CG-6505, the U. S. Coast Guard's HH-65 Dolphin that crashed into the sea off Honolulu, has been recovered. The bodies of most of the crew were recovered earlier. The body of Commander Thomas Nelson, the pilot, has not been found. USCG and Honolulu Fire Department rescue personnel recovered three of the four crew members aboard the helicopter on the evening of the accident, but not Nelson.
About the photo: An HH-65 identical to CG-6505 assigned to Air Station Barbers Point, Ewa Beach, Hawai'i
For a tribute to the crew of CG-6505 please see: U. S. Coast Guard: America's First Line Guardians! Tribute to CG-6505Successful recovery of the downed aircraft’s rotor head, gearbox, main drive shaft and other key components will be crucial to assist two separate Coast Guard investigation teams in determining the cause of the accident. The recovered HH-65 parts will be transferred to the Coast Guard’s Aircraft Repair & Supply Center in Elizabeth City, N.C.
Addressing the loss of Commander Nelson, Rear Admiral Manson K. Brown, Fourteenth CGD CDR, “We are extremely grateful to have this closure. It was very important for Cmdr. Nelson’s family, for his fellow airmen at Air Station Barbers Point and for the rest of us in the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard is working with the Nelson family to arrange services to honor Cmdr. Nelson as the other three crew members of ‘Coast Guard 6505′ have been.”
A funeral service was held last weekend for pilot Lt. Cmdr. Andrew Wischmeier in his hometown of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Rescue swimmer Petty Officer 1st Class David Skimin and flight mechanic Petty Officer 2nd Class Joshua Nichols were honored in funeral services last month.
Friends and family of Skimin gathered at Sunset Beach on Oahu’s North Shore, and friends of family of Nichols gathered in Buffalo, N.Y.
Salvage experts aboard the USNS Salvor spent the past week recovering debris from the HH-65’s crash site — in water approximately 1,600 feet deep and fives miles off shore of Oahu’s Honolulu International Airport.
“Our thanks go to the Navy for their assistance in the recovery of 6505 and to the community here in Hawaii for the support shown the Coast Guard during this tragic period,” Admiral Brown said.
Other posts from Sam Spade's San Francisco that may interest you:
U. S. Coast Guard HH-65 Crashes - Kills Crew
CG-6505 (HH-65) Crew Memorial Air Station Barbers Point Ewa Beach
U. S. Coast Guard Rescues Sailor from 3,500 Miles Away - it's AMVER
Coast Guard Commandant Wants More Diversity Among Officers
Big Changes for the U. S. Coast Guard
USCGB Eagle Meets USCGC Bertholf in San Francisco - Historic Photo!
U. S. Coast Guard's 218th Birthday - Happy Birthday from San Francisco!
0 comments:
Post a Comment