Atlantic Ocean – December 11, 1965
P2V Neptune
U.S. Air Force Photo
On December 11, 1965, a U.S. Navy P2V Neptune patrol plane with a crew of six aboard was flying about 25 miles off the coast of Maine when an unspecified in-flight emergency occurred. A navy spokesman later told reporters that the pilot barely had time to radio a distress call before the aircraft went down in the frigid water. Search and rescue aircraft and boats were immediately dispatched to the area and recovered all six men, however, the co-pilot, Lt. (Jg.) Donald S. Lavigne, 26, of Albany, N.Y., had succumbed to exposure before he could be rescued. The five survivors were all transported to the Brunswick Maine Naval Air Station and were reported to be in good condition.
The other members of the crew were identified as:
Pilot: Lt. Robert C. Muller of Lombard, Ill.
Aviation Tec 1/c Emanuel A. Croasmun, 33, of Cleveland, Ohio.
Aviation Machinist Mate 2/c Paul L. Force, 28, of Paterson, N.J.
Aviation Machinist Mate 3/c Pasquale Pape, 21, of Rome, N.Y.
Ordinance Man 1/c Larry R. Clark, 23, of Brunswick, Maine.
Sources:
New London Day, “One Dies As Navy Patrol Plane crashes”, December 11, 1965
New York Times, “Co-pilot Dies, 5 Survive As Navy Plane Crashes”, December 11, 1965
