VMFP-3 80s Flashback

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RF24 #153101 Crash
Ely, Nevada, 22 May 1981
Pilot Lt. Pete keenan - RSO Lt. Bill Lauerman
By Marc "Devil Dog Of The Web" Iseli / Updated Dec. 2025
My version of this event seems to differ slightly from the one below, but I was not privy to the investigation, and it is almost 40 years later. This is my version of the events of that accident. At that time, 1981, it was common practice in the squadron to launch aircraft on Fridays for weekend hops. I was in charge of aircraft RF24 on 22 May, that Friday morning. For some reason, I had my pocket camera with me and took this photo just before Lt Lauerman climbed into the back seat. I had already helped strap Lt Keenan in the front seat. This is the time anyone in the squadron would ever see them again. It was a normal launch, and I taxied them out, saluted Lt Keenan, and he returned the salute, and off they went.

It wasn't until late Sunday afternoon that my door to the barracks was open, and Cpl. Fred Wingo walked by with tears running down his face. He stuck his head in the door and told me that their aircraft had crashed and both were killed. The squadron was looking for volunteers to go and recover the aircraft and bring it back to the squadron. I know that Cpl. Wingo went to a few more Flight Lines and other shops at the site. As you can see from the photos below, there were not very many large parts of the aircraft that survived. It was a very remote location, and they had to sleep in tents for several days. At night, they said it was like being in the valley of death. The aircraft hit the side of a deep ravine, and they collected the aircraft's parts and threw them into the middle of the ravine, where they put them on a truck.

The aircraft's remains were brought back, placed in the middle of the hangar, and the doors were closed. It was very sad walking past that and seeing what very little was left of the RF-4B. The version of events we were told was that one of the officers had family in the area and was videotaping the aircraft. They were putting on a little air show for them. The aircraft went vertical into this ravine, the wing clipped a tree, and it went straight into the ground. I guess we never heard the results of the investigation, because only a week later, most of us deployed to WestPac to Iwakuni, Japan, on 05 June. If any veteran was on the recovery or remembers the events of those days, please share your version.
80svmfp3@gmail.com

RF-4B Phantom II, USMC Tactical Reconnaissance CD
By Lee R. DeHaven & Richard Rentrop / Updated Dec. 2025
On 22 May, Pilot Lt. Peter Keenan and RSO Lt. Bill Lauerman manned RF-4B #153101/RF16 for a flight back to MCAS El Toro. They briefed for a route that took them due north to Ely, Nevada, with a 10 Minute delay on the Wilson Creek VORTAC. At 1049 PST, Lt. Keenan checked in with Ely FSS to commence the 10 Minute delay. They flew two low-level altitude passes over Ely, then turned for a third pass. Having passed over the town, the aircraft crashed into the base of a slope of a small canyon. There were no indications of a problem, nor were the ejection seats activated prior to impact. Both aircrewmen died in the crash. The aircraft impacted in a nose-down/slightly left-wing-down, nearly vertical descent. Detailed examination of the wreckage revealed that the control stick was in a nearly full aft position. Jim O'Donnell, having just graduated in April from the Naval Safety School, was part of this accident investigation. "This was a very difficult introduction to Aircraft Mishap Investigation. Just before the rest of the accident report is redacted, there is a note of a magnetic parts retrieval tool from the Squadron metal Shop having been found in the wreckage after it was recovered and transferred to the squadron hangar at MCAS El Toro.

FlashBack Trivia
By Lt. Bill Lauerman / Updated Dec. 2025
A very eerie and ironic fact: Lt Bill Lauerman was involved in a mid-air collision just one year earlier in this very aircraft. On 25 April 1980, during a flight to Homestead AFB, Pilot Capt. John Hill and RSO Lt Lauerman flying RF20 #1531301 collided with RF01 #151975, Pilot Lt Col. Burton Sperry and RSO Michael Fagen. RF01 crashed into a golf course, and both pilots survived. RF20 landed safely.

Another ironic fact, Lt Bill Lauerman was on his last cross-country trip before reporting to Pensacola, FL, for flight training as a Pilot. Pete Keenan would have joined Det-C, 1981-82 Overseas with Maj. Thomas as Commanding Officer.

Alright, you glorious Rat Phixers and Phlyers, if we ever survived a TAD, a Det, or a BOHICA, who haven't, and you didn’t think I was the biggest gaff off in the squadron. Got a sea story, or some grainy photos your ex didn’t set on fire, and they’re only slightly illegal? Send ‘em by email, snail mail, or safety wire it to a carrier pigeon. I collect ‘em all, just nothing that would incriminate me.
80svmfp3@gmail.com

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