HUBBS, DONALD RICHARD

Name: Donald Richard Hubbs   
Rank/Branch: .Commander/US Navy   
Unit: Air Anti-Submarine Squadron 23 
USS Yorktown (CVA-10) 
 
       
       
Date of Birth: 19 February 1926 (Riverton, NJ)  
Home of Record: Palmyra, NJ  
Date of Loss: 17 March 1968   
Country of Loss: North Vietnam/Over Water  
Loss Coordinates: 191759N 1062269E (XG453344)   
Status in 1973: Killed/Body Not Recovered   
Category: 5  
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: S2E "Tracker"  
Other Personnel In Incident: Thomas D. Barber, Lee D. Benson and Randall J. Nightingale (missing)   

REMARKS:  LOST O/W - SEARCH FAILED - J

SYNOPSIS:  The S2E Tracker patrol aircraft was originally designed as an antisubmarine warfare aircraft. Since few, if any, submarines saw action during the Vietnam War, these aircraft were used successfully to fly "Market Time" sorties searching for people and supplies being moved south by the enemy along the 1,000 mile Vietnamese coastline.

On 17 March 1968, Cmdr. Donald R. Hubbs, pilot; Lt. JG Lee D. Benson, co-pilot; AN Thomas D. Barber, reciprocating engine mechanic; and AX2 Randall J. Nightingale, ASW technician, comprised the crew of an S2E aircraft. At 2100 hours the flight launched from the deck of the USS Yorktown on a five-hour surface/sub-surface surveillance flight over the Gulf of Tonkin. Their call sign during this mission was "Abilene 10."

Following take-off, Cmdr. Hubbs radioed "mission able," meaning everything was all right, and continued on the mission. Approximately 40 minutes later the aircraft reported "ops normal" with seven hours of fuel remaining. Between 55 and 60 minutes after launch, the shipboard controller noticed that he had lost radar contact with Abilene 10. The last radar image was approximately 61 miles from the Yorktown, 35 miles due east of a cluster of small islands known as Hon Nghi Son, and 41 miles due east of mainland North Vietnam. This was also 55 miles southeast of Thanh Hoa and 67 miles northeast of Vinh.

Following the loss of radar contact and communication with Abilene 10 by Yorktown, every effort was made to reestablish contact. At the same time, other aircraft in the air were vectored to the general area of Abilene 10's last known position to conduct an immediate visual search of the suspected area of loss. Once it was determined the aircraft was probably lost, all four men aboard Abilene 10 were initially listed Missing in Action. When no sighting was made during the immediate examination of the area of last contact, a full search and rescue operation was initiated.

During the next four days, Yorktown aircraft visually searched the loss area for any sign of the aircraft and its crew. On 20 March, one of the SAR aircraft spotted a small amount of aircraft wreckage and successfully recovered it in the vicinity of the Tracker's last known position. Later this wreckage was positively correlated to an S2E aircraft.

Under the conditions of Abilene 10's loss, the Navy began changing the status of each of the aircrew from missing to Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered. Thomas D. Barber was the first to have his status changed on 18 March 1968. The second was Lee D. Benson on 21 March 1968. Donald R. Hubbs and Randall J. Nightingale both had their status changed on 12 July 1968.

On 20 July 1968, a sizable section of the starboard wing from the S2E was unexpectedly found. No other sign of the aircraft or its crew was ever discovered. Further, the US Navy was never able to determine if the aircraft developed mechanical problems or if it was brought down by enemy fire.

While Donald Hubbs, Randall Nightingale, Lee Benton and Thomas Barber undoubtedly perished in the crash of their aircraft at sea, each man has a right to have his remains returned to his family, friends and country if at all possible. For other Americans who remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, their fate could be quite different.

Since the end of the Vietnam War well over 21,000 reports of American prisoners, missing and otherwise unaccounted for have been received by our government. Many of these reports document LIVE America Prisoners of War remaining captive throughout Southeast Asia TODAY.

Pilots and aircrews were called upon to fly in many dangerous circumstances, and they were prepared to be wounded, killed or captured. It probably never occurred to them that they could be abandoned by the country they so proudly served.

REMARKS:  LOST O/W - SEARCH FAILED - J

SYNOPSIS:  The S2E Tracker patrol aircraft was originally designed as an antisubmarine warfare aircraft. Since few, if any, submarines saw action during the Vietnam War, these aircraft were used successfully to fly "Market Time" sorties searching for people and supplies being moved south by the enemy along the 1,000 mile Vietnamese coastline.

On 17 March 1968, Cmdr. Donald R. Hubbs, pilot; Lt. JG Lee D. Benson, co-pilot; AN Thomas D. Barber, reciprocating engine mechanic; and AX2 Randall J. Nightingale, ASW technician, comprised the crew of an S2E aircraft. At 2100 hours the flight launched from the deck of the USS Yorktown on a five-hour surface/sub-surface surveillance flight over the Gulf of Tonkin. Their call sign during this mission was "Abilene 10."

Following take-off, Cmdr. Hubbs radioed "mission able," meaning everything was all right, and continued on the mission. Approximately 40 minutes later the aircraft reported "ops normal" with seven hours of fuel remaining. Between 55 and 60 minutes after launch, the shipboard controller noticed that he had lost radar contact with Abilene 10. The last radar image was approximately 61 miles from the Yorktown, 35 miles due east of a cluster of small islands known as Hon Nghi Son, and 41 miles due east of mainland North Vietnam. This was also 55 miles southeast of Thanh Hoa and 67 miles northeast of Vinh.

Following the loss of radar contact and communication with Abilene 10 by Yorktown, every effort was made to reestablish contact. At the same time, other aircraft in the air were vectored to the general area of Abilene 10's last known position to conduct an immediate visual search of the suspected area of loss. Once it was determined the aircraft was probably lost, all four men aboard Abilene 10 were initially listed Missing in Action. When no sighting was made during the immediate examination of the area of last contact, a full search and rescue operation was initiated.

During the next four days, Yorktown aircraft visually searched the loss area for any sign of the aircraft and its crew. On 20 March, one of the SAR aircraft spotted a small amount of aircraft wreckage and successfully recovered it in the vicinity of the Tracker's last known position. Later this wreckage was positively correlated to an S2E aircraft.

Under the conditions of Abilene 10's loss, the Navy began changing the status of each of the aircrew from missing to Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered. Thomas D. Barber was the first to have his status changed on 18 March 1968. The second was Lee D. Benson on 21 March 1968. Donald R. Hubbs and Randall J. Nightingale both had their status changed on 12 July 1968.

On 20 July 1968, a sizable section of the starboard wing from the S2E was unexpectedly found. No other sign of the aircraft or its crew was ever discovered. Further, the US Navy was never able to determine if the aircraft developed mechanical problems or if it was brought down by enemy fire.

While Donald Hubbs, Randall Nightingale, Lee Benton and Thomas Barber undoubtedly perished in the crash of their aircraft at sea, each man has a right to have his remains returned to his family, friends and country if at all possible. For other Americans who remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, their fate could be quite different.

Since the end of the Vietnam War well over 21,000 reports of American prisoners, missing and otherwise unaccounted for have been received by our government. Many of these reports document LIVE America Prisoners of War remaining captive throughout Southeast Asia TODAY.

Pilots and aircrews were called upon to fly in many dangerous circumstances, and they were prepared to be wounded, killed or captured. It probably never occurred to them that they could be abandoned by the country they so proudly served.

Did you know my father?
Mon Jan 10, 2005 4:43pm
150.176.79.10

 
I have been looking at the Yorktown Web site and saw your posting. I am the daughter of Cdr. Donald Richard Hubbs, commanding officer of VS-23, who was lost while piloting an S-2, along with three crew members, during a mission over the Gulf of Tonkin on March 17, 1968. I am trying to find people who might have known my father, as well as those who might have first-hand knowledge about what happened, or who may have searched for the missing pilots and crew. My family received a live sighting report from the Defense Intelligence Agency, (around 1989) from what they deemed as a "reliable source," claiming that my father was being held in Dalat some years after his plane vanished. I traveled to Vietnam in 1993 and discovered a Vietnamese document - a grave registration - with my father's name on it. If you knew my father, or know anyone who might have known him, I would love to get in contact with them. I would like to know more about my father, and any information about his mission or the search for his aircraft. Many, many thanks. Jill Hubbs, Pensacola, Florida jill_hubbs@wsre.pbs.org
(850) 484-1236 (850) 572-2055
Daniel A. Bernath PhotoLab, Master at Arms 1968-70 Petty Officer 2nd Class, USS Yorktown, US Navy 1966-1970
 

I know the Lt. who was on duty in CIC that night

Mon Jan 10, 2005 9:27pm
I know the watch officer in Combat Information Center on the night your Father's airplane disappeared in the combat zone off the coast of North Vietnam. The radar operator turned to the Lt. and said, "our plane just disappeared."
Lt., "what do you mean...disappeared?"
Radar operator, "it was here and now its gone. Disappeared."

I know that the Lt. who was in CIC that night reads this board from time to time so I'll won't identify him but when I asked him for more information it appeared that was all the information he had.

I hope that you find peace and regret your loss and the loss of our shipmate.

Dan
USS Yorktown 1968-1970

****

Family still feels pain of Yorktown pilot's '68 death

 

Wed Mar 19, 2008 4:59AM


The day was March 17, 1968. It was at the height of the Vietnam War.

The weather was foul, with visibility near zero, but U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Donald R. Hubbs, commanding officer of Flight Squadron VS-23, had a mission to complete. So he and three others took off from the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown for a reconnaissance flight off the coast of North Vietnam.

A short time later, Hubbs' jet vanished from the carrier's radar. It is believed that a surface-to-air missile brought Hubbs' anti-submarine aircraft down. His body and those of his crew members were never recovered. Four months later, a portion of the jet was found in the sea.

The Navy ruled that Hubbs, a 1943 Palmyra High School graduate who was captain of the school's state championship track team, was killed in action. “The 40th anniversary of his loss is a milestone,” said Hubbs' daughter, Jill, of Pensacola, Fla. “March 17, 1968, seems like a long, long time ago, but in many ways, to our family, it is still quite fresh in our minds and in our hearts. The pain of not knowing for 40 years is very hard to deal with — unless you've experienced a situation like this with no closure.”

Jill Hubbs, 50, and her sister, Jayne, 48, also of Pensacola, are the only members of Hubbs' immediate family still living. Hubbs' wife, parents and brothers have died.

The American Legion Post in Palmyra bearing the naval officer's name was demolished years ago. The post is currently inactive.

While Jill Hubbs said she still feels a sense of loss every St. Patrick's Day, she did get some closure during a visit to Vietnam in 1993.

“When I did get over there, I talked to a group that's searching for missing POWs,” she said. “They told me about a grave registration with my dad's name on it, but they couldn't give me the document.”

She said the next day she went to the Vietnamese office for people seeking missing persons and they confirmed what the group had told her.


“It was kind of ironic I got (the document) from the communists that the Americans couldn't give to me,” Jill Hubbs said.

The only conclusion she could make of the grave registration was that the ocean currents washed his body to shore and the Vietnamese recovered it. However, the grave registration didn't give a specific burial site.

“It only said what province the grave was in, and that's like saying a body is buried in an area the size of (Burlington County),” Jill Hubbs said.

During the trip, she was able to go to places that her father took pictures of and had sent back to the family during his first tour of duty in the Southeast Asian nation years before his death.

“I walked down the same streets he did and visited the same park he took a picture of,” Jill Hubbs said. “It was hard to leave Vietnam. In a way — not that I was leaving my father behind — bit he's still there.

In a way, you think you have closure, but how can you? My hope is that my dad's remains will some day be repatriated to the United States.”

As for the Palmyra American Legion Post 156, which was once named after Hubbs and two other soldiers, it could soon be re-activated.

Tom Beitz of Cinnaminson, said he's currently trying to revive the inactive post.

Anyone interested can send an e-mail to Beitz at palmyra156.yahoo.-com.

Jill Hubbs said she was touched to hear what Beitz was doing.

“It really means a lot to me,” Hubbs said.

“That he would do this for my dad, who gave the ultimate sacrifice for his country, means a lot to me. My dad was all about honor, duty and country.”

E-mail: tmchale@phillyBurbs.com



By TODD MCHALE
Burlington County Times

 




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