Gus Herrmann

7 January 1943 – 3 September 1968

Navy Hymn

ATR3 Williams, AN Finch, Lcdr Harris (seated), Lt(jg) Gus Herrmann

1967-8 USS Kearsarge Cruisebook

Gus Herrmann was a Nugget pilot during HS-6’s 1967-68 deployment to Viet Nam. The squadron returned from that deployment on 5 April 1968. As the squadron began preparations for its upcoming 1969 deployment Gus had qualified as a HAC and was being trained to be a post-maintenance quality assurance pilot. BuNo 152114 had just undergone a major overhaul at North Island. LT Don Sanborn, LtJ(jg) Gus Herrmann and AE2 May were sent to NAS North Island to fly the helo back to NAS Imperial Beach and conduct the post-maintenance checks as they flew back. While dumping fuel, as part of the post-maintenance checks, the helo suffered a dual engine flame out at low altitude and crashed into the ocean off Imperial Beach. LT Sanborn and Petty Officer May survived the crash but Gus was killed in the crash and his body was never recovered.

In the summer of 2021 technical divers Brett Eldridge and Tyler Stalter were looking for the wreck of HS-4’s BuNo 152711, the SH-3D used in five early Apollo astronaut recoveries and later lost in a training accident in the IB operating area. Instead, they came upon remains of a SH-3A. Brett Eldridge posted about this discovery on his blog “This is a tale of hope, frustration, and persistence during our dives to find and identify a new helicopter wreck off Imperial Beach, California. The final identification was the result of a LOT of research and a somewhat obfuscated tail code that we uncovered on the second dive.” That persistence eventually paid off when the divers were able to locate and contact Don Sanborn. Then, after a lot more research, involving numerous folks, it was determined that the wreckage was that of BuNo 152114. This led to a story published in the San Diego Union Tribune and the LA Times. After even more research, Gus’s widow Janet Herrmann Dunne was located.

In short order, Janet, Don, Brett and Tyler, organized a wreath-laying voyage for 25 October 2021, out to the crash site aboard the dive boat Marissa operating out of the Mission Bay Sportscenter in San Diego. The group eventually expanded to include Don Sanborn and son Blake; Janet and husband Peter Dunne; Ken and Helen Burns; divers Brett Eldridge and Tyler Stalter; and 4 of Gus Herrmann’s relatives: his sisters Ann Joy and Clare, and two nieces: Elizabeth and Lynn. On his blog Brett Eldridge memorialized the wreath-laying ceremony.

 

 

Following the wreath-laying a luncheon in Gus’ honor was held at a restaurant in Old Town San Diego. Attending the luncheon were the party mentioned above plus Lora, the Marissa’s captain; CAPT Dave Bean, USN-Ret (HS-6 CO, 2002-2003) and HSC-6 Ops Officer LCDR Margan Melhorn representing HSC-6 (the CO and XO were attending a Battle Group meeting).