EDDIE BILLUPS JR
EDDIE BILLUPS JR
3E/49
REMEMBRANCES
LOSS IN TONKIN GULF
I recall the loss of Eddie quite well ,Eddie was a plane capt on a VA25 aircraft that was scheduled for an early morning launch, his plane was parked on the very aft Lh side of the USS Midways flight deck with the tail hanging over the round down, about 0330 or 0400 we were awakened by a'Man Over Board' ( due to the fan tail watch seeing something fall into the wake),we mustered in front of the #3 elevator door & after the head count we realized that Eddie was missing -several of us went up to the flt deck and looked over Eddies plane noticing that the rt side rudder batten was was not hooked but the Lt side was still attached , we the noticed that Eddies flash light was lying in the life nets still illuminated , the Midway sent out the helo & the smaller ships with us turned back to search ,but to no avail , Eddie was never seen again-quite some time later Cmd Harry Ettinger CO VA25 made sure Eddies name was entered on the Vietnam Wall.
Thank you Mate
Your Spirit is alive--and strong, therefore Airman, you shall never be forgotten, nor has your death been in vain!
Again, thank you Sailor, for a job well done!
FAIR WINDS, AND ETERNAL PEACE MY FRIEND