30 November 1957 – Capt Benny Lacombe is killed when he unsuccessfully attempts to bail out of Lockheed U-2A, 56-6704, Article 371, 13 miles SE of Laughlin AFB. Ejection seats had not yet been fitted to U-2s at this point. The history of the U-2 program is fraught with fatalities and crashes. “CIA pilots Wilburn S.
1Lt Mark Constant Chenis was born in Fairfield, CT on November 10, 1944. In October of 1968, he was serving with the 7th Air Force, 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, 615th Tactical Fighter Squadron out of Phan Rang AB, Vietnam.
On 17 October 1968, Chenis was flying F-100 #553661 when he attempted to abort his takeoff. The airplane overran the runway and crashed. Mark was KIA.
He is honored on the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington DC, with his name inscribed at VVM Wall, Panel 41w, Line 68, and is buried at the Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport, CT.
