By Louis Hansen

The Virginian-Pilot

newport news

In the fall of 1995, Dan and Melissa Biddle had that talk that Navy couples have. They were happy parents of a toddler, Kevin, and settled in their first home in Churchland.

Dan Biddle, an aviation crewman and rescue swimmer, described to his wife a recent accident on his helicopter.

"You need to know about the dangers of my job," he said.

A few weeks later, on Oct. 3, 1995, Biddle, 26, was killed in a helicopter accident while searching for a boat in distress.

The Navy has not forgotten his sacrifice. On Friday, the service will name a new $13 million rescue training center at Pensacola Naval Station in Florida in honor of the petty officer 2nd class.

It will serve as a reminder of Biddle's professionalism, said Senior Chief Petty Officer Brett Keltz, the top enlisted sailor at the school.

"We all do this accepting the risks," he said.

Melissa Biddle's life changed instantly after the crash. She was suddenly a 25-year-old widow and single mother. Gone was her steady rock, the prankster who introduced himself as "Dan Bond" and had "007" tattooed on his arm.

She searched for information about the crash and spoke to shipmates. Details emerged.

The H-46 Sea Knight had been dispatched to a distress call from a civilian boat about 35 miles off Cape Henry. The lumbering, twin-rotor craft carried a four-sailor crew from the amphibious assault ship Guam. The helicopter crashed at sea during the search, killing the crew.

An investigation found pilot error caused the crash.

"It was an accident," she said, a realization that took some time. "It was a powerful event, but that's life. Things happen."

Melissa continued to pursue the goals she and her husband had set. She left her job to spend more time with Kevin.

She earned a master's degree in psychology and became a counselor for the military.

She remarried and moved to Newport News with her husband, Walter Black. The couple have a 2-year-old son, Keone.

Last summer, Melissa received a call from her late husband's former chief.

He suggested the family support the naming of the new facility. After a series of applications and government reviews, the naming was approved by the chief of naval operations earlier this year.

The 35,000-square-foot facility will include a pool with wave generators to mimic ocean conditions and test sailors who will become the next generation of aviation rescue swimmers.

A memorial to Biddle will greet sailors at the front entrance.

Melissa said her late husband never regretted his choice. "He absolutely loved that job."

Kevin, now an eighth-grader at Dozier Middle School, does not remember his father, their long bike rides or his doting presence.

But he thinks his dad would have some advice for when life gets tough: "Calm down, be happy, go with it."

Louis Hansen, (757) 446-2322, louis.hansen@pilotonline.com