VA-152 1970 PUNCH OUT
USS SHANGRI-LA (CVA 38) COMBAT CRUISE
From the November 1970 Naval Aviation News, page 25:
It was just like one of any of the more than 118,000 arrested landings aboard Shangri La - until LTJG Bill Belden's right brake failed and his A-4E Skyhawk veered toward the water.
On the flight deck, ABC Joe Hammond, realizing the jet's brakes had failed, rushed to the misdirected Skyhawk, grabbed the wing and attempted to straighten the aircraft.
"The jet was hanging on the catwalk when I heard an explosion. For a second, I thought I was a goner. Then I saw Ltjg. Belden fly out and I realized he had ejected."
Chief Hammond suffered a badly bruised right arm and a five-inch cut above the elbow when he was knocked to the deck by flying debris from the ejection seat.
"When I approached the edge and saw my nose dip," recalled the VA-152 pilot, Ltjg. Bill Belden, "I just closed my eyes and ejected."
Seven decks above the flight deck, PH3 Keith Guthrie was on duty as backup for platt camera. His job was to shoot reference pictures of all unusual happenings on the flight deck with his aerial camera.
"I framed the plane, when I saw it veer off, and started shooting," said Guthrie. "Then I saw the canopy fly off. I waited, knowing the pilot was coming. He did and I shot. I knew I got the shot."
Belden landed approximately 100 yards from the carrier and was rescued, unharmed by an HC-2 helicopter crew.
The Skyhawk was recovered from the catwalk and flight operations continued.
Photograph taken by PH3 Keith Gutherie and printed in Naval Aviation News
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