Say His Name to Remember: Lt. Herbert "Herb" Dilger

Lieutenant Dilger, U.S. Naval Reserve, was part of Fleet Tactical Support Squadron 50 (VRC-50), stationed at Atsugi Naval Air Station, Japan. On October 2, 1969, he was piloting a Grumman C-2A Greyhound transport aircraft on a routine logistics flight from Cubi Point Naval Station in the Philippines to the USS Constellation (CVA-64), operating in the Gulf of Tonkin. The aircraft was carrying five crew members and 20 passengers.

About 10 miles from the Constellation, all radio and radar contact with the aircraft was suddenly lost. No distress signals were heard.   A helicopter search and rescue operation was launched from the ship. While the helicopter crew spotted an oil slick and debris, none of the 26 crew members, including Lt. Dilger were ever recovered.  

A fellow member of Lieutenant Dilger's division recalls that this flight was meant to be his last before his separation and leaving to attend law school.

This tragic incident highlights the constant risks faced by military personnel, even during routine missions, and the enduring sorrow of those who lost their lives in service during the Vietnam War.