Clayton Charles Kemp, Jr
Petty Officer Third Class
HS-8, CVSG-59, USS BENNINGTON, TF 77, 7TH FLEET
United States Navy
Wheat Ridge, Colorado
October 09, 1947 to January 12, 1967
CLAYTON C KEMP Jr is on the Wall at Panel 14E, Line 17

ussbennington.gif
NAIRWING-CVSG-59.png
hs-8.gif
usn-aircrew.gif
 
ambase.gif
 

 
31 May 1999

Chuck died in North Vietnamese waters when the helicopter on which he crewed went down. His body was never recovered.

It was three months and three days after his nineteenth birthday.

He was my friend, he was my brother.

As long as I draw breath, his memory will not be forgotten.

Stephen Anthony
wlfrider@aol.com


 
11 Feb 2004

Chuckie was my brother. Three days before my fifth birthday we received the first telegram indicating he was MIA. It was a matter of a few days when we received the telegram indicating he had been declared dead.

I remember the last time I saw him he brought me a big pink bunny rabbit. As he was leaving our home for the last time, wearing his dress blues, I gave him a huge hug with that bunny in my arms and got pink fuzz all over his uniform. My mother was angry with me, but Chuckie just laughed that wonderful laugh of his and took it in stride. He nudged my chin, gave me a kiss and went on down the driveway. It's the last memory I have of him.

I miss you terribly, Chuckie...

Love,
Your little sister, Candice
beagle1962@msn.com


 
10 Apr 2004

Chuck was my fellow aircrewman and I will always remember the day he and Reinecke died. We were all so young and he died serving his country. May God bless him. He is my hero.

From a friend,
L. P. Ford, Jr.
1637 South Odell Road, Maryville, Tn. 37801
fdlp4djr@yahoo.com


 
19 Jun 2004

I did not know him personally but I was in the ship's Control Tower the night the helo went down. I witnessed the events and took part in the investigation of the crash.

Clayton, your memory will last in our hearts until we all meet together in heaven.

Steve
V-1 Division, USS BENNINGTON (CVS-20)
1964-1967
Gulf of Tonkin

From a shipmate,
Steven Jacobson, ABHAN US Navy
sjacobso@bmi.net


 
8 Jan 2005

Clayton, we never had the opportunity to meet
but rest assured
you are not forgotten.

From a shipmate and USS BENNINGTON (CV/CVA/CVS-20) historian,
Joseph Lawrence Pires
23 Rebecca Lane, Osterville, Massachusetts, 02655
jkpires@uss-bennington.org


 

A Note from The Virtual Wall

Redondo Man Hurt In Copter Crash

A Redondo Beach, California man was among three Navy men injured when a SH3A helicopter from the USS BENNINGTON CVS-20 went down in the Gulf of Tonkin off North Vietnam, the Navy announced today. Two men are reported missing.

The pilot, Lt(jg) Charles Stella, of Gonzales, Texas, and Petty Officer 2nd class Roberto B. Reed, of Houston, each suffered a broken leg in the Thursday night crash.

Lt(jg) Finkenhagen of Redondo Beach, the co-pilot, suffered a broken arm and leg, the Navy said.

The three were picked up by choppers from the BENNINGTON. Cause of the crash of the anti-submarine warfare helicopter is being investigated, the Navy said.

From an unidentified news article dated January 14th, 1967
Provided to the
USS BENNINGTON site
by Joe Pires, former SK3 aboard BENNINGTON

Two men of Anti-Submarine Helicopter Squadron 8 died when SH-3A BuNo 149909 crashed at sea:

  • AX3 Clayton C. Kemp, Wheatridge, CO
  • AX3 Wayne C. Reinecke, Milwaukie, OR

Contact Us © Copyright 1997-2019 www.VirtualWall.org, Ltd ®(TM) Last update 08/15/2019.