26/05/2018
I ran across this the other day, it had been a while. I thought this Memorial day weekend would be an appropriate time to re-share the story.
In honor of all of those who have fallen. Be it in combat, training, or other related issues. Thanks to all & their families who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Some may know this story, most do not. It’s a first hand because it involves me. It’s a story about how I feel that God, the universe, or however you want to think of it used me in a really amazing way.
Even back in 2006, years after I left the Air Force and 10 years of service, I kept a very low digital profile. Finding me or contacting me would have been very difficult. One day I was cleaning out my Email spam and found a strange Email.
I almost deleted it but the “.Mil” part of the address caught my attention. I ended up reading a very simple Email “Is this the Eric H. that was in Air Force Rescue in the 90s?”. He said he had been looking for me for a long time and wanted to talk to me and verify a story he heard about me. Having done lots of dumb stuff in my Air Force days I wasn’t sure I wanted to admit I was anyone! After trading a few Emails he explained why he was contacting me and I was shocked and flattered that my story had become urban legend. He was writing a book about the Co-Pilot involved in a famous B-52 crash. After extensive interviews he ended up dedicating one chapter in his book about my story. What an honor that was. Here is what he wrote.
Chapter 8
Flash of Blue
We will not lie, steal or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does.
Several witnesses captured the B-52 crash on home video cameras. Soon, this footage would make its way to national television networks, which would then air it nationwide. Eric Helda, a young man about to embark on his own Air Force career, witnessed this horrific footage. The incident moved him and he found himself glued to the television for the next several weeks as the story unfolded showing the crash over & over.
Several months later, Helda began his training as a Rescue helicopter Flight Engineer and door gunner. While going through Crew Resource Management training at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, he was reintroduced to the B-52 accident. They used it as a case study and example in crew resource management gone wrong. He was fully engaged and eager to learn more about the factors and events contributing to the crash that had moved him so deeply. What he learned shocked and saddened him.
A little over one year following the crash, his ongoing aircrew training would take him to survival school at Fairchild Air Force Base. As he took a taxi from the airport and once on base the taxi driver pointed to a clear field and said, "...and that's where that B-52 crashed." Up to that point, Airmen Helda had not even made the connection. He was now within earshot of the site where the tragic event of which he learned so much about had occurred. It was as if he was moving in slow motion as he glanced over at the field and tried to understand the tragedy that occurred in such a seemingly innocuous looking place.
Soon after his arrival, he engaged in a hectic schedule of coursework. Even still, the thought of the accident distracted him. He did not know why, but he knew he had to go out to the spot of the crash, it obsessed him. Several days later, his schedule finally permitted him to visit the large grassy area. It was close to sunset and although the site was just a short trip from his dorm room, it seemed like an eternity as mosquitoes attacked him every step of the way. Mosquitoes were something this Arizona boy was not accustomed to, but the thought of turning back never crossed his mind and he pressed on. The field he arrived to was green and large with a small bare spot in the middle with no growth. It almost looked like a pitchers mound. He figured that this must have been the point of impact, so he went to it.
As he approached, he immediately noticed several small pieces of metal and debris still scattered over the entire area. He took a deep breath and looked around. Sunset brought on a little chill in the air. He looked around as he tried to imagine the flight's last seconds and how it all unfolded, the lives, and the tragedy. His emotions quickly overwhelmed him as he took a knee. He then picked up a small piece of metal and used it to pick at the ground as he pondered the enormity of it all. As he continued to fiddle with the small piece of metal, he prayed for the victims and their families.
Tears started to form in his eyes. Then, suddenly, he saw a flash of blue in the dirt. It startled him at first. He picked up what looked like a small piece of glass from an instrument panel test light and rubbed away the dirt, which encased it. As he examined it more closely, he quickly discovered that it was a sapphire cut jewel. Suddenly, a rush came over him and he felt a deep connection with one of the aircrew members who perished in the crash. He was stunned.
He knew that it must have been special to someone on the fallen aircraft. He continued to dig in the immediate area and then hit something round and shiny. He scraped faster and deeper as his adrenaline peaked. Eventually, he had dislodged the item from the earth. His heart skipped a beat as he held what appeared to be someone's class ring (minus the stone, which he had found earlier). He saw the year "1978" inscribe into the side of the ring. He refrained from removing the dirt on the interior of the ring in case it contained DNA remains. His heart started to race. "Oh my God," he thought to himself, "Oh my God!". His heart sunk as he realized the significance of what he held, what it represented, what it had endured, what it meant to its owner, and what it would soon mean to his family. Eric's heart continued to race as he picked around to see what else he might find on the pitcher's mound. However, he would find nothing more.
He raced back to his dorm room and as he walked he contemplated whom he would notify. Base police? His student leader? His instructor? Should he take it to the base hospital? Ultimately, for some un known reason he decided that he would only give it to the base commander, no one else. He would not disclose his finding to anyone because he did not want anybody to try to take it from him. Upon arriving at his room, he set the ring down on his desk. He tried to get ready for the next day but he could not do anything but stare at the ring. He started pacing and then sat down at his desk. It was then that he proceeded to write a letter to the victim's family. It was only after writing this letter that he could finally get some sleep.
The next morning before class, he phoned the base commanders office and asked to meet with him but his secretary told him that this was impossible since he was out of town for several days. She asked if the second in command /wing commander could help. Eric paused but reluctantly agreed. She said someone would get back to him soon. A few hours later, the Vice Wing Commander came to his classroom and summoned Airman Helda's teacher to the door. After a few whispers, his instructor turned and called out Eric's name and summoned him to the door. At first, he was extremely nervous. The Vice Wing Commander politely invited him to join him in a room off to the side, where they could have some privacy. After sitting down he looked Eric in the eyes and warmly asked how he could help. Eric took a deep breath, fearing the Vice Commander would be upset because he called him away from his higher priority duties to discuss a lost ring. Looking down, Eric took a deep breath and told him that he had been out to the B-52 crash site. Eric looked up and starred into the Vice's eyes and said, "I found something... I think is important". The Vice immediately cut him off and asked, "Is it an Air Force Academy ring?" Eric was stunned. His jaw dropped and it took a second for him to blurt out "YES" with amazement. The Vice's face immediately filled with joy. He sat back, took a moment, then told Eric that they had been looking for that ring for over a year.
The Colonel continued, telling him that this ring belonged to his old Air Force academy roommate, the co-pilot of the ill fated B-52 and that they were still in contact with his wife. Well, they both just rather looked at each other there for a moment and suddenly they were not a Vice Wing Commander and an Airmen…but instead they were now two people forever linked as part of an amazing story involving amazing people. The Vice asked Eric if he had the ring on his person, but he stated "no," that he had left it in his room. He also stated that he did not remove the mud from the inside in case it had DNA in it. The Vice asked, "So you didn't see the inscription in it?" "No, I didn't, why?"" Eric replied. "It says, "God is my Captain." Eric got the chills. It turned out that this ring was not only hugely sentimental to the husband & wife but was promised to their son upon his high school graduation.
It was now several years after the crash and the son was within months of graduating High school. Almost two years of fruitless searching turned up nothing and it seemed as if the promise of a father would not be realized. Enter one simple person who always seemed drawn to this story & to this sight for some strange reason. Strange, until now.
He gave him the ring later that day. The Vice wanted to clean it up and get the stone professionally remounted to the ring and sent to the wife as soon as possible. Eric told the Vice about the letter he had written and he asked if he would deliver the letter to the family along with the ring. The Vice agreed. A few weeks later Eric returned home and found that the deceased pilot's widow had called and left a heartfelt message thanking him for the ring and wonderful note. The circle was complete.
In hindsight, it now all made sense to Eric. It explained why he was drawn to the news footage…why he was so connected to the story surrounding McGeehan's fatal crash. Eric felt that a higher power used him to help bring closure to McGeehan's family. On that one evening, God led him to the ring that others could not locate over a thirteen-month period. He will always cherish the events of that night.
One more thing, upon pointing out the spot where he found the ring Eric was informed that this was in fact NOT the point of impact of the B-52 as Eric had thought. It was actually over one hundred yards away.
The book he was writing was also used as part of a dedication for a new building at Maxwell AFB in honor of the owner of that ring: Col Mark McGeehan. He was the Co-Pilot of the ill fated B-52 who put his life on the line so others didn’t have to.
The Courage of Lt. Col. McGeehan
In March 1994, Lieutenant Colonel McGeehan, commander of the 325th Bomb Squadron, complained to Colonel William Pellerin, the 92nd Bomb Wing’s flight operations officer, that Holland had thrice nearly crashed a B-52 at a bombing range near Yakima by flying too low over a ridge, and demanded Holland be grounded. Pellerin overruled him, giving Holland only another verbal reprimand. When Holland was subsequently assigned to pilot Fairchild’s last
B-52H for the 1994 air show, McGeehan refused to allow any of his subordinates to fly with him.
So McGeehan, the only officer who tried to stop Holland, ended up as his copilot. Lieutenant Colonel Huston also volunteered his services and Pellerin, who thought it would be a 'choice sortie,' wanted to go too. At the last minute, Lieutenant Colonel Wolff was assigned to replace Pellerin, who had been called away. By happenstance, Colonel William Brooks, Fairchild’s commanding officer, also planned to be on the flight, but didn't board the plane.
A more detailed incident report of the crash can be found at the following:
http://www.916-starfighter.de/darker_shades_of_blue-1.pdf
