Tuesday, May 19 at 1:15 p.m, Friday Harbor Airport
— from Anthony Popp, Assistant Public Affairs Officer, NAS Whidbey Island —
Weather permitting, two EA-18G Growlers from Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island will fly over Friday Harbor Airport on May 19 at 1:15 p.m. as part of a memorial tribute to Lt. James “Kelly” Patterson who went missing over North Vietnam 48 years ago.
The tribute to Patterson, takes place at the Friday Harbor American Legion where retired Navy officers who flew with him will join San Juan Island officials to dedicate a memorial in the form of an A-6A “Intruder” windscreen that will be displayed at Ernie’s Cafe at the Port of Friday Harbor Airport.
On May 19, 1967, Patterson, a Navy Bombardier-Navigator, and his pilot Lt. Cmdr. “Red” McDaniel, assigned to Attack Squadron 35 aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65), were part of a Strike Group of 24 aircraft including A-4 Skyhawks and F-4 Phantom II’s. While in route toward Hanoi, North Vietnamese forces shot down their Intruder aircraft with a surface-to-air missile.
After both men ejected, McDaniel was captured and held in the “Hanoi Hilton” for over five years as a prisoner of war. Patterson was never found.
“The three carriers engaged in the strike (USS Enterprise, USS Bon Homme Richard and USS Kitty Hawk) lost two aircraft each and 10 aircrew members,” said David Cable, squadronmate and friend of Patterson, and organizer of the memorial event. “From then on, May 19 has been referred to by naval aviators of the Vietnam era as ‘Black Friday’.”
The Growlers participating in the fly-over will be from Electronic Attack Squadron 129 “Vikings”. NAS Whidbey Island is the home base for all of the U.S. military operational Growlers, the U.S. military’s premier electronic attack jet aircraft.
Absent friends. You, and so many others, know too well what this means. “You’ve never lived until you’ve almost died. For those who have fought for it, live has a flavor that the protected will never know.”
Rest in peace Lt. Patterson. Gone, but never forgotten.