This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Leah Tunnell, LCDR
to remember
Tunnell, Jesse Clayton, LTJG.
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Contact Info
Home Town Anaheim, California
Last Address Milton, Florida
Date of Passing May 30, 2006
Location of Interment Cedaredge Cemetery - Cedaredge, Colorado
Wall/Plot Coordinates Unknown
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Jesse lost his life in a helicopter crash during Advanced Helicopter Training in HT-8, NAS Whiting Field.
Other Comments:
Jesse and I met in early 2001, while we were both attending the University of Arizona as Midishipmen in the NROTC program. Although Jesse was prior-enlisted, he enrolled in the ROTC program before the STA-21 program was initiated and he was one month short of the four-year service requirement needed to be in the Enlisted Commissioning Program. Therefore, he attended BOOST in Newport, RI and went to school on an ROTC scholarship. We got married in May 2002 and were commissioned together two years later, in May 2004. We were both selected for Aviation, but at that time the Avaiation pipeline was backlogged, so we were stashed at our commissioning ROTC Unit until February 2005, when we moved to Pensacola, FL and began flight training. We were in the same API class and completed training together, and then were sent to separate Primary VT squadrons--Jess went to VT-3 and I went to VT-2. When begain Advanced training at different times and in separate squadrons, with me in HT-18 and Jess in HT-8.
Jesse lost his life during a training mishap on May 30th, 2006. We had just celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary on May 24th. I continued on to earn my wings. My parents and Jesse's mother pinned on the Wings of Gold that had been posthumously awarded to him, after a review of his training records.
2006-2006, Helicopter Training Squadron EIGHT (HT-8) Eightballers
Helicopter Training Squadron EIGHT (HT-8) Eightballers Details
HT-8, along with its sister squadrons, HT-18 and HT-28, provides advanced helicopter flight instruction to all U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard helicopter flight students as well as international students from several allied nations. Students who successfully complete the program earn the right to wear the coveted "Wings of Gold." HT-8 flies the TH-57 Bell 206 JetRanger. The unit generally uses the call sign "Eight Ball" over the radio.
The three basic colors of HT-8's patch - red, white and blue - represent the colors of the U.S. flag, and are indicative of HT-8's nickname, "America's Squadron", created in the 1980s. The three colors also commemorate the universality of our squadron's students, instructors and staff hailing from all parts of the United States. The overall field is sectored into three equal portions to symbolize training for the three sea services of the US Navy, the US Marine Corps and the US Coast Guard.
A helicopter profile at the patchs center symbolizes advanced rotary training, and is orange to reflect the traditional color of orange on all Navy training aircraft. Interestingly, there are three versions of the tail rotor on the right side of the helicopter profile. The original version is a simple cross to indicate the blades of a tail rotor. Common lore is that a squadron commanding officer changed the tail rotor design during the Vietnam War to a peace sign, as a silent protest to the war. Then in the 1990s, another commanding officer devised yet a third design, a script-like 'S', this time reflecting the Sikorsky aircraft "S," probably reflecting his preference for Sikorsky aircraft - despite the fact that the squadron had by then transitioned to the TH-57 Sea Ranger, a Bell company product. All three versions of the patch are worn by squadron pilots to this day.
The cloud shape (some say it resembles the state of Georgia, backwards) and storm in the upper left quadrant are superimposed by helicopter turn needle and ball instruments, and indicate that students at HT-8 are trained in instrument flight. The orange helicopter profile is facing as if it is flying into the cloud, signifying the confidence HT-8's students have in their ability to fly in all weather conditions.
The 18 stars in the upper right quadrant - in the shape of an '8' - reflect the fact that advanced rotary flight students originally began their training at HT-8, completing only familiarization training (now known as 'contact' training) in this squadron. Following their fam solo at HT-8 the students would then transfer to HT-18 to complete the rest of their training (therefore HT-18 was "in the stars" for HT-8 students). In 1986 both HT-8 and HT-18 became "mirror image" squadrons, training students from contact flying through advanced tactics.
The gold wings in the lower quadrant symbolize the goal of all students who enter advanced rotary wing training at HT-8 - designation as an "unrestricted" naval aviator, or one who is uniquely qualified to fly both fixed wing and rotary wing naval aircraft.