John Joseph Donnelly

The database page for John Joseph Donnelly

16 Feb 2006 1968 Bishop Neumann Graduate. Life long resident of Graysferry in South Philadelphia. John Kozin jkozin9593@aol.com

17 Feb 2005 The photo and following article are taken from The Philadelphia Daily News: John J. Donnelly 3rd Dickerson Street, South Philadelphia Donnelly loved swimming, fishing and camping. "Jackie and water were hand and glove," his father said. He was on the swimming team at Bishop Neumann High School for several years and had been a lifeguard at the Vare Recreation Center for the Philadelphia Department of Recreation and a swimming Instructor before entering the Navy in October 1968. Deeply loyal to his country, he played the drum in veterans' parades, his eyes welling with tears when he heard Taps. The 1968 Neumann graduate volunteered for Navy SEAL Team One and underwater demolition teams. He died in a helicopter crash on the Cau Mau Peninsula in Phong Dinh Province, Vietnam, on June 23, 1970. He was 20 years old. Donnelly was survived by his parents, a brother and two sisters. An applied electronics training facility at the Naval Fleet Training Center in Norfolk, Virginia, was dedicated in his honor. A new eight-floor Bachelor Enlisted Quarters at the San Diego Naval Station was dedicated in Donnelly's memory earlier this month. Robert Greer

A Note from The Virtual Wall In the early evening of 23 June 1970 a UH-1 Huey (s/n 67-17594) of the 162nd Assault Helo Company departed Ca Mau Airfield on an administrative run to Can Tho Army Air Field. At about 6:40 PM the aircraft suffered suspected mechanical failure of the main rotor system. The main rotor blades sheared through the cockpit and the mast sheared just below the main rotor head, separating from the aircraft at an approximate altitude of 1500 feet. The aircraft, with the tail rotor still intact and the engine running, began to spin, impacting the ground with both vertical and circular momentum. All twelve people aboard died in the crash: Aircrew UH-1H 67-17594 (162nd AHC, 13th Avn Bn) WO Lawrence M. Moore, East Point, GA, pilot; WO Daniel J. Hallows, Holland, NY, copilot; SP5 Dennis J. Dillon, San Marcos, CA, crew chief; and PFC James W. Lenz, Milwaukee, WI, gunner. Passengers: HM2 Harold L. Linville, Reno, NV, RIVRON 15, TF 117; MM2 Richard J. Solano, Palo Alto, CA, SEAL Team 1, TF 116; SM3 John S. Durlin, Lake City, PA, SEAL Team 1, TF 116; BM3 James R. Gore, Sunburst, MT, SEAL Team 1, TF 116; SN John J. Donnelly, Philadelphia, PA, SEAL Team 1, TF 116; SN Thomas R. Brown, St Paul, MN, Det Nha Be, NAVSUPACT Saigon; FN Toby A. Thomas, Brentwood, MO, SEAL Team 1, TF 116; and One civilian, name unknown.

The point-of-contact for this memorial is one who remembers, John Kozin jkozin9593@aol.com 16 Feb 2006

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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Last updated 02/17/2006