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| Name: | Rodney Max Chapman |
| Rank/Branch: | O4/US Navy |
| Unit: | Helicopter Squadron 10, USS CORAL SEA (CVA 43) |
| Date of Birth (DOB): | 26 February 1935 |
| Home City of Record: | Alpena, MI |
| Loss Date: | 18 February 1969 |
| Country of Loss: | North Vietnam/Over Water |
| Loss Coordinates: | 175647N 1071754E (YE434856) |
| Status (in 1973): | Killed/Body Not Recovered |
| Category: | 5 |
| Acft/Vehicle/Ground: | KA3B |
| Refno: | 1389 |
| Other Personnel in Incident: | Stanley M. Jerome; Eddie R. Schimmels (missing) |
| Source: | Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 April 1990 from one or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK 1998. |
| Remarks: | |
| Synopsis: | |
| LTCDR Rodney M. Chapman was a pilot assigned to Helicopter Squadron 10 onboard the aircraft carrier USS CORAL SEA. On February 18, 1969, Chapman's aircraft was acting as the recovery tanker aircraft, prepared to render valuable assistance to other aircraft returning to the ship with very little fuel. This was an extremely important job, as some types of fighter aircraft launched with a minimum amount of fuel in order to accomodate a heavier bomb load, and sometimes arrived back at ship low on fuel. This was Chapman's 90th flight mission in Vietnam. Chapman's crew included Petty Officers Stanley M. Jerome and Eddie R. Schimmels. As the aircraft immediately ahead of Chapman's was landing, he advised that his approach would be from overhead the ship, proceeding away from the ship a short distance while descending, then turning toward the ship for a precision radar control landing. Chapman's approach was being monitored on radar. There was a two-way conversation between Chapman and the radar operator. Chapman descended from overhead the ship and flew outbound as instructed. He was then told to turn toward the ship. He failed to acknowledge this radio transmission. A second attempt was made to contact him which failed. About this time, Chapman's aircraft disappeared from the radar and further attempts to regain contact were of no avail. Within minutes of his disappearance the CORAL SEA airborne helicopter was sent to the area approximately ten miles behind the ship and ordered to commence a search. Shortly thereafter, one of the CORAL SEA's escorting destroyers was also dispatched to assist in the search. The destroyer and the helicopter were unable to locate either the aircraft or its crewmen. An organized search continued throughout the night by three more ships and additional aircraft, both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. The following day at first light, an even more intensive search by ships and aircraft was conducted. These combined units searched extensively over an area of over 1,000 miles with no results. It was concluded that the airplane crashed and the crew of the KA3 were lost at sea. The three-man crew were listed as killed, body not recovered. They are among over 2300 Americans who remain unaccounted for from the Vietnam war. The cases of some, like Chapman, Jerome and Schimmels seem clear - that they perished and cannot be recovered. Unfortunately, mounting evidence indicates that hundreds of Americans are still captive, waiting for the country they proudly served to secure their freedom. In our haste to leave an unpopular war, it now appears we abandoned some of our best men. In our haste to heal the wounds of this same war, will we sign their death warrants? Or will we do what we can to bring them home? |
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All Biographical and loss information on POWs provided by OpJC have been supplied by Chuck and Mary Schantag of POWNET. Please check with POWNET regularly for updates. |
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| RODNEY MAX CHAPMAN
LCDR - O4 - Navy - Regular 33 year old Married, Caucasian, Male Date of Birth - Feb 26, 1935 From ALPENA, MICHIGAN Length of service 12 years. His tour of duty began on Feb 18, 1969 Casualty was on Feb 18, 1969 in NORTH VIETNAM Non-Hostile, died missing FIXED WING - PILOT AIR LOSS, CRASH AT SEA Body was not recovered Religion - PROTESTANT Panel 32W - - Line 53 |
Source: The VietNam Veterans' Memorial Wall Page. |
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