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No Matter How Long It Takes,
BRING THEM HOME!
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Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.This website is dedicated to the 1,018 American Veterans who have lost their lives in the performance of their flying duties in all theaters of U.S. Navy Maritime Patrol flying operations since 1 January 1947.
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Cold War Casualties Cry Out For Commemoration
"Reprinted with permission from the May 2004 issue of VFW Magazine."
Listen to audio clips from the men who flew with the VP5 crew lost in 1962.
Update!Our efforts have worked!
In August 2004 a recovery mission was sent to Greenland and all crewmembers from the VP-5 LA-9 lost on 1/JAN/1962 have been brought home. For more information visit the VP-5 Memorial Page and Current Recovery Attempt Page at VPNavy.org.
Researching and writing this story makes me think of words like; bravery and fear; honor and dedication; loyalty and betrayal.written by Jeff Redding
On January 12th, 1962, twelve young Navy Airmen never returned from a routine flight out of Keflavik, Iceland. They were flying a P2V-5 Neptune Plane which was used for Anti-Submarine Warfare. The flight plan took them to the stormy Straight of Denmark between Iceland and Greenland. The crew did not normally fly this particular plane, they had recently arrived from Rota, Spain where the other half of VP5 was deployed. This was one of their first flights to introduce them to the Submarine Hunting Grounds around Iceland.
After the aircraft didn't return, a week-long search was launched. However, due to the bad weather conditions and a large search area nothing was found. Family members of the lost crew were notified that their loved ones were lost at sea. Young wives had to take their children and move. Their husbands were declared dead by the navy and they were no longer allowed to live in base housing at NAS Jacksonville, FL.
Patricia (Kozak) Masciantoni, the six-year-old Daughter of Commander Kozak (the Pilot of the lost crew and Executive Officer of the Squadron) heard her Daddy's Plane went down SHE SAID: “I just thought he was walking home," said Masciantoni, who now lives in Orange County Florida. "You know, from a kid's perspective when your bike tire went flat, what did you do? You walked home. His plane went down, so I thought he was walking home."
This wasn't supposed to happen during PeaceTime. It was 1962, the Korean War was becoming a distant memory, America was not even thinking about Viet Nam. However, America was thinking about the threat of Russian Nuclear Submarines. These brave men were lost during the height of the Cold War, between the Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba incident and the U.S. Naval Quarantine and Blockade of Cuba (Cuban Missile Crisis).
About four years after the crash, on August 8, 1966, four Geologists from the "British East Greenland Geological Expedition of 1966" discovered the wreckage of the lost plane on a remote Glacier in Greenland (Kronborg Gletscher, Ostgronland, Greenland). They were
conducting surveys in the area because it contains some of the oldest rocks on earth. During most of the year this valley is covered in ice and darkness. The wreckage was spread over a large area; but the fuselage of the aircraft was mostly intact. Because of being under snow and ice for most of the previous five years, the remains of the crew had been preserved,
Undergraduate Kent Brooks of Copenhagen, Denmark Noted in his Journal: “…Met the other two on arriving back on smoother ice at about 4. They had found a crashed US plane with nine bodies [Not clear why this tally is three short, except that those in the front of the plane were heavily dismembered and only body parts lay around] After wandering on the glacier together for a while [ we ] returned to eat…. Later [we ] went to look at the plane wreck. Lying about 1/2 hours walk from the camp on flat ice near first mountain on right although wreckage strewn a considerable distance down glacier. The forward part of the plane was burnt out, the rest strewn over glacier towards the mountain wall. Incredible assortment of objects: survival suites, life rafts, oxygen cylinders, emergency radio, waterpurifying kit, men's baggage (including toys) (?). Tires of aircraft still inflated, two large piston engines some way off across the glacier, presumably where their momentum had taken them after tearing off the aircraft. Evidence collected by David from the corpses shows the crash to have been about Jan. 1962. Interesting how the wings, etc. rest on pedestals of ice about 5' high -shows strong ablation rate here. Took some photos and returned to camp as sun was now set. Made cocoa and went to bed…”
When they returned to Iceland a month later they notified the U. S. Government about what they had found. The U. S. responded rapidly and on September 19th, 1966 a mission was launched to recover the bodies of the lost crew. It was a very difficult rescue mission. An ice breaking vessel (USS Atka) traveled to the remote location with a rescue helicopter. A 15 man team, half Americans and half Icelanders, flew to the crash site. It had snowed about three or four feet since the crash site had been discovered a month and a half earlier. They set up tents and spent two days digging the remains of their fellow veterans out of the snow. Gretar Felixson of Air Ground Rescue in Keflavik, Iceland writes; “It was impossible to find everything in the snow.” Before departing they were ordered to set explosives to destroy any classified equipment or material on the aircraft.
Unfortunately they were unable to recover all the bodies of the crew. Seven of the crew members were positively identified and buried with full military honors; three in Arlington
National Cemetery and four in cemeteries in their hometowns. The partial remains of three other crew members were found but not positively identified. In 1966 DNA technology was not available. The bodies of two crew members were not found. After a ceremony, the unidentifiable remains were buried at Arlington National Cemetery where a marker was placed with the names of the five crew members.
This discovery and recovery mission probably didn't get much press coverage at that time: the news headlines was full of body counts in Viet Nam.
In July 1995, Dr. Kent Brooks returned to “Neptune Plateau” (named by the locals after the type of downed aircraft). He writes; “In 1995 I was in the area again, having relocated many years ago to Copenhagen University as part of a major Danish exhibition. I had not thought of visiting the site again, thinking there would be nothing left. However, when flying in the area I
picked up from a distance what appeared to be boulders on the ice and on closer inspection turned out to be substantial amounts of wreckage, the star insignia being still clear. At this time we were in a hurry and only spent some time hovering backwards and forwards over the site. It was clear from this that the wreck was considerably more dismembered than previously, but whether by human or natural agents I can't say. However, pilots are even more fascinated by crashes than civilians are and our two helicopter pilots found an excuse to return and rummage through the wreckage. I believe they collected a number of souvenirs, of which they gave me an army survival knife in good condition along with a survival booklet still in good condition even after 30 years on the glacier. However, the most amazing thing to come out of this was that there were still human remains at the site, but precisely how many individuals I wasn't able to find out. What about the "Burial with Honors" we were informed about? I later alerted the police in Greenland to the presence of human remains at the site, but they said they didn't have the resources to investigate (this is a very isolated area, (among the most isolated in the Northern Hemisphere I would think).”
The family members of the lost crew, friends and veterans have been trying to get the U. S. Government to send a second recovery mission to Greenland Crash Site. Newspaper articles have been written and letters have been sent to Congressional Representatives. Mr. Robert Pettway, a former Squadron Member of the lost crew, and retired U. S. Secret Service Special Agent has been instrumental in contacting the appropriate offices in the government to accomplish this worthy mission. As of this writing (March 2004) the bodies of these Americans still remain in their cold exposed tomb.
The Navy has, apparently, taken the position that there is no funding for “Peace Time Mishaps.” They say there is no remaining funds in the legislation that was passed for the recovery of remains from “Mishaps” during wartime. The families and veterans have not excepted this answer. We think all Americans would want these bodies returned and properly honored.
The most likely cause of the crash was a combination of weather, low visibility, and the radar technology available at the time.
For an extensive amount of photos and document about the lost crew of Patrol Squadron Five visit the web site at: http://vpnavy.org/vp5mem.html
Notable Quotes about the lost crew:"...My brother, Alan P. Millette, was on board the flight from Iceland that crashed on the Kronborg Glacier in Greenland. I have, only in the last few days, become aware of the circumstances involved in pursuing information surrounding this crash. My parents are both deceased, and I know they were not aware of this information; therefore, neither was I. This is emotional, painful, but necessary for me to find out all I possibly can, now. Is there anymore I can do to further this investigation?
- Cheryl K. Millette, March 29th, 2002"...My brother, Grover E. Wells, AO3, died on the 12th of January 1962. They now say that his remains were spotted still in the ice. Let’s bring the rest of his crew home.”
- Donna Eiselstein, June 28th, 2002“I don't know if it was a cover up by the government or not, but nobody has ever told her the real facts. I only say cover up because we found it strange that when his locker was emptied there were items he never went without. (flight jacket, flight kit, dogtags, and wedding ring). I know I sound bitter, I'm only bitter about the fact that it took 41 years to find out what happened with my father. I am proud to know that my father gave his life for our great country.”
- Steve Anderson, October 6th, 2003Joseph Hussey, a former Aviation Technician Mate with Patrol Squadron Five writes: “I was the duty driver for that morning, and I drove crew three to their aircraft for the flight. I will never forget that morning. It was very cold as usual, and windy. I had to drive across the ramp at an angle because the wind would actually push the vehicle sideways. I am not certain, but I believe it was AT3 Allen Millette who remarked to me that he was sure they were not going to return from this flight. He was so serious and firm in his statement. I told him it was just a bad dream or some such. To this day I still remember that morning and the matter of fact tone of his statement. He wasn't afraid but he knew, I am convinced, that he was not coming back. To this day cannot help but believe that this man had a premonition of eminent doom and carried out his mission without fear.”
Former Squadron Member Nick Mulich writes; “…they flew an AREA FAM the day after arrival. I remember Herb Payne saying that Bob Hurst said he "feared flying in Iceland and the navy sent him up there to die". Herb assured him that he had good pilots and that he was an experienced Plane Captain and he would get used to the weather and gain confidence as he became more familiar with the operation.”
Lillian Carol Russell writes about the loss of her brother-in-law: “For all those years I watched his family suffer, not knowing; had they been captured by Russians? Had the plane crashed? His mother had a recurring dream where he came home and told her he was 28 years old. She would say, "No son you are 24 now." And he always said, "No mom I’m 28." How amazing, he would have been 28 the year his body was found and sent home. It is our prayer that the last remains can be returned for burial and families can have the final closure.”
DEATH’S ICY HAND
Your mother said you were so cute as a little child,
curls so blonde and eyes so blue with laughter in your smile.You grew up too fast like any normal boy,
you always were all your life a source of pride and joy.From high school to collage to Navy you went,
thus all the days of your life were spent.You’d met Bonnie and planned soon to marry,
we all assumed your name she would carry.Sometimes the book of life is short,
and loved ones are left with a broken heart.Your pages were few we all soon learned,
as the final chapter came and the pages all were turned.Death reached out its icy hand and snatched you from the sky,
your plane went down and all twelve on board would die.Those who knew and loved you said you had the sweetest smile,
perhaps it was because you would see God in just a while.We’ve finally talked to those who found your remains in that cold and lonely place,
where God reached out to call you home to look upon His face.By: Lillian Carol Russell
Patrol Squadron Five is having a Reunion in Jacksonville, Florida in April 2004. They are hoping to hear some positive answers from the Government at this Reunion. Please write to your local News Media and Congressional Representatives. For Reunion information please visit: http://vpnavy.org/vp5news_07aug2003.html
Another "Peace Time Mishap" occurred on December 30th, 1946. The Navy Aircraft "George One" crash landed in an unexplored region of the Antarctic. Six of the Nine Crew members survived on the ice for thirteen days before being rescued. Three of the crew (Ensign Maxwell A. Lopez, Newport, Rhode Island, Aviation Machinist's Mate First Class Frederick Warren Williams, Huntington, Tennessee, Aviation Radioman First Class Wendell K. Hendersin, Sparta, Wisconsin) were buried under the wing of the aircraft.The bodies of these Navy Airmen are still buried in the ice today. An excavation and recovery mission for this incident would be extremely difficult. The wreckage is now probably buried under 150 feet of shifting ice.
The Navy should also determine if it is possible to recover their bodies. In the past, other aircraft which has been buried deep under the ice have been raised.. I think today's technology may be able to bring closure to the families of these Cold War Heroes.
Aviation Radioman James Haskin Robbins was one of the survivors of the crash in the Antartic and he has written a detailed account of his days on the Ice. To read "Antarctic Mayday" click:
http://www.south-pole.com/p0000153.htm
Our country should do everything within its power to retrieve the remains of our lost veterans. It shouldn't matter if we are at War or Peace. I served for twelve years (1977 - 1989)on active duty during peace time prior to becoming a Disabled Veteran. My family and I are happy that none of the aircraft I was aboard crashed in a remote location. Please write to your Congressional Representative and ask them to support the efforts to have the remains of our fallen veterans returned to their families.
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