Date:	Saturday 18 January 1964
Time:	day
Type:	McDonnell Douglas F-4B Phantom II
Owner/operator:	VMFA-513, USMC
Registration:	148413
MSN:	98
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	NAS Key West, Boca Chica Key, 4 miles east of Key West, Florida -   United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	NAS Key West, Florida (NQX/KNQX)
Destination airport:	NAS Key West, Florida (NQX/KNQX)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
McDonnell Douglas F-4B Phantom II Bu. No 148413. Delivered by May 1962 to VF-102 as 'AF-101'. Transferred to VF-102 as AE-101 in 1963. Thence to US Marine Corps Squadron VMFA-513 by January 1964

Written off (destroyed) January 18, 1964, when Crashed into the sea off NAS Key West, Boca Chica Key, 4 miles east of Key West, Florida. According to the official history of US Marine Squadron VMFA-513 (see link #1):

"the crew were 1st Lt Frederick A Libkie (pilot) and WO (RIO) Kent D Ashmore (both Killed), They were engaging in low-altitude day intercept practice off Key West, Florida on 18 January 1964 when smoke was observed coming out of the engine. The aircraft settled down closer to the water, then pitched upward in a stall, and impacted upside down"

"Traverse City Marine Killed in Plane Crash -- Chief Warrant Officer Kent Darge Ashmore, 28, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Ashmore, 3003 Pinegrove Avenue, Traverse City, died Saturday morning near the U.S. Naval Air Station at Key West, Florida, in the crash of a Phantom fighter which was returning from a training mission to Cuba. Ashmore, a radar operator, had been flying photographic missions over Cuba since January 4, 1953, his father said today. The pilot also died in the crash, which occured in water near the base.

According to a telegram received by the parents, an extensive search of the area is being conducted, but the bodies of the two men have not yet been recovered. The plane has been spotted, however, and will be raised. Mr. and Mrs. Ashmore received word of the tragedy Sunday morning via a telephone call from the Cherry Point Marine station where Ashmore had been assigned.

Ashmore was born in Traverse City on May 25, 1935, and attended school here until 1942 when the family moved to Frankfort. In 1947, the Ashmores moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and Kent graduated school there by correspondence since he had joined the Marines at the age of 17. He served three years in Jpan, during which time he received an aeronautical engineering degree by correspondence from the University of Maryland. In 1955 in Japan, he married the former Fukiko Somoto. Upon his return to the states he was assigned to the Cherry Point Marine station.

He leaves his wife, his parents, two brothers, Brian C. of Detroit and Bradley K. at home, his paternal grandmother, Mrs. Lucy Ashmore of Traverse city, and his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. E.D. Calkins of Traverse City. The body, if recovered, will be returned here for services with an announcement of funeral arrangements to be made then". (SOURCE: Find A Grave.com (see link #7))

1. A history of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 531 By John C. Chapin p.39
2. http://thephantomshrine.co.uk/Databases/f4-serials.txt
3. http://forgottenjets.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/F-4.html
4. http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries18.html
5. https://web.archive.org/web/20171115212455/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/Aircraft_by_Type/F-4_PHANTOM_USA/f4_phantom_US_1959-1965.htm
6. https://www.geni.com/people/Kent-Ashmore/6000000000652368315
7. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/188638796/kent-darge-ashmore
8. https://billiongraves.com/grave/Frederick-Albert-Libkie/23363789
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Air_Station_Key_West#Cold_War

Four U.S. Navy McDonnell F4H-1 Phantom II (BuNo 148393, 148398, 148404, 148413) of Fighter Squadron Vf-102 "Diamondbacks" in flight. VF-102 was assigned to Carrier Air Group 6 (CVG-6) aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVAN-65).Date 19 May 1962:

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
30-Apr-2021 11:15	ASN archive	Added
14-Jun-2022 18:46	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category]
18-Jun-2022 01:36	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative]
18-Jun-2022 22:59	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative]
18-Jun-2022 23:00	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Narrative]