Experiences of Crash Fire Rescue Personnel

Updated 15 October 2005

This page will grow as you submit stories of experiences during your time in Crash Fire Rescue. These experiences can be of either wartime or peacetime, humorous, sad, exhilarating. It doesn't matter.
WHY?
Because this page is dedicated to personnel either in or have been in the field of Aircraft Crash Fire Rescue
Send your experiences to: mailto:ffdiehl@earthlink.net

I guess I'll start it off; We had just completed a IG inspection and had got a outstanding on it. So the powers that be, decided that we could have 5 days off, for all the hard work that we had done. In order to do this we had to be broken into 3 shifts. 2 would work normal schedule and the 3rd would go on a 5 day leave.

While pulling duty during this time, I got to go set the infamous hotspot duty. There were 3 of us on the P-4 crew. It was a fairly boring hotspot, trying to keep awake was the hardest thing we did, that was until 1149 hrs, then all hell broke loose. We had just watched a AV8-A Harrier take off from the harrier pad next to hotshot. When he lifted off vertically he was pointing straight at us, he then turned 2-3 degrees and proceeded to transition to normal flight while moving behind us. We then proceeded to watch 2 Skyhawks taking off.

About this time the turret man asked if we were having training fires today. He was told no, to which he said "well there's a big cloud of smoke over top that hanger". He had noticed all this by glancing at the drivers side mirror while talking about something else. Due to the way the truck was setting we had to open the drivers side door to see what he was talking about, and boy did we ever see.

Flames were shooting what was probably 20 to 30 feet above the SOES Hanger and there was a cloud of black smoke that put the smoke from most training fires to shame. We just kind of looked at each other for probably a second or 2 and then like on que "AWWW SHITT" was said by all of us.

About this time the alarm came across the radio from Cherry Point Crash Crew DispatchCRASH, CRASH, CRASH We have a harrier into the SOES hanger Schmidt then swung the P-4 around and we proceed to request clearance across R/W 36. We tried twice and were never answered, so we took emergency clearance across the R/W. We looked over and saw the other crash trucks approaching R/W 05. As we got closer to the scene, the amount of people coming out of the woodwork was enormous, we had to literally push people out of the way with the bumper of the P-4 in order to get thru to the crash site.

What we saw when we got there was beyond belief. The harrier had gone thru the hanger doors on 1 side and out thru the hanger doors(all were closed) on the other side, before ending up in the parking lot. So we had a harrier mixed in with(if memory serves me correctly) 15 cars, 3 motorcycles and a 3/4 ton chevy truck that looked like a V(parked right next to hanger door when the harrier came thru). We proceeded in with the roof turret flowing, knocking the fire down so we could find the harrier. When we got close to the harrier, I got out and grabbed the handline and started toward the harrier fighting fire as I went. As I got almost to it, my handline quit working and the fire starting working back my way, Thank God for alert turret men. As the fire got closer I felt and heard a light splatter against the back of my helmet. The turret man saw what was happening and was shooting foam directly over my head and putting the fire out. When I got to the harrier, I couldn't find the cockpit. I said to myself "it's got to be here" . As I got to looking more I noticed that I was standing on the underneath side of the tail section and that I was looking at the exhaust nozzles of the jet. When it came thru the hanger it flipped over and the impact with the door and the pickup truck had caused it to fold in half. After looking a little more I saw blood flowing across my bunker boots, following the trail of blood I finally found the cockpit. I had to get down on my hands and knees to see into it. The view I saw will never fade away, I was looking at a red bloody area about the same diameter of a 3lb coffee can. All I could think of was that the pilot had been decapitated. I backed out and stood up and told the section leader "over here he is"(it probably sounded more like a croak).

At this point I had to back away from everything and try to get myself together. It seemed like hours for this to happen(I was later told it was 15-20 seconds by the section leader). I then took a handline from the base fire department engine and stood by while the Section Leader and the Rescue Crew extricated the pilot.This in itself was a very dangerous undertaking due to the fact that the face curtain hand been partially pulled and the metal had twisted up around the safety mechanism so that the seat could not be safetied(the navy had to send down ejection specialist the next day to dismantle and safety the seat, so that it could be examined by the investigation team). We were later told that if the seat had blown, most people in a 25' radius would be dead or seriously injured(I glad they waited to tell us until we were done) What was the red bloody area that caused me so much concern? It was the top of the pilots head. This incident happened at MCAS Cherry Point in early 1980

149.1kb gif file, Picture of last A-4m ever made, SOES hanger is in background. Harrier went thru doors just in front of the Ch-46 Pedro Rescue Chopper. note- there are LOX farms on each side of those doors

I'd like to share the true story of my first full day on the job as a USMC Crash Crewman. It was in March of 1971, and I was stationed with MAG-32 at MCAS Beaufort, SC. My Section Leader was SSGT Ira Craig. It had been an uneventful day so SSGT Craig sent me to the dispatch tower to get checked out on the dispatch duties after the noon meal. CPL Rick Scott was the duty dispatcher and gave me a thorough run down on all the radios, the Gamewell alarm system, crash phone and alarm system, PA, log books and appropriate types of entries and required entries, various manuals and directives in the dispatch tower available for reference, etc., etc., etc. At any rate, by the time he was finished, I was pretty confused and not really sure what I was supposed to do in the event of an aircraft emergency or any other situation. After all, I was straight out of AFFR School and there really wasn't a lot of dispatch training in the 4 weeks of school. So, I told Cpl Scott that I was thoroughly confused and asked if he could please give me a "for instance" and walk me through a scenario. He looked out on the flightline where a T-34B was being refueled on the VAL and said, "See that T-34...suppposed it blew up." No sooner had he said it than the aircraft burst into flames, throwing the refueler off it's wing. I almost forgot I was supposed to be on a crash truck and when I remembered I ran out the dispatch door, forgetting it was a straight down ladder, and almost broke my neck getting to my vehicle for my first actual aircraft emergency. Well, I was convinced that I had gotten into the most exciting MOS in the Marine Corps that day, and Cpl Scott went around thinking he was some kind of wizard for a few weeks. jberk@icanect.net

The best way to keep from getting shit details was to be out of sight and out of mind. Airfield Fams, or familiarizations, we a popular, but rare loosening of the leash from the section leaders office. MCAS Beaufort was not the most secure base. Once could get on and off the base/ flight line though small two track roads with a little help from 4 wheel drive, if one had it on there vehicle. Anyone familiar with the Oshkosh P-19 know that they have good 4x4 traction and go through most anything. Our crew during desert Storm was 50% reservists and 50% crazy,which led us on the road or off road adventure that day. P road was boring so we decided to take a overgrown two track off one of the old taxiways. We ran into a problem when we no longer saw a road and had to make one for our selves. Not a real problem until we had to cut a few trees down so that we could maneuver. We later got tired of swinging the axe and just ran them over. The skid plat in front of the cab proved to be good protection, but our mirror was later broke on a larger branch. (we later said that a stone was thrown from the big lawn mower cutting the grass out at hot spot) We got tired of our trail and headed down another quite swampy trail next to a tidal marsh and creek. WE did some good mud throwing in the truck and proceeded through a small opening in an old fence and came out into a corn field. Just about this time a message form Beaufort 11 on the radio came across. They needed to replace one of our crewmen so that they could go to see the Sgt. Maj. We shit our pants and made a great big U turn off the two track and into the cornfield. We hauled ass down the trail to the training area and sat and waited. The I opened the turret hatch and noticed all the pine needles and corn husks and stuff littering the truck. We quickly drove up to the hydrant and started filling up the tank while we engaged the pump and pulled out the handline to wash the truck down. There was a push broom in the smokehouse and we were able to clean the truck up before 11 came out to the training area. The truck still smelled like the nasty swamp mud but appeared clean. Luckily for us it was not the section leader in 11. It was one of the few "cool" Sgts that did notice the pine needles in one of the spotlights and knew pretty much from our faces what we were up to and just laughed. We never did venture out on that ole two track again. Dan Meinhard

Additional comments from another crew member LOL

I JUST HAVE TO COMMENT ON YOUR STORY ABOUT MUD BOGGING IN BEAUFORT, (DAN)! FIRST OF ALL THANKS FOR THE BEST LAUGH I'VE HAD IN A LONG TIME, I CAME UPON THIS STORY IN IKE'S SITE AT 0200 SURFING THE WEB. I CONTACTED CRAIG LENTZ, (ONE OF THE AUTHORS ASSISTANT SECTION LEADERS AT THE TIME), [NOW A GUNNY, NCOIC CFR MWSS-473] HE LOVED THE STORY. AND I TALKED TO ESAU BROWN (THE AUTHORS SECTION LEADER AT THE TIME). MSGT BROWN IS NOW CRASH CHIEF OF MCAS BEAUFORT, AND HE SAYS HE IS GOING TO HAVE THE SECTION LEADERS HOLD CLASSES ON A NEW SUBJECT. "HOW TO PARK YOUR P-19 AT HOT SPOT TO AVOID DAMAGE FROM FLYING ROCKS, FROM BIG LAWN MOWERS". (SEE WHAT YOU DID)! ON A SERIOUS NOTE I WANT TO THANK ALL THE MARINES ON SECTION ONE AT THAT TIME, YOU ALL DID A HELL OF AN OUTSTANDING JOB. BETWEEN TRUCK FIELD DAYS, CRASH CREW AND BARRACKS FIELD DAYS, AIRCRAFT FAMS, ALL THE OTHER TRAINING, PIT FIRES, SIMULATED EMERGENCIES, REAL EMERGENCIES, HOT REFUELS, HI SPEED ENGINE TURN-UPS.....(ALWAYS LATE AT NIGHT, I NEVER COULD FIGURE THAT ONE OUT), AND OF COURSE, HOT SPOT DUTY, LAST OF ALL I GUESS I HAVE TO MENTION MY FAVORITE.....BUNKER GEAR DRILLS! I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER CREWS, AND MSGT SMITH FOR THE OUTSTANDING SUPPORT THEY GAVE US SECTION LEADERS. MY FRIEND CRAIG LENTZ. AND ANOTHER FRIEND, AND ONE OF THE FINEST MARINES, (OR PERSONS FOR THAT MATTER) I'VE EVER KNOWN ESAU BROWN. SEMPER FI MARINES, I HOPE YOUR ALL DOING WELL. PS: DAN (MEINHARD) AKA STEPHEN ALCORN, SO WHICH "COOL" SERGEANT WAS ON BEAUFORT 11 THAT DAY, AND WHO ELSE WAS ON THE P-19 WITH YOU? ESAU, CRAIG, AND I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW? JEFF WOJTISEK (AKA SSGT WOJTISEK) [I'M OUT OF THE CORPS NOW SO YOU CAN CALL ME JEFF, OR OTHER NAMES I CAN'T PRINT HERE]! E-MAIL/ EAGLESJOEW@AOL.COM

Here, see you can relate to this. 19 years old, crew chief on a P4 (92) at MCAS El Toro on a sunday AM. Sitting the first mid field with a raging hangover. F4's doing FCLP's on 34L, touching down 100 ft from the truck, full afterburner as they pass, windows and brains rattling. Sleep? Not a chance. Staring bleary eyed out the wind shield, the boom of another burner shakes the rid as a phantom 10 feet in the air whizzes by. Suddlenly, bouncing past the front of the rig is a ....... main landing gear tire. Oh shit...... looking up at the climbing away phantom, hmmm just a strut on the left. Call the tower, blah blah, blah, circle for an hour, dump fuel, Ok, here he comes. The pilot sets it on the numbers, holding it the right main and nose gear, this guy is good. But alas, not good enough, the left strut catches the wire before the hook, flat spin city, coming straight at us. Time for recverse, hang on, here we go. A small fire erupts from the belly of the jet as it slides down the runway but is extingushed as he goes off the runway. The whole time, two canopys are coming up sloooooowly, the plane comes to rest and the two occupants are aholes and elbows away. Stephen Alcorn

The Following is from a brother Crash Crew who served in the Air Force
http://www.teleport.com/~spanner/webdoc1.htm link to picture of this crash , with related links to equipment used in the extinguishment of this crash.
B-52 CRASH McCoy AFB 1972 Tail #0625 crashed short of runway at McCoy AFB after multiple engine failure, 3/31/72 306th Bombardment Wing (Heavy), McCoy AFB, Florida Not Today From 1971 - 72 I was assigned to McCoy AFB located in the beautiful city of Orlando, Florida. McCoy was a SAC base with B-52 Bombers and KC-135 Tankers. At the time of my stay most of the 52s and personnel were T.D.Y. to Guam for bombing missions over North Vietnam. McCoy was a great duty assignment. I have plenty of memories of my time at McCoy including a couple of airliner highjackings: One hijacking involved a copilot getting shot by his captors and dumped out the window, while the FBI was shooting the tires off during takeoff. Of all the Incidents the fire department was involved with, there is one I can still close my eyes and picture perfectly in my mind. It was getting close to lunch time and everybody started milling around the fire station chow hall. I had KP that meal and was setting the tables for the cook. The klaxon horn went off indicating there was an in flight emergency. A regular bell was used when it was a structural emergency. The dispatcher's voice came over the speaker informing us that we had a B-52 Heavy with an indicator light showing fire in one engine and that there were seven souls on board. The dispatcher went on to say that it had just taken off minutes before fully fueled with 44,000 gallons of JP-4. I was fairly new to being a fireman and not that long out of fire fighting tech school, but had been around long enough to know those indicator lights, whether for locked landing gear or engine fires were quite common and seldom meant there was an actual problem, other than the indicator light. The routine was we go to our assigned rigs, everybody jumps into their bunker pants and puts on their silver turnout jackets. The hand linemen finish up with Scott air packs, hoods, and gloves; the driver and crew chief leave their hoods off for now. All rigs respond out to their preassigned spots on the taxi ways along the full length of the runway, wait for the Aircraft to land, and when it passes your location you pull in behind and follow it down the runway. The pilot would give a thumbs up, the dispatcher would clear us, we go back to finishing our meal, polishing brass, or hiding away from the station captain's eyes. Day after day as easy as that, but not today! The McCoy Air Force Base fire dept. consisted of five first line manned crash rigs an O11A, O11B, two comparatively newer P2s, an O6 which was basically a huge carbon dioxide extinguisher with a long boom applicator, and a tractor trailer runway foamer. The cross manned structural equipment was a new P-8 and an older 750 G.P.M. pumper. Today I drew the short straw, and my assignment was driver of the 011A crash rig. The O11A was the oldest crash rig we had and was actually a reserve unit being used while a newer O11B was receiving maintenance. This crash rig had two roof mounted foam turrets that were controlled from the driver or crew chief position with two side by side pistol grips inside the cab. The pump was driven by a separately mounted aircraft engine which allowed us to use the main motor to maneuver with while pumping to the turrets. The rig was originally designed to carry protein foam, but we had just weeks earlier converted over to the new Light Water AFFF foam, and had been training with both types. The O11A had a 1000 gallon water tank and a 200-gallon foam bag inside the tank. You had to fill the tank halfway with water so the bag would float, then fill the foam bag with Light Water, then top off with the second 500 gallons of water. If the foam was filled first, the bag would rip from the weight. I know this fact from personal experience. The worst part for me originally with this rig was driving. Going back and forth on a flight line was OK but driving through city streets rounding off gears, double and triple clutching was a real pain but eventually I could drive it as good as most. We took up our position mid-runway, I can remember arriving and starting up the pump engine to make sure it was warm and ready. I took a look up and down the runways noting that most everybody was in position. We could see it now, it was just short of the runway on approach, and our crew chief commented that it didn't look lined up right. It was close now right over a housing area across a road next to the end of the runway. It was close up it seemed close enough to touch. It just hovered there for a second, then it rolled pointing one of its enormous wings directly to the ground. Then went in, right into the housing area. I heard later one of the crewmen used his ejection seat but punched straight into the ground. I have trained for a number of years now with practice pit fires that can be fairly impressive especially at night. In these pit fires we used any where from 100 to maybe the most 500 gallons of contaminated JP-4. This B52 had taken off minutes before with a full fuel load of about 40,000 gallons. Shit! I think we all said it at the same time, probably was repeated in all the rigs lined up that day. I think every ounce of fuel went up that second, covering a two-block housing area. The first thing I thought was nukes or at least high explosives but it was just fuel. Next thing I know crew chief was yelling, "GO!" So I went. The normal way of the base was out the main gate. I don't think any of the crash rigs had ever been any where but the flight line. Today we were going straight down the runway to the perimeter fence. I don't know who was first, but there was a hole cut in the fence when we arrived. This rig was by no means the perfect off road vehicle and I wasn't sure it would get over the bump between the fence and the off base road, but it did. I don't remember names of streets anymore and wasn't worried about it then. We knew where we were going, the problem was as we got close it looked like a war zone, debris everywhere. There was no real aircraft left to set up on, like we trained to do. Just pieces of all sizes and fire everywhere, car fires, several house fires, tree fires, fence fires, and fuel fires. We weren't sure where to start so we just worked ourselves to the main fire we could see. I can remember having to drive down the sidewalks taking out several mailboxes with the front bumper. Got to the main part of the fire and let loose with the turrets. The plane went down in the only vacant lot in the whole housing area, I've wondered if the pilot managed to do that or if it just happened. The only recognizable part of the aircraft other than landing gear in the middle of a living room, was the tail section. We removed the tail gunner, he was the only crewman I saw that was still in one piece. He was burnt crisp I remember his sun glasses were still on his head. The big flames seemed to go out pretty quickly there were a couple of other crash rigs that made it up close enough to apply foam to the fire. By now the Orlando Florida crews were showing up and the focus had turned to the structure fires and victims. I just then noticed all the radio traffic. I don't remember a word being said since our initial dispatch, I wonder if my crew chief had been listening. We then focused our attention to extinguishing spot fires, and assisting the Orlando crews mop up the house fires. The rest of the day was spent placing our rigs back in service so the military flights could resume at McCoy. Seven B-52 crew members died instantly that day, and one 10 year old boy died three days later from burns he had received . It was a very somber time at McCoy Air Force Base after the crash, and it was still fresh on everyone's mind when I left for Ubon Thailand a month later. As tragic as it was it has always amazed me more people weren't hurt or killed that day. Craig Smith Ex Air Force Crash Crewman FF E43B Portland Fire Bureau

I guess I should say that there have been quite a few mud bog stories from MCAS Beaufort so here is another one. I was a Sgt Assigned to Section I at the time of this incident and it happened in 1990 and Sgt Ray Cabrido was the crew chief that day. Well it was a day when we just need to get everyone out of site of the front office so we told all the crews to go on Fam time around the airfield well around 1630 we contacted the Crew for Sgt Cabrido and wanted to know if anyone was going to chow and we were advised no one wanted to go. Well we would not have thought much about it but everyone on the truck was on meal card and they had a couple of guys who never missed a meal on this truck. Well around 1730 we started wondering where they were and contacted them on the radio. Well we got the story as being they were in the training area doing wet runs on the pit for the new drivers on board. Well around 1800 the truth finally came out when we recieved a call via landline from the Scout Pond and they advised us that the P-19 was buried up to its doors in mud. Not a good thing, myself and Sgt Larry Hollngsworth proceed out to the pond to see if we could help out or see what it would take to get the truck unstuck, when we arrived the crew was trying to dig the truck out and they were covered in mud from head to toe, it was a hillarous site to see. Well we had to call MWSS-273 for assistance on this one for it was stuck that good, once the truck was pulled out and returned to the barn the fun part started for the whole crew as they were made to do a full truck field day on this vehicle. They finally finished cleaning the mud off and out of the P-19 around 1 AM. This story is only coming out now since most involved are either out or retired from MCAS and the corp. After this we were not allowed to take the trucks mud bogging anymore. Oh the Section Leaders at the time were Gysgt L D Martin, Ssgt Jerry Green, to really good section leaders. I hope everyone enjoyes this story. If any would like to contact me they can e-mail me at CRASHCREWMANSC@WEBTV.NET. I am since out of the corps but still work at MCAS BEAUFORT the Structual side Hope u enjoy Darran W. Vaughn MCAS Bft 87-91

O.K. "Jarheads" move over The USAF had a few planes too. I'll be talking to the ones of us in the service from 1955-1966. I to was in a/c crash rescue. In l962 I was A/2C James Stone, U.S.A.F. afsc-57150(aircraft/crash rescue specialist) No big deal as I was holding down a T'Sgt. position as a driver /crew-chief. Well. on the particular day in Mar. 62, I had just returned from orientation and had started clearing the base for discharge. I was kind of P-o'd as my regular truck was in motor pool for maint. and we were using a 500 gal. pumper, for our rig. I ate chow and then went to the Day-room for a few hands of cut-throat cards. Oh! by the way , all this happened at Carswell A.F.B.( Fort Worth) Texas. Anyway we heard the damnest "BOOM" and we all started running. We looked out the westside of the station and it looked like the whole "Hot-Line"( bomb loaded B-52s) and the "pink Palace( the ready crews home) was on fire. What had happened was the a B-58 bomber had started a take off and had broken up and went off in the green headed North. As I said, I was clearing for discharge and the first thought I had was "AW SHIT" not at this time in my life. Anyway we all hit the trucks, even before the Bell rung. Hells-Bells, we didn't need an invitation. I was still raising Hell on the radio, trying to get my O-11A out of motor pool , when we pulled up to the site, which was on top of a bunker (ammo) with some type of munitions in it. To shorten this thing some, the B-58 had a crew of three and we lost all three. We had 15 or 20 new O.J.T.s (all Hawaians) and they got their bath of fire that night. As you can see ,I made it tho and I am just another old fart, reliving the past. Thanks for listening, Jim Stone

My brain get kind of "fuzzy" after 42 years and 3 or 4 beersm but this is the way I remember the story. It was a nice warm day in the middle of La.( England A.F.B., in Alexandria,La.) We wrer on a T.A.C. base, meaning that our assigned wings were fighters & support. We had F-100s and F-102s and K-B-50s as our main assigned a/c. We came on @ 0700a.m. as usual and I am going to say it was a Sunday as ther was "NADA" going on Oh , bye the way this was in like 1960(?) Anyway we had runway stand-by 24/7 as we had a lot of transits at this base. Anyway it came time for my crew(of 4) to do our turn on stand-by. My crewchief,A/1C Jimmy Green decided to stay in for a while and get in his "brownie" points or whatever the excuse and for me to take out the truck & crew for stand-by. I was the driver/operator. So here we went. We relieved the other crew and set-up on an inactive runway close to center taxi way on the far side of the field. We were just cooling it. reading the paper, loafing around or whatever for our 4 hours. We had a call from tower and said we had a transit RF101(voo-doo) taking off asap. That's a twin engined fighter/reconNo problem. I had a clear veiw on him taxing down and getting in position for take-off. No big deal. As he started his run , I think I heard a faint pop. As he started down and right befor he got across from our position I could see that he was pulling toward the grass. ( his Left A/B was working, But he had a flame out on his right engine) As he passes us he started breaking up and losinf fuel, which erupted into fire. I radioed "Our" tower and told them We were rolling and to tell my crew chief to get his ass to the truck. The linemen bunkered out and while driving I got my pump engine going, foam paddle working, and turrets in position. (we were using an O-11A) Natch , we were 1st in and thank goodness I had som experienced linemen They hit their hand lines as soon as westopprd and I had my turrets and ground sweeps going big time. We were like 40 feet when I came to a stop and no support yet. The linemen went in by theirselves and I was giving them as much cover as I could with the turrets. As i was working I could finally see the other units coming in from the station. Still no crew chief and as you know 3 minutes with everything open I was just about empty. I started yelling on the radio for a re-fill and foam. The pump engine started making crazy sound and I lost my "prime" EMPTY. I jumped out of the truck to give a yank on my handlinemans hose to tell them to back out. As I came back around the front of the truck, I looked over to the left and I saw the pilot, still strapped in his seat, lying on his side not even 15 feet from my left front tire.I guess he had popped his canopy, but not his seat, and it had broken loose from the a/c on impact. I jumped back into the cab and radioed Tower where he was located and that we needed help. Finally the R-2(with my crewchief and a civ. F.F. as did an ambulance came pulling up. They got the pilot out and on his way to the hosp. Then shortly thereafter a relief truck came in to us and me and the boys got to pull out and go back to re-service. Had sort of a good ending. The pilot surrived( a Lt. Col.) I think. He came back in about 6 months from Brooks Army-Medical pretty beaten and burned up He thanked his saviors 1 on 1. My crew-chief, the Civ. F.F., and the base fire chief. They all got a commendation! Me and the boys didn't get "jack-shit" That's O.K. tho. We know what happened. Jim

We do more with less, So politician's can do less with more--Isaac R. Diehl 2/96

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