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In Memory

Stephen James Tullis - Class Of 1963 VIEW PROFILE

Stephen James Tullis

Steve B. Tullis — March 20, 1945 - October 30, 1990?

Findagrave.com shows his 1963 class picture.

LTC Stephen James Tullis

Aug. 13, 1945 - Apr. 2, 1986

AIR FORCE PLANE THAT CRASHED WAS PRACTICING LOW RUNS IN SNOW, WIND

An Air Force search-and-rescue airplane that crashed and killed 11 crewmen was practicing navigation runs below 1,000 feet in snowy and windy weather, authorities said Thursday.

The HC-130 Hercules, part of the 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, crashed in a ball of flames Wednesday 16 miles north of Magdalena, strewing wreckage over a mile.

What was reported is winds were blowing up to 50 knots and that there was snow in the area and low ceilings,'' said Air Force Capt. Patrick M. Mooney.

Mooney, a pilot instructor and public affairs representative with the 1550th, said the investigation into the crash could take months.

The HC-130, a four-engine turbo-prop search and rescue version of the C-130 cargo plane, did not carry a black box recording device, Mooney said.

The airplane's training exercise was routine, Mooney said. It would fly anywhere between 500 feet and 1,000 feet on certain routes that have hazards that might be encountered in combat or rescue situations, he said.

"We fly these routes and guide these students along there in navigation,'' he said. ''In combat, we have to be able to go in an area at a low level.'' Such a navigation flight would be ''an initial portion of training,'' Mooney said.

An HC-130 normally carries a crew of eight: pilot, copilot, navigator, flight engineer, radio operator, load master and two pararescue specialists who could parachute to a rescue scene, he said. The extra people aboard Wednesday were pararescue specialists, Mooney said.

A 60-member team left the base in a convoy Thursday to recover the bodies, said George Pearce, Kirtland's deputy director of public affairs. Most of the bodies had been recovered by Thursday night, he said.

Richard Bavier, Magdalena village deputy marshal, said he was eating a sandwich when he saw smoke ''mushroom out of the ground'' north of town.

''The ground was scorched for acres around, the juniper and pinon all burned,'' Bavier said. ''The only thing in one piece was a wing that was maybe 300 yards from the rest of the debris.''

Memorial services for the 11 crewmen will be at Kirtland, but a time has not been set, said Kay Peterson, base spokeswoman.

The Air Force identified those killed as Tech. Sgt. Antonio C. Medina, Las Cruces; Lt. Col. Stephen J. Tullis, Van Nuys, Calif.; Capt. David S. Miller, Woodridge, Ill.; Capt. William L. Stogsdill, Lawrence, Kan.; Staff Sgt. Johnny Reyes, Kingsville, Texas; Sgt. David Garcia, Eloy, Ariz.; Tech. Sgt. John R. McGee, Fort Pierce, Fla.; Staff Sgt. Michael D. Perron, Citrus Heights, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Robert W. Kimbrel Jr., Charlotte, N.C.; Sgt. Leo M. Purchiaroni, Sandusky, Mich.; and Sgt. Arthur Zozaya, Whittier, Calif.

MATT MYGATT , Associated Press
Apr. 4, 1986
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LTC Stephen James Tullis

BIRTH
South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana, USA
DEATH 2 Apr 1986 (aged 40)
Magdalena, Socorro County, New Mexico, USA
BURIAL Cremated, Ashes given to family or friend
MEMORIAL ID 142605117  View Source

12/06/2021 DEC

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