NAS Chase Field

[Ag1998]

Hello,

Long time lurker here, I enjoy the site very much. I wanted to take the opportunity to let anyone who may have know my Grandfather to let them know that he passed away on Wednesday. Granpa was the Fire Chief at NAS Chase Field and served there from Apr 1955 to Feb 1983. He was active duty from 1951 - 1955 USN. His name was Chris Loeffler.

He raised me until I was 10, so I spent a lot of time at the firehouse and on base and got to see a lot of interesting things in Naval Avitation. It is something that I will always remember.

My question is this. I am responsible for setting up the military honors for the funeral. The funeral home says they will take care of everything. I want this to be fitting for his dedication to our country and his service. Is there anything that I need to be concerned about?

Thank you all.

 

[VPNAVY]

Sorry to hear about your loss. Based on everything I have read - your Funeral Director will (should) contact the Navy for a funeral honors detail.

A few articles I found...

Who is eligible for Military Funeral Honors?

Military Funeral Honors

 

[wink]

If all else fails, call the local American Legion. The Retired Affairs Office (staffed by retired volunteers) at the local Navy Reserve Operational Support Center are a great resource. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Ag1998]

Thank you all for your responses. The service went well yesterday. I read one of Grandpa's service commendations for the rescue of a LTJG Allen B Stuber in Jul of 1969 at Chase Field. Seems he busted through the canopy of an F-9 and pulled him out while the a/c was on fire. If anyone knows who is now Dr. Stuber, I would like to talk to him. Thank again for your replies and for this site which lets me keep close to Naval Aviation.

 

[Catmando]

Thank you all for your responses. The service went well yesterday. I read one of Grandpa's service commendations for the rescue of a LTJG Allen B Stuber in Jul of 1969 at Chase Field. Seems he busted through the canopy of an F-9 and pulled him out while the a/c was on fire. If anyone knows who is now Dr. Stuber, I would like to talk to him. Thank again for your replies and for this site which lets me keep close to Naval Aviation.

I was a SNA at Chase Field at that time. No doubt your grandfather and I passed by each other a number of times. He would have been busy back then, as his services were often needed.

I didn't know Stuber. However I wonder if that Jul 1969 incident was an F-9 that ran off the end of the runway on take off... a control malfunction I believe? I do remember that particular pilot was very fortunate to live.

.... and may your grandfather rest in peace.

 

[Ag1998]

Thank you for your sentiments sir. The exact date was 17 Jul 1969. The citation mentions fire in the cockpit and external fire. There is no BUNO mentioned in the citation so tracking the exact incident is hard. I got to see a lot of things that a kid probably should not have gotten to due to always being on base and around the firehouse.

Reading through some of A4's posts, he mentions a drug plane going down outside of Beeville. It made me smile, because I remember getting to go out and see the wreakage of the twin beech right off the highway.

I also got to witness a Blue Angels mishap at Chase, when one of the A/C's nose gear hit the arresting gear after it was hit by the plane in front and it spun him off the runway. That had to be around '77 or '78. Lots of arrestments of TA-4J's on foamed runways due to landing gear malfunctions. In talking to some of the crash crews that attended the funeral, none of us could remember that many gear issues with the T-2C.

Thanks again for the input.