Fred Melton Clancy III – Ensign, United States Navy

Date: 9 December 1958 at 1215 hours
Squadron: VAH-15Crew: Pilot was Lieutenant Commander George Wilson USNR, bombardier/navigator was Ensign Fred Melton Clancy, III USNR. There were two others aboard, a third crewman and a Chief Petty Officer who was a flight time passenger.
Additional casualties: Two children in house on ground killed and their mother injured.

Known details: Kenneth S. Reightler, Sr. wrote in an email dated 14 August 2003: “In December1958 an AJ with load of JP went down on Granby Street, Norfolk Virginia. Six were lost, four on the plane and two children in the house. I saw the whole thing except for actual crash as it was behind trees, but I saw it go 90 degrees when they stalled. I heard the recip's breaking up as they went over.

Pilot George Wilson, Maintenance Officer, VAH-15 was well-experienced. He was in VC-8 1952 on as Electronic Officer. He was a great guy. In my humble opinion the inexperienced striker 3rd crewmn did not cap off the valve that feeds to the recips from the tank.” VAH-15 flew AJ-2s.

Additional details: In a telephone conversation on 19 December 2003, Frederick W. Burton, 2nd, a representative of the Inflight Refueling Co., told me that the third crewman was a protege of his whose name was Pat Toomey. The fourth man was named Delaney, was also a third crewman, and was being checked out on the refueling gear by Toomey.


CLANCY, FRED MELTON III

  • ENSIGN USNR
  • VETERAN SERVICE DATES: Unknown
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 11/11/1938
  • DATE OF DEATH: 12/09/1958
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: 12/12/1958
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 1  SITE 425-E ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Read our general and most popular articles

Leave a Comment

error: