SrA James D. Bach

While participating in Special Warfare Exercise 81 (SPECWAREX), an MC-130E Combat Talon I (call sign STRAY 59) from the 1st Special Operations Squadron crashed into the ocean shortly after departing NAS Cubi Point in the Philippines on a predawn mission. Eight of the nine crewmembers and 15 special operators, including CCTs SrA Glenn Bloomer and SrA James Bach, perished upon impact with the water.

Lost that day from 1 SOS: Major James Kirk, Pilot in Command, Captain Norman Martel, Co-Pilot, Captain Thomas Patterson, Navigator, Captain Gregory Peppers, Navigator, Technical Sergeant Stephen Blyler, Radio Operator, Technical Sergeant Barry Chumbley, Loadmaster, Technical Sergeant Gary Logan, Loadmaster, Staff Sergeant John Felton, Flight Engineer.

The 15 passengers lost were:

• From the U.S. Air Force

  • Senior Airman David Bingaman

  • Senior Airman Glenn Bloomer (CCT)

  • Senior Airman James Bach (CCT)

  • Airman First Class Kyle Wells

• From the U.S. Army

  • Sgt. 1st Class Danny Janecki

  • Staff Sgt. Patrick Estel

  • Staff Sgt. Davis Hagen

  • Sgt. Bryan Broadwater

• From the Philippine Navy

  • Radioman Petty Officer 3rd Class Rodrigo Penol

  • Seaman Manuel Dumo

• From the Australian Army

  • Sgt. Ewen Miller

  • Sgt. Murray Tonkin

  • Signalman Gregory Fry

• From the New Zealand Army

  • Warrant Officer 2nd Class Dave Heywood

  • Sgt. Dennis Terry

The MC-130E Combat Talon I Aircraft - Registration: 64-0564 Former Operation Heavy Chain and Operation Eagle Claw veteran 64-0564 crashed into the ocean shortly after a pre-dawn takeoff from NAS Cubi Point, Philippines, on 26 February 1981, killing 15 passengers and eight of nine crewmen. The Talon was taking part in Special Warfare Exercise 81 and had flown 12 missions in the preceding 16 days. Following an administrative flight the day before, the crew was scheduled for its last mission, a night exercise that was set back from 01:00 local time to 04:30. The flight profile consisted of a normal takeoff, a tactical landing a half-hour later to onload 15 passengers, followed by a tactical takeoff. The Talon reported normal flight conditions six minutes after the tactical takeoff, but crashed nine minutes later. No cause was determined, but investigators found that the likely causes were either crew fatigue from operations tempo, or failure of the terrain following radar to enter "override" mode while over water.