I was on the flight deck of the USS Eisenhower driving an electric forklift when this happened. I was shocked the ordinance did not cook off when the helicopter crashed. We were off loading all the ordinance (general purpose bombs, missiles, etc) that day due to the fact the Eisenhower was scheduled for dry dock. It was the first and only ‘real’ emergency breakaway that I have ever seen while out to sea.
I was on this ship when this happened! USS Suribachi (AE21), there was only one injury. The fantail watch ran so fast he forgot to take his headphones off and the cord ran out after a bit.
I was on from 77-79. HT3. Head phones for the fantail watch saved his life in Feb 78. We were heading home from a Carib cruise and hit a hurricane with 30' seas. A wave washed over and was taking him to sea, but the cord wrapped around his neck. It was the only thing that kept him from being washed overboard.
My husband was one of the pilots in this helicopter crash. As some of you have mentioned, it was an engine failure and only the antenna saved them from a certain death. Thank God for His blessings!
I worked in the Catapult Steam shop (EA-08) on the Eisenhower when this happened. We were doing a weapons offload in preparation for an upcoming shipyard visit. I remember them calling man overboard starboard side during the unrep. We all looked at each other and said "that's between the ships." When we went to the cat-walk, we saw the helo hanging from the stern of the Suribachi.
I still have the copy of the Ike's ships newspaper with that picture on the front.
Could you scan the article and send it to me. I was an HM on the Bachi, it was my first time at sea. My son interviewed me about this for school but the teacher wants him to show newspaper or magazine articles. I guess the citation from the navy doesn't count.
If anyone has any kind of news articles about this incident. I was an HM on the Bachi, this was my first time at sea. My son interviewed me for school but the teacher wants him to cite articles.
I was a Weapons Technician onboard the Eisenhower during the Ammo offload. Watched the whole thing. Glad there was only 1 injury. Afterwards they had us all write out statements of what happened, what we saw, etc.
I was bridge phone talker on the Suribachi. Yes it was loud and things went crazy. Our DC1 grabbed a fire hose and washed away the AFFF on the flight deck covering the munitions and they gave him a medal!! Ugh!
I was the MM on watch in shaft alley when this crash happened. It was so loud in shaft alley I thought something had exploded on the flight deck. It shook the entire ship hard and scared the hell out of me. After all the excitement the chopter was tied to the ship with cables and we headed for Norfolk naval base where the copter was removed by crane and put on a flatbed trailer and taken away. After a couple days checking over the ship we headed home to Earl, NJ where the rest of the repairs were made.
I was the LPO of 3rd division on the Suribachi at the time of this incident. I was sitting on the two ballards ontside of the ships armory at the time of the crash. Everyone forward at the Vertrep sta. did emergency breakway. Myself and another persom from STREAM Div. helped the pilot & co-pilot out. The crew chief who was hanging outside fell into the ocean, but was picked up by the other CH-46. It was determined that the pilot lost an engine. The only thing that kept the helo from going into the ocean was a platform which is lowered during flightops that has two Radio whip antenna's. GMG1(SW) Cole
Please send me any info on this helicopter crash that you know. I was on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and took some pictures of this crash in Sept. 1992. No one believes me about this crash. I would like to get in contact with someone else that was there.
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