More detail on this person: Vintage aircraft
accidentMen killed in crash had flown in combat,
Vintage craft spun out at Steamboat airshow
By Jeff Kass, Denver Rocky Mountain News Staff
Writer
As a Marine pilot in Vietnam, Joseph E. Gunnels
once safely crash-landed a helicopter full of
injured Marines after his co-pilot was shot in the
head, and his own back was filled with shrapnel.
He was a 1stLt in HMM-364 in Vietnam during 1965
and 1966. Gunnels, 59, who was to retire as a
United Airlines 747 captain in October, died
Sunday, September 3, 2000, while flying a
single-engine, World War II-era plane in a
Steamboat Springs vintage air show. His wife Jane
was in the stands, but did not see the crash, said
his best friend and "wingman" Bill Porter. If
there was one consolation, Porter said Monday,
Gunnels died while in the pilot's seat. "I don't
think either of us would have chosen to go any
other way," said Porter, himself a retired United
pilot. The cause of the 2:15 p.m. crash under
clear skies is under investigation. Authorities
say the plane did a flat spin before landing on
its belly in a vacant field just outside the town
center. Gunnels, who lived in Aurora, and his
passenger Lynn David White, 49, of Steamboat
Springs were dead at the scene.
Like Gunnels, White taught others how to fly and
was a decorated war veteran. His wife, Linda
White, said he was a B-52 gunner on missions over
Baghdad during the Persian Gulf War. White had
retired from the Air Force, but worked as a pilot
with the Civil Air Patrol searching for downed
planes, his wife said. He completed his first solo
flight at age 16. White was a truck driver for an
excavation firm and was working at the Vintage Fly
In. It did not appear that White and Gunnels knew
each other well. But family and friends of both
said that several people had hoped to sit with
Gunnels as he flew in formation with other planes.
"But he (White) was selected," his wife said, "and
it was unfortunate for me, and him, and the
pilot."
Porter described Gunnels' plane as a 1945 SNJ-5.
Gunnels purchased the plane in 1996, and Porter
valued it at over $200,000. It was Gunnels' dream
plane, and a memorial to his fallen Vietnam
comrades. Gunnels painted the plane white, with
purple stripes edged in black. A purple fox was on
the plane's nose. It bore the number 14. All for
a reason. In Vietnam, Gunnels was a member of
the Purple Foxes squadron, which lost 14 of its
members - about 35 percent, Porter said.
On Monday, Porter read a eulogy he had written to
Gunnels. "Joe is now flying West with a smile on
his face and an honor guard of brave Marine
aviators," Porter wrote, using an old aviators
term where West means home. "Happy landings,
Joe."
In addition to his wife, Gunnels is survived by
two grown children; White by his wife and two
grown stepchildren.
Porter said a memorial service for Gunnels will be
at 10:30 a.m. Friday, September 8, 2000 at the
Dick Jones Hangar at Centennial Airport, south of
Denver. The service will include a flyover of
vintage aircraft. Another United Captain and
former Purple Fox, Frank Kerwin, of Brookfield, CT
spoke during the memorial service that included a
20-plane fly-by. VHPA member Walt Wise flew in a
restored OV-1D in the fly-by. There is a picture
of Joe on the POPASMOKE website under the
HMM-364 Taps section.
There is a picture of Joe on the POPASMOKE
website under the HMM-364 Taps section.
Marines: I will be participating in this flyover
honoring Joe Gunnels. I will be flying a OV1-D (an
Army Vietnam vintage aircraft). The individual
that I am flying with is also another Marine; his
name is Sid Dines. Bob Heckendorf & Bill Porter
both of the 69'th SOG were instrumental in putting
together this 20 airplane flyover in honor of Joe
Gunnels.
Semper Fi, Walt Wise
Regret I can not attend memorial services. Anyone
attending please give condolences to Jean from
John & Roni Pierson.
From: John H. Pierson Jr., Major USMC Ret.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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