Photo By Senior Airman Alexis Redin | U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 353rd Special Operations Wing pay their respects...... read more read more
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KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- The 353rd Special Operations Wing conducted its annual memorial flight to the Philippines, honoring the lost crew and passengers of STRAY 59, Feb. 26, 2025. This was the 44th iteration.
STRAY 59 was the call sign of an MC-130E Talon I from the 1st Special Operations squadron that crashed Feb. 26, 1981, killing eight of the nine crew members and 15 passengers. The memorial flight has been flown by the 353rd SOW every year since the crash 44 years ago.
“It is incredibly humbling to be a part of that rich heritage and remember those that we’ve lost,” said the 353rd SOW aircraft commander who lead this year’s flight. “Our strong heritage endures thanks to them and all other Stray Geese before us.
In February 1981, crews from the 1st SOS were responsible for the specialized airlift needed to support Special Warfare Exercise '81, at that time an annual joint exercise in the Philippines hosted by the U.S. Navy Seals. Naval Air Station Cubi Point, Philippines was the hub of all operations for the exercise.
During the 16-day exercise, the crew of STRAY 59 conducted 12 missions. The Feb. 26 mission was scheduled to be the crew's final mission during the Specwarex '81.
On the morning of Feb. 26, 1981, the crew of STRAY 59 departed without issue from Cubi Point, Philippines, at 4:28 a.m. before returning at 5:06 a.m. to quickly load 15 passengers participating in the exercise. STRAY 59 then departed two minutes later. All normal checks and calls were conducted within the first six minutes of the flight. The second, and last, transmission from STRAY 59 was received at 5:21 a.m. There had been no indication from the crew that the aircraft was experiencing issues.
Shortly after, a local fisherman watched the aircraft explode upon impact with the water. Eight crew members and 15 special operators died. One crew member from the 1st SOS, the electronic warfare officer, was thrown from the wreckage and rescued by a local fisherman. The wreckage from the crash sank 240 feet within minutes. Due to the lack of physical evidence from the crash, investigators did not determine the cause of the crash.
Every year, a memorial wreath and personal mementos are dropped over the approximate location of the crash, near Subic Bay.
“My crew and I are honored to be selected to fly this year’s memorial flight to show the 353rd SOW’s continuing commitment, along with the families, friends, and Stray Geese around the world, to never forget those that were lost,” said U.S. Air Force special operations pilot who flew the memorial mission to the Philippines. “We believe that there are two deaths, the second occurs when the deceased have been forgotten; we are ensuring that the air commandos that were lost do not have a second death.”
| Date Taken: | 02.26.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.27.2025 22:08 |
| Story ID: | 493823 |
| Location: | JP |
| Web Views: | 141 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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