MISHAPs: 00 XXX 00 A/C: P2V LOCATION: Bergstrom Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas Type: Mechanical DEATHS: 00 BUNO: 135556 CAUSE: Landed Wheels Up [02JAN98]

"...On the Mishaps page, there is mention of a P2V of VP-21 that did a wheels-up landing at Bergstrom Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. The date listed is 00 XXX 00 (apparently date unknown) with a posted date of 2 Jan 98. I would like to bring it to your attention that Bergstrom AFB was not in San Antonio, but rather in Austin (the state capital). It is no longer an AFB as it is now Austin's main commercial airport. L. Terrell Lance.Terrell@austinenergy.com..." [13NOV2000]

"...Boy. . . believe it or not, I can STILL, after thirty years, remember the BUNO of the plane!!

135556, or as we used to call it, 1 3 triple nickle 6...was the plane that landed wheels up at Bergstrom Air Force Base in San Antonio Texas. Pilot was a Mickey McGivern (or McGiveran) who lives in Freeport, Maine (home of LL Bean and where Micks wife used to be mayor). Can't remember dates, but it was a funny kind of story. Happened on the day of a change of command ceremony. OLD CO, CDR Ian Johnson was relieved in the morning. . new guy, I think Bob Latta came on immeidately there after and Mickey then left on a boondoggle mission to Bergstrom to take some squadron members to visit relatives and maybe put a plane on display or something. Anyhow, because Johnson had passed on the squadron to Latta, the crash, which ended the Navy's longest running safety record at VP-21 happened under Latta's command.

I was over in the O club at the reception when the messenger from the tower came over to tell the CO (they thought it was still Johnson because they forgot about the change of command) that Mickey was over Bergstrom wheels up and they wouldn't come down. Both Latta and Johnson went over to the tower along with the safety officer to talk Mickey through what they could think of that needed to be done in order to get the gear down. They pulled the Johnson bar along the wing beam. . no go. . . thought there was to much slack in the cable so they wrapped the cable around a sonobouy to take up the slack and pulled again. . no go. Anyhow, Mickey's up over the runway at Bergstrom for about two or more hours and night fall is beginning to come. They decide to land it wheels up. Air Force foams the runway. . . Mickey comes in, misses the foam, but lands it on the radolme and the tail skeg, AND, while skidding down the runway he has the presence of mind as is called for in the NATOPS manual to crank the recips with the starters to bring the props to the 45 degree mark. PROPS NEVER touched the ground and as a result the engines were never damaged. Only damage was the radome and the tail skeg. . . plane is at the intersection of the cross runways and the whole base is now shut down and its a SAC base!!! They put air bags under the wings as they don't have the jacks stands for a P2 and the plane slides off the bags at least twice and they broke its back!!!!

Time marches on. I'm the duty officer at 21 about a year later and we get an aircraft movement report from the bureau and what is it for?? You got it, 1 3 triple nickle 6 is coming back to US whereas we thought it would naturally end up in one of the other 30 P2 squadrons at the time. Can still remember it coming in and landing with all hands on the ramp watching it come in.

Time marches on. . . . about ten years ago I'm at a Marshall Fields store here in Milwaukee and they are selling distressed leather jackets. I take a look, and there on the left breast is the squadrons patch VP-21 Blackjacks, the cards, etc. etc. I pick up the jacket from the rack and on the right hand sleeve there is a "radio call sign patch" and guess what it says?? "Triple Nickle". I nearly died!! Called the manufacturer the next day "Avitar?? out of NYC" and ask who in the hell used to be in 21. They had no idea as to what I was talking about. . . jacket was just a design, with no story behind it!!!! I couldn't believe it, but that was as much as I ever learned about the jacket!!!!" Contributed by Dan Dwyer DPDDelta@Worldnet.att.net OR DDwyer@MBCO.com [02JAN98]

MISHAPs: 15 FEB 45 A/C: PB4Y-1 Location: Eastern Central Pacific Strike: Yes BUNO: 59436 CAUSE: Non combat mission. Pilot failure. No inj Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [26NOV2001]

---

MISHAPs: 02 APR 45 A/C: PBM-5 Location: KERAMA RETTO Strike: Yes BUNO: 45419 CAUSE: HIT REEF TAXING Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [02APR98]

---

MISHAPs: 06 JUN 45 A/C: PBM-5 Location: Unknown Strike: Yes BUNO: 45416 CAUSE: FORCE LANDED, SANK 3200-fathoms Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [02APR98]

---

MISHAPs: 18 JUN 45 A/C: PBM-5 Location: KARMA RETTO SEADROME, NANSEI SHOTO, JAPAN Strike: Yes DEATHS: 5/KILLED, 6/MINOR BUNO: 59066 CAUSE: TAKE-OFF FROM LOSS OF POWER FORCE LANDED IN YELLOW SEA Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [02APR98]

"...35N 123-36E Crew: Pilot.Lt(jg). Richard N.Welle/Minor inj, Aom3c. Jackie N.Camden/Sank with plane, Aom3c. Peter A.Colby/Killed, Amm3c. Robert G.Fertig/Killed, Aom1c. Donald Laughran/Killed, Rm3c. Donald E.Parkinson/Killed, Ens. Clarence A.Peter,Jr/Minor inj, Ens. John L.Valentine/Minor inj, Amm2c. Clarence A.Myhra/Minor inj, Rm3c. Edmund O'Brien/Minor inj, and Amm3c. John P.Leslane/Minor inj..." Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [02JAN2001]

---

MISHAPs: 18 JUN 45 A/C: PBM-3 Location: Kerama Retto Seadrome, Nansei Shoto Strike: Yes BUNO: 59068 Cause: Engine failure, force landed at sea, crashed & sank in Yellow Sea; 35N 123-36E 6/minor injuries...AOM3c.Jackie Neil Camden/sank with plane, AOM3c.Peter Anthony Colby/sank with plane, AMM3c.Robert george Fert/sank with plane, AOM1c.Donald Laughran/killed, and ARM3c.Donald Elliott Parkinson/killed Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [03OCT98]

---

MISHAPs: 04 JUL 45 A/C: PBM-5 Location: SEADROME AREA, KARAMA RETTO Strike: Yes BUNO: 59000 CAUSE: SANK AT BOUY, HATCH LEFT OPEN Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [02APR98]

---

MISHAPs: 28 JUL 45 A/C: PBM-5 Location: ISL OF JAPAN Strike: Yes BUNO: 59128 CAUSE: DUMBO MISSION-LANDING ACCIDENT Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [02APR98]

"...Sunk by gunfire..crew rescued ..." Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [02JAN2001]

---

MISHAPs: 14 DEC 45 A/C: PBM-5E Location: HONG KONG,CHINA Strike: Yes BUNO: 59341 CAUSE: WHILE TAXING TO BOUY HIT SUBMERGED OBJECT Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [02APR98]

---

MISHAPs: 21 JAN 46 A/C: PBM-5 Location: SASEBO, JAPAN Strike: Yes BUNO: 59114 CAUSE: TAXI ACCIDENT, TUNNEL HATCH OPEN, SANK Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [02APR98]

---

MISHAPs: 18 SEP 46 A/C: PBM-5 Location: TSINGTAO SEADROME, CHINA Strike: Yes BUNO: 59195 BROKE FROM MOORING DURING STORM Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [02APR98]

---

1950's

MISHAPs: VP-21 Mishap "...Crash in Gibraltar, 1954, HC-2..." Contributed by Norman J. Roinestad AO1, CAC, USN RET. nroinestad@highstream.net [E-Mail Updated 22MAR2001 | 08FEB99]

---

MISHAPs: 00 FEB 52 A/C: P4M-1Q Location: Ditched 15 miles off the island of Cyprus Strike: Yes BUNO: 124371 "...This month,February 2001, will mark 49 years since the P4M-1Q 124371 based at NAF Port Lyautey, Morocco (Patrol and Naval Com. Unit 32 G) VP-21 Ditched 15 miles off the island of Cyprus. The P4M was returning from a ELINT mission over the Black Sea. The pilot Lt. Robert Hager was washed away in the high seas after having pulled the co-pilot Lt. Parson, who had two broken ankles, out of the plane. The rest of crew were picked up by a British Destroyer after about 6 or 7 hours at sea . Would like to hear from any of you who are still around. Deery, AT2 Joe MERCATORP4M@aol.com..." [04FEB2001]

"...A correction to Mike Kemble's entry below (July 24, 2002 at 12:52 EDT. "....HMS Chevron rescued a VP-21 crew from a P4M-1 in the Mediterranean in Feb 52...") The aircraft involved in this loss was P4M-1Q Bureau Number 124371. The aircraft ditched after all fuel was exhausted, at night, with the loss of only the Patrol Plane Commander, LT Robert Hager, who was heard in the water after all hands had exited the aircraft but who was unable to reach a life raft. At the time the aircraft was assigned to the Patrol Unit based at NAF Port Lyautey, Morocco. I have been in contact with the co-pilot of this flight who has given me a written statement of the entire incident. The NAF Patrol Unit eventually became VQ-2 in 1955...DAVIDOW, LT Mel Retired meldavidow@earthlink.net..." [25JUL2002]

"...HMS Chevron rescued a VP-21 crew from a P4M-1 in the Mediterannean in Feb 52. I have this on a page on my domain which deals with another subject. Ray Holden served on HMS Chevron at the time and his brother died on HMS Kite in Aug 44 - the subject of the page(s). Should any of the crew who read this would they like to contact me? I will forward your mails also to Ray. http://www.kemble.org.uk/kite1.html is the relevant page...Mike Kemble mike@kemble.org.uk..." [24JUL2002]

---

MISHAPs: 03 MAY 54 A/C: P2V LOCATION: Returning to NAS Patuxent River, Maryland BUNO: 126516 "...HC-3(#126516) Crew 10 in HC-3 was returning to Pax. River after delivering a part of our volleyball team to NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island on May 3, 1954. Flight included skeleton crew of five (Pilot - Bill Grimm, Co-Pilot-R.J. Peterson, H.E. Johnson-Plane Capt., J.A. Icavone-Raidoman,Gene Wiley-1st Ord.) and two passengers-(Chief Boatswain Mate Harold Dietrich & Sgt. John Magnuson). Between Allentown and Fritztown, Pa. at 14,000' the plane developed engine trouble and the pilot feathered the starboard engine and was given permission to come down to 12,000' , but then the port engine began to have problems and Pilot, Bill Grimm , ordered the crew to take their ditching stations as this engine also quit. I immediately began to get the passenger in his station(he wanted a chute and was a bit difficult). The radioman(Icavone), the Chief, and I took our ditching stations-I closed the armor plated door between the radioman and the afterstation and this proved to be a life saver). The sky had a heavy overcast and we came out of the overcast at about 1500'. Lt.jg. Grimm did a fantastic job in putting the plane down near a private home in a fresh ploughed field. Frist bounce across a graded road between two large cherry trees(both cut down and lost both wings) which cut out skid. Upon coming to a halt, all crew and passengers got out and ran away from the plane. One person from the front received a broken finger (holding on to drift site) and one from the aft section received a sprained ankle (jumping from the wing stub). All were thankful for the great job done by the pilot, Bill Grimm(presently Capt.,U.S.N.retired). This is my version from the afterstation as I knew it ..." [30MAY2002]
VP-21 Mishap Newspaper Article
VP-21 Mishap Newspaper Article - Pictures
VP-21 Mishap Newspaper Article - Crew
VP-21 Mishap Newspaper Article Part 1 of 2
VP-21 Mishap Newspaper Article Part 2 of 2
VP-21 Mishap Pictures
VP-21 Mishap Pictures
VP-21 Mishap Pictures
VP-21 Mishap Pictures
VP-21 Mishap Pictures

---

MISHAPs: 28 APR 55 A/C: P2V "...Brunswick BomberBombed By Bird While On Patrol - Portland (ME) Press Herald of 4/29/55..." Contributed by Robert Wolen rwolen@earthlink.net [02SEP2002]

---

"VP-21 Summary Page"

---