off. Pilot seriously injured, two on helicopter were killed and two others on the ground.
Tuesday 7th June 1960
USN		 F8U-1E
F-8B Crusader 		 145418 VF-154, CVA-43, USS Coral Sea Crash area unknown LT R. C. Doan ejected  
                 
13th June 1960
USMC		 F8U-1E
F-8B Crusader 		 145484 VMF-235 Crashed in the US 1/LT K. E. Soesbe
ejected		   Vought

6th July 1960

Vought F8U-2 Crusader

147006
[or is the BuNo below for this loss]

x

x

x

x

x
6th July 1960
USN		 Crusader F-8C  147014
[or is the above BuNo for this loss]		   crashed in the US LtJG Charles David "Dave" Metzler
[1st ejection, also ejected from an F-8 23rd October 1961, ejected a third time from an F-8 on 21st June 1971 but was killed] 		  Martin-Baker
Thanks to Rat Wood & Cole Pierce for additional information
16th July 1960
also seen as 16th
USN		 F8U-1P
RF-8A
Crusader 		 146842  VFP-62, CVA-42, USS Franklin D. Roosevelt   LTJG Phillip J. Smith
 [see also 13th November 1959]
photo via VFP-62 web site		 Vought

1st August 1960
USN

Vought F8U-2 Crusader

145589
NG

VF-91

x

x

x

x
possibly 1961 Aug 60  F8U1 Capt  W. T. O'Rourke Near Iwakuni Japan.fatal no attemt to eject
3rd August 1960
USMC		 Crusader F-8A  145405
WU		 VMF-334 Crashed in the US 10 miles south west of Quinta, CA LTCOL R. L. Thomas ejected   Vought
4th August 1960
USN		 Crusader RF-8A  146868 VFP-62, CVA-42, USS Franklin D. Roosevelt   LT R. W. Green ejected   Vought
17th August 1960
USN		 Crusader F-8A  143741 VF-124 Crashed in the US CDR L. O. Fortner ejected   Vought
26th August 1960
USMC		 Crusader F-8A  145355 VMF-334 Crashed in the US 1/LT J. W. Lounsbury ejected   Vought

22nd September 1960
USN

Vought F8 Crusader

145350
203


VF-62
U.S.S. Shangri La
Link

Commander J. E. Davis
was safely recovered

 

Vought
  US Navy Photo courtesy Bruce Nason via Ken Jack, webmaster www.vfp62.com
6th October 1960
USN		 Crusader RF-8A  146872 VFP-62. CVA-60   LTJG G. P. Modrak ejected   Vought
10th October 1960
USN		 Crusader F-8C  147019 VF-194 Crashed in the US Cdr. C. E. Rich ejected   Martin-Baker
11th October 1960
USN		 Crusader F-8A  143740 VF-174 Crashed in the US LTJG P. A. Polski ejected   Vought

18th November 1960


USMC

Vought F8U-1E Crusader

145436
DW

VMF-251

x

x

x

x
17th November 1960
USN		 Crusader F-8A  145374 VF-211
CVA-16		 Crashed in the US CDR H. C. Lovegrove ejected   Vought
21st November 1960
USN		 Crusader RF-8A  146900 VFP-63 operational accident. Crashed in the US LT J. R. Batzler ejected   Vought
26th November 1960
USN		 Crusader F-8B  145496 VF-32. CVA-60   LT Robert Harper Shumaker
1st ejection
[see also 11th February 1965 ejected from an F-8 and became a POW]		 Vought
1st December 1960
USN		 Crusader RF-8A  145630 VFP-62, CVA-60   LTJG T. L. P. Cook ejected   Vought
2nd December 1960
USMC		 Crusader F-8C  146958 VMF-333 Crashed in the US 1/LT B. B. Roberge ejected   Vought
                 
3rd January 1961
USN		 Crusader YF-8C  147040 NATC PAX in US LCDR W. F. Whalen ejected   Vought
11th January 1961
USMC		 Crusader F-8B
[F8U1]		  145447 VMF-312 Ejected over Mt. Fuji in Japan during tactics flight 1/LT Gene R. Merritt ejected   One was a  Martin-Baker seat the other was a Vought seat - which was which
11th January 1961
USN		 Crusader F-8C  147017 VF-103, CVA-59   LTJG D. M. Brookes ejected  

17th January 1961

Vought F8U-1 Crusader

14367
NF

VA-51

x

x

x

x

30th January 1961

Vought F8U-2 Crusader

146927

VF-142

x

x

x

x

31st January 1961

Vought F8 Crusader

143808

x

x

x

x

x
1st February 1961
USN		 Crusader F-8A  145366 VF-51  in US Lt. Cdr. A. C. O'Neal ejected   Martin-Baker
22nd February 1961
USN		 Crusader F-8C  146923 VF-103, CVA-59   DETAILS OF THIS LOSS NOT CLEAR
DID IT HAPPEN ???		    
23rd February 1961
USN		 Crusader F-8C  146988 VF-124  in US LTJG K. J. Jackson ejected   Vought
4th March 1961
USN		 F8U-1
Crusader		       LTJG R. E. Jacobsen ejected at less than 100 feet.
He died three hours later		   Martin-Baker
27th April 1961
USMC		 Crusader F-8B
[F8U-1
Crusader]		  145428 VMF-312, CVA-41, USS Midway hitting round down on USS Midway CAPT M. P. Cady ejected   Vought
28th April 1961
USMC		 Crusader F-8A  145377 VMF-333  in US 2/LT R. S. Welz ejected outside envelope of the seat and was killed   Martin-Baker
1st May 1961
USN		 Crusader F-8B  145452 VF-154
????		 in Philippine Islands MAJOR R. S. Rash ejected
[F8U-1E]

CAPT P. L. Elliott
USMC ejected
[F8U-1]

CONFUSION as to who was in which aircraft

   Vought
1st May 1961
USMC		 Crusader F-8B  145427
DR		 VMF-312,
CVA-43,
USS Coral Sea		     Vought

2nd May 1961


USN

Vought F8U-1 Crusader

145367
NF

VF-124

x

x

x

x
6th May 1961
USN		 Crusader F-8B  145424 VF-124 in US. Ensign P. D. Farley ejected   Martin-Baker
8th May 1961
USN		 F-8 Crusader       Lt. Cdr. P. Montilardi ejected   Martin-Baker
22nd May 1961
USN		 Crusader RF-8A  146839 VFP-62, CVA-42, USS Franklin D. Roosevelt   LT W. G. Offerman ejected   Martin-Baker

2nd June 1961

Vought F8 Crusader

146923

x

x

x

x

x
12th June 1961
USN		 Crusader F-8C  147003 VF-124 in US LCDR J. A. Schneider ejected   Martin-Baker
22nd June 1961
USN		 F8U-2 Crusader       LT P. J. Brown ejected safely   Martin-Baker
17th August 1961
USN		 Crusader F-8C  145570 VF-191
Barbers  Point Naval Air Station, Oahu		 engine suffered catastrophic failure during take  in Hawaii. Lt. Kenneth Corica ejected successfully   Martin-Baker
26th August 1961
USN		 Crusader F-8A BuNo 143708 VF-211
 Punched out over Crater Lake, OR and actually landed in the lake, being fished out soon after by rangers Lt. (jg) William Boardman
ejected
[second ejection, see also
15th April 1959 when he ejected from a TV-2]
[personal testimony]
 		 Vought

30th August 1961

Vought F8 Crusader

145439

x

x

x

x

x
30th  August 1961
USN		 F8U-1P
RF-8A Crusader 		 145618 VFP-62
Cecil Field
Jacksonville, Florida 		Over the Okeefenokee swamp. LTJG Gerald L. "Jerry" Coffee
ejected

[Also ejected from RA-5C Vigilante 3rd February 1966, captured. POW]

 Martin-Baker
9th September 1961
USMC		 Crusader F-8C  146982 VMF334 RAG training. Material failure, wing broke at fold on a gunnery hop out of Yuma in US Lt. William H. Juvonen
ejected
Controlled ejection		   Martin-Baker
19th September 1961
USN		 Crusader F-8C  145578 VF-194
CVA-61
USS Ranger		   LCDR G. H. Holloman ejected   Martin-Baker
20th September 1961
USMC		 Crusader F-8C  146912 VMF-323 in US. Capt. L H.Holmes
ejected		   Martin-Baker
6th October 1961
USN		  RF-8A Crusader  needed VFP-62 After the pilot's ejection the
aircraft continued in flight for over one hour and had to be brought down over the water by
a Sidewinder missile fired from another fighter		 LCDR C. H. Price ejected   Vought
   
16th October 1961
USN		 Crusader F-8A   144452 VF-211  in US. LTJG William  M Boardman 
[third  ejection, see also
15th April 1959 when he ejected from a TV-2]
and second ejection
on 26th August 1961][personal testimony]		 Martin-Baker
16th October 1961
USMC		 F-8C Crusader  147033 VMF-333 in US. 1st Lt. James E. Strawn ejected at high speed Martin-Baker
17th October 1961
USMC		 Crusader F-8C    16949 VMF-334 in US. Major R. B.Haines ejected   Martin-Baker
21st October 1961
USN		 Crusader F8U-1   145375
AB 212		 VF-11
CVA-42
USS Franklin D. Roosevelt		   Lt. J. Terry Kryway
[2nd ejection also ejected from an F-8 on 20th February 1959] ejected after he directed the aircraft off the deck due to fire
caused by heavy landing broke wheel strut. Famous sequence of photographs [by photographer mate L. J. Cera]		 LOOKING FOR PHOTO OF LT KRYWAY _ CAN ANYONE HELP ??? Martin-Baker

Stills from the famous film sequence
Visit Rod Rogers web site for the complete set
23rd October 1961
USN		 Crusader F-8A  143794 VF-191 in Japan. Lt. C. D. Metzler ejected   Martin-Baker
2nd November 1961
USN		 Crusader F-8C  146926 VF-194  in Japan LTJG R. L. Martin
ejected		   Martin-Baker
2nd November 1961
USMC		 Crusader F-8A  147024 VMF-333 in US 1/LT. Joseph "Joe" P. McDonald
ejected		   Martin-Baker
FEEDBACK

I am listed as  ejecting on November 2nd   1961 while with VMF-333 in U.S. (actually, within two miles of base at   Beaufort, S.C.) under name 1st Lt. J.P. MacDonald (actually, I'm J. (for Joseph, better "Joe") F. McDonald. I popped out some two weeks  ahead of 1st Lt. C. W. Vogt (November 15,1961), a member of the same   group (who later served as Chairman of the U.S. National 
Transportation Safety Board from 1992 - 1994).
    I was two weeks behind 1st Lt. James E. Strawn's supersonic ejection   on October 16, 1961, when he was my wingman in the manoeuvres described   in his amazing account linked to your write-up of his ejection. I am   in sporadic contact with him through a larger group of mostly former VMF-333 F8 jocks.
 Love to help.   .   .   .

Joe
in email 28th October 2009
[name spelling corrected 28/10/09]
 
12th November 1961
USN		 Crusader F-8D  148653 VF-154, CVA-43, USS Coral Sea ??? Lt. (jg) J. A. James
ejected		   Martin-Baker
15th November 1961
USMC		 Crusader F-8C  146922 VMF-323 Engine failure, in Hawaii 1st LT C. W. Vogt
ejected		   Martin-Baker
30th November 1961
USN		 Crusader RF-8A  146850 VFP-63  in US LT L. K. Dalrymple
ejected		   Martin-Baker
4th December 1961
USMC		 Crusader F-8B  145448 VMF-312
Atsugi		 Wing failure during tactic flight in Japan. Landed after coming through thatched roof of Japanese police station Capt. Allen Leroy Frucci
ejected NW of Tokyo
No injuries

[Allen Frucci also ejected on 29th October 1962 from a USAF F-100D while on a tour of exchange]

 Martin-Baker

FEEDBACK

"Bail out on 4 Dec 61. Pilots name -Allen Leroy Frucci - Flying out of Atsugi while a member of VMF-312 ( the best and wildest crusader squadron of them all) He was in a hassle with some of our other folks and pulled the wing off. Ejected safely and came down through the roof of a Japanese police station.  Just another day in dear old 312."

Bob Wiedemann

5th December 1961

Vought F8U-2N Crusader

146845
NH

VF-211

x

x

x

x

7th December 1961
USMC

Vought F8U-1E Crusader

145529
WT

VMF-232

x

x

x

x
10th December 1961
USN		 Crusader F-8D  147915 VF-32, CVA-60   LCDR R. W. Paige ejected   Martin-Baker

13th December 1961

Vought F8U-1P Crusader

146859

VFP-63

x

x

x

x
15th December 1961
USN		 Crusader F-8D  147900 VF-174  in US LT W. A. Updike ejected   Martin-Baker
25th January 1962
USMC		 Crusader F-8A  144442
???
 		 in US 1st Lt. H. M. Spann ejected   Martin-Baker
8th February 1962
USMC		 Crusader F-8B  145493 VMF-232
CVA-19		   I.Lt. D. G. Doherty ejected   Martin-Baker
16th February 1962
USN		 Crusader RF-8A  146887 VFP-62, CVAN- 65   Lt. H. H. Love ejected   Martin-Baker
27th February 1962
USN		 Crusader F-8A  145396 VF-124 , CVA- collided during join up in US Lt.(jg) R. G. Bengston ejected

1st Lt. C. P Jackson ejected

Who was in which aircraft???

   Martin-Baker
27th February 1962
USMC		 Crusader F-8A 146975
????		   collided during join up in US   Martin-Baker

5th March 1962


USMC

Vought F8 Crusader

146896
FM

VMCJ-1

x

Lt. (jg) T. H. Godber ejected

From which Aircraft ??

x

x
5th March 1962
USN		 Crusader F-8A  145388 VU-4  in US   Martin-Baker
 
8th March 1962
USN		 Crusader F-8C  146906 VF-103 in US LCDR A. E. Westmoreland ejected   Martin-Baker
9th March 1962
USN		 Crusader F-8A  145403 VF-191 in US LCDR J. L. Snyder
ejected		   Martin-Baker

16th March 1962


USN

Vought F8U-1 Crusader

145323
NM

VF-191

x

x

x

x
26th March 1962
USN		 Crusader F-8C  146962 VMF-334
CVA-34		  in US. 1/Lt. B. J. Bertram
ejected		   Martin-Baker
28th March 1962
USMC		 Crusader RF-8A  146822 VMCJ-2 in US CAPT R. W. Tucker ejected photo in file - I think Martin-Baker
2nd April 1962
USN		 Crusader RF-8A  146857 VFP-63  in US LTJG S. W. Betts ejected   Martin-Baker

3rd April 1962


USN

Vought F8U-1 Crusader

143774
JF

VU-4

Damaged beyond repair

x

x

x
13th April 1962
USMC		 Crusader RF-8A  146875 VMCJ-3 in US Col. H Williams
ejected
landed in 3 feet of water and separated from seat		   Martin-Baker or Vought
???
21st April 1962
USMC		 Crusader F-8B  145485 VMF-122 in US 2/LT K. L. Weller
ejected		   Martin-Baker
24th April 1962
USN		 Crusader F-8A  143709   in US LCDR W. T. Harvey ejected   Martin-Baker

25th April 1962
USN

Vought F8U-2E Crusader

148709
AE-201


VF-132
USS Constellation
Link

Ramp strike,during night landing, Diverted to Guantanamo Bay Cuba - carsh landed

Lt R. Loomis
 OK

x

x
  US Navy Photo courtesy Bruce Nason via Ken Jack, webmaster www.vfp62.com
30th April 1962
USN		 Crusader F-8D

[F8U‑2N]

  148683

AE 2

 VF‑132
CVA-64

      Caribbean, damaged in night bolter

Cdr. G. C.Watkins ejected immediately and was picked up by destroyer

   Martin-Baker

3rd May 1962


USMC

Vought F8U-2 Crusader

146924
WU

VMF-334

x

x

x

x
7th May 1962
USN		 F8U-2 Crusader  145567 VF-194 in US LTJG Otto Burgdorf ejected   Martin-Baker
8th May 1962
USN		 F-8C Crusader  147013 VF-24 CVA-41 LTJG Barry E. Kunkel
ejected
[personal testimony]		 need photo Martin-Baker
  web bio
22nd May 1962
USN		 Crusader F-8A  145375 VF-62 in US LT W. F. Heiss ejected   Martin-Baker

23rd May 1962


USMC

Vought F8U-1E Crusader

145464
WT

VMF-232

x

x

x

x
22nd June 1962
USN		 F-8B Crusader  145541 VMF-312 Ejection in US Major L. A. Seipp ejected   Martin-Baker
26th June 1962
USN		 F-8A Crusader  143705 VC-4. Ejection in US Lt. G. E.Custer ejected   Martin-Baker

27th June 1962

Vought F8U-2NE Crusader

149162
NJ

VF-124

x

x

x

x
1st July 1962
USN		 Crusader F-8D  149188 VF-33,
CVAN-65
USS Enterprise		 Catapult failure LT Edward Frances  "Sully" Sullivan
ejected
Body not recovered
[see below]
photo via Gregory Sullivan		 Martin-Baker
 
My uncle Edward Frances Sullivan, aka "Sully, was flying Crusaders with VF-33 in 1962. He was a 25 year-old lieutenant when he was killed on July 1, 1962. He was from Cambridge, Mass. He was assigned to VF-33 aboard the USS Enterprise and flew the F8U-2NE (F8E). His qualifications were initially performed aboard the USS Intrepid. A low-speed cat launch (due to a catapult failure) forced him to eject at low altitude and at an unfavorable aircraft attitude. The aircraft was lost. He was seen in the water swimming as the Enterprise eased by, but he was never recovered. Not until 1994, that is, when his remains were found - not far from the accident site - in bottom-dragging nets by local fisherman. I appreciate any assistance you could offer in getting his name out; I would be thrilled to contact an old squadron-mate or two. I never knew Uncle Edward, but I grew up admiring his photographs! in newspaper clippings and the bits & pieces my mother would tell me about him. He was something of a myth to me until he re-appeared in 1994. He was found, in terms of the Gulf of Maine, a stone's throw from where he went down. It had been 32 years. His remains consisted of his orange MkV exposure suit, his red life-vest, his olive-drab g-suit and socks. He had scrawled "SULLIVAN" in marker along the front of the g-suit. I have autopsy photos; the condition of the lettering, fabrics and colors is like new. His vertebrae, pelvic bone, leg bones and foot bones were all retained within the suit. Of course, it took some time for investigators to figure out who all this belonged to, but they put it together well. Even more amazing, Uncle Edward's helmet, white with yellow lightning  bolts, yellow stars, "VF-33," and "SULLY" adorning it, was recovered about one year earlier in the same area by another fisherman. The origin of the helmet was not then determined, but it was held in high esteem by the finder. Gladly, he reunited it with Edward's remains and Edward's family was honored to finally bury him at Arlington National Cemetery, complete with caisson and honor guard. It was quite an event. A memorial stone had always existed for Uncle Edward there, and it is under that stone that he now rests. My mother always said Edward knew he would die flying fighters. It was the way a number of friends had gone before him; he, too, was resigned to a death at sea. It was a burial at sea that he got for 32 years. Now, he has it bothways. He is survived by his wife, Polly, who never remarried, and four sisters. I have always wanted to learn a much as possible about Uncle Edward, and what life for him flying F-8's was like. I hear the aircraft is thought well of by those who flew it. I know that life was everything to him. I have an Air Medal Award citation he received in 1957 (as a backseating Aviation Naval Cadet when his instructor died up front at the stick at 44,000 feet in a T-2 - that is another story!), some newspaper clippings, an accident report. But these things are a bit antiseptic. I have been aboard the Intrepid and will make for a visit aboard the Enterprise shortly. But mostly, it would be his squadron-mates memories I would relish. Thanks again for forwarding this to whomever you can. You are welcome to distribute my number and e-mail address as you see fit. Sincerely, Gregory

 202 528-2219

 

1st July 1962


USN

Vought F8U-2N Crusader

147052
NU

VF-124
USS Ranger

Off California, USA

  

x

x
1st July 1962
USMC		 Crusader F-8C  146964 VMF-33 in US     Martin-Baker

2nd July 1962


USN

Vought F8U-2N Crusader

147053
NH

VF-111

x

x

x

x
4th July 1962
USN		 Crusader F-8C  146967 VF-174 in US Lt. jg R. N. Super ejected   Martin-Baker
6th July 1962
also seen as 7th
USN		 RF-8A Crusader  145644 VFP-62  in US ENSIGN G. M. Burton ejected   Martin-Baker
10th July 1962
USN		 F-8C Crusader  146946 VMF-174  in US LTJG Robert "Bob" C. Smith ejected
killed on impact		   Martin-Baker

11th July 1962


USMC 

Vought F8U-2 Crusader

146964
WU

VMF-334

 

1/Lt. M. M. Bomis ejected

x

x
11th July 1962
USMC 		 F8U-1E Crusader  145522
WT		 VMF-232 in Philippine Islands 1/Lt. N. R. Driscoll ejected   Martin-Baker
14th August 1962
USN		 Crusader F-8C  146934 VF-84, CVA-62   Lt. (jg) H. E. Shephard ejected   Martin-Baker
25th August 1962
USN		 Crusader F-8B  145517 VF-62
Cecil Field		 Took off from
Cecil Field, near Jacksonville, heading for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Flamed out
Crashed in US		 Cdr. John G. Brozo
 [Skipper - 'Diamond Flight']
 ejected
Was found two days after the accident by an
Air Force rescue crew, flying an amphibious aircraft. They landed in
very rough seas and retrieved CDR Brozo from his one-man life raft. He
had suffered a broken back due to the ejection		   Martin-Baker
25th August 1962
USN		 Crusader F-8B ???? VF-62
Cecil Field		 Took off from
Cecil Field, near Jacksonville, heading for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Flamed out
Crashed in US		 LTJG Tom Malloy
 ['Diamond Two']
 believed to have ejected
never found		   Martin-Baker
  THUNDERSTORM FLIGHT
 
It was a beautiful Florida Saturday morning, in August 1962, when a
flight of seven F-8 Crusaders from Fighter Squadron 62 . I
well remember LTJG Tom Malloy laughing and pointing to his new flight
suit as we briefed for the long flight that morning. He had been
issued the flight suit the day before and had not tried it on. It was
about three sizes too big and he looked lost in that tent size
costume. There was no way to exchange it for another one since it was
Saturday and the supply office was closed. Tom had a wonderful sense
of humor and accepted our kidding with a big smile. That is the way I
remember him until this day.
 
As you will recall this time and date was just prior to the ‘Cuban
Missile Crisis’. Our mission was to demonstrate a ‘show of force’ at
the small Naval Base on the southeastern side of Cuba. I had joined
VF-62 just a few weeks earlier and this was my first major deployment
with the squadron. I was a ‘Nugget’ as they call the new pilots fresh
out of flight school. Two Divisions, eight airplanes, were scheduled
to deploy that morning but one of the airplanes had mechanical
problems. LCDR Paul Gillcrist was scheduled to be the second Division
leader but he never got airborne due to a radio problem as I recall.
Therefore, we had a flight of 4 and a flight of
3 F-8’s heading for Cuba.
 
We went "Feet Wet" (over water) just north of Miami. About 150 miles
southeast from Miami, over the Caribbean, we entered an area of very
low visibility at our cruising altitude of 39,000 feet. Our forward
visibility was one mile or less. We had no weather radar. In fact the
radar on board the F-8B had a maximum range of 16 miles and most of
them never worked. The weather briefing we received before the flight
made no mention of severe weather along our route of flight. We were
unaware that huge thunderstorms were hidden in the haze ahead.
Nevertheless these cumulonimbus demons were in our flight path and
were about to inflect major damage to our flight.
 
The Skipper, John Brozo (Diamond Flight) was leading the first
division of 4 airplanes. His flight consisted of LTJG Tom Malloy,
Diamond two, LT Dick Oliver, Diamond three, and LTJG Ben Walker,
Diamond four. In my flight of three airplanes were LT Al Wattay,
Division leader, LT John Nichols (Pirate) right wing and myself flying
left wing position. LT Wattay positioned our flight about 5 miles aft
and two miles abeam Diamond Flight. Although the visibility was low
the ride was fairly smooth as I recall.
 
Everything was going great until I heard the Skipper say in a very
loud and frantic voice, "DIAMOND ONE FLAMED OUT!" And as my heart was
elevating up into my throat I heard his wingman LTJG Tom Malloy saying
with even more fear in his voice, "DIAMOND TWO FLAMED OUT." Before I
could suck up more oxygen I heard the Skipper say, "DIAMOND ONE
EJECTING - STAY WITH ME IF YOU CAN!" Just seconds later I heard LT
Dick Oliver say, "DIAMOND THREE FLAMING OUT." Almost instantaneously
another call came into my headset, "DIAMOND TWO EJECTING." Nothing was
heard from Diamond Four. We thought he went down as well.
 
WOW! This was my first major cross-country with the squadron and the
airplanes were falling out of the sky. I was anxiously waiting for my
engine to quit as well. We were only seconds away from their position.
I was very tense to say the least. My heartbeat was louder than the
jet engine. However our flight of three flew through the same area,
basically at the same time, without any problems. It took many months
and numerous accident investigations to determine how our flight made
it through this area without any problems. I’ll explain why later.
 
The F-8 was a great fighter as long as the engine was running.
However, an engine flameout causes instant electrical and hydraulic
power loss. In addition, at the higher altitudes, the canopy fogs over
almost immediately. We were at 39,000 feet and the pilots who lost
engine power experienced all of the above instantaneously. This makes
the great fighter not too ‘user-friendly’ to say the least. All flight
instruments go ape, the airspeed decreases rapidly and the flight
controls freeze since there is no hydraulic power. In a situation like
this the pilot is just along for the ride, but he is frantically
trying to regain control of that hunk of metal falling through space
by instant recall of his emergency procedures. All the while he is
being slammed around in the cockpit like a sock in a washing machine.
The Navy had a term called ‘Over Learning.’ All pilots had to go over
and over emergency procedures time and time again until they could
respond automatically, in any situation, without thinking. This rote
memory of learning saved a lot of pilots and planes.
 
One of the undesirable characteristics of the F-8 is that when the
indicated airspeed reduces below 170 KIAS it will automatically enter
into a spin with just a little aileron or spoiler input. Due to the
conditions of this flight, listed above, these flamed- out Crusaders
automatically entered into a spin. It was very tough to recover the
F-8 from a spin in day VFR conditions. Add a big bad thunderstorm to
the equation, with the engine flamed out, the flight controls frozen,
the airplane spinning, and the canopy iced over makes recovery nothing
short of a miracle.
 
The F-8 was equipped with an emergency air driven generator that also
provided emergency hydraulics for primary flight controls. This Ram
Air Turbine (RAT), when extended into the air stream, was designed to
recover part of the electrical power and part of the hydraulic power
as well. The emergency generator switch had to be turned on after
dropping the RAT, or no electrical power would be supplied to the
aircraft. This procedure was easy to omit. The RAT restored hydraulic
power necessary for spin recovery and electrical power for a re-light
of the engine in this big bad cumulonimbus cloud.
 
It takes a few seconds for the RAT to come up to speed after
deployment. Sometimes, like in this case, those few seconds can feel
like an eternity. As I recall LT Oliver said in the accident report,
"The airplane was spinning before the RAT became effective." This is
kind of like the parachute riggers jokingly saying, "If it don’t work
bring it back and we will give you another one!"
 
Yet, with all this adversity Diamond Three, LT Dick Oliver, did
recover from the spin, and got his engine running again. This was by
no means an easy task. He first had to extend the RAT to regain flight
control and then he had to recover from the spin. A spinning F-8 may
go from 10 degrees nose up to 190 degrees nose down, while pulling
from plus 4 to minus 3 G’s, all the while rotating rapidly like a west
Texas twister. This short paragraph does not do justice for the superb
airmanship that Lt Oliver demonstrated that dreadful day.
 
Spin recovery procedures in the F-8 were very different and extremely
difficult. While experiencing the violent maneuvers noted above the
pilot had to move both hands to the left console and unlock the
pneumatic switch for emergency extending the leading edge landing
droop. This extended droop changed the aerodynamics of the wing and
served to get the stalled wing producing lift again. In addition, full
aft stick, and full aileron into the rotation of the spin was
required. At the same time full opposite rudder into the spin was
essential. This condition was held until the rotation stopped and only
then could the nose be brought up to pull out of the dive. If the
airplane was in un-controlled flight at 10,000 AGL the pilot was
required to eject. After recovering from a spin the leading edge
landing droop could not be retracted in the air. This placed speed and
‘G’ restrictions on the airplane. In addition the maximum range was
reduced consequentially as well. Needless to say that spins were to be
avoided and when one developed it left you with a crippled airplane.
 
The emergency engine air start procedure was a lengthy process. A lot
of altitude was lost during the re-start procedure. During this time
you were falling out of the sky like a rock. The pilot had to insure
that the RAT had been deployed and the emergency generator switch was
ON in order to supply electrical power to the igniters, which was
required to start the jet engine. If I remember correctly you tried to
establish airspeed around 200 KIAS, plus or minus 30 KIAS. This speed
supplied enough ram air through the engine intake to windmill the
engine from 17% to 30% RPM. Once these parameters were met the
throttle and ignition could be selected. If you got fuel flow of at
least 750 Pounds Per Hour the engine should relight. If not repeat the
procedures again, if you had enough altitude. Last choice was to make
a nylon descent via the ejection system.
 
When my flight leader, LT Al Wattay, heard the radio transmissions
from Diamond flight he advanced power by selecting the afterburner,
accelerated to MACH ONE and we climbed to 50,000 feet. LT Nichols
(Pirate) and I were hanging on his wing as best we could. Little did
we know at the time that the extra speed and altitude is what saved
our flight and possibly our lives. It was brought out in the accident
report that the Skipper of Diamond flight had let his formation slow
to below Mach .70, which is very slow at that altitude. They also
determined that it was a good possibility that vertical wind shears
could cause a flame out during such conditions due to reduced air
through the intake to the engine. In addition the older models F-8’s
were not equipped with engine anti-ice. This was also a factor in the
accident. Due to the fact that LT Wattay accelerated our flight to a
much higher airspeed the wind shear had no effect on our engines. In
addition climbing to a higher altitude removed us out of the icing
area. Thanks LT Wattay for great airmanship that day.
 
We proceeded on to Guantanamo after making "MAYDAY" calls and
reporting the crash site position on guard to the search and rescue
Air Force squadron in Miami. There was no way for us to locate the
downed pilots since the weather was clogged in all the way to the
deck. And besides that we just barely had enough fuel to fly to
Guantanamo. There were no Texaco Tankers available that day.
 
After landing in Cuba we assumed that three aircraft had been lost. We
still had no word from Diamond Four. All of sudden we heard an F-8
coming into the area at the speed of heat. We were very thrilled to
see Diamond Four, Lt Ben Walker, overhead. Later he told us that he
had lost his generator in the midst of all the excitement, dropped his
RAT for electrical power, but never regained his radio. All that he
knew was that his flight had disappeared in the clag.
 
Diamond One, the Skipper, was found two days after the accident by an
Air Force rescue crew, flying an amphibious aircraft. They landed in
very rough seas and retrieved CDR Brozo from his one-man life raft. He
had suffered a broken back due to the ejection. The F-8 had an
explosive cartridge in the ejection system that hit you in the butt
with mega ‘Gs’ when ejecting. A spin produces a lot of negative ‘Gs’.
The Skipper said that he was in a negative ‘G’ flight when he ejected.
This could explain his broken back due to the extra hit in the rear by
the ejection seat. He was later relieved of his command for taking his
flight through a thunderstorm. Yet, he had no way of knowing that
severe weather was in his flight path.
 
Diamond Two, Tom Malloy, was never found. About three years later his
helmet washed ashore on one of the small islands in the Caribbean. He
was reported missing until that time. We never really knew what happen
to him after he called "Ejecting." The Skipper said that his ejection
was very rough. After landing in the water he almost drowned by his
parachute pulling him under. The wind on the surface was very strong.
Under those conditions a parachute in the water can be deadly. If Tom
was injured during ejection, as the Skipper was, his survival would
have been in jeopardy.
 
The following is what a pilot may experience when ejecting from a fast
flying airplane at high altitude. As you can imagine it is a hazardous
experience to say the least. As stated above the explosive charge in
the ejection seat can give you quite a kick in the butt. This big kick
is necessary to insure that the pilot clears the vertical tail of the
airplane during an ejection. The first sequence in an ejection is for
the canopy to separate from the airplane. If it does not separate the
pilot is shot through the canopy. If the pilot ejects at 40,000 feet
he is quick to feel the cold rushing wind hitting his body at the
speed at which he ejected; let’s say 400 KTS for example. It may be 60
degrees below zero at that altitude and with very little oxygen to
breathe. This is not too good for the boys in summer flying suits. The
pilot cannot survive in that environment very long because he would
freeze to death and or die from hypoxia (lack of oxygen). The ejection
system is designed so that a small drogue parachute, about the size of
an umbrella, extends immediately after ejecting. This small chute
prevents the pilot from tumbling during descent, but he is still
falling like a brick. The ejection seat is equipped with an emergency
oxygen bottle that will last about 10 minutes for just such high
dives. This system can be used under water as well. That is if your
mask has not been ripped from your face during the high-speed exit of
the airplane.
 
The pilot, still strapped in the ejection seat, will free-fall, in
this case 30,000 feet, before the main chute opens. He is traveling at
the ‘speed of heat’ straight down. This sequence is supposed to open
the main parachute automatically by a barometric release, which is
normally set for operating at 10,000 feet above ground level. When
that altitude is reached a bladder in the seat inflates pushing the
pilot out of the seat and then the main parachute deploys. If the
automatic system does not work then the pilot can manually push the
ejection seat aside and pull the ‘D-Ring’ for the chute to open. How
does the pilot know when he reaches 10,000 feet? He can only estimate
his altitude by visual references. In a thunderstorm that is
impossible. In a storm such as this there would be limited visibility,
which would make it impossible to estimate your altitude. In addition
the pilot is in heavy rain, or hail, severe turbulence, and possible
heavy lightning.
 
Presume that the pilot gets a good parachute opening at 10,000 feet
and floats gracefully down to the waiting ocean. He still has a lot of
emergency procedures to accomplish to insure his survival. First, and
most importantly, he must unhook from the life saving parachute, which
becomes a death trap once it hits the water. When a parachute is
filled with water it will sink like a rock taking the pilot down as
well. If the pilot’s hands or arms are injured it may be impossible to
release the parachute. This quickly turns into a very serious
condition. In addition, once the parachute is released from the
pilot’s harness shroud lines from the chute may entangle the pilot.
These lines may snare him and take him under. For that reason all Navy
pilots carried an open knife, with a hook blade, attached to their
harness to cut the shroud lines if necessary.
 
If all of the above was accomplished without incident, the pilot still
had a lot of work to do. He must inflate his life vest to keep him
afloat since he is burdened with about 50 pounds of flight gear. At
this time he needs to deploy and inflate his one-man life raft that is
stored in a packet, which is attached to his harness. In this parcel
are such items as shark chaser, dye marker, signal mirror, fishing
hooks, a small salt-water distillery to convert seawater to fresh
drinking water, and a host of other small things.
 
Boarding the one-man life raft is no easy task in a swimming pool and
it becomes even more difficult in rough seas or if he is injured. Once
on board the little rubber raft a big wave can dump you back in the
water very quickly and totally mess up your command at sea. You must
re-board the little ‘private yacht’ or the sharks may eat you for
dessert. This could go on for days. These are the conditions that
Diamond One and Diamond Two were faced with that dreadful day.
 
The news media in our city broadcasted that all planes in our flight
were lost at sea. Of course that placed undue and unnecessary stress
on our families and friends. Communications back then were very
antiquated. It took hours for the facts, as we knew them, to get back
to our home base.
 
Thereafter this story was told many times in pilot training. The
point was made loud and clear to never fly into a thunderstorm.
 
I record this account in tribute to my fallen comrades. CDR John
(Diamond) Brozo, deceased; LT Dick (Smooooth One) Oliver, deceased
killed with the Blue Angels; LTJG Tom Malloy, killed on this flight;
LT Ben (Bugger) Walker (deceased); LT John (Pirate) Nichols, deceased.
As far as I know LT Al Wattay is still living. Note: The rank
indicated is the rank these officers held at the time of this
accident.
 
In this narrative I was amazed at how many emergency procedures I
could recall after 40 years. This information is 100% from my memory
and not from documents or other sources. This again proves the point
that the military drilled unto all pilots the ‘Over Learning’ process.
Most pilots could do the same. God bless.
 

Ron Knott 5/2005
 

sourcehttp://www.airtalk.org/image-vp229594.html
14th September 1962
USMC		 Crusader F-8D  148685 VMF-235
 NAS Dallas		 iDallas, US 1/LT A. Phil Longdon Jr, ejected when attitude was inverted
killed		   Martin-Baker
 

"Phil was number 2 in a 4-plane echelon entering the break at NAS Dallas. The leader broke for landing and just before Phil broke, an Air Guard F-86 that was shooting touch and goes, pulled up through the entry altitude and collided with Phil. The F8  was struck at the wing root and the wing separated from the fuselage. The F8 continued sans wing and rolled. Phil ejected, but when the seat actually fired he was inverted and was ejected into the ground at the edge of the lake. The Air Guard pilot was killed when his cockpit struck Phil's plane."

Tom O'Rorke
in email 25th November 2008
20th September 1962
USN		 F-8 Crusader       Lt. Gurg K. Webb ejected   Martin-Baker

10th October 1962


USN

Vought F-8A Crusader

145406
NM-106

VF-191
CVA-31 USS Bonhomme Richard

Barricade stop - but went over the side

Ltjg Don Jordan
 egressed safely

x

x
 

On Oct. 10th, 1962, on board the Bonnie Dick, CVA-31, a pitching deck off the coast of Hong Kong caused the left main wheel to separate & a
bolter followed.  All other A/C were recovered & the barricade erected. 2nd pass was an OK 2 wire with the hook releasing the wire after about
30' of travel.  Barricade cable did not release from the top of the stanchions allowing the A/C to "eat" it's way thru.  The A/C left the angle deck with full power at about 100 kts. & hit the water flat.  It broke into several pieces, wing, fuselage & cockpit.  Canopy was gone so pilot proceeded to unbuckle the shoulder fittings.  Cockpit then rolled inverted & sank.  One Hartman fitting had broken, so mask had to be held in order to get oxygen. The two waist buckles were released, only to discover the left foot jammed under the rudder petal.  Pilot stood on the seat & lunged, releasing foot, & also disconnecting O2 hose at a depth of about 40'.  Swimming to the surface he saw parts of the A/C sinking around him.  The bridge had incorrectly called for full right rudder, throwing the stern toward the crash site, so the pilot also saw one of the huge props throwing bubbles as it churned past. Made it the surface after remembering to actuate the Mae West.  Chopper was right there & deposited pilot on the flight deck.  Slight injuries, cut on chin & elbow, flew two days later.

CVA-31 Capt. Bullard  VF-191
Skipper Merl Gorder, XO Jack Snyder, Safety
Officer John Harker CAG LSO Ken Wiley  VF-191 LSO Wayne Williams
Pilot
Ltjg Don Jordan  A/C F-8A  Don't have access to my log book in storage
so can't confirm BuNo.
15th October 1962
USMC		 Crusader F-8C  145591 VMF-333  in Puerto Rico 2/LT J. D. Carroll ejected   Martin-Baker
16th October 1962
USN		 Crusader RF8U  145604 DET65 VFP-62
 CVAN65 Enterprise 		in US Lt Cmdr W. Newby Kelt
[1st ejection from an F-8
see also 16th April 1963]		 Martin-Baker
17th October 1962
USN		 Crusader F-8C  145586 VF-174 in US Lt. J. F. Ruchala
or
Lt. (jg) C. K. Dosch ejected who was in which aircraft ???		   Martin-Baker
17th October 1962
USN		 Crusader F-8D  149156 VF-11, CVA-42     Martin-Baker

25th October 1962


USN

Vought RF-8A Crusader

146837

VTF-64 Det C
USS Kitty Hawk

Lost during mission

x

x

x
7th November 1962
USN		 Crusader RF-8A  146829 VFP-62 in US Lt. J. McDonnell ejected   Martin-Baker
15th November 1962
USN		 Crusader F-8A  143728 VF-124 in US Lt. Cdr. J. F. Sullivan ejected   Martin-Baker

25th November 1962


USN

Vought F-8E Crusader

149178
AF

VF-33
USS Enterprise

Lost during mission

x

x

x
4th December 1962
USMC 		 Crusader F-8C  146914 VMF-334 in US Lt. Col. Walter Panchison ejected   Martin-Baker

26th December 1962


USMC 

Vought F-8C  Crusader

146940
DN

VMF-333
NAS Roosevelt Roads, PR, USA

Lost during mission

x

x

x
11th December 1962
USN		 Crusader F-8D  149144 VF-11, CVA-42   Lt. Cdr. F. G. Fellowes Jr. ejected   Martin-Baker
5th January 1963
USMC		 Crusader F-8B  145434 VMF-312 in US 1.Lt. W.D.Bethea ejected   Martin-Baker Mk.F5
24th January 1963
USMC		 Crusader F-8B  145480
 DW		 VMF-251   Major K. C. Palmer ejected   Martin-Baker Mk.5A

24th January 1963


USN

Vought F-8A Crusader

141355
UH

VU-7

x

x

x

x
25th January 1963
USN		 Crusader F-8D  147066 VF-124
CVA-19		   LT W. S. Fields III ejected   Martin-Baker Mk.F5

1st February 1963


USN

Vought RF-8A Crusader

146851

VFP-63
USS Kitty Hawk

Lost during mission

x

x

x

5th February 1963


USN

Vought F-8C Crusader

145551
AJ-2??

VF-103

x

x

x

x
15th February 1963
USN		 Crusader RF-8A  145640
PP-928		 VFP-63
CVA-43
USS Coral Sea		 rolled over to the left when it became airborne. after launching and he ejected with the aircraft inverted into the sea LT Delmar D. Young ejected
killed.
His body was not recovered		   Martin-Baker Mk.F5

18th February 1963
USN

Vought F-8C Crusader

146928
NG-1??

VF-91

x

x

x

x

25th February 1963
USN

Vought DF-8A Crusader

143711
UA

VC-1

x

x

x

x

10th March 1963


USMC

Vought F-8C Crusader

147032

VMF-333

x

x

x

x

11th March 1963


USMC

Vought RF-8A Crusader

144621
TN

VMCJ-3

Damaged beyond repair

x

x

x
19th March 1963
USN		 Vought F-8D Crusader

147920
AC-2??

VF-32
"Swordsmen"
CV-60
USS Saratoga

Crashed on the flight deck during night time air operation.

CDR Ed J. Clayton
[VF-32 Skipper]
killed

 
These details need confirming
25th March 1963
USMC		 Capt. Donald E. Cathcart
ejected		 Martin-Baker Mk.5A
F-8D Crusader  148655 VMF-451 MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina
USA
26th March 1963
USN		 RF-8A Crusader  146862 VFP-62 in US LT W. L. Taylor ejected   Martin-Baker Mk.5A

27th March 1963


USN

Vought RF-8A Crusader

146877

VFP-63
Det. D

x

x

x

x
8th April 1963
USN

Vought F8 Crusader

144612

VFP-62

Aircraft went into the water while attempting to photograph a Russian trawler

LTJG John Richard Richardson
killed

x
16th April 1963
USN		 RF8U Crusader 146894 VFP-62,
CVAN-65
 USS Enterprise 		  LCDR W. Newby Kelt
[2nd ejection from an F-8
see also 16th October 1962]		 Martin-Baker Mk.5A
14th May 1963
USN		 F-8C Crusader 145563   VF-194, CVA-61 LTJG R. G. Bengston ejected   Martin-Baker
16th May 1963
USN		 F-8B Crusader 145537   VF-62, CVA-38 LTJG B. N. Walker ejected   Martin-Baker

21st May 1963


USN

Vought F-8A Crusader

145391
UH

VU-7

x

LTJG J. S. Emerson ejected

x

Martin-Baker
11th June 1963
USN		 F-8C Crusader 146930 VF-124 in US LtJG Frank H. Harrington

[1st F-8 ejection see also 24th February 1967]
was he involved in any mishap 11th November 1965 ??

 Martin-Baker
13th June 1963
USN		 RF-8A Crusader 146832 VFP-63 in US LT L. K. Dalrymple ejected   Martin-Baker

14th June 1963

VoughtRF-8A Crusader

146880

VFP-63 Det I.
USS Hancock

Lost During Mission

x

x

x
15th June 1963
USN		 F-8E Crusader 149183 VF-124  in US Lt. D.R.Morris ejected   Martin-Baker
18th June 1963
USMC		  F‑8E Crusader 149200
WS		 VMA(AW)‑323 Fuel cell overfilled during refueling and caught fire. Crashed into Pacific Maj D. K. Tooker ejected through a sheet of flames. safely moments before the
aircraft exploded.		   Martin-Baker
19th June 1963
USMC		 F‑8E Crusader 150298
WS		 VMA(AW)‑323 Fuel cell overfilled during refueling and caught fire. Crashed into Pacific 1Lt. Cliff Judkins, III was unable to eject due to a seat failure, so he was forced to bail out at 220 knots, . His parachute, however, failed to open, and Judkins fell 10,000 feet into the ocean. Incredibly, he survived, with moderate injuries to his face,
pelvis, and ankles. He was picked up in a little over 2 hours.
photo via Cliff Judkins		 Martin-Baker
20th June 1963
USN		 F-8A Crusader 143692 VF-174 in US
ENS J. P. Robillard
ejected		   Martin-Baker
ENS J. P. Robillard was part of the original French Pilot group to train with VF 174 and then returned to France to later become an Admiral

18th July 1963


USN

Vought RF-8A Crusader

145640

VFP-63

Crashed following launch into Yellow Sea off South Korea

Pilot killed

x

x

24th July 1963


USN

Vought F-8A Crusader

143818
NP

VF-211

x

x

x

x
30th July 1963
USN		 F-8C Crusader 146977
NJ		 VF-124 Crashed west of Superstition Mountain, Burrego, CA in US Lt. Cdr. D. L. Whitman ejected   Martin-Baker

31st July 1963


USN

Vought F-8B Crusader

145435
AD

VF-174

Damaged beyond repair

x

x

x
2nd August 1963
USN		 F-8C Crusader  145597 VF-103 in US Lt. G. F. Talken ejected   Martin-Baker
5th August 1963
USN		 F-8E Crusader  150312 VF-174  in US Lt. T. R. Swartz ejected   Martin-Baker
26th August 1963
USN		 F-8A Crusader  143729 VC-10 in US Lt. JG D. H. Beyer ejected   Martin-Baker

13th August 1963


USMC

Vought F-8B Crusader

145516
WI

VMF-232

Damaged beyond repair

x

x

x

26th August 1963


USN

Vought F-8A Crusader

143729
JH

VU-10

x

x

x

x
28th August 1963
USN		 RF-8A  Crusader  144610 VFP-62 Lost in a operational accident  in US Lt. JG T. V. Hallcom  ejected

 

 		 Martin-Baker
3rd September 1963
[also seen as 1nd September]
USMC		 Vought F-8D Crusader 147061
DB		 VMF(AW)-235
NAS Atsugi.  Kanagawa Prefecture		 Martin-Baker
Crashed beside or near prefectural road, north of NAF Atsugi Capt. Michael J. Hanley
ejected at low level
pelvis injured
 [personal testimony]		  
  photo courtesy Tom O'Rorke

16th September 1963


USN

Vought F-8E Crusader

150342
NJ

VF-124

x

x

x

x

18th September 1963


USN

Vought F-8C Crusader

147020
NE

VF-24

Damaged beyond repair

x

x

x
20th September 1963
USN		 F-8C Crusader 147008 VF-194 in US Lt. Kiper ejected   Martin-Baker
9th October 1963
USN		 F-8D Crusader 148674 VF-32,CVA-60   Lt. Cdr. A. D. Williams ejected   Martin-Baker
10th October 1963
USN		 F-8E Crusader 150338 VF-62, CVA-38   Lt. Cdr. H. L. Terry ejected   Martin-Baker

14th October 1963


USN

Vought F-8D Crusader

147907
AC-2??

VF-32
USS Saratoga

Lost during mission

x

x

x
17th October 1963
USN		 F-8A Crusader 143787 VF-162, CVA-34   Lt. JG J. P. Humbert ejected   Martin-Baker

17th October 1963


USN

Vought F-8A Crusader

143797
AH

VF-164

x

x

x

x
22nd October 1963
USN		 RF-8A Crusader 144621 NARF NO ISL in US Lt. J. J. Adams ejected   Martin-Baker
29th October 1963
USN		 RF-8A Crusader 144622 VFP-63, [C?]VA-14   Lt. D. B. Fickenscher ejected   Martin-Baker
6th November 1963
USN		 F-8D Crusader 148676 VF-154, CVA-43   Lt. K. J. J. Jackson ejected   Martin-Baker
7th November 1963
USN		 F-8C Crusader 145547 VF-124 in US ENS J. R. Andrews ejected   Martin-Baker
13th November 1963
USN		 RF-8A Crusader
This photo is from a series taken by LT Rod Rogers. The full set can be found on his web site [LINK] and is used with his permission		 Lt. JG Julian M. Baucom ejected safely Martin-Baker
14683
AJ 902		 VFP‑62 in US  off the US east coast.
26th November 1963
USMC		 F-8B Crusader 145461 VMF-251 in US 1.Lt. W. A. James  ejected   Martin-Baker

4th December 1963


USN

Vought F-8B Crusader

145430
AD

VF-174

x

x

x

x
13th December 1963
USN		 Crusader F-8C
NJ		  145577 VF-124  in US.over the desert, CA Lt (jg) Eugene J. Chancy
ejected
[see also 2nd May 1966]

 

 		 Martin-Baker

16th January 1964
USMC

Vought F8U Crusader

148702

VMF-23?
Atsugi AB

Engine failure on take off and steered the F8 clear of the town. Crashed at Zama Town, Kanagawa Prefecture, Civilian property damaged

Charles "Frog" Allison
 attempted ejection
believed seat failed
Killed

 

22nd January 1964

  

Vought F-8D Crusader

148667
VM

VMF(AW)-451

x

x

x

x
19th February 1964
USN		 F-8 Crusader  146869 VFP-62 Det 60   LtCdr. John M. McCall ejected, inverted, at low level [about 200'-300' AGL] and was killed. He was not recovered  
 

"Mac" was O-IN-C of VFP-62/Det 60...out of Cecil, I believe.  I was witness to his death, off the Saratoga (CVA-60), out of Mayport, in the Med...standing on the fantail of Sara, watching a practice run of an upcoming "Fire Power" demo, or some such other nonsense.  Mac was to perform a "Photo Loop"...came steaming down the port side of the boat, bow to stern, began the loop, and flew almost immediately into a solid overcast at about 1500'...at about the time he should be recovering from the maneuver, his Crusader appeared, rapidly descending in an inverted flat spin, just aft of the fantail, almost above my position...I recognized the situation, and while most (non aviator types) were ooohing and aaawwing, I was "beating feet" for the security of the island...was almost there when I heard the boom of his seat fire.  I was with our (VA-35's) Maintenance Officer, an LDO, Lt. Gus Elison.  As I wandered back to Gus' position, he explained Mac punched out at about 200'-300' AGL...while inverted.  Not a chance...

 

Gus and I still very close...he in JAX, me in the Florida Keys...he was telling me less than a year ago about a memorial to Mac in his church in JAX, which Mac also attended...guess they were quite friendly...if you'd like to contact him, here you go:

 

LCdr Gus Elison USN Ret 

8206 Caravelle Dr 

Jacksonville  FL  32244

 

(940) 612-2164

 

guselison@aol.com

 
25th February 1964
USMC		 F-8B Crusader  145501 VMF-232 in Hawaii 2nd Lt. D. L. Dummond ejected   Martin-Baker
4th March 1964
USMC		 RF-8A Crusader 146847
TN		 VMCJ-3   Lt. J. T. Gunn ejected   Martin-Baker