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VP-50 Memorial

VP-50 Crew - In Memorium - VP-50 Crew

January 6th, 1967

"Eternal Father Strong To Save"
The Navy Hymn
Sailor Aviators Version

Eternal Father, Strong to Save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bid'st the mighty Ocean deep
Its' own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to thee,
for those in peril on the sea.

Lord, guard and guide the men who fly
Through the great spaces in the sky.
Be with them always in the air,
In dark'ning storms or sunlight fair.
O, Hear us when we lift our prayer,
For those in peril in the air.

But when at length our course is run,
Our work for home and country done,
Of all the souls that flew and sailed,
Let not one life in thee be failed,
But hear from heaven our sailors cry,
And grant eternal life on high.

May all our departed shipmates rest in peace.

Eternal Father by the U.S. Navy Band's Sea Chanters (668 kbytes - WAV file)

Contributed by Larry Rosburg rosburg@hevanet.com

Patrol Squadron Fifty Familygram

"...This information was given to me in a 'Patrol Squadron Fifty Familygram,' after the conclusion of a 6 month deployment to the Philippines that commenced in August 1966...Larry Rosburg rosburg@hevanet.com..."

"The deployment was unfortunately not without it's sorrow. On January 6, 1967, the officers and men of the squadron bade a final farewell to ten of our shipmates. These ten men made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. They gave their lives. They and their contribution to the sustenance of liberty will long be remembered by those who knew them. The deceased are as follows:"

LT David Ashby STEVENS
[NO PICTURE]

LT(jg) Gary Lee HOWELL
shipmates pix
PP2P

LT(jg) Jack Morton MORRIS
shipmates pix
Navigator

AT3 Paul Michael GOSLIN
shipmates pix

ATAN Charles Marcel GOETZ
shipmates pix

UPDATE "...Wanted to stop by on this 2011 Memorial Day and pay tribute to my brother Charlie and his crew mates who were lost on January 6th, 1967 (SEE: VP-50 In Memorial for lost friends January 6th, 1967). And thank you Skyhawk for a more detailed account of what happened that day, the Navy wasn't as forthcoming. God Bless all our military personnel, and God Bless America, the home of the brave..." Contributed by Barbara Goetz McLain mslemona@snet.net [31MAY2011]

UPDATE "...It's 38 years ago today, January 6th, 2005, that my brother Charles M. Goetz and the rest of the VP-50 Crew perished (SEE: VP-50 In Memorial for lost friends January 6th, 1967) . I wanted to say that these young men are not forgotten. Charlie, I you will always be in my heart...Barbara Goetz McLain mslemona@snet.net..." {07JAN2005]

UPDATE "...My husband Charles Goetz died on January 6th, 1967 (SEE: VP-50 In Memorial for lost friends January 6th, 1967). It was the worst day of my life. He had a son named after his dad which he never came home to meet. He would have loved him so much, he looks and acts just like him. He is a blessing. As I was saying good-bye to my husband at LAX a priest kept staring at us. I was wondering why? When I was in the hospital having Charlie son 13 blue roses came to me from Charles, actually it was 14 but by the time it got to me 13. And there was 13 crew men to that mission. I've missed him all though my life wondering what it would have been like. I will alway's miss him until the day I die. They say that you only have one true love in your life and he was it for me. Hopefully I will see him up in heaven. I miss you so much Charlie...Janet Goetz Diavialo@aol.com..." [21JUL2001]

UPDATE "...I just discoverd this page - In Memorial for lost friends January 6th, 1967. My brother Charlie was a member of that crew. As I scrolled down the page seeing the faces of the crew, I was surprised to see a picture of Charlie. He was the light in my life as we were growing up, I was 14 on the day we received the telegram, and haven't been the same since. It has been over 30 Years and I miss him more than I can say. Charlie had a 4 month old son, a son he had never seen or held in his arms when he died, I am going to forward this link so he can learn something about his father. Thank you very much, you have given me more information on that fateful mission that the US Navy. Thank you...Barbara Goetz McLain lemondrop@snet.net..." [15JUL2001]


AX2 David Fyke LEWIS
[NO PICTURE]


UPDATE "...I am the third born of AX2 David Fyke Lewis (VP-50). I was only 2 1/2 when my Father died (SEE: In Memorial for lost friends January 6th, 1967). I have no memories of him; however, my Mom has given me and my siblings pictures to cherish and have forever. I look forward to learning more about that tragic day...Sarah Pauline (Lewis) Newlen newlen409@mssn.com..." [04FEB2004]

UPDATE "...I am Chuck Lewis the oldest son of AX2 David Fyke Lewis (VP-50)who died at sea on January 6th, 1967 with Crew 13 (SEE: In Memorial for lost friends January 6th, 1967). I have all the reports & documentation from the crash investigation by the US Government. I am looking for relatives of any of the crew all who perished in the crash....Charles David Lewis siwelcd@cox.net..." [30JAN2004]

UPDATE "...I am the first born child of AX2 David Fyke Lewis. He was a member of the VP-50 Crew and died on January 6, 1967 (SEE: In Memorial for lost friends January 6th, 1967). I was five years old when my father was killed. I also have a brother, Charles David Lewis, a sister, Sarah Pauline Lewis, and another brother, Mark Allen Lewis (who was killed 16 years ago). My brother Mark never knew his father. He was born March 9, 1967, two months after our father was killed. Non of us remember him except for the stories our mother told us. She told me one time that after he was killed and we still lived on base at NAS North Island, San Diego, California that I left our yard and went looking for my "daddy". Another navy man that I happened to come up on and ask "where is my daddy" knew who I was and took me back home. I have pictures of my father and the newspaper clippings from then. My brother has the flag that was presented to my mother. I think about him alot and wonder what he would of been like if we had all grown up with him...Mary Haselton mkhaselton@excite.com..." [30JAN2004]


AT3 Larry James CREIGHTON
shipmates pix


AE3 William Richard GUNTER
shipmates pix

UPDATE "...Bill Gunter, who was a member of VP-50 when their plane crashed on January 6th, 1967 (SEE: VP-50 In Memorial for lost friends January 6th, 1967), was like a brother to me. He worked in my father's store in Narberth, PA, when he was in high school and when he came home on leave. He wrote to me while he was in the Navy, and brought me gifts from Japan. I was 12 years old when he was killed, and I was devastated by the news. I haven't checked this VPNavy site in a long time, so I was shocked and disappointed to see that I missed out on buying Bill's Navy items on eBay. It makes me sad to think that a stranger might have his things. I know he had a sister and I wonder if that's who sold them? Please contact me if you still want to sell Bill's items, or even just to talk about him. He was a wonderful young man. Deborah Tait Riley debriley2@mchsi.com..." [31JAN2010]

UPDATE "...These items belonged to a man who was a crew member in one of the Martin P5M seaplanes in VP-50. He was killed of the coast of the philippines when his plane went down over the ocean. In the group are 4 dog tags, the telegram to his parents, 2 theater made belt buckles pertaining to VP-50 and his status as air crew, vietnam ribbon bar (there is also a document w/ all the medals he earned), his navy rating, 2 large photos taken at the naval training center in San Diego, CA, 2 sets of keys, the patrol squadron 50 year book 65-66, 2 news letters from VP-50, a letter to his parents about his personal effects, his award for VP-50 man of the month and a letter to his parents about this award, many papers dealing with the deceased from the navy, 9 documents, certificates and awards for courses he completed including aircrew and a letter telling his parents to keep them for him, letters of condolence from the Secretary of the Navy, Commander of Nnaval Airforce in the Pacific, his Commanding Officer explaining to his parents what happened and others, and a bunch of other documents from the Navy. There are alot of documents pertaining to his death as well as his naval career..." WebSite: EBay http://cgi.ebay.com/ VIETNAM-NAVY-VP-50-POSTHUMOUS-GROUPING_W0QQitemZ190051211291QQihZ009QQcategoryZ587QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem [13NOV2006]

History - Tap To Enlarge ThumbnailHistory - Tap To Enlarge ThumbnailHistory - Tap To Enlarge ThumbnailHistory - Tap To Enlarge ThumbnailHistory - Tap To Enlarge ThumbnailHistory - Tap To Enlarge Thumbnail
History - Tap To Enlarge ThumbnailHistory - Tap To Enlarge ThumbnailHistory - Tap To Enlarge ThumbnailHistory - Tap To Enlarge ThumbnailHistory - Tap To Enlarge ThumbnailHistory - Tap To Enlarge Thumbnail


AMS3 Everett Nelson WHITMIRE
shipmates pix

UPDATE "...I am a niece of AMS3 Everett Nelson WHITMIRE who was lost on January 6, 1967 (SEE: In Memorial for VP-50 lost friends January 6th, 1967). Still missing him after all these years. My favorite uncle..." Contributed by Dana McCubbin danamccubbin@yahoo.com [10OCT2012]

AOAN Ronny Lynn STEEN
shipmates pix

UPDATE "...I am the nephew of AOAN Ronny Lynn Steen who died on 6 Jan 67. I was only 3 1/2 when my uncle died, so I don't remember him. I do remember how proud his family was of his Navy service. Ronny was from a tiny town in Texas where military service is respected to this day. His family has always had a military tradition. I often wonder what he would have been like. My grandmother always thought that Ronny's name (as well as those of his crewmates) was on the Vietnam Wall. I was able to make the trip while stationed at Andrews AFB and found out that his name wasn't there. Since I am retired military, I understand the technicalities of why the names aren't there, but it still doesn't seem right. I never told my grandmother, it would have broke her heart. God bless all of the family members of 13 Crew. They will never be forgotten..." Contributed by Scott R. Steen, MSgt, USAF(ret) blk98gt@charter.net [07OCT2007]


UPDATE "...During the 1966 - 1967 WesPac deployment to NS Sangley Point, Philippines, VP-50 assumed a number of commitments around the South China Sea. Beside flying combat missions in Vietnam, VP-50 was also expected to perform Ocean Surveillance and ASW patrols in the South China Sea and fly buffer missions in the Formosa Straits. Five or more planes were attached to a Seaplane Tender (Pine Island, Currituck or Salisbury Sound) based at Cam Ranh Bay, Da Nang, Con Son, or Phu Quoc in RVN. To help accomplish all these commitments VP-50 scrounged at thirteenth SP-5B Marlin -- probably from the Konan rework facility in Japan. The Squadron patched together a thirteenth crew headed by PPC Dave Stephens, PP2P Gary Howell, Navigator Jack Morris and crewmen Bill Gunter, AMS3 Everett Nelson Whitmire, ATR3 Paul Michael Goslin, ATN3 Larry James Creighton, ATRAN Charles Marcel Goetz and AOAN Ronny Lynn Steen. Thirteen Crew then helped fulfill the Squadron's commitments around the South China Sea. Crew Thirteen launched late in the morning for a rocket firing exercise. They flew west of NS Sangley Point, Philippines to Scarborough Shoals where they put a floating smoke buoy in the water -- this was their target to fire their eight rockets at. Unfortunately on one of the firing runs the rocket ignited on the SP-5B's wing and exploded blowing the wing from the Marlin. The broken plane fell, impacting the water near the smoke killing all aboard shortly after noon. When the plane didn't send its scheduled hourly position report another Marlin was launched to look for the missing bird. The search plane found floating remains near Scarborough Shoals and a Navy ship went to the site to look for survivors. Some remains of the aircraft were recovered but I believe no human remains were found. It was a very sad evening as all squadron mates gathered to meet the returning search Marlin as the sun set across Manila Bay..." Contributed by Bud Southworth skyhawk@cnw.com WebSite: http://www.skyhawk.org...SEE: In Memorial for lost friends...January 6th, 1967

UPDATE "...Recently I attended an ANA conference here in Pensacola. It was the same timeframe as the Mariner/Marlin Association Reunion which I also attended, and had a grand time. However, during the ANA convention there was a tribute to those fine men who lost their lives in the Forrestal fire. Their names were placed on the Viet Nam Wall. Which brings the subject. I was in VP-50 when we lost Crew 13 on a training mission (SEE: In Memorial for lost friends...January 6th, 1967) while deployed to Southeast Asia in support of market time operations. Although the accident happened in the South China seas, they were training for the return to NAF Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam in support of Market Time. I need some contact support to try and get these fine Shipmates names on the wall. They certainly do deserve it, and we owe it too them. Any assistance would be appreciated. Thanks Shipmates...CDR Rich Murphy NavyBlueLDO@aol.com..." [15MAY2000]

UPDATE "...The CO at the time of the accident, Capt. Harlan Purdy, and I had a discussion at the Reunion about this. Crew 13 was pursuing antisubmarine warfare training off the coast of Corregidor at a classified location. There is no known cause for the accident. It occurred in one of the deepest areas of the South China Sea and at the time it happened, it was impossible to recover any wreckage. The cause of the accident will never be known. The plane was nowhere near Scarborough Shoals. I am sure the members of VP-50 discussed the accident and the possibilities of the cause, but none can come up with any information with veracity other than that the plane crashed and there were no survivors among the crew of 10..." Contributed by Pat Bredthauer p_bredthauer@hotmail.com (Widow of Jack Morris) [09MAY2000]

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