1974

Lt j.g. Frederick L. Bell died when his aircraft crashed into the sea off USS Dwight D. Eisenhower on 1 March 1978, approximately 60 miles SE of Jacksonville, Florida.  During the first dog watch the aircraft had mechanical problems while in plane guard position about 100 yards off the starboard quarter. The weather was calm with clear visibility, when it suddenly rolled rapidly to the right, crashed into the water tail first and sank, inverted, disappearing from view in barely 30 seconds. Two of the four crewmen survived. RELATED STATEMENT: LCDR Howard M. Tillison USNR (Ret.) : I [...]