| Date: 17 March 1968 |
| Aircraft type: S-2E Tracker |
| Serial Number: 149274 |
| Military Unit: VS-23 |
| Service: USN |
| Home Base: USS Yorktown |
| Name(s): |
| Cdr Donald Richard Hubbs (KIA) |
| Lt(jg) Lee David Benson (KIA) |
| AX2 Randall John Nightingale (KIA) |
| ADR Thomas David Barber (KIA) |
| An S-2 Tracker was launched from the Yorktown for a night surveillance patrol off the coast of North Vietnam near Vinh. About one hour after take off the pilot reported that they were having problems with their radar. No other radio messages were received and the aircraft disappeared from the Yorktown’s radar screen. The last known position was about 30 miles from the coast and 25 miles southeast of a small island known as Hon Me. North Vietnamese fishing boats were seen in the area the following day. On the 20th part of the Tracker’s starboard wing was found but it was not possible to determine the cause of the aircraft’s loss.
This was the last aircraft lost by the Yorktown during its three war cruises off Southeast Asia. In total the ship had lost two SH-3As and two fixed-wing aircraft during 192 days spent on the line. The four men lost in the Tracker were the only fatalities suffered in these losses. After this last cruise ended on 16 June the ship left Southeast Asia forever and was finally decommissioned on 27 June 1970. It is currently preserved as a memorial at Patriot’s Point, Charleston, North Carolina. |
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