Rank/Branch: O4/US Marine Corps
Unit: VMGR 152, 1st Marine Air Wing
Date of Birth: 07 September 1931
Home City of Record: Puyallup, WA
Date of Loss: 01 February 1966
Country of Loss: North Vietnam/Over Water
Loss Coordinates: 172038N 1072217E (YE520190)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 5
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: KC130F
Other Personnel In Incident:
Peter Vlahakos
Albert M. Prevost
Russell B.
Luker
Galen F. Humphrey
Donald L. Coates
(all missing)
Source:
Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 June 1990 from one
or more of the
following:
raw data from U.S. Government agency sources,
correspondence with
POW/MIA families,
published sources, interviews.
SYNOPSIS:
The Lockheed C130 Hercules was one of the most
important aircraft
used
in Vietnam. It served many purposes,
among them transport,
tanker, gunship,
drone controller,
airborne battlefield command and control
center,
weather
reconnaissance craft, electronic reconnaissance platform,
search, rescue and
recovery.
The U.S. Marines employed the KC130F version which served
primarily as a
probe-and-drogue refueling plane,
although when the rubber fuel
bladders were
removed from
the cargo compartment, the plane also served as a
transport.
The
KC130F was capable of refueling two aircraft simultaneously.
On February 1, 1966, a U.S. Marine Hercules tanker was
operating
in the Gulf
of
Tonkin near the coast of
North Vietnam, about 10 miles north of
the island of
Hon Co.
During a refueling operation, the tanker was hit by
ground fire
and
crashed into the ocean. All crew onboard the aircraft
were
considered to have
died in the crash of the plane.
The pilot of the aircraft was 1LT Albert M. Prevost;
crew chief
SSGT Peter G.
Vlahakos;
other crew members included:
Maj. Richard A. Alm;
SSGT
Donald L.
Coates;
GYSGT Galen F. Humphrey, navigator;
and SSGT Russell B.
Luker.
All
were
declared Killed in Action,
Bodies Not Recovered.
According to family members of the crew,
however, it was
reported that there
was
not
a single piece of wreckage to be found.
This seems
improbable for an
aircraft weighing in excess of
60,000 pounds involved in a crash
- especially
one carrying a jet fuel
cargo. Some family members are
suspicious of the
reported circumstances
of the crash and believe it may have
occurred
elsewhere,
thus explaining the lack of wreckage found.
Regardless, if the Marine Corps crash site location is accurate,
there can be
no
question someone was aiming the gun that
shot the aircraft down.
Someone knows
the fate of the aircraft and crew.
Beyond those on the ground,
the shoreline
of
Vietnam was heavily trafficked by
fishermen and patrol boats.
There is no
doubt
that the Vietnamese could account for
the men onboard the KC130
lost near Ho
Co
Island on
February 1, 1966.
Since American involvement in the war in Southeast Asia ended,
over 10,000
reports relating to Americans prisoner,
missing, or unaccounted
for in
Southeast
Asia
have been received by the U.S. Government. Many
authorities,
having
reviewed this largely-classified information have concluded
that
hundreds of
Americans are still alive in captivity today.
Perhaps the entire crew of seven perished on February 1, 1966.
But, perhaps
they
are among those experts believe are still alive,
still held
prisoner. We
cannot
forget a single man,
lest he be left behind. They must all be
brought home.
