Gary Chandler

Gary Chandler's story is one that was told often by
Lang...

On March 3, 1972, Spectre Gunship 509 takes
multiple 57mm hits. One of the rounds came up
through the belly of the plane, hitting the base of
flight examiner seat. Upon impact the shell
exploded sending shrapnel through out the booth
and injuring it's occupants. Other personnel
thought to be involved included, Co-Pilot Rich
Ammons, Rich Halpin and Louis Kuhn.

Gary Chandler, having been the Flight Examiner,
had the worst of the injuries, his legs were said to
be in pretty bad shape. In fact he was afraid of
losing them.

As stories are told......

"They had to hold Gary up so he wouldn't fall
through the hole in the floor of the plane."

Lang often talked about how once the crew made it
back to base, Gary pleaded to be taken to a "better
hospital" were his legs could be saved. Lang and a
crew got a plane ready and flew Gary to this
hospital, "cutting through all the Red Tape as they
flew" Lang was nominated by his peers for a silver
star for his actions during that flight, but it was
never granted.

Gary was put in for a congressional medal of honor, but was never granted either.

After the War, Lang was stationed at Norton AFB, San Bernardino, CA and was told that Gary Chandler resided
in the Pacific Northwest and that he barely walked with a limp.

Robert Rayburn wrote:

I was in the 16SOS at Ubon when Gary was wounded. Later I was assigned to the 4MAS at McChord AFB, WA
when Gary Chandler reported in as a newly assigned navigator. We remembered each other from Ubon and
had a lot to talk about. I learned that he had been at Madigan Army Medical Center, at Fort Lewis, WA for a
long time recovering from his injuries and had just been put back on flight status and assigned to the 4MAS.
My flight log indicates that I few with him from McChord to Honolulu to Barbers Point to Naha (Okinawa) to
Kadena (Okinawa) to Yokota (Japan) and back to McChord from 25 Nov to 28 Nov, 1973. I was the instructor
navigator and Gary was the student navigator, getting requalified. I next flew with him on 25-27 April, 1974 to
Honolulu and back. This
> time I was the Flight Examiner Navigator and Gary received his Instructor Navigator upgrade check ride. If
Gary had a limp or any other obvious signs of his injuries, I do
not remember them. I do remember that he was a very fine Navigator.

Please contact me if you have any information about Gray Chandler.