Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1972 Lucky Bag:

KENNETH JAMES WESSEL

The “Weasel” or just plain “Weas,” whose nickname fits him perfectly, arrived at Navy, bright eyes and fuzzy cheeked and fresh from high school in Alexandria, Virginia. The young aspirant’s first weeks at the Academy were pretty rough. Plebe summer his roommate decided he didn’t like the hairstyles and went home leaving Weasel with a private room for almost a month. Never a candidate for the Ac Board (though he seemed to be trying like crazy) Weasel always had time for football, a quick game of pinochle, or a little rack. Except for a few short (but fulfilling) romances, Weasel’s main love has always come in a pop top can. After graduation Weas is hoping on a destroyer for two years, and then intends to take Pensacola by storm. All in all, the Navy’s going to gain a fine officer in Weasel (unless prohibition comes back).

Loss

Kenneth was lost on September 29, 1981 when the UH-1 Huey helicopter he was piloting¹ crashed off the coast of Virginia Beach. Three others escaped. He was serving as the aircraft handling officer aboard USS Inchon (LPH 12) at the time of the crash.

From the Rocky Mount Telegram of Rocky Mount, NC on September 30, 1981:

The UH-1N Huey helicopter was on a routine training flight from the amphibious assault ship Inchon when it radioed a distress signal and then went down shortly before 9 a.m. Tuesday, Navy spokesmen said….

Witnesses said the Huey flew into the water as if in a controlled ditch, rather than plummeting vertically.

John Howard McCann of Baltimore vacationing at the Princess Anne Motel, said he was on the motel’s balcony and saw the Huey about 15 or 20 feet above the water.

“It was coming inland,” McCann said. “I called my wife to come and look at it because it was so close to shore. Then it started floating left to right like it was losing control.

“The next thing was that one of the propellers (rotor blades) hit the water and it looked like it pulled it right down. It just went right down,” he said.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Kenneth graduated from Lexington High School. In the 1967 yearbook, he was in the Math Club which visited the IBM computer at Washington and Lee University, was in the Science Club which visited the VEPCO Power Station, and was a member of the Literary Club and the National Honor Society.

From the December 1981 issue of Shipmate:

LCdr. Kenneth James Wessel USN was killed in an aircraft accident on 28 September 1981 when his UH-1N Huey helicopter which was on a training mission from the amphibious assault ship INCHON crashed off Virginia Beach, Virginia. Three other crewmen were rescued. Memorial services were held on 3 October in Norfolk.

Appointed to the Naval Academy from the State of New Jersey, he was graduated with the Class of 1972 and after sea duty was ordered to flight training. After designation as naval aviator he became a helicopter pilot.

He is survived by his widow, the former Mary Ann Riley of Newark, Delaware, and three children; his parents, LCol. (USAF Ret.) and Mrs. Carl Wessel of Ocean City, New Jersey; four brothers and a sister.

Kenneth’s Find A Grave page is here.

Photographs

LCDR Kenneth Wessel; Aircraft Handling Officer, USS Inchon (LPH 12) Source

From his junior-year high school yearbook

References