This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Nicole Summers, MMFN
to remember
Bixel, Michael Sargent, LTJG.
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From - Tue Jul 14 07:11:12 1998 I was a veteran of the air war over North Viet Nam. I noted the lack of information for Mike Bixel and thought I would pass along what I remember and you can decide if it is useful. Also in that same squadron (VA-115 on USS MIDWAY) was Mike Bixel. Mike and I trained together at Whidbey Island before deploying. Mike was lost during a night carrier landing accident on the USS Midway. His pilot was Bruce Kallsen who survived the accident. It was a horrible accident in which several men died on the carrier deck from the crash and the subsequent fire. Bruce and Mike had landed in a sideslip which sheared off one of the main landing gear of the A-6A when it touched down on the deck. The plane continued up the axial deck to impact the planes parked on the bow. Mike ejected just prior to hitting the parked planes. The pure heroism of the flight deck crew in quickly putting out the fire limited damage to the ship and saved lives. Mike was not seen after the ejection. It is uncertain if his parachute had time to open. Most agreed that Mike had time to make a safe entry into the water. The search for Mike and others who may have gone into the water was unsuccessful. Mike Bixel was a fine shipmate and excellent officer who deserves to be remembered. Sometimes it seems that the absolute best amongst us didn't come home. Dave Anderson July 1998
Other Comments:
This Sailor has an (IMO) In Memory Of Headstone in: Barrancas National Cemetery, Florida (VA).
I was a veteran of the air war over North Viet Nam and took an interest in the POW NET biographies page of your site. I noted the lack of information for Mike Bixel and thought I would pass along what I remember and you can decide if it is useful.
I was acquainted with a number of officers at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island who manned the A-6A squadrons deployed on Pacific Fleet carriers. I deployed with Attack Squadron ONE FOUR FIVE (VA-145) on the USS RANGER just prior to the start of LINEBACKER II. I knew, for a time, several men on the POW/MIA list; Fred Holmes, Harry Mossman, Rod Lester, and Bob Randall. I lived across the street from Robert (Al) Clark who was lost just weeks before the cease fire. He left behind a son that he never saw. It is known by many in Naval Aviation that Al had a distant connection with the basis for the opening scene in the movie, "Flight of the Intruder." Al's pilot on the night they were shot down was Mike McCormick. Several months before being lost, Mike had flown a mission with LCDR Ray Donnelly. Ray died from a round from a large automatic weapon that struck the cockpit and hit him. Mike brought him back to the USS MIDWAY for what must have been the hardest night landing in Naval Aviation history.
Also in that same squadron (VA-115 on USS MIDWAY) was Mike Bixel. Mike and I trained together at Whidbey Island before deploying. Mike was lost during a night carrier landing accident on the USS Midway. His pilot was Bruce Kallsen who survived the accident. It was a horrible accident in which several men died on the carrier deck from the crash and the subsequent fire. Bruce and Mike had landed in a sideslip which sheared off one of the main landing gear of the A-6A when it touched down on the deck. The plane continued up the axial deck to impact the planes parked on the bow. Mike ejected just prior to hitting the parked planes. The pure heroism of the flight deck crew in quickly putting out the fire limited damage to the ship and saved lives. Mike was not seen after the ejection. It is uncertain if his parachute had time to open. Most agreed that Mike had time to make a safe entry into the water. The search for Mike and others who may have gone into the water was unsuccessful. Mike Bixel was a fine shipmate and excellent officer who deserves to be remembered. Sometimes it seems that the absolute best amongst us didn't come home.
