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CDR Bob Kemper was my best buddy & squadronmate in VA-146 1965-1967. At the time of his accident he was the XO of VT-7, NAS Meridian, MS. Last known activity was an instructional instrument flight with a student in a T2A "Buckeye" aircraft.
Flying an actual instrument approach into NAS Meridian, the flight encountered severe icing conditions. Evidently, to such an extent that the anti-icing system could not keep up. Close in, the aircraft started sinking badly even with full power. Seeing that a crash was inevitable, CDR Kemper ordered his student to eject. When he knew the student was clear, he ejected.
His student survived. CDR Kemper's chute deployed, but unfortunately he was still decelerating when he collided with a pine tree and was killed.
In keeping with the Naval Aviator's Creed, I believe he sacrified his life for his shipmate.
I am proud to say I flew many combat missions as Bob Kemper's wingman. He was a hero to me in life, and remains so today. He is sorely missed.
Other Comments:
REMEMBERANCES
I first met Bob when we both reported to VA-146 from the A4 training squadron VA-125 at Lemoore. I was a bit in awe of him at the time. He was a senior LT (soon to be LCDR) & a Naval Academy grad, and I was a mid-grade LT former NAVCAD with no college. We both had previous A4 squadron & deployment experience so we fit right in as as "team" .
As we became close, when at Lemoore we did lots of thing as familys (my 3 kids & his 3 daughters were the same age range), dining out, Friday family pizza nights, etc. When at sea we were roommates & flew together as often as we could.
Bob was a very talented golfer. We played together a lot. I should have listed him on my income tax as a dependent because I can't remember ever winning a golf bet , though I kept on trying!
He had natural leadership qualities which had been polished at the Naval Academy plus some 10 years fleet experience when I met him. His enlisted sailors adored Bob.
Example: I went up to see him off on a combat launch one night. Pitch black & NOISY (as usual). As we approached his aircraft the plane captain reported "she's ready for preflight, sir". Bob replied "did you preflight it?" "YES sir". Bob replied "that's good enough for me, I trust you!" and up the ladder he scooted. I didn't understand it at first, then I realized that he was instilling confidence & trust in his P/C, most likely increasing his vigilence on future preflights. Innovative!
Bob Kemper was fearless & loved to fly! Even in combat, when a pilot would have to cancel a mission for whatever reason, Bob was always first (in a short line) to scrounge the flight. Unlike others, he never griped about manning the mandatory spare for there was always a chance it might be launched.
At the very end of our combat cruise in USS CONSTELLATION (CVA-64), the last day of ops before departing for home was Nov. 11, 1967 (appropriately Armistice Day). Bob had an early strike that day & mine was mid-day. Bob greeted me with a hug. Together, we greeted each returning pilot all day, hoping, praying that nothing bad would happen on the last day. When our last "Busy Bee" touched down, a cheer resounded throughout the ready room. Bob's combat career & mine ended that day with over 500 missions between us, many of them flown together.
Bob's nickname was "Boo Boo" as he was a husky dude & reminded us of the big friendly bear in the "Moose" cartoon!
CDR Kemper was a hero in his small hometown of Shelbyville, KY. As a rural Kentucky lad, he had gone through the finest Naval Academy in the world, achieved the gold wings of a Naval Aviator, then a highly decorated carrier pilot. Several years later, Bob flew a two-seater Skyhawk back to Kentucky for a standard weekend training cross-country landing at the commercial Standiford Airport not to far from his hometown. Unbeknownst to him, word of his trip leaked out & his townfolk arranged a greeting for him. Hundreds showed up to express their appreciation for their local icon.
Shelbyville, KY is also the hometownThe greeting
(TO BE CONTINUED)
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Vietnam War/Tet Counteroffensive Campaign (68)/ Yankee Station, North Vietnam
From Month/Year
January / 1968
To Month/Year
April / 1968
Description Yankee Station was a point in the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of Vietnam used by the U.S. Navy aircraft carriers of Task Force 77 to launch strikes in the Vietnam War. While its official designation was "Point Yankee," it was universally referred to as Yankee Station. Carriers conducting air operations at Yankee Station were said to be "on the line" and statistical summaries were based on days on the line.
The name derived from it being the geographic reference point "Y", pronounced "Yankee" in the NATO phonetic alphabet. In turn the term Point Yankee derived from the launch point for "Yankee Team" aerial reconnaissance missions over Laos conducted in 1964. It was located about 190 km due east of Dong Hoi, at 17° 30' N and 108° 30' E.
During the two periods of sustained air operations against North Vietnam (March 2, 1965-October 31, 1968 and March 30, 1972-December 29, 1972) there were normally three carriers on the line, each conducting air operations for twelve hours, then off for twelve hours. One of the carriers would operate from noon to midnight, another from midnight to noon, and one during daylight hours, which gave 24-hour coverage plus additional effort during daylight hours, when sorties were most effective. However at the end of May, 1972, six carriers were for a short period of time on the line at Yankee Station conducting Linebacker strikes.
The first aircraft carrier at Yankee Station was USS Kitty Hawk, which was ordered there in April 1964 for the Yankee Team missions. Kitty Hawk was joined by Ticonderoga in May and Constellation in June, two months prior to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. Ticonderoga and Constellation launched the first bombing missions from Yankee Station on August 5, 1964. Constellation was also the last carrier conducting operations at Yankee Station on August 15, 1973. USS Forrestal suffered a major accident while at Yankee Station when a series of fires and explosions on her deck killed 134 men and injured another 161.
A corresponding Dixie Station in the South China Sea off the Mekong Delta was a single carrier point for conducting strikes within South Vietnam from May 15, 1965 to August 3, 1966.
