Posted on 09/11/2002 7:49:51 PM PDT by knak
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - A U.S. Navy plane with three officers on board was reported missing during exercises off the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, a Navy spokesman said Wednesday.
The Navy searched all day for the S-3B Viking which lost radio contact at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, said Cmdr. Ernest Duplessis, a spokesman for the U.S. Second Fleet in Norfolk, Va.
"It's not clear where it went missing," Duplessis said.
The 53-foot plane, used for in-flight refueling and sea surveillance, took off from the aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico.
Duplessis identified the missing officers as pilot Lt. j.g. Thomas McCombie, 25, of State College, Pa.; Lt. Cmdr. Jeffrey Gray, 40, of Mound, Minn.; and Lt. Cmdr. Michael Chalsant, 36, of Jacksonville, Fla. All there were based in Jacksonville.
The Navy continued bombing exercises on its firing range at Vieques Wednesday, said Navy spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Kim Dixon.
The exercises, which started Sept. 3 and were scheduled to last three weeks, includes 10 ships, two attack submarines and some 80 planes in the Truman Battle Group.
Yes, Prayers for our Navy Men and their Families.
May our Heavenly Father Bless these Brave Americans, and bring them home safely to their Families and USA.
And if that is not to be, then may He Welcome Them Home To Heaven with a Heroes Welcome.
GOD BLESS AMERICA...
Land Of The Free and The Home Of The Brave!
Prayers for the crew of the "Hoover".
Ditto here, Snow Bunny. Thanks !
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