Did you know that a foreign pilot once landed on a U.S. aircraft carrier without prior authorization, without a shot being fired – and without an arresting gear tailhook?
In the cockpit, the pilot was perspiring. With limited fuel onboard his overloaded aircraft, he was running out of options. With miles of ocean between him and the nearest dry land, the deck of the carrier was his only hope, but it was covered with helicopters and there was nowhere to land.
Down on the USS Midway, Skipper Larry Chambers was perplexed. In addition to the ship’s complement of sailors were 1500 refugees – American citizens and Vietnamese nationals brought via a massive operation to evacuate Saigon from the approaching North Vietnamese Army. Participating in this massive operation were all available Navy and Air Force helicopters, many of which now stood upon his deck. With no radio contact, he had no idea what the high-wing Cessna was doing circling his carrier, but it was clear that it was in need of assistance.
The Cessna Bird Dog circled the carrier, and an object was dropped onto the deck – a gun holster. Contained within the holster was a note from the pilot and his desperate plea for permission to land. You see, onboard with Maj. Ly Bung in his two-seat aircraft, was the most precious cargo imaginable – his wife and FIVE children.
The order was given. Helicopters were rapidly pushed to the side, trying to make as much of a “runway” available as possible. However, unlike Navy helicopters, Air Force helicopters do not have folding blades, making it impossible to move enough equipment out of the way to provide even a meager runway for landing. The only option was to start pushing helicopters over the side, into the water.
Finally, with a seemingly impossible short runway and the ship steaming full speed into the prevailing wind, Maj. Bung attempted something he never would have contemplated before — landing on an aircraft carrier without a tailhook to stop him from plunging off the end of the runway. All he had was his own skills and the Cessna’s brakes. Any miscalculation and his entire family would pay the price.
The crew held its collective breath and Maj. Bung achieved an amazing feat: landing, and coming to a halt, intact, on the flight deck. The eyes of the onlookers widened with amazement as from this diminutive, two-seat aircraft emerged, first Maj. Bung from the front seat, then his wife from the rear seat, holding a child in each arm. Then the rear seat was removed, and three more children emerged, unscathed.
This is the story told by Major Bob “Boo” Thomas, who served on the aircraft carrier “Midway,” and who shared his account with members of the United States Pilots Association (USPA) as they stood in the Pensacola Naval Air Museum, under the very same aircraft that landed on that fateful day.
USPA is a volunteer, grassroots pilot association which provides an opportunity for pilots to fly their airplanes, see different parts of their country and learn things that they might not otherwise learn. The organization holds several flyouts each year which include activities designed to appeal to pilots and their non-pilot partners alike. Membership is free for the first year and only $20 per year thereafter, with no obligation. Their next event will be in Fredericksburg, Texas in the fall. For more information, visit www.uspilots.org.