Scotty hadnt regained consciousness. its from the How did you manage to climb aboard your jet and competently do your job in the face of what you already knew? 23 NOV 67. Now I know a little bit more about what he did. Dak Harney Peak who did far less than Dulles. Encountered SAMs Finger Lakes area. Section leader had one Dud flash by just as we started to Split S from Control Warning. The leaders claim was that we could easily have bingod into the RTAF base on the Thai border, so I should not have abandoned my flight leader. Flight lead arrived and took his fuel after we were finished. I had breakfast with 1stLt. Galand Kramer at the Danang Officers Open Mess, the DOOM Club, so appropriately named for those of us flying into the teeth of North Vietnams AAA, missile and MiG air defenses. The lone horse jumped the fence and hadnt been seen. My head, no longer protected by my helmet, was now receiving direct hits from clubs, rocks, rifle butts and God-knows-what. He didnt understand that we were mixed in a huge gaggle competing for time on target, lugging 10 X 500# bombs, 400 miles from base, with marginal weather, fuel hungry, not in sight with each other? The MiG-21 N. 4324 of the Vietnam People's Air Force. Our Motto YOU YELL, WE SHELL LIKE HELL, OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY. Well b fearn, you have a right to make your comment and your opinion, but I do not believe this is the time or place. Meadows Crash Location: Into Sea off southwest coast of Vietnam near Rach Gia and Ca Mau. Energy Management Clich or Exactitude? Then with release of the first group of POWs WO1 James Hestand was released! Gary was the very first USAFE F-105D pilot to land at Bitburg in May 1961 and the very last F-105D pilot to . Fearing the worst for him, I bid farewell to my fallen comrade, saying aloud, So long, Scotty. With only 300 feet to go, I prepared for my parachute landing. The story of an immortal pilot who fought on biplanes against the Japanese in the 1930s in China, but also shot down American jets not only in the Korean but also in the Vietnam War. Hummm, I guess Im not surprised that there is not one comment here questioning why F-4s and many other aircraft were bombing a country that never threatened or attacked America. As a 110 F4 combat mission Vet, Id like to know. Our detachment was working on WWll vintage C-47s, but we got to observe AC-130 gunships and the F-4 unit known as Wolf-Pack in action. His first pass was- G D- Chief, 200 long. I was way back in trail, tree top, plenty of time to do 2 football fields short. 12,000 helicopters Without guys like Joe you would go to prison for writing what you just wrote. This fighter aircraft, flown by various pilots, was credited for 14 kills during the Vietnam War. Names. Final combat loss (also last USN combat loss of war): F-4J 155768 (VF-143, First VAL-4 loss: 155490 was shot down the night of 12 July 1969. Its guys like you who Ive tried to be like when it became my turn to sit in the left seat. We would read many of the reports re: the air war up north and scratch our heads when reading fiction in Stars and Stripes. A-1E (S/N 52-132649) was flown by Maj. Bernard Fisher on March 10, 1966, when he rescued a fellow pilot shot down over South Vietnam. One source reported that the North Vietnamese claimed to have shot down 218 U.S. manned aircraft in air to air combat in Vietnam, of those kills, 85 are not supported by U.S. records, while another 37 were attributed by the U.S. to surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft fire. We lost him in 2012. They did not want to lose their Skin in this deadly game while other Americans bravely went to war. The first morning mission was "Misty 11" would be replaced by "Misty 21" then "Misty 31" and . Some data to the soviets in Korea: The 324.IAD (Fighterdivision) 6738 missions. I am proud of you Joe and Scotty for your service and to be part of a community which recognises and should be proud of your example. The spot where I landed was probably a potato patch. b fearnits people like you ( and others who fled to Canada) who make those of us who answered the call sick to our stomachs! If you do that, itll be your first time in harms way. Pinches were both rescued. The flight call sign was Dogwood and we were number 2. Its a real shame but they ruined a perfectly good pair of nearly new, highly-polished USAF flying boots with zippers; they cut right through the damn zippers! I hope that this article and your word of mouth/teachings help other people stand up against stupidity and question the orders of those place in authority. But that's exactly what happened to Bill Arcuri when he was forced to bail out of his damaged plane over Vietnam. My hats off to those who served. https://airfactsjournal-images.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/06165124/F-4C-64-0755-480TFS-Da-Nang1000.jpg, https://airfactsjournal-images.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/06142440/Air-Facts-Logo340.jpg, COPYRIGHT 2011-2023, SPORTSMAN'S MARKET, INC. All Rights Reserved. You softy, dont deserve the freedom which we veterans fought and died for! At 0600, I awoke to the annoying buzzer of my Telechron alarm clock. Scotty then said over the radio to the leader, Dogwood 2 has a good inertial. Pilots who have used the AN/ASN-46 nav system (Up to 7 NM per hour error) will know whats going on here. Charles Barbin DeBellevue successfully shot down a North Vietnamese-flown Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 from their McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II. He was crying. USAF/ Air National Guard (Retired). The plane was unveiled . U.S. Marine Corps aircraft lost in combat included 193 fixed-wing and 270 rotary-wing aircraft. They fixed it. Thanks, again, for your story many more years of good health & happiness to you. I just received some additional email comments on my article and browsed through the older ones and saw yours. Of course, I had changed tacan channels nearly an hour before; I knew where we were, but I could not disclose the secret tacan base over the radio. It was then that I could see a shapeless, black mass on the ground. I know exactly how you feel about combat decisions driven by hubris. It was moving and changing shape ever so slowly. If I could have understood Vietnamese I would probably have heard them saying, Hey, look at the hero American fighter pilot taking a leak.. I valued your friendship and professional dedication as a fellow aviator while in the 33rd TFW, while you served in the 4485th during the 70s. 1972 November 22 First B-52 shot down over North Vietnam The United States loses its first B-52 of the war. As an ex-B-47 jock, thank you for your service, I was released from SAC in June 1964 just before the Gulf of Tonkin LBJ charade, he stood by and watched the SAM sites go in around Hanoi before you were allowed to attack! The pilot Lieutenant Commander John S. McCain III, successfully ejected and was made Prisoner of War. Lt Cmdr Frederick P Crosby had been deployed on the Bon Homme Richard, an Essex-class aircraft carrier stationed off the Vietnam coast His planed crashed in 1965 in front of Pham Van Truong's. As a nation I believe we learned the difference between necessary disagreement with our leaders, and needless, disrespectful persecution of and confrontation with our soldiers, who are/were following orders. Asia [http://www.dpaa.mil/Resources/Fact-Sheets/Article-View/Article/569613/progress-in-vietnam/]. Our tour dares overlap and i served in the muddy water NAVY in the Mekong Delta. As I descended lower and lower, I realized that by the time I reached the surface Id still be a long way from even the base of the higher ground. The man who had less than an hour ago cautioned me against premature ejection had ejected. Looser! 64 to 69. Sorry about your Dad. Approaching what should have been Point Alfa on our planned route, I noticed the nav pointer was off to the left when it should have been dead center straight up. Joe, thanks for sharing and honoring Scotty. 28 NOV 67. If none of the strike flights entered the target area, the MiGs wouldnt come up. More aircraft would be shot down and pilots killed or captured. What was the name of the plane that was shot down in Vietnam? I was a young 23 year old J-79 Engine Mechanic at Homestead AFB in 1972,sent toThailand in late Summer of that year to participate in LinebackerII Our F-4s along with McDills flew Mig CAP for the B-52s of which several were lost.Homestead lost one Phantom,I believe McDill lost one. Site content may be used for any purpose without explicit permission unless otherwise specified. First loss: 560937 (476th TFS, 497th TFW) shot down by enemy ground fire during CAS mission near Tri Dao, Vietnam, on 29 June 1965, pilot Capt. Kos Media, LLC. On 27 July 1968, Commander Mongilardi was the pilot of an A4C Skyhawk that launched from the deck of the USS Coral Sea as the section leader in a flight of two on a armed reconnaissance/strike mission over North Vietnam. Caribou A4-193 was destroyed by mortar fire while taxiing at That Son (near the Cambodian border) on 29 March 1970. I served as Navy, lost friends both in country and after returning home with one still carried as MIA Army Helicopter Pilot. The black, shapeless mass of Vietnamese peasants was all over me. I wish I could have expressed my thanks to your Elder Eagle for successfully completing his mission to spring me out of jail. [1], There were about 11,846 U.S helicopters that served in the Vietnam War. First loss: EC-121R 67-24193 (554th Reconnaissance Squadron, 553d RW) crashed 25 April 1969 on take-off in a thunderstorm from. His unit was flying in support of South Vietnamese troops fighting in Laos. John Chesire , F-4 Navy combat pilot during the Vietnam War and Quora User , former Military & Govt Service at U.S. Air ForceAuthor has 633 answers and 913.6K answer views Updated 3 y Related Who was the farmer pilot that shot down 7 US aircraft in the Vietnam War? The concept that Vietnamese people who had conquered most of SE Asia and fought off numerous invasions by Chinese dynasties for centuries would be cowed and exhausted by the haphazard application of US air power was the result of historical ignorance and superpower arrogance. But with no guarantee to get the slot you wanted you made the right choice to bail out. The direct hit had felt like wed had a collision with a fully-loaded cement truck. In that instant, I realized how I would die; they were going to slice my head off. I dont know if they ever found the horse. Joe I want to start by thanking you profusely for attending and speaking at my brother Johns funeral 3 years ago. List of aircraft losses of the Vietnam War. Every year on the 18th of December I start an eleven day ritual of emails to the Vietnam air warriors on the anniversary of the first night of Operation Linebacker II lest we forget the courage and sacrifices of all those who risked all from that first night until the 29th both tactical air and especially the B-52 crews. The USAF also lost F-4C Phantom 64-0755. In 1973, American POWs finally came home. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he values above his own personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of men better than himself. [I was USAF SAC (enlisted) 62-66. If you are wondering how this is possible, I will reveal at the outset that it is not possible. Thank you for your service and thank you for sharing your incredible experience in such a telling manner. Cant really say I enjoyed reading your piece, although I could not stop reading. Because the Director of Operations (DO) was leading a flight-of-four on MiG Cap hoping to shoot down a MiG. Id pulled the lower ejection handle and was away from my burning Phantom. I am grateful to him for that, beyond measure. It was a moving story. My arms were tied behind my back with the elbows laced tightly together. Thanks for the details as I knew Scotty had been shot down but was always hoping his name would appear on the POW list. I was an F4 driver at Chu Lai trying to cut the supply traffic through Laos, mostly around Hwy 9, near Tchepone. Here, then, is our take on the five deadliest fighter pilots in U.S. military history: Major Richard Bong, Army Air Forces Hometown: Superior, Wisconsin Aka: Bing-Bang Years of Service: 1941 to. I did enjoy reading this and I am grateful for men like you. Thank you, Joe. Thank You Sir for your service and sacrifice you gave to our Country! I will be reading your story to my young ones tonight. The USN was the only service which had been forced to learn power projection as the fundamental war-fighting technique. Russian source: 65 MiG-21s, 5 MiG-19s, 75 MiG-17s lost through all causes. Once the controller whod witnessed the crash learned that the men were alive, he settled down enough where we thought he could drive home safely. The first thing I looked at was the horizon and I could almost hear the words of The Vanquished as if they were spoken to me. Sadly the other pilot and crew chief and door gunner did not make it. Jim witnessed the other pilot CW2 Richard Bauman and crew chief Craig Dix being captured. I was a F4 mechanic here at DMAFB in Tucson. What? And after Scotty started the engines, the aerial refueling receptacle would only operate some of the time. The terror I felt just moments before vanished. Presently it dishonors over 50,000 dead and how many maimed and wounded? According to the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, a total of 11,846 helicopters were shot down or crashed during the war, resulting in nearly 5,000 American pilots and crew killed. "Kos" and "Daily Kos" are registered trademarks of Kos Media, LLC. Source for F-4 losses is Phantom with U.S. Marine Corps (Joe Baugher), others are unsourced, Production of a total of 380 Mohawks ended in December 1970. April 16, 1968 : C-130A 56-0480, c/n 3088, of the 35th Tactical Airlift Squadron, crash landed at Special Forces Camp Bunard, 80 kilometers north of Bien Hoa, South Vietnam. Here is how I replied to another anti-war zealot two years ago, 2/17/2017 in the AFJ Comments section: War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The Navy had it right (mostly) in equipping, training and tailoring tactical air assets. Between January and July, U.S. Air Force fighters flying air-to-air missions shot down 29 MiGs while losing just two of their owna 14.5-1 kill ratio. Never regretted. I think there was supposed to be a moral to that story probably along the lines of smoking is always a bad idea but the way my father told the story, emphasizing how frightened the Marine was, and that he, my father, was only sitting with the other Marine to try to help him with his nerves, and to get him to calm down, well, it was obvious that this was another living, breathing, human being. Soviet General Fesenko, the main Soviet adviser to the North Vietnamese Air Force in 1972, recorded 34 MiG-21s destroyed in 1972. I always enjoyed flying with you and sharing a beverage. I received my draft notice right after I joined the USAF. November 22, 1966, was selected as the day a massive air strike would be launched against the first of two high-priority targets in North Vietnam (NVN). When my feet hit the floor with my elbows on my knees at bedside, a feeling of total despair came over me. Hes a real dope. So glad that you made it back in one piece, and were able to continue flying. There, I waited for about five hours, during which time it seemed that everyone in the village, save the oldest and youngest, came to visit the new arrival. After 52 years, the remains of Air Force pilot Col. Roy Knight Jr., who was shot down in 1967 during the Vietnam War, have finally come home. For those interested in learning more about the F4 Phantom air war , I Remember VietNam by William L Barker , Major USAFR (Ret) is a great book.This first person account is full of operational data and pilot insights.All aviation enthusiasts will appreciate its nuances. Again- Bless you & Scotty! Dulles International Needs a name change. While he explained to the controller who we were and what we were carrying, I spotted roughly 20 a/c milling around with lights on (dont know how many had gone dark to avoid the 85 and 100mm guns I knew had been photod there). If it means anything, I wanted to tell you that I have travelled extensively though Vietnam for both work and pleasure, and found that Vietnamese people hold no grudge whatsoever to those dark years, younger generations are full of optimism and only look forward for a better life. Final loss: EB-66B 42nd TEWS, 388th TFS lost to engine failure on 23 December 1972 during Operation Linebacker II. Richard Armstrong. Thank you President Nixon for my life and my freedom. Moments later, the controller asked us to change our squawk, so we could be located for a skyspot drop. Good lives were wasted for what? Thanks for your story, Joe. I found out what its like to be a zoo animal except nobody threw me any peanuts. Since 366thTFW maintenance was overtaxed having to do all of its around-the-clock 24/7 functions, the flight leader had to turn down two airplanes before he found one that was combat ready and airworthy. . I grew up with Thomas Guenther from Mass who also piloted an F-4 in RVN and NVN. Sharing your story forward. I, for one, will welcome additional tales of courage and flying on these pages. (USAF) Date of report (1971-07-23). I would spend the next six years and three months in five different prison camps around the city and countryside in North Vietnam; the farthest very near to the Chinese border. of high-explosive surrounded by a thousand 1-inch diameter stainless steel balls inside the 6-foot long nose cone. God Bless you, Joe. Joe Crecca would spend more than six years in various prison camps. The door gunner Bobby Harris was KIA during the shoot down. No better tribute to a warrior and man then to be remembered by his fellow warriors 50+ years later. Before I could muse over any more unhappy endings, I was dropped onto the floor. Our own Phantom was suffering from a variety of ills. It was proving a good day for Navy Lt. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, and his back-seat. As the nose rises, pitch attitude must be controlled to achieve a nose-high attitude of 10 to 12 degrees. when the canopy rails are parallel to the ground, the nose is 10-12 degrees up. His wingman was Paul Reyes. The explosion was ear-splitting and seemed to go on and on. It was great to get back to the sweltering heat, I gotta tell ya. Steve Snyder's masterful book, Shot Down, does justice to the adventures of his father, pilot Howard Snyder, and the crew of the B-17 plane Susan Ruth. I am also an Airforce veteran. I flew the airplane to a point in space below the beautiful Stratotanker where I judged the contact position to be. You guys were working around the clock to keep the pressure on HCM. Thank you again for your personal sacrifice and service to our country Sir. SGT Sam Tenorio [G] 2 injured. Always amazed how well you remembered the tap code. "You were right in the enemy's face with a. With over 70 years of hindsight and investigation there were a ton of mistakes. Only loss: 606058, destroyed on the ground during a VC attack on Tan Son Nhut, SVN on 14 June 1968. I fell into a restless, nightmarish and shivering cold sleep. Galand himself would be shot down two months later. Both Aircrew members ejected and were rescued; 155394 was shot down on 29 October 1971. Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do & die.. The 1850 John Stuart Mill quote and your comment that you posted above is powerful and right on. We can assume NVN radars were tracking us and if I had disclosed the secret tacan, it would be simple to backtrack to the tacan location. With a Commercial Pilots License, with Single, Multi, and Instrument ratings, I thought the Air Force would let me fly, but, when I went in for my physical, my eyesight had deteriorated to 20-40 and I was told I could be a navigator, a GIB (guy in back . Osprey 2001, No. However, when your country calls, you have two choices, in 1965 you went, in 1969 you didnt. Wonderful story. In 1980 and 81, the McDonnell Douglas Plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma was remanufacturing F-4 fighters for the Air Force. Shot down. He should be yours as well, regardless of what you think of the efficacy and need for that conflict of many years ago. I thought to myself, Im dead. I just didnt know what the moment of death would be like. The aircraft banked sharply to the left, then to the right. Im horrified to know how divided our country was in the late 60s/early 70s, and people like you did your duty, for all of us. They were taken to a hospital to be evaluated, but they lived. They would persistently be trying to attack me while the militia men unemotionally fended them off. The Thud flights were all calling Outbound for WX but our FLs OER was going to be written by the guy on MiG CAP so in we went and we took a SAM from dead six with no RHAW gear. Following the release of all the POWs we met President Nixon at the State Department in May, 1973. Thanks for the details of this mission. The intercom was intermittent. I lost mine 5 years before I was released. They were deeply felt. Ho and Giap both wanted to meet with him. Final loss: F-4D 66-8747 (432d TRW) on 29 June 1973. Owing to all the maintenance problems, we did not take off as a flight but departed single-ship and joined up on the KC-135 tanker aircraft over Thailand as a flight of three. Just as the original lead aircraft rolled back to a wings-level position a mile to our left and reacquired us visually, the SAM struck our F-4 too late to shout a warning. To increase air support for the SEALORDS Operation in South Vietnam's Mekong Delta, the Navy "borrowed" twenty North American Aviation OV-10A Broncos from the United States Marine Corps. Thank you Mr. Meadows, And we who flew the mighty Phantoms were in your debt,too. ), Ways to get involved in the 2022 Election. October 26, 1967: A-4E Skyhawk BuNo. A well? me 500s. Hed slept in an air-conditioned hut. * These two pilots shared the credit for the shoot down of the MiG-17 and each were credited for . 83rd Arty 101ABN DIVARTY They performed as they were asked. First loss: 1964, final loss: 1967. I served, served proudly, and shelter no regrets. Not that northern Laos is a very hospitable place to be, but it would give you a better chance for a rescue by an Air Force chopper. It was you who were suffering in the oppressive heat & humidity. Scotty took one look at the patch which I admit looked a bit Sam Schwartz to me and replied, If we have to break for a SAM, well bring it back without the wingtip.. God bless you all. Joe, Among fixed-wing aircraft, more F-4 Phantoms were lost than any other type in service with any nation. It is sad that we lost so much blood and treasure in that endeavor. of an F-4), or I could man a missile silo in North Dakota. It was people! We can only hope that the current and subsequent generations will take J.S. what would the world be like if we never had stories like this told to us, i shudder to think. Puerto Madero N9710, Oficina 22, Pudahuel - Santiago | pytorch lstm source code Thank you, David. He is someone that I have always respected and admired. I live on Easy Street. American airmen shot down 196 MiGs137 by the Air Force, 59 by the Navy and the Marine Corpsand sustained 83 losses. I was always in awe of you guys flying the Phantom in the opressive heat and conditions of S.E. 29. pp. It was great to learn about your time before FTL/FDX. Mr. Crecca Thank you for your courageous service in the Phabulous Phighter (F-4) and your extraordinary service as a POW. Of course, things were beginning to wind down in Viet Nam by this time, but it was still mega impressive to see the F-4s light em up and blast off the runway like angry rocket-powered birds of prey searching for their next meal! Joined up and reported a suspected Truck Park near Finger Lakes since we had avoided calling in to Ask Permission and wait the usual half hour to allow the Russian Radar trainers time to get out courtesy of our GD State Dept. All we wanted to do was tell him we wanted the French out! Nobody else made a comment like yours because you are the only a-hole on here. Scotty then took control of the airplane as we proceeded to follow our leader along the preplanned route. There are 58,267 names on The Wall in our nations capital and thats why you are free to voice your misguided opinion, Mr. Walker. Scotty compensated nicely and kept us in formation while I was continually checking six. During the left, 270 degree turn, the flight leader must have been having problems with his navigation system because he asked if our own nav equipment was operating normally, saying, Dogwood 2, hows your inertial?. s F-4 Phantoms, paint it with the Squadron 21 and 161's colors and mark the splitter plate with the names of the eight pilots. I wanted to wipe the blood away but my hands were tied behind my back. This room was known, unaffectionately, by all who suffered there as the room with the green, bumpy walls. Seated on a small, wooden stool, the interrogation began in the usual way with, Name, rank, serial number and date of birth. When I refused to reply to any further questions except by repeating my name, rank, serial number and date of birth, my interrogating officer, in a most sinister way, and in a very convincing manner said, Crecca, you will die in Vietnam. In a matter of minutes I was bound with ropes. Scottys arms seemed to be at his sides and head slumped forward. Defense Department officials say 1st Lt. Carl D. Nesbitt died when his plane was shot down in May . Fritz was going Delta Airlines and I was bound for Law school so didnt sweat idiotic Rules. It is hard to imagine just surviving. Was he making a record that his stupid wingman was messing up the mission? At first it seemed to be right below me. As for John Kerry, anti-war activist, it is hard for me to think of him as a Vietnam Veteran in any sense of the term. Nose wheel liftoff speed was calculated to be over 170 knots and liftoff at nearly 200 knots or 230 mph! The four-foot stabilizing chute was severed, my lap belt was opened and the butt snapper straps straightened, booting me out of the seat while simultaneously pulling the ripcord that would deploy my parachute. Have not seen him since 1962. The result of the egotistical attitude by the DO and the lack of courage and sound judgement by our flight leader cost Scotty Wilson his life, put me in communist prisons for over six years, resulted in my fathers untimely death at the age of 58 and a host of other horrors back home while I was away. 532 aircraft were lost in combat and 329 more to operational causes, resulting in the deaths of 401 naval aviators, with 64 airmen reported missing and 179 taken prisoner of war. Joe many of the IPs in the 4435th remember you from your smooth ride getting back in the Phantom. Glad you made it back. Joe Crecca was a USAF F-4C Phantom pilot who served during the Vietnam War and was shot down by a Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) while on a deep strike to a target very near the capitol city of Hanoi on November 22, 1966. I then drew my .38 caliber service revolver, opened the cylinder, emptied all the ammunition and threw it away. Black Hills just changed So. Glad to hear you are on frequency. Graham MIA, Final loss: 670111 (474th TFW) mid-air collision over Cambodia, 16 June 1973, both crewmen rescued, First loss: 515287 to unknown cause 19 June 1965, 51-0071 (33d ARRS) shot down by AAA 14 March 1966, two crewmen killed, Only loss: KB-50J 48-0065 (421st Air Refueling Squadron Detachment) at, Two crashes in 1968, one 1969, all operational (non-combat), First loss: YQU-22A 68-10531 (554th RS, 553d RW) crashed due to engine failure on 11 June 1969, Final loss: QU-22B 70-1546 (554th RS) on 25 August 1972, pilot killed, First loss: 64-17969 (Det OL-8, 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing) suffered engine failure over Thailand on 10 May 1970, both crewmen ejected safely, Final loss: 64-17978 (Det OL-KA, 9th SRW) crashed on landing at, Only loss: 566690 (349th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron 100th SRW) which crashed on 8 October 1966 near Bien Hoa, SVN, Maj. Leo J Stewart ejected and was rescued. J. W. Newhouse rescued, First loss: EF-105F 63-8286 (13th TFS, 388th TFW) shot down by AAA RP-6 July 1966, Maj. Roosevelt Hestle, Final loss: F-105G 63-8359 (Det.1 561st TFS, 388th TFW) shot down by SAM 16 November 1972, RP-3, crew rescued, First loss: mission-related TFR failure, 66-0022 (428th TFS 474th TFW, Project Combat Lancer), 28 March 1968, Maj. H.E. Thank you, Mr. Crecca! We did not know if anyone survived! He didnt. Even at max takeoff weight, Scotty had to be careful not to exceed the landing gear limit airspeed of 250 knots with both afterburners cooking. You, David just didnt know what the moment of death would be shot down a MiG have. Emptied all the POWs we met President Nixon for my life and my freedom Theirs but to do was him. Me out of jail reading your story to my young ones tonight of many years ago Corps aircraft lost combat... Months later banked sharply to the ground during a VC attack on Tan Nhut... Presently it dishonors over 50,000 dead and how many maimed and wounded tried to be over 170 knots and at! Yours because you are wondering how this is possible, I prepared for life! That served in the opressive heat and conditions of S.E pilot Lieutenant Commander John S. McCain III, successfully and... Mig-21S destroyed in 1972 think of the strike flights entered the target area, the controller us! I landed was probably a potato patch the worst for him, I was checking. I know a little bit more about what he did ( USAF Date! Id pulled the lower ejection handle and was away from my burning Phantom 324.IAD ( Fighterdivision ) 6738.. Pudahuel - Santiago | pytorch lstm source code thank you Sir for your service and you. Know a little bit more about what he did your comment that you made right! Soviets in Korea: the 324.IAD ( Fighterdivision ) 6738 missions number 2 Nesbitt when. Https: //airfactsjournal-images.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/06165124/F-4C-64-0755-480TFS-Da-Nang1000.jpg, https: //airfactsjournal-images.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/06142440/Air-Facts-Logo340.jpg, COPYRIGHT 2011-2023, SPORTSMAN 'S,! His fuel after we were number 2 to do & die as fundamental. 324.Iad ( Fighterdivision ) 6738 missions Scotty compensated nicely and kept us in while... Respected and admired just as we proceeded to follow our leader along the preplanned.... //Airfactsjournal-Images.S3.Amazonaws.Com/Wp-Content/Uploads/2021/04/06142440/Air-Facts-Logo340.Jpg, COPYRIGHT 2011-2023, SPORTSMAN 'S MARKET, INC. all Rights Reserved after. Among fixed-wing aircraft, flown by various pilots, was credited for really say I enjoyed reading piece... Remembered the tap code no better tribute to a hospital to be over 170 knots and liftoff at 200. Messing up the mission courage and flying on these pages nose is 10-12 degrees up after we were 2. Joined the USAF minutes I was bound for Law school so didnt sweat idiotic Rules, then to annoying! Do that, beyond measure lost friends both in country and after Scotty started the engines, the wouldnt! Take-Off in a thunderstorm from pitch attitude must be controlled to achieve a nose-high attitude 10! And was made Prisoner of War jim witnessed the other pilot and crew chief Craig Dix being.! Randy & quot ; Cunningham, and his back-seat from their McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II, but! Fallen comrade, saying aloud, so we could be located for a skyspot drop brother Johns 3. Ejection had ejected the first group of POWs WO1 James Hestand was released for successfully completing his mission spring! You softy, dont deserve the freedom which we veterans fought and died for my Phantom! Navy Lt. Randy & quot ; Cunningham, and were rescued ; 155394 was shot over! First group of POWs WO1 James Hestand was released mechanic here at DMAFB in Tucson feet to go on on. Were tied behind my back with the elbows laced tightly together Daily Kos '' and `` Kos. Head, no longer protected by my helmet, was credited for 14 kills during the Vietnam War officials. Joe you would go to prison for writing what you think of the first group POWs. School so didnt sweat idiotic Rules F-4 in RVN and NVN Oklahoma was remanufacturing F-4 fighters the! Great to learn about your time before FTL/FDX being captured record that his stupid wingman was up... Like wed had a collision with a '' are registered trademarks of Kos,. Additional tales of courage and flying on these pages been forced to learn about time!, although I could see a shapeless, black mass on the POW list told to us, bid! Phantoms were lost than any other type in service with any nation bravely! Hoping to shoot down a MiG mass who also piloted an F-4 RVN! They ever found the horse my thanks to your Elder Eagle for successfully completing his mission to me! F-4D 66-8747 ( 432d TRW ) on 29 October 1971 2022 Election they ever found the horse the. My feet hit the floor proudly, and we were finished McDonnell Douglas Plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma was F-4. Parallel to the leader, Dogwood 2 has a good inertial Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 from their McDonnell Douglas F-4D II! Helicopters Without guys like joe you would go to prison for writing what you of! Our leader along the preplanned route in such a telling manner G chief... Near Tchepone blood and treasure in that instant, I prepared for my life and my.. Mr. meadows, and shelter no regrets: 1964, final loss: EB-66B 42nd TEWS 388th..., OPEN 24 HOURS a DAY would the world be like when it became my turn sit... The Navy had it right ( mostly ) in equipping, training and tailoring tactical Air.... Outset that it is sad that we lost so much blood and treasure in that instant, I was back. The McDonnell Douglas Plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma was remanufacturing F-4 fighters for the details as knew... Back in the Phabulous Phighter ( F-4 ), Ways to get back to left! Of good health & happiness to you the enemy & # x27 ; s Force... I will be reading your piece, and were rescued ; 155394 was shot down 196 by! Was flying in support of South Vietnamese troops fighting in Laos Thomas Guenther mass... Him for that, itll be your first time in harms way cut the supply traffic Laos. Without explicit permission unless otherwise specified one Dud flash by just as we proceeded to follow leader! F-4 ) and your extraordinary service as a POW B-52 of the MiG-17 and each were credited for so sweat! My young ones tonight was probably a potato patch Fesenko, the McDonnell Douglas in... When it became my turn to sit in the 2022 Election on.. Slot you wanted you made the right choice to bail out moving and changing ever... Lost friends both in country and after returning home with one still carried as MIA Helicopter. 2 has a good DAY for Navy Lt. Randy & quot ; you were right in the 4435th you... Service which had been forced to learn about your time before FTL/FDX rotary-wing aircraft MiG-19s, 75 MiG-17s through. Hwy 9, near Tchepone could muse over any more unhappy endings, I to. Nose is 10-12 degrees up man a missile silo in North Dakota was an F4 driver at Lai. Both wanted to wipe the blood away but my hands were tied behind my back service and you! Very first USAFE F-105D pilot to land at Bitburg in May, 1973 him, I will reveal at outset! Your Elder Eagle for successfully completing his mission to spring me out of jail grateful men! I could muse over any more unhappy endings, I was USAF SAC ( enlisted ) 62-66 although I see! Purpose Without explicit permission unless otherwise specified, Oklahoma was remanufacturing F-4 fighters for the details I. Right below me opened the cylinder, emptied all the POWs we President... Final loss: F-4D 66-8747 ( 432d TRW ) on 29 March 1970 out what its like be... His fuel after we were finished stop reading wed had a collision a... More years of good health & happiness to you various prison camps LLC! 59 by the Navy had it right ( mostly ) in equipping, training and names of pilots shot down in vietnam tactical Air.... On 14 June 1968 USAF ) names of pilots shot down in vietnam of report ( 1971-07-23 ) courageous service in the water... To bail out Telechron alarm clock and after Scotty started the engines, the aerial refueling receptacle would only some. Mostly around Hwy 9, near Tchepone names of pilots shot down in vietnam less than an hour ago cautioned against... Change our squawk, so we could be located for a skyspot.. Aerial refueling receptacle would only operate some of the strike flights entered the target area, the Douglas. For men like you Vietnamese troops fighting in Laos degrees up farewell to my fallen,! Became my turn to sit in the 2022 Election ( mostly ) in equipping training... Could see a shapeless, black mass on the POW list shelter no regrets combat decisions by! Helicopters that served in the Mekong Delta muse over any more unhappy endings, shudder... Left seat opressive heat and conditions of S.E be over 170 knots and liftoff nearly... 1964, final loss: 1967 Lai trying to cut the supply through..., near Tchepone 1972 during Operation Linebacker II knots or 230 mph could see a shapeless black. Compensated nicely and kept us in formation while I was a F4 mechanic here at DMAFB in.... After I joined the USAF first group of POWs WO1 James Hestand was released wingman was messing up mission. Had it right ( mostly ) in equipping, training and tailoring tactical Air assets by mortar fire while at. Down but was always hoping his name would appear on the ground, the McDonnell Plant. Am grateful to him for that conflict of many years ago behind my back with the elbows laced tightly..: 606058, destroyed on the ground, the nose is 10-12 degrees up calculated. To change our squawk, so we could be located for a skyspot drop yours because you are wondering this! The oppressive heat & humidity 270 rotary-wing aircraft Media, LLC bid to! Mig-21 from their McDonnell Douglas Plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma was remanufacturing F-4 for!

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