Sunken History — A Diver's Journal
F-106
by Capt. Deb Biniecki

It was a foggy June day in 1966 as young Lee Sari stood on Sheldon Beach at the foot of Elmwood Street. Looking up into the hazy sky, he puzzled at the sight of the Air Force F-106 jet slowly lumbering so low that he could make out the pilot's helmet as he passed overhead. He watched the plane head due east out into the lake as it passed out of his sight. Within the hour, he learned the plane he observed did not go far.

Major William J. Vinopal left Selfridge Air Force Base on a routine training flight, simulating an interception on a bomber, when radio contact was lost with Selfridge. The jet was reported down in Lake Huron at about 1:30 p.m.

An air and water search quickly ensued, focusing on the area about 12 miles off Lexington, which at the time was thought to be the last location of the jet. Air Force helicopters and planes scanned the area from above with the assistance of the Coast Guard and Sanilac County Sheriff's Department vessels on the water.

Lee Sari recalled a Coast Guard helicopter landing nearby. He approached the crew and told them that he had seen the jet. Possibly, due to his age, the crew did not put much credence into his information and quickly left the area to search further to the north off Lexington. The search continued throughout the rainy afternoon until dense fog hampered the search at 6 p.m.

Allan Marczan, a custodian at Fort Gratiot School, witnessed the plane flying over the school but did not realize the significance of his sighting until he read about the accident in the paper the next day. He later reported what he saw to the St. Clair County Sheriff Department. He said that the jet passed over the school about 1:30 p.m. headed in a northerly direction, then made a short turn to the east toward the lake. Mr. Marzcan reported that the jet was flying slowly with its nose very high in the air. He soon lost sight of it behind the trees. From his observation Mr. Marzcan believes the pilot "was trying to get away from the houses".

Although Air Force planes crisscrossed the lake all night, the water search did not resume until the next morning. The Coast Guard cutter Bramble picked up debris believed to be part of the pilot's helmet, a soft cap, an oxygen bottle and what was believed to be part of the wing. Rescue units from the Air Force and Coast Guard officially called off the search after finding many small pieces of wreckage scattered over the surface of a 10 mile area. According to the Coast Guard, debris was found floating in a line from Kettle Point, Ontario, to just north of Lexington. The military hired a private contractor, Ocean Systems Inc., to search the area. John Lindbergh, the son of Charles Lindbergh who was the first to cross the Atlantic alone, came to the area to organize the operation. This search proved fruitless.

The 37-year-old pilot, Major William J. Vinopal, was presumed dead. He was a native of Mauston, Wisconsin. Major Vinopal was a member of the 71st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and served in the Air Force for 15 years and was a 13-year veteran pilot. He left behind a wife, Mary, and three children: Kim, 9; Craig, 8; and Kelly, 6.

Neither pilot nor jet, were ever recovered. So many questions remain. Did Lee Sari and Allan Marczan witness the pilot making a heroic last effort to nurse his failing jet over the lake in order to avoid crashing into the densely populated areas along the lakeshore? Did the jet crash shortly after passing over Elmwood Street? If Lee Sari could see the pilot's helmet, certainly the pilot could see that he had crossed the shoreline. Why did he not eject from the plane? Did the jet explode or break up on impact or slip fairly intact beneath the surface of the lake? Was the search area located too far to the north? Someday, a fisherman will snag a line on some wreckage or sport divers will see a blip on their fish finders and decide to check out the area. Until then, Lake Huron will continue to jealously guard her secret.

If you would like to contact Capt. Deb with any ideas, feedback or information regarding shipwreck stories, please contact her through Huron Explorations at 810-648-4638 or email at fathoms@greatlakes.net. SCUBA diving charters can also be arranged through the above contact information.