The picture of the EC-121 on the main page is a picture of PR-26 that was taken January 8, 1970 by Masaaki Hayakawa. He and his friends would take pictures of the planes at the base in Atsugi, Japan. He has graciously given me permission to use this picture on this site. More of his pictures can be found at his web site:  US NAVY and MARINE Corps Aircraft in JAPAN 1968 - 1983  - http://203.174.72.111/usn_ac_japan/
Picture copyright:  Masaaki Hayakawa  - mach3@yk.netlaputa.ne.jp

The following entries are compilations of information from e-mails, guestbook entries and other sources. If you have more information that you would like added, please contact me.

 I was one of the 8 survivors from the PR-26 crash at Danang. I was a Lt. and an evaluator at the time. I was quite badley beat up and spent about 3 mos. recovering. Couldn't wait to get back on flight status and spent a little over 5 additional years on active duty. I don't know who pulled me out of the aircraft. would like to thank that individual who ever it may be.

 Was in VQ-1 from 69 to 71 and was standing at the north end of the runway when PR-26 crashed. Got there late to be of much good but lost good friends.

 I was one of the survivors of the PR-26 crash in Danang. I was probably the luckiest one on the crew because I was the only one that didn't have to go the hospital. I was the senior enlisted man in the back end and remember walking through the aircraft on approach and wondering if I should get my movie camera out and film the landing. I thought that I'd wait until sometime during the det. I then thought about taking the radar seat because the guy sitting there was a trainee (AT2 John Birch) and wouldn't know what to do if the pilot called for a practice radar approach. My next thought was he'd let me know if he wants too. Lucky for me, I decided to go to aft ditching station rather than moving everyone around. I can remember just before the crash seeing an orange glow out the aft port hole above the head. I presume it was when the wing hit the top of the hangar. I must have sensed something was wrong because I remember yelling to Don Holder to "hang on, I think we're in trouble." The next thing I remember is opening the door asking Don if he was OK; he said "yeah" and I jumped out. Someone on the ground asked me if anyone was in there and I said there was and he went in to help Don who really wasn't OK.

 I served in VQ-2 from 1966-1969. I was the flight electrician on crew 26 before I left Atsugi to go back to college in the USA. AE2 floyd Andrus was my replacement on the crew. Had I not gotten really mad about 4 months before at something that happened to me in the squadron (had to move some LCDRs furniture at his house while the off base duty driver), I was going to ship over and stay with the crew for another tour.

 I was in college living in Bettendorf, IA when I heard about the accident. Needless to say I just thought about how close that came to my name being on the list instead of Floyd's. God was watching over me.
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 On my previous post , I was in VQ-1 from 66-69. I later served in VQ-2 from 1973 to 1977.

 I was an AT2 flying whales out of VQ-1 when PR-26 crashed. Lost some good friends and co-workers. Barry Searby was a close friend and I will always remember him.

 i was in VQ-1 from 63-67 remember a few names on that list .GOD bless them all.

 I flew into Da Nang with VW-1 crew 7 on that Saturday March 21,1970.They had put the tail section,behind our revetment at FASU.I still have the Stars & Stripes articles & slides.I always ditched on the deck by the aft crew door.The seven survivers were lucky to have been pulled out by that airmen.

 Really great to find this site. I was the Asst. Safety Officer for VQ-1 and was on the accident investigation team for the accident. There was a Combat Photo team film taken of the crash. It was quite graphic in that it started only a few minutes after the impact and documented all the rescue efforts. It shows the crash crew vehicles arriving along with the survivors being loaded into the ambulance's. Last time I saw it was in early 1971. The CO. of the squadron had it in his personal possition. Maybe some like Capt. J.D. Meir would know more about its eventual disposal.

 I was in an AE in VQ-1 in 1969-'71. Flight electrician, AE2 Floyd Andrus, was my buddy. I was in DaNang the day of the tragedy. God bless them all! Sorry I didn't know William Bletsch.   I have been searching for AE Charles Bingham,  suvivor of the crash, and other AEs from the VQ-1 Electric Shop,1969-'71. Connie, Thanks a million for this site!

I was just "surfing" and came across your website.

Memories came flooding back!

I was working on a bomb rack in the weapons release shop (Air Force) and suddenly the lights went out.  I looked out the shop door and saw my  friend, Bill May, coming through the door.  Behind Bill was a wall of flame.   It was the EC121.  I actually didn't know what happened because I don't  recall any loud noise, just flames. It was a nasty sight.

We lost two F4's.  Bill had just returned from removing two Aero 7A missile launchers from one of our destroyed birds.  Too close!

To my knowledge we lost no one on the ground.

I remember walking over to Gunfighter Village later on and smelling the fire fighting foam.  All I could think about was the air crew.  I threw up!

By the way, your Danang under attack photos are actually pictures of the VNAF, Marine, and Air Force bomb dumps blowing up.  They burned for  about 18 hours.  The fire was an accident started by us, not the enemy.

Best regards,
Mike Rutledge

I AM T/SGT LAWRENCE L SHERMAN AND WAS THE SUPERVISOR OF AIRMAN DAVID S. BRANKS AT THE TIME THAT THE EC121 CRASHED.  THE REASON WE WAS NOT WORKING IS BECAUSE I DECIDED WE HAD EARNED A DAY OFF SO I LET THE CREW GO.  THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN FRONT OF OUR HANGER AND WOULD HAVE KILLED OR HURT MANY MORE PERSONNEL ON THE GROUND.  THE DOCK CHIEF IN THE HANGER NEXT TO US ALSO TOLD HIS PEOPLE TO TAKE OFF SO, YOU SEE WE WAS LUCKY MORE PEOPLE WERE NOT HURT.  I SEE THAT THEY FINALLY GAVE DAVID S. BRANKS THE AIRMAN'S MEDAL THAT HE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN BEFORE HE LEFT VIETNAM.  WE WERE MAD THAT THEY TURNED HIM DOWN IN VIETNAM.  AFTER THE CRASH A CAPTAIN BROUGHT AIRMAN BRANKS BACK TO THE BARRACKS ALL COVERED WITH LINES OF TAR ALL OVER HIS SHOULDER AND CHEST AND WANTED ME TO TAKE CARE OF HIM.  I TOLD THE CAPTAIN " YOU HAVE A JEEP TAKE HIM TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE THEY CAN HELP HIM"  WITHOUT A LOT OF PAIN.  HE WAS WEARING ONLY SHORTS AND SHOES AND I FELT GOING INTO SHOCK.  HE WAS A GREAT WORKER AND EARNED THE AIRMAN'S MEDAL.  I ONLY WISH HE COULD HAVE RECIEVED IT SOONER.  THEY SAID HE WAS JUST DOING HIS JOB.  I WORKED WITH HIM AND DO NOT REMEMBER THAT AS PART OF THE JOB.  TO SGT BRANKS JOB WELL DONE AND WAS GLAD TO KNOW YOU.
T/SGT LAWRENCE L SHERMAN RETIRED  HAMMOND OREGON      E  MAIL ADDRESS  LARRYSHERMAN.CHARTER.NET