[Milsurplus] "Radio operator" on HC-130P

[Hue Miller]

"Oregonian" newspaper of 27 Sept 2006 reports "Remains found by trawler tied to 1996
crash of  'King 56'. Fishing trawler dredged up clothing and remains near Punta Gorda,
California.  

"The crew attempted to ditch the HC-130P Hercules about 40 miles off Cape Mendocino
after its engines failed on a routine training flight to San Diego on the evening of Nov. 22,
1996. The crash killed all but one of the 11 men aboard. Tech Sgt. Robert T. Vogel, the
radioman, survived."

Question: why is there a "radioman" on a modern airplane?

Also: 

"After three investigations, the last conducted after the intervention of Oregon's two US
senators, Air Force officials blamed the crash on the crew, saying they mistakenly ran the
aircraft out of fuel".

(You don't need a "Bermuda Triangle"....)    via: Hue Miller