Lieutenant Joseph Wright Behunin

         Joseph Wright Behunin graduated from BYU in 1966. After graduation he joined the United States Navy Aviation Officer Candidate Program, and in 1967 he was commissioned an Ensign.  He married his wife Nancy on December 8th 1964. They had two sons and a daughter.
        Joseph was a helicopter pilot- but not just any helicopter pilot. He was a member of the search and rescue unit with the mission to recover downed pilots. That means that his job required him to fly into dangerous areas behind enemy lines and find American servicemen before they were killed or captured. He flew  missions in Vietnam, Japan, and the Philippines

Joseph and his crew in Vietnam

    He was awarded the Air Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, and numerous other meals for bravely rescuing pilots as part of the HC-7CSAR Combat Search and Rescue squadron-one of the most decorated squadrons in Vietnam. 

        The picture above is of a memorial in North Carolina to the bravery and sacrifice of the HC-7 "Seadevils." Their whole mission was to forget themselves and fly a whole crew into perilous situations often for the sake of only one man. They all worked together to rescue others, showing extreme commitment, selflessness, and dedication. Joseph was killed in a crash off the coast of Imperial Beach California. His life ended abruptly, but his legacy will live on.