LCDR Harvey Chadwick Aiau

     Mr. Aiau was the plane commander for this EC-121M from Navy Squadron Faireconron-One (VQ-1) which crashed in Danang on March 16, 1970. He and his crew were just starting their rotation for duty in Danang. Permanently stationed at NAS Atsugi, Japan, VQ-1 had a detachment in Danang. The detachment's mission was to provide Mig, SAM and AAA warnings to US aircraft flying over the Gulf of Tonkin and on missions into North Vietnam.      Although Mr. Aiau was the plane commander, there were typically three pilots on the 32 member crew and the pilots would share the duties since missions could be 10-12 hours long. In this case, one of the other pilots was at the controls. One of the four engines was having some problem and was feathered during the landing. This is not considered a serious emergency, but the tower at Danang was probably aware of it. Apparently, the "line up" for the landing wasn't correct and the pilot at the controls decided to waive off and come around again for a landing. The plane was on final and, when the pilot pulled out of the approach, the right wing dropped too far and caught the top of a revetment for an Air Force F-4 on the Air Force side of the field. The plane took a nose down attitude and crashed. The tail section separated from the aircraft and flew for a few hundred feet before landing. Eight crew members in this aft section of the plane survived. Mr. Aiau, being one of the pilots, was in the front and did not survive. My recollection of Mr. Aiau was that he was a kind and humorous man. I was one of the squadron's air intelligence officers and got to know most of the pilots. He had arrived at the squadron after I did (June 1968) but I believe he had been there a year or so. Some of the pilots were more likeable than others, as it is with all groups. I remember Mr. Aiau being one of the more likeable of the group.