Julian California

Zerbe, Michael Richard
Navy Lieutenant (junior grade)

Michael Richard Zerbe, age 24, from San Diego County Julian, California .

Parents: Richard and Marguerite Zerbe
Spouse: Kathy
Children: Sterling, 1

Service era: Vietnam

Date of death: Friday, April 15, 1966
Death details: On April 15, 1966, a UH-2B Sea Sprite (bureau number unknown) with three crew members took off on a test flight from the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CVA 63). Immediately after taking off, the helicopter rolled to the left, causing its rotor to strike the catwalk along the flight deck edge and partially disintegrate. The helicopter went over the port side of the flight deck and crashed into the water in the vicinity of (GC) 48Q ZE 080 610. The copilot and another crew member were able to escape the wreck and were picked up by rescuers. However, a thorough search by sea and air units was unable to recover the pilot. Lieutenant Junior Grade Michael Richard Zerbe, who entered the U.S. Navy from California, served with Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 1 and was the pilot of this Sea Sprite when it crashed. He could not be recovered and remains unaccounted for. Today, Lieutenant Junior Grade Zerbe is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. His name is also inscribed along with all his fallen comrades on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Ramona Sentinel (1966)

Ferguson, William Edward
Navy Chief Gunner’s Mate

William Edward Ferguson from San Diego County Julian, California .

Spouse: Alice B. Ferguson

Service era: World War II

Date of death: Thursday, October 15, 1942
Death details: On October 15, 1942, he was in a U.S. convoy of six ships that was towing barges loaded with urgently needed supplies toward Guadalcanal. The American forces on that island were in dire need of resupply. When the convoy was spotted by enemy aircraft, all but two ships withdrew from the area. The two ships that pressed on were the USS Meredith (DD-434,) a destroyer, and the USS Vireo (AM-54,) a lightly armed towing vessel. Upon receiving word that Japanese surface warships were operating in the area, both ships were forced to turn back from their mission. Because of its age and slow speed, Vireo was abandoned, and the crew taken aboard the Meredith. Within minutes, the Meredith was attacked by a large force of enemy aircraft. The destroyer sustained multiple bomb and torpedo hits and quickly sank. The survivors spent three days at sea before being rescued. The majority of the crews of both ships was killed in the incident.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency

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