AW3 Wendy Lenora Potter
VS-22 S-3B
BUNO: 159767
Born: August 15, 1973
Died: February 4, 1997
Oakdale, California
Off the coast of Israel. Accident occured during an ASW exercise, while deployed on the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). Wendy is buried at the Whitehurst-Lakewood Memorial Park, Hughson, CA.
Shipmates Comments:
AW2 Brian Herrin:
...To lose a former student, to me, is to lose a small piece of myself.  To lose any shipmate is like losing a family member, but this hit very close to home.  Such as the case of AW3 Potter....I also had the pleasure of instucting her in some follow-on training after she reached her fleet squadron...(my former squadron).  Again, and even closer hit to home.  Although I knew her for a shorter time that I knew P.O. Kos, she too will be greatly missed.  My thoughts and prayers go out to both of their families, and to all of us who fly... FLY WELL.....FLY SAFE.

AWC Bobby Wickes:
AW3 Wendy Potter, 24, of Oakdale, California
Petty Officer Potter is survived by her husband, AW3 Chad Potter.  From THE HANGAR....This is the first female AW that we've lost...say a prayer...fly safe.

A friend:
"Petty Officer Potter was one of the first female AW's and probably the absolute best. Wendy had a heart of gold, and always brought a smile to bluest sailor. Let's all remember Wendy, and smile for her today."

Laurie Ipar:
Everyone that knew AW3 WENDY POTTER SAY A PRAYER. WE LOVE & MISS YA GIRLFRIEND..."

AWCM McGiff (from AW Memorial Dedication):
I remember while I was the leading aircrew detailer, AWAN Wendy Potter graduated from NACCS and went on to AW 'A' school. I talked with her on one of my visits to the schoolhouse and remember when changes in the CAGs allowed female AWs to be ordered into VS for sea duty and Chief Dickover was able to send her to VS-41 FFT to VS-22. My first platform in the Navy was thru VS-41 and I talked with her again on one of my visits to North Island. I remember how proud she was to be going VS and eager to get to the Fleet; AW3 Wendy Potter is on the "Wall".

Media Articles:
History of trouble on S-3B Viking
11 have died in crashes; causes of some unexplained
Florida Times-Union:
Monday, November 15, 1999
By Matthew I. Pinzur
Times-Union staff writer
Sunday's crash of an S-3B Viking antisubmarine aircraft off the carrier USS John F. Kennedy brought the number of Jacksonville-based Viking crew members killed in action to 11 since late 1989, Navy officials said.
The S-3B Viking -- a twin turbofan-engine plane designed to detect, locate and destroy submarines while operating from an aircraft carrier -- is considered among the Navy's safest aircraft, but it has been involved in a number of unexplained accidents in the last decade.
Four Jacksonville Navy aviators from the VS-22 Checkmates were killed on Feb. 4, 1997, when their Viking crashed into the Mediterranean Sea. Their plane clipped 7- to 10-foot-high seas off the Israeli coast and disappeared from radar. Debris from the plane, which launched from the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, was recovered, but the crew's remains were not.
The Navy's final report on the crash -- which killed Lt. Cmdr. Mark Ehlers, Lt. Mike Weems, Lt. Mark Eyre and Petty Officer 3rd Class Wendy Potter -- found no explanation for the crash and assessed no culpability to anyone.

NWSA2431. Search ends for Navy aircraft missing in Mediterranean Sea
Navy Wire Service (A Wire):
MEDITERRANEAN SEA (NWSA) -- Navy officials in the eastern Mediterranean called off the search Wednesday for the four person crew of a missing S-3B Viking aircraft assigned to Sea Control Squadron 22 embarked in USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71).
The aircraft was on an anti-submarine warfare training exercise approximately 90 miles west of Haifa, Israel when it disappeared from the ship's radar Tuesday afternoon.
The missing crewmen are identified as:
LCDR Mark Ehlers, 35, of Jacksonville, Fla.
LT Mark Eyre, 28, of Jacksonville, Fla.;
LT Mike Weems, 27, of Pensacola, Fla.; and
Aviation Systems Warfare Operator 3rd Class Wendy Potter, 24, of Oakdale, Calif.
The accident remains under investigation.

Navy Ceases Search For Missing S-3B Aircraft, Crew
NAVEUR News Service:
Navy Officials in the eastern Mediterranean yesterday called off the search for a missing S-3B Viking aircraft and its crew of four, assigned to Sea Control Squadron 22 (VS 22) embarked aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) operating off the coast of Israel.
The aircraft was on a routine training exercise, approximately 87 miles west of Haifa, Israel when it disappeared from the ship's radar at approximately 5:56 p.m. (local) Feb. 4.
The missing crew were identified as:
- LCDR Mark Ehlers, 35, Jacksonville, Fla.
- LT Mark Eyre, 28, Jacksonville, Fla.
- LT Mike Weems, 27, Pensacola, Fla.
- AW3 Wendy Potter, 24, Oakdale, Calif.
Search and rescue units have recovered some debris with squadron markings.
Aircraft from Theodore Roosevelt were involved in the search and rescue mission that coverd more than 1,500 square nautical miles. There were assisted by other units in the area including USS Ramage (DDG 61), USNS Leroy Grumman (TAO 196), USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) and two P-3C's from Patrol Squadron VP-16.