Sea Stories

The USS Waddell DDG-24 Rescue of Commander Charles H. Peters August 17, 1965. Submitted by J.D. Caldron (64-67) 12/19/01

In the Waddell's' first cruise book their is a mention of the rescue of Cdr. Charles Peters by the Waddell while enroute to WestPac. I was in CIC at the time this event happened. I had the opportunity to say hi to Chuck Peters and always wondered what happened to him after he left the Waddell the following morning. This nagged at me for some reason for 25 years.

About ten years ago while surfing the Prodigy military web, I asked a few people connected with flying in Vietnam what had happened to Cdr. Peters after he left the Waddell and how was he doing.

I received a reply from John Paisley who knew Chuck Peters and flew in VA56 embarked in Intrepid.

He said that Cdr. Peters misread his altimeter while trying to land on the carrier, seeing 0 feet as 1000 when he flew into the water that night.

Anyway, the sad ending is that Cdr. Chuck (Black Pete) Peters was later killed in Vietnam while flying with the VA155 Flying Foxes. He did eject and had good chute but was never seen again.

I printed this reply to my inquisition and would like to send it to you for posting on the Waddell web site if desired. I wonder how many sailors remember that night. A Waddell lookout saw the small red light (breast light) while Cdr. Peters was in the water. I remember the night being a very dark night.

(click to enlarge)

Also, I checked out the web site for VA 155 and confirmed information sent in my earlier memo to you. This info can be located at http:skyhawk.org/va155.htm or www.skyhawk.org

The history chronology states:

July 1, 1966:

Attack Squadron One Hundred Fifty Five's commanding officer, Commander C. H. Peters, Silver Fox in A-4E Skyhawk BuNo. 152017 side number NL 511 was shot down and killed in action by North Vietnamese Triple A fire while leading an attack on petroleum facilities at Duong Nham, North Vietnam.

Also, VA 56 on the Intrepid was Cdr. Peters training squadron. When he crashed off the coast of California in 65, I think he was flying off the Ticonderoga. I will confirm this fact.

I was commissioned with Chuck Peters from the NROTC unit at the University of Colorado in 1946. He left the Navy and spent a year with the highway patrol in Nebraska. I assume it was icy cold and he got the opportunity to rejoin the Navy and go to flight school. At our fiftieth reunion in 1996 my classmates and I presented a plaque for the ROTC unit wall to remind the young graduates that although there is nothing more exciting and enjoyable than a Navy career, sometimes the highest sacrifice is required. I have been trying ever since to get Charles Peters name put on the wall of the Student Union of the University of Colorado. Although he was a veteran of three wars, they only place Colorado residents names on the wall for the Viet Nam war and he was from Nebraska. I feel this is bull, he was defending Colorado as well as Nebraska and the Student Union was paid for by fees from all students. I talked to the Provost last week and he said he would help. Mr. and Mrs. Oral Lester(Slim) Moore, his brother in law and sister live at 210 The Uplands, Berkeley CA. 94705-3575 , (510) 655 3575. Slim served aboard the Hornet when she was sunk. He was also commissioned from Colorado's NROTC unit. Thanks for remembering our good friend. As Ops Officer of the USS Collett I tried very hard to pick up aviators from many of the bird farms we plane guarded in Task Force 77 during the Korean war. Helos were just starting to be used in daylight and they would usually beat me to survivors and at night many planes would go in on launch and not come up. I did not happen to have the watch when several were retrieved. Getting superheat off and the boat alongside was something we were good at. Enjoy your next reunion, I am attending one in Reno next week with the Collett and the Lyman K Swenson. Regards, Robert L Kneedler

Former LT. USN Robert Kneedler, Ops Officer USS Collett, and USS Corry, CO PCS 1380, CO LSSL 82 , Aide to Commander Middle East Force, XO LSM 344 and 385.

Read my write up in the History add-on section -- also the one
before it was about the A-4 Pilot we picked up off of San Clemente IS.,
which I had noticed in an earlier summation. The person who saw the life
jacket light, bobbing in the water was a signalman, as I recall. When the
boat picked the pilot up and returned him to the ship, I was at the area
where he was recovering in the stokes stretcher, near sick bay -- and asked
him what was happening as he went in -- I am fairly certain he said all he
recalled was looking down and back at the radio freq. selector, to change to
land launch, and he hit the water-- he was a very tall man, and we all
wondered how he could get in and out of the aircraft, being so tall. He was
very lucky that the 'skivvie waver' saw his light - we had looked for a long
time for him, after back tracking our position from the DRT in COC.
Bob Boles

Bob Boles MSTR. CHF Radarman (RET), Plank Owner from USS Waddell DDG-24, which I was an E-8 RD at the time.

I enjoyed surfing the data on the Waddell - interesting stuff on the Log. The one for 1967 was most interesting, and I think most comprehensive so far as I personally remember. There is a misprint, in the Ships Log circa of 1967, on the ship we were refueling from, prior to the collision with the Bass- I believe it was the USS Navasota -- missing some letter or letters in the write up. She also was the one who sent damage control people to assist the Bass, who had her 'nose' busted some 80 frames from the bow, and while coming back by Helo, the Helo crashed in the Sea, and there were a number of the Navasota's people lost in the accident -- further, a second Helo was sent to help in recovery, and it too crashed in the Sea. A lousy night for all, including those of us who were really keyed up from the shoot out while attempting to recover/rescue the downed pilot, off of Vinh. A miserable ending to a great ships 'Greatness' in my opinion. I heard even 7th Fleet Himself, wept at hearing of this accident, after we had been so competent in Sea Air Rescue, and the Operations around Hanoi. (I believe that would be ADM. Moorer.) Capt. Walker would recall probably. Memory is filled with that period, for me -- much adrenalin poured out for all of our crew.

Saw a couple of names I recalled, Don Hayes - PreCom XO, later the Eng. Officer. Also Jimmy Bales, RD2 and later I was told, an EW2 -- really nice young man.

That's about it for the present, I'm afraid my memory isn't what it once was, and I expect it will get worse! But, the shipboard experiences were great, and I often have reoccurring memories of the PreCom Detail and such things as John E. falling asleep at the TV, In the radiation zone, he said! -- we had some good laughs in those days, and then we got to entertain the survivors from ADAK AK, when the Earthquake took place -- they put them in the CPO quarters at the NAS where were billeted. Sand Point, WA.. Thanks again, I'm sure there will be more in the future.

Bob Boles MSTR. CHF Radarman (RET), Plank Owner from USS Waddell DDG-24, which I was an E-8 RD at the time.

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