Lost at Sea:
Thomasville Times - Enterprise newspaper dated Friday, 30 November 1962:
"…A 27-year-old Thomasville serviceman is missing and presumed dead after a Coast Guard helicopter plunged into the Gulf of Mexico while flying a rescue mission 45 miles southwest of Eggmont Key.
He was identifled as Aviation Mechanic 2nd Class Thomas Odell Chastain, son of E. O. Chastain, 426 Hardaway St., and Mrs. Bessie Hamrick, Stevens St., Thomasville.
The Coast Guard said Chastain was one of four men flying a mercy mission from the St. Petersburg Coast Guard Air Station last night when the accident occurred. Three of the four men were picked up alive during the night. A search for Chastain is still underway.
• . .
OFFICERS SAID the helicopter was enroute to aid the trawler R. W., out of Tampa, which had radioed for aid after a crewman caught his hand in a generator. losing one finger and injuring others.
The aircraft was near the boat when it lost power and crashed Offlcers sald it sank almost Immediately. The three surviving crewmen were rescued by a shrimp boat in the area.
Mrs. B. O. Chastain, the victim's stepmother, said she was notified of the crash at 9 p.m.
yesterday by Coast Guard officials at St. Petersburg.
Mr. Chastain, a truck driver for Sunnyland Packing Co., was In Orlando, Fla.. at the time. He returned to Thomasville early today and said he plans to leave immediately for St. Petersburg.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Chastain appearled to be highly nervous as they talked of their missing son.
"Today…. Their eyes were swollen and red from crying, and once Mr. Chastain broke Into tears as he fondled a picture of the downed flier."
...
THOMAS CHASTAIN WAS born in Grady County, but moved to Thomasville at the age of two.
He was graduated from Thomasville High School in 1954 and entered the Coast Guard two years later, after working briefly al Coats & Clark Thread Mill and Industrial Equipment Co. here.
While in High School, Chastain excelled in football
and later played for a Coast Guard service team in New Jersey.
He served previously in Puerto Rico, and was
transferred to St. Petersburg about two years AEO. His last visit to Thomasville was in August. his parents said.
Mrs. Chastain today said neither she nor her husband have given up hope for their son's safe recovery. "All we can do now is pray." she said, and hope that everything will be alright…"
...
THE GRIEVING parents said they were strengthened by the many telephone calls received during the night and this morning by friends and acquaintances of the missing man.
"Our phone rang almost constantly during the night," she said.
Her narrative was interrupted by another caller asking for Information of her step-SON.
Sharing the parents' anxiety are Chastain's wife and two small children. Thomas Michael, 2,
and Catherine Ann, seven months, residing at St. Petersburg.
Also, three sisters, Mrs. Agnes Juanita Stokes, Eglin AFB, Pla. Ondra Chastain, Thomasville: and Mrs. Margle L. Price, Jacksonville: and four brothers, Johnny W. Huckabee. Alvin Chastain. Maurice Chastain and Curtis Chastain, Thomasville…."
Thomasville Times - Enterprise newspaper dated Friday, 30 November 1962:
"…A 27-year-old Thomasville serviceman is missing and presumed dead after a Coast Guard helicopter plunged into the Gulf of Mexico while flying a rescue mission 45 miles southwest of Eggmont Key.
He was identifled as Aviation Mechanic 2nd Class Thomas Odell Chastain, son of E. O. Chastain, 426 Hardaway St., and Mrs. Bessie Hamrick, Stevens St., Thomasville.
The Coast Guard said Chastain was one of four men flying a mercy mission from the St. Petersburg Coast Guard Air Station last night when the accident occurred. Three of the four men were picked up alive during the night. A search for Chastain is still underway.
• . .
OFFICERS SAID the helicopter was enroute to aid the trawler R. W., out of Tampa, which had radioed for aid after a crewman caught his hand in a generator. losing one finger and injuring others.
The aircraft was near the boat when it lost power and crashed Offlcers sald it sank almost Immediately. The three surviving crewmen were rescued by a shrimp boat in the area.
Mrs. B. O. Chastain, the victim's stepmother, said she was notified of the crash at 9 p.m.
yesterday by Coast Guard officials at St. Petersburg.
Mr. Chastain, a truck driver for Sunnyland Packing Co., was In Orlando, Fla.. at the time. He returned to Thomasville early today and said he plans to leave immediately for St. Petersburg.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Chastain appearled to be highly nervous as they talked of their missing son.
"Today…. Their eyes were swollen and red from crying, and once Mr. Chastain broke Into tears as he fondled a picture of the downed flier."
...
THOMAS CHASTAIN WAS born in Grady County, but moved to Thomasville at the age of two.
He was graduated from Thomasville High School in 1954 and entered the Coast Guard two years later, after working briefly al Coats & Clark Thread Mill and Industrial Equipment Co. here.
While in High School, Chastain excelled in football
and later played for a Coast Guard service team in New Jersey.
He served previously in Puerto Rico, and was
transferred to St. Petersburg about two years AEO. His last visit to Thomasville was in August. his parents said.
Mrs. Chastain today said neither she nor her husband have given up hope for their son's safe recovery. "All we can do now is pray." she said, and hope that everything will be alright…"
...
THE GRIEVING parents said they were strengthened by the many telephone calls received during the night and this morning by friends and acquaintances of the missing man.
"Our phone rang almost constantly during the night," she said.
Her narrative was interrupted by another caller asking for Information of her step-SON.
Sharing the parents' anxiety are Chastain's wife and two small children. Thomas Michael, 2,
and Catherine Ann, seven months, residing at St. Petersburg.
Also, three sisters, Mrs. Agnes Juanita Stokes, Eglin AFB, Pla. Ondra Chastain, Thomasville: and Mrs. Margle L. Price, Jacksonville: and four brothers, Johnny W. Huckabee. Alvin Chastain. Maurice Chastain and Curtis Chastain, Thomasville…."
Lost at Sea:
Thomasville Times - Enterprise newspaper dated Friday, 30 November 1962:
"…A 27-year-old Thomasville serviceman is missing and presumed dead after a Coast Guard helicopter plunged into the Gulf of Mexico while flying a rescue mission 45 miles southwest of Eggmont Key.
He was identifled as Aviation Mechanic 2nd Class Thomas Odell Chastain, son of E. O. Chastain, 426 Hardaway St., and Mrs. Bessie Hamrick, Stevens St., Thomasville.
The Coast Guard said Chastain was one of four men flying a mercy mission from the St. Petersburg Coast Guard Air Station last night when the accident occurred. Three of the four men were picked up alive during the night. A search for Chastain is still underway.
• . .
OFFICERS SAID the helicopter was enroute to aid the trawler R. W., out of Tampa, which had radioed for aid after a crewman caught his hand in a generator. losing one finger and injuring others.
The aircraft was near the boat when it lost power and crashed Offlcers sald it sank almost Immediately. The three surviving crewmen were rescued by a shrimp boat in the area.
Mrs. B. O. Chastain, the victim's stepmother, said she was notified of the crash at 9 p.m.
yesterday by Coast Guard officials at St. Petersburg.
Mr. Chastain, a truck driver for Sunnyland Packing Co., was In Orlando, Fla.. at the time. He returned to Thomasville early today and said he plans to leave immediately for St. Petersburg.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Chastain appearled to be highly nervous as they talked of their missing son.
"Today…. Their eyes were swollen and red from crying, and once Mr. Chastain broke Into tears as he fondled a picture of the downed flier."
...
THOMAS CHASTAIN WAS born in Grady County, but moved to Thomasville at the age of two.
He was graduated from Thomasville High School in 1954 and entered the Coast Guard two years later, after working briefly al Coats & Clark Thread Mill and Industrial Equipment Co. here.
While in High School, Chastain excelled in football
and later played for a Coast Guard service team in New Jersey.
He served previously in Puerto Rico, and was
transferred to St. Petersburg about two years AEO. His last visit to Thomasville was in August. his parents said.
Mrs. Chastain today said neither she nor her husband have given up hope for their son's safe recovery. "All we can do now is pray." she said, and hope that everything will be alright…"
...
THE GRIEVING parents said they were strengthened by the many telephone calls received during the night and this morning by friends and acquaintances of the missing man.
"Our phone rang almost constantly during the night," she said.
Her narrative was interrupted by another caller asking for Information of her step-SON.
Sharing the parents' anxiety are Chastain's wife and two small children. Thomas Michael, 2,
and Catherine Ann, seven months, residing at St. Petersburg.
Also, three sisters, Mrs. Agnes Juanita Stokes, Eglin AFB, Pla. Ondra Chastain, Thomasville: and Mrs. Margle L. Price, Jacksonville: and four brothers, Johnny W. Huckabee. Alvin Chastain. Maurice Chastain and Curtis Chastain, Thomasville…."
Thomasville Times - Enterprise newspaper dated Friday, 30 November 1962:
"…A 27-year-old Thomasville serviceman is missing and presumed dead after a Coast Guard helicopter plunged into the Gulf of Mexico while flying a rescue mission 45 miles southwest of Eggmont Key.
He was identifled as Aviation Mechanic 2nd Class Thomas Odell Chastain, son of E. O. Chastain, 426 Hardaway St., and Mrs. Bessie Hamrick, Stevens St., Thomasville.
The Coast Guard said Chastain was one of four men flying a mercy mission from the St. Petersburg Coast Guard Air Station last night when the accident occurred. Three of the four men were picked up alive during the night. A search for Chastain is still underway.
• . .
OFFICERS SAID the helicopter was enroute to aid the trawler R. W., out of Tampa, which had radioed for aid after a crewman caught his hand in a generator. losing one finger and injuring others.
The aircraft was near the boat when it lost power and crashed Offlcers sald it sank almost Immediately. The three surviving crewmen were rescued by a shrimp boat in the area.
Mrs. B. O. Chastain, the victim's stepmother, said she was notified of the crash at 9 p.m.
yesterday by Coast Guard officials at St. Petersburg.
Mr. Chastain, a truck driver for Sunnyland Packing Co., was In Orlando, Fla.. at the time. He returned to Thomasville early today and said he plans to leave immediately for St. Petersburg.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Chastain appearled to be highly nervous as they talked of their missing son.
"Today…. Their eyes were swollen and red from crying, and once Mr. Chastain broke Into tears as he fondled a picture of the downed flier."
...
THOMAS CHASTAIN WAS born in Grady County, but moved to Thomasville at the age of two.
He was graduated from Thomasville High School in 1954 and entered the Coast Guard two years later, after working briefly al Coats & Clark Thread Mill and Industrial Equipment Co. here.
While in High School, Chastain excelled in football
and later played for a Coast Guard service team in New Jersey.
He served previously in Puerto Rico, and was
transferred to St. Petersburg about two years AEO. His last visit to Thomasville was in August. his parents said.
Mrs. Chastain today said neither she nor her husband have given up hope for their son's safe recovery. "All we can do now is pray." she said, and hope that everything will be alright…"
...
THE GRIEVING parents said they were strengthened by the many telephone calls received during the night and this morning by friends and acquaintances of the missing man.
"Our phone rang almost constantly during the night," she said.
Her narrative was interrupted by another caller asking for Information of her step-SON.
Sharing the parents' anxiety are Chastain's wife and two small children. Thomas Michael, 2,
and Catherine Ann, seven months, residing at St. Petersburg.
Also, three sisters, Mrs. Agnes Juanita Stokes, Eglin AFB, Pla. Ondra Chastain, Thomasville: and Mrs. Margle L. Price, Jacksonville: and four brothers, Johnny W. Huckabee. Alvin Chastain. Maurice Chastain and Curtis Chastain, Thomasville…."
Inscription
Missing at sea: 29 November 1962: On Coast Guard helicopter plunged into the Gulf of Mexico while flying a rescue mission 45 miles southwest of Eggmont Key, near Tampa Bay Florida .
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