[RaceBannon]

LEST WE FORGET

#20 of 60 ^

While on board the USS Okinawa, LPH-3, we were heading to Guam when one of the boilers needed to be repaired, and the ship came to a stop. We were dead in the water, but still maintained flight quarters.

On Feb 1, 1980, a CH-46 was chained down and turning on Spot 1 on LPH-3 in the western Pacific, spot 2 was launched first.

Rotor wash from spot 2 came up under the a/c on spot 1, the ship started to lift, pilot rammed collective down to keep ship on deck, but ship bounced. A/C was NOT chained down tight enough, and A/C snapped the chains on the port side of the aircraft, flipped over the starboard side of the ship and went in the water on the port side of the aircraft.

Maj Creel is at the top. He broke 2 ribs, one arm and one leg. He was sent back to Hawaii for recuperation.

GySgt O'Hallorn is the red head leaning over, he died in the late 80's in a CH-46.

With his back to us is SSgt Echevarria, later to retire as MSgt Echevarria from HMX-1 in 1992

Being pulled in is either Cpl Kevin Doering or LCpl Leo Beery. One got pulled out earlier, dont remember. Cpl Doering died from Lupus in 1995 or 96. Leo Beery is a designer and salesman of prosthetic devices in Oklahoma.

Lt James Oscar Hensley is still in the aircraft to this day. I think the chart showed the depth there to be about 6000 fathoms or so.

Crash was on Feb 1, 1980.

Lt James Oscar Hensley III, North Carolina, Semper Fidelis

[HiJinx]

Thanks Race...it's good to remember.

[JRandomFreeper]

Lt James Oscar Hensley is still in the aircraft to this day.

God bless the men that fly and fight. All of them.

/john

[Chieftain]

Lt James Oscar Hensley III, USMC
Cpl Kevin Doering, USMC
America remembers your sacrifice.
Rest in peace.
Semper Fidelis

[KaneoheWahine]

I googled the name of my deceased brother-in-law and came across your “Lest We Forget” blog written on 5/28/04. You wrote about his helicopter accident that happened at sea on Feb. 1, 1980. Jim Hensley was only 27. He was survived by his young widow, who was his high school sweetheart, and their 2 year old daughter. His call name was Jim Bob Boy because he had a strong southern accent, being from North Carolina. He received a post-humus promotion to Captain. He loved to fly helicopters. He loved his wife and daughter. We all still miss him. (I lived at Kaneohe MCAS with my sister while Jim was deployed, then in Honolulu, then we returned to NC after the accident.) It was shocking to see your blog and read about Jim’s accident after all this time. It’s still so sad to think about, and it was such a tragic and freaky accident. My sister and her daughter are both doing fine — Jim would be so proud of them. So sorry to hear that one of the others from the accident has died. —— Semper Fi -——— Linda Morris