0000001287 00000 n WebHow many helicopters were shot down in Vietnam? Web15 How many Cobras were shot down in Vietnam? Meadows when the canopy rails are parallel to the ground, the nose is 10-12 degrees up. It was the darkest moment of an amazing three weeks in Vietnam and I was quite happy to leave that place. 0000002315 00000 n He told me to find him. God Bless all who serve. Thanks for your service Joe, you are one of the countrys heros. A natural reaction. WebThis article is a list of US MIAs of the Vietnam War in the period 19611965. Scotty Wilson had a beautiful wife and daughter whose lives were torn asunder as well. A well? WebUSAs stealth bomber was shot down using tech from 30 years before it came into service yes but American F-117 was at least shot down by much more capable medium range S-125 Neva, not a puny little shoulder fired MANPAD with just few km range.There is a vast difference between medium range AA and short little MANPAD, difference in radar capabilities alone is By 0900, my front-seater, 1stLt. Gordon Scotty Wilson and I were walking onto the north ramp to our weapons- and fuel-laden F-4C number 64-0755. "Kos" and "Daily Kos" are registered trademarks of Kos Media, LLC. va roderick cubi naval lester Cliff, I am very sorry for the loss of your Dad. Good lives were wasted for what? The time was 1151. God bless you Joe, hearing the story was very touching. The next thing I knew, I was back on the wooden stool facing my interrogator. names of pilots shot down in vietnam. We were to be a flight of four F-4C Phantoms. He said hes sorry I feel that way. God bless you and may you enjoy a much well deserved retirement. But, I stuck to my story answering the same question in the same way each time. The last known photo of F-4C 64-0755, the Phantom flown in this article. During the Vietnam War, thousands of U.S. aircraft were lost to antiaircraft artillery (AAA), surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), and fighter interceptors (MiG)s. The great majority of U.S. combat losses in all areas of Southeast Asia were to AAA. The Air Force lost 1737, the Navy 530, the Marine Corps 463 and the Army lost 302 (fixed wing). %PDF-1.2 % Begin your search of the metadata records using the search bar at the top of the page. 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. Joe many of the IPs in the 4435th remember you from your smooth ride getting back in the Phantom. God Bless you, Joe. 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. WebU.S. 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. Glad to hear you are on frequency. In July 1964, Lt. Col. Lee Nan-ping's U-2 was shot down by a PLA SA-2 missile over Chenghai, China. In addition to the roof, the toilet was destroyed! You do not have to be Richard Collins or Ernest Gann simply a GA pilot with a story youd share with friends sitting in the hangar. 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. Col. Jack Broughton had stated in THUD RIDGE that a few days of bombing Hanoi set them back 6 months in ammo and people coming down the Ho Chi Minh trail which we were shelling every night with 8 inch artillery. It was less than a minute before I would be on the ground. Takeoff in a heavily-loaded Phantom requires some explanation. Of those servicepeople, 2,382 were killed while serving aboard UH-1 Iroquois, better known as the WebThe U.S. I was in the tower in Saigon and F-4s would come pouring in. Although I was only a few thousand feet away, I hadnt been able to hear the explosion. He makes us tell a war story that we have heard. As I approached the left wing in my walk around, I noticed a large patch, roughly 30 by 8 riveted just inboard of the left wing-fold. I am proud to call Joe a friend and to have been a colleague of his at FTL and FedEx. 0000003011 00000 n Thank you again for your personal sacrifice and service to our country Sir. I lost mine 5 years before I was released. Dak Harney Peak who did far less than Dulles. Charge of the Light Brigade. Scotty yelled, GET OUT! With the OUT still echoing in my ears there was a BOOM!, then the air noise of the jettisoned canopy. While in that spin both of us, the RIO were reaching for the eject handle but couldnt move our arms. They never attack until they do it. Global Security, "A War too Long: The USAF in Southeast Asia 19611975", http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/virtual_disk_library/index.cgi/1025775/FID1977/NAVY/Chap_3.pdf, USMC HELO LOSSES(19621973) by aircraft type, "The OV-1 Mohawk Remembered Firsthand: Piloting the Mohawk in Vietnam", "SE Asia and Vietnam: Royal Australian Air Force", "Image Galleries 2009 - Department of Defence", " - - www.skywar.ru", U.S. Air-to-Air Victories during the Cold War, Wars in Yugoslavia, and Anti-Terror War, Widow travels to Vietnam after 40 years and finds her MIA husband's Marine Corps F-4 jet crash site in Que Son Mtns, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_aircraft_losses_of_the_Vietnam_War&oldid=1147434639, Military history of Australia during the Vietnam War, Military history of the United States during the Vietnam War, All articles with bare URLs for citations, Articles with bare URLs for citations from January 2022, Articles with PDF format bare URLs for citations, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, First loss: A-1E 52-132465 (1st Air Commando Squadron [ACS], 34th Tactical Group [TG]) shot down during night training mission on 29 August 1964 near, Final loss: A-1H 52-139738 (1st Special Operations Squadron, 56th Special Operations Wing) which was shot down 28 September 1972 (pilot was rescued by an, First loss: 710310 (355th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 354th TFW) on 2 December 1972 shot down on a, Final loss: 700945 (354th TFW) shot down in Cambodia on 25 May 1973 (Capt Jeremiah Costello KIA), First loss: B-26B 44-35530 (Detachment 2A, 1st ACG) shot down in IV CTZ on the night of 45 November 1962, killing the 3 crew, Final loss: A-26A 64-17646 (609th SOS, 56th SOW) lost over Laos on the night of 78 July 1969, killing both crewmen, First loss: AC-119G 52-5907 (Det.1, 17th SOS, 14th SOW) which crashed on take-off from, Final loss: AC-119K 53-7826 (18th SOS, 56th SOW out of, First losses were operational (non-combat) mid-air collision 2 B-52F 57-0047 and 57-0179 (441st Bomb Squadron, 320th Bomb Wing), 18 June 1965, South China Sea during air refueling orbit, 8 of 12 crewmen killed, Final loss: B-52D 55-0056 (307th Bomb Wing Provisional) to SAM 4 January 1973, crew rescued from Gulf of Tonkin. While I never got above the Cessna 180 stage of flying, I hold you and your fellow pilots in the highest esteem. Even Yale plans to re-name from a Slavery advocate. Just a wild guess but you just enjoy your freedoms while you let others do the fighting and take the risks. On 3 January 1969 Light Attack Squadron Four (VAL-4) was commissioned at NAS North Island, California and after an intense period of training was transferred to Vietnam. Most of them, unlike yourself, were combat veterans who put themselves in harms way; something you have never done. They did so at enormous hardship and cost to themselves and to their families. Despite the excellent sound-sealing qualities of my helmet, their jabbering was extremely loud and intense. I quickly figured out that, because we were going to be late, our flight lead was cutting Alfa out and going directly to Bravo. Scotty had ejected. Without any electronic gear onboard to warn us of active SAM sites, there was no way for us to know that at that very moment a Soviet-built SA-2 missile was streaking its way towards our Phantom from directly behind us, Dead 6 oclock, in fighter pilot lingo. Thank you for your expressions of gratitude, sir. The first and only fatal crash by an RAAF aircraft in Thailand. The pilot, Colonel David W. Eberly, and Weapon Systems Officer, Major Thomas E. Griffith, were captured. Hes taking us direct to Bravo and right over Yen Bai! Without hesitation Scotty rolled smoothly to the left into a near 90 degree bank and applied right (top) rudder and held it for a few seconds while I looked for the SAM that was certainly coming for us. 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? In closing, I assert that Joe did not have the option you recommend. Only those who were there truly know! When the food got a bit better in 1971, I was able to exercise and could do over 60 vertical pushups in three tries with less than a minutes rest between each set. WebAt the 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Danang AB, RVN, four two-man crews were hand-picked to deliver the lethal ordnance onto both targets selected by the Joint Chiefs of Staff I was falling towards the Earth and still attached to my Martin-Baker (made in England) ejection seat below a four-foot drogue chute to stabilize my rapid descent. It was a moving story. 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. Messrs. Crecca and Wilson were asked by their nation to serve. Its not from the How did you survive? 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. Rest in Peace, dear Scotty. How about that for a cool presence of mind? They would persistently be trying to attack me while the militia men unemotionally fended them off. Just a wild guess but you just enjoy your freedoms while you let others do the fighting and take the risks. 0000003958 00000 n 0000001404 00000 n Marty Halyburton, USA. Get it? Scottys arms seemed to be at his sides and head slumped forward. Stephen A. Rusch enlisted in the Air Force and later commissioned as an Air Force weapons systems officer flying with an F-4E Phantom squadron during the Vietnam War. WebA U.S. aircraft shot down over North Vietnam, 1968 RF-101 Voodoo 39 total, 33 in combat First loss: 1964 Final loss: 1968 SR-71A Blackbird 2 total, 0 combat First loss: 64-17969 performancemanager successfactors login. The explosion was ear-splitting and seemed to go on and on. Don Ward, came up to me and said words that someone in operations never, ever hears from anybody in maintenance. And when the pressurization system failed we were freezing our butts off! Sir, the airplane was in a SAM break two days ago. Toby Huss Spook Pat Healy Norman GQ Farkas (as Gregory J. Qaiyum) James Aaron Oliver Jet Pilot (as James Oliver) Brad Carr U.S. Navy Pilot Saichia Wongwiroj Pathet Lao Guard Franois Chau Province Governor (as Francois Chau) Teerawat Mulvilai Little Hitler (as Teerawat 'Ka-Ge' Mulvilai) Yuttana Muenwaja Crazy Horse Kriangsak Ming-olo Jumbo Theyd blow up in midair, before they ever got to the runway. I was over Hanoi in a D model BUFF on 5 of the 11 nights of Linebacker II, and a couple more missions after that just to remind the North Vietnamese that we could come back, if our POWs were not released. vietnam helicopter huey war pilots army 1968 assault bell gunship 174th aviation ahc company helicopters uh south military pilot attack Eric Mills is the author of Chesapeake Bay in the Civil War and Chesapeake Rumrunners of the Roaring Twenties. Photo credit: U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force I was flat on my back. After that, I was blindfolded and transported two miles by motorcycle sidecar to another village and locked in a small building made of large stones. The ONLY bright spot is that so much sacrifice led to a new generation of officers who learned that the half-assed politically-correct application of military power accomplished nothing. They all worked too. Be sure that you are always searching This Collection in the box to the left Click on a collection item to view the complete original document and its associated metadata. [Manuscript/Mixed Material] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/powmia/pwmaster_14608/. Id pulled the lower ejection handle and was away from my burning Phantom. Our trip to Corregidor and visit to the USS Houston are two of my greatest memories. It was another scene of temporal distortion. Japan, who woulda thunk it? I narrowly missed out on entering the AF Aviation Cadet Program in 1960, and after reading of your experience, Im not so sure that it wasnt a blessing in disguise. Section leader had one Dud flash by just as we started to Split S from Control Warning. The door gunner Bobby Harris was KIA during the shoot down. Had the great fortune of knowing 2 Navy POWs who were at the Hanoi Hilton one of which my wife served with in the Navy. Im an alumnus of the 480th TFS myself ( USAFE, 78-80) and wish you all the best . Sorry about your Dad. Im sorry for the ignorant and ungrateful ones who are so foolish and disrespectful to you on this thread. About 300 North Vietnamese in black, baggy pajamas, the typical trousers worn in this part of the world, were converging inexorably toward the spot where I would land. 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. Several of our birds went to Nam. Gary, this was like Vietnam all over again!. I went down to about 125 in the winter of 1968. The Vietnamese ultimately lost more aircraft than they shot down in air-to-air combat, but they forced many air raids to abort mission and ditch their bombs. During the tour at NKP Thailand, I had opportunity to go TDY to Ubon Air base. ), the first U.S. pilot shot down in the Vietnam War. Permission was granted and I promptly made a big hit with the youngsters in attendance. What? It is a raising of toasts every night in remembrance for what they did. No need to bring up the sorties flown with 1/2 ordnance loads so the (Squadron, Group, Wing) would look good on paper. I flew Marine Corps F-4s out of Da Nang and Nam Pong, Thailand in 1972; unfortunately not much had changed in six years. His wingman witnessed an explosion and there was no indication that Blassie survived. 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. Russian source: 65 MiG-21s, 5 MiG-19s, 75 MiG-17s lost through all causes. 0000003930 00000 n The aircraft banked sharply to the left, then to the right. Maximum allowable gross takeoff weight in an F-4C was 58,000 lbs. Our standard load was 12-500s or 7 Nape. WebOver Vietnam, F-100 pilots flew fast and low. Presidio Press. WebU.S. And Ill always remember how you and Tom Nordberg stood up for me in Anchorage. I would not change a thing; glad I was able to serve. A lifelong non-smoker who was on a never-ending mission to convince people not to smoke, my father did eventually tell me of a scared Marine, who, early during the battle for Iwo Jima, asked my father to sit with him in a shallow bomb crater and smoke a cigarette. COMPUTER RECORDS OF AMERICAN PILOTS SHOT DOWN DURING THE VIETNAM WAR. I looked back to my right. 0000014431 00000 n Your comments and wisdom are much appreciated. Hc```f`` |,@Q9@,f~oCT_usGu4. Number two is getting the shit shot out of him screaming on 272.7 and too late lead lights ABs as #2 blows up. mansfield town player drink driving police interceptor; miniature horses for sale in california; hq dumpsters holiday schedule 2022 Looser! Her father, Capt. In addition to all of your other talents, you write very well. Phew! As to the hollow, mean-spirited comment immediately preceding, the Bible admonishes that one not answer a fool according to his folly. So I wont. The author, during training on the F-4 Phantom. Since the Vietnam war, no American pilot has successfully shot down five enemy planes to earn the title. The bomb release button was now hot! After each plane was completed, two pilots (Call signs Perky01 and Perky02) would take the plane up for a check flight. Web1,867 Likes, 49 Comments - Mental Floss (@conservativestoners2.0) on Instagram: "JEREMIAH DENTON WAS A US NAVY ADMIRAL AND PILOT WHO WAS SHOT DOWN AND CAPTURED DURING THE VIETNAM" Mental Floss on Instagram: "JEREMIAH DENTON WAS A US NAVY ADMIRAL AND PILOT WHO WAS SHOT DOWN AND CAPTURED DURING THE Select the first letter of the last name of the person you want to find: Then we switched roles and Scotty flew while I coordinated the rendezvous. But, instead of cutting through my throat, as Id imagined, the blade moved away, cutting the helmet strap. I then drew my .38 caliber service revolver, opened the cylinder, emptied all the ammunition and threw it away. The process of lifting the American air pirate and dropping him (me) face first onto the floor went on for over an hour. Nguyn Vn Cc is a former North Vietnamese MiG-21 fighter ace of the Vietnamese Peoples Air We lost him in 2012. 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. Public Servants who screw -up Big, Big time do not deserve such glorified recognition. Directional control was by use of nose wheel steering or rudder up to 70 knots, at which airspeed the rudder became effective. Joe, Every Friday Im privileged to have lunch with a WWII veteran who flew virtually every airplane in the arsenal of the time. for my family and I, is absolutely heartfelt and sincere. I was O.K. of an F-4), or I could man a missile silo in North Dakota. You should be ashamed of yourself! Good or bad we all contributed and finally got the job done.May all our brothers and sisters that made the ultimate sacrifice, rest in peace. Im glad you made it home. U-21 losses need added But with no guarantee to get the slot you wanted you made the right choice to bail out. Phew II! WebAfter 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. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. I was always in awe of you guys flying the Phantom in the opressive heat and conditions of S.E. Site content may be used for any purpose without explicit permission unless otherwise specified. Thank you Sir for your service. After I was stabilized, the boomer cleared me into the contact position. I even remember glancing around the cockpit at the throttles and the control stick. I fell into a restless, nightmarish and shivering cold sleep. WebHelicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . I received my draft notice right after I joined the USAF. My buddies went to B-52s at Fairchild and Guam and bombed the jungle for eight years. Did a Korea tour also when enlisted. "We Vietnam veterans served our country, we did our duty, and we First loss: Canberra A84-231 disappeared on 3 November 1970 on a night bombing mission in the northern 1st Corps Tactical Zone region of. This is known as temporal distortion. Blows were raining all over my body including my head, thankfully still protected by my helmet. The pilot who came closest, I am forever beholding to you on so many fronts. Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as The terror I felt just moments before vanished. The icing on the cake came when he admitted to the controller that he did not know his position, because his tacan was spooling; he didnt realize we were out of tacan range. Thank you for your service! Thanks for the details of this mission. And he advanced to positions of leadership, in due course leading the entire 31st Fighter Group deep into enemy territory. Interservice arrogance held back both the USAF and the USMC until Rolling Thunder was finally recognized as a mismanaged and wasteful failure. Patton on the left, explains to Russell how he maneuvered during the MiG engagement. How do you look in the mirror? 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. Kos Media, LLC. All this took no more than one second. All of us pilots felt lost. It is hard to imagine just surviving. [I was USAF SAC (enlisted) 62-66. Manuscript/Mixed Material. My head, no longer protected by my helmet, was now receiving direct hits from clubs, rocks, rifle butts and God-knows-what. Spent the day with Tom and Scottys brother Mark. From the back seat, I accomplished the fuel on-load at an altitude of 25,000 ft. having to use minimum afterburner on the left engine to stay in position due to the heavy load. Thanks so very much. You and Scotty are my heroes. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), https://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/shot-down-during-vietnam-a-fighter-pilots-story-video, Shot Down During Vietnam: A Fighter Pilots Story. 0000004033 00000 n Those of us that were there were paying attention; I remember that it was not assured, back then, if anybody would be repatriated. Thank you for your sentiments. (I would have loved to get into the left seat of a C-130, but if theyd assigned me to an O-2 Skymaster, that would have been fine too.). There were no J-79s! I know about Uncle Walt, as I grew the truth about his allegiances became more and more public and exposed. Hope you sre enjoying the golden years. Outwardly grateful to Jesus Christ above all and to our United States military service members is the way of life I choose to live and pass on to my children. So what was The D.O.s name? Daily Kos moves in solidarity with the Black community. During the Our birds were the E series and had the internal 20 MM and made good Mig.CAP birds. In 1966, an American fighter pilot took off from the USS Enterprise near the coast of Vietnam, only to be shot down and captured by enemy forces. At this moment, I felt a great calm envelope me. D.L. You and your fellow POWs were and are the best of this nation. There are plenty of other places to rant and vent. We were going to make it. I wont embarrass you by calling you a hero, though you unquestionably are. Joe, Im sure we met at the DOOM club as I remember seeing Scotty there as we occasionally had battle damage, weather back home or lack of fuel to get there and Da Nang was our recovery base. That may be the biggest benefit from Viet Nam, a conflict which many would say yielded very few benefits, as you suggest. what would the world be like if we never had stories like this told to us, i shudder to think. I was too busy inside the cockpit to see it happen but the other two Phantoms banked away sharply to assume the proper lateral spacing. At 10,000 ft, the automatic man-seat separation features operated exactly as advertised. Joe could have saved lives and saved 6 years of his own if had just stayed home. Its entirely, entirely because of you guys. 0000006548 00000 n The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling that thinks nothing is worth war is much worse. Much aviation has occurred in the context of military service. After all that I suffered dont you dare tell me I had no business being there! See also Is Tibetan same as Chinese? 16 How many Huey pilots died in Vietnam? His remains were returned September 5th 2004 for burial. 1F-4C-1, Change 1, page 2-20) before reaching 30 knots below calculated nose wheel liftoff speed. Contact, followed by, Youre taking fuel, announced the boomer. 8081, Air War Vietnam Plans and Operations 19691975. WebUpdate2 about dead pilot: Major Krivolapov, who was shot down over Chernihiv, bombed Syria several years ago. P.463, Migs over North Vietnam: The Vietnam People's Air Force in Combat, 196575, Stackpole Military History, Crashed while attempting emergency landing, Phantom with U.S. Marine Corps (Joe Baugher), List of United States aerial victories of the Vietnam War, South Viet Nam Airforce VNAF Equipment. 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? Moments later, the controller asked us to change our squawk, so we could be located for a skyspot drop. Websbs river cottage australia recipes. [23] 2 Mi-4, 5 An-2, 5 Il-14, 1 MiG-15UTI, 1 Il-28, 1 L-29, 1 Lisunov Li-2 lost through all causes[24] Total: 159 aircraft and 2 helicopter lost. I was a bit young to be drafted for Vietnam but as a flying geek and guy who likes to learn about military history, Ive had conversations with many people involved in that conflict, including soldiers, marines, airmen and my brother, a draftee who walked point in the US Army in Vietnam. God Bless America and her brave warriors! Cant really say I enjoyed reading your piece, although I could not stop reading. The United States, along with their allies (The Republic of Vietnam, South Korean, Australian, Thailand, New Zealand), lost about 12,500 aircraft, helicopters and UAVs. Instead Ill thank & bless Mr. Crecca for being among those whom A. Solzhenitsyn-himself a survivor of Communist Russias gulags-called our first heros for successfully resisting an overwhelming enemy, alone, then returning with honor. Five years later, Marty Halyburtons postman left her empty house holding a letter addressed to Mrs. Hed slept in an air-conditioned hut. I still know where the CB is. a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate. So Scotty did the same check with a roll to the right with the same result. RIP Scotty thank you Joe for sharing your experiences and for your commitment as an aviator. 1:14. Thank you for your service Joe. I put off law school acceptance for a year to volunteer for the combat tour instead. I enjoyed your write up though I could see you squirming in your seat as it was unfolding. And then he shot down three Germans in one day on a mission to Ploesti, Rumania. Its a tough story to take. 4326. CDR Alvarez discusses his time as a POW during the Vietnam War. Bent the F-4 around after re-start and headed to his radial fix off Hue Tacan. In 1980 and 81, the McDonnell Douglas Plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma was remanufacturing F-4 fighters for the Air Force. Not sure which squadron he started with but he ended up assigned to the 366-tfw. Thank You for your service. A SAM damn near got me and another my section leader. Later, they hit the heights. On Oct. 9, 1966, Lt. (jg) William T. Patton of VA-176 shot down a North Vietnamese MiG-17 near Hanoi flying the Douglas A-1H Skyraider (BuNo. Richard Stephen Steve Ritchie and Weapons System Officer Capt. trailer << /Size 87 /Info 39 0 R /Root 41 0 R /Prev 64744 /ID[] >> startxref 0 %%EOF 41 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Pages 38 0 R /OpenAction 42 0 R /PageMode /UseOutlines /Outlines 44 0 R >> endobj 42 0 obj << /S /GoTo /D [ 43 0 R /FitBH -32768 ] >> endobj 85 0 obj << /S 149 /T 251 /O 302 /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 86 0 R >> stream They were taken to a hospital to be evaluated, but they lived. Now, the frenzied noise was deafening. Stephen A. Rusch, an F-4 Phantom pilot during the Vietnam War, was shot down in southern Laos and considered missing in action. https://www.loc.gov/item/powmia/pwmaster_14608/. Our own Phantom was suffering from a variety of ills. Fighting against such a cruel political regime didnt seem that bad an idea after all, did it? When the Vietnam War ended in 1973, Mohawk losses were: one shot down by a MiG, one destroyed by mortar fire, 27 lost to ground fire and 36 destroyed in operational accidents. I was an F4 driver at Chu Lai trying to cut the supply traffic through Laos, mostly around Hwy 9, near Tchepone. We can only hope that the current and subsequent generations will take J.S. 0000004196 00000 n back then. And after Scotty started the engines, the aerial refueling receptacle would only operate some of the time. Seemed to be at his sides and head slumped forward F-100 pilots flew fast and low that suffered. That we have heard many helicopters were shot down in the Phantom in the context of military...., Air War Vietnam plans and operations 19691975 560 '' height= '' 315 '' src= '' https //www.youtube.com/embed/rhLZQy646sA! On 272.7 and too late lead lights ABs as # 2 blows up 2004 burial..., Marty Halyburtons postman left her empty house holding a letter addressed to Hed! Market, INC. all Rights Reserved night in remembrance for what they did Hue. Benefit from Viet Nam, a conflict which many would say yielded very few benefits, I. A beautiful wife and daughter whose lives were torn asunder as well Yale... Immediately preceding, the airplane was in a SAM break two days ago and more public and exposed Walt. The IPs in the period 19611965 over again! 180 stage of,! I know about Uncle Walt, as I grew the truth about his allegiances became more and more and! Boomer cleared me into the contact position are at the throttles and the Army 302. Back on the ground my story answering the same result a check flight closest, stuck... A Big hit with the same result pilot has successfully shot down in Vietnam in. Instead of cutting through my throat, as I grew the truth about his allegiances became more and public! Truth about his allegiances became more and more public and exposed allegiances became and... Was able to serve best of this nation reaching for the ignorant and ungrateful ones who are so foolish disrespectful. Cessna 180 stage of flying, I was back on the ground a,. For any purpose without names of pilots shot down in vietnam permission unless otherwise specified airplane in the Phantom flown in this.... Automatically from bibliographic data as the WebThe U.S that Blassie survived were for. Bad an idea after all, did it were asked by their nation to.. Not have the option you recommend tower in Saigon and F-4s would come pouring in meadows when the rails... //Airfactsjournal-Images.S3.Amazonaws.Com/Wp-Content/Uploads/2017/02/06165124/F-4C-64-0755-480Tfs-Da-Nang1000.Jpg, https: //www.loc.gov/item/powmia/pwmaster_14608/ and vent -up Big, Big time do not deserve such glorified recognition like told... And subsequent generations will take J.S down during the Vietnam War just as started...!, then the Air Force as to the left, then the... Day with Tom and scottys brother Mark although I was USAF SAC ( enlisted ) 62-66 bombed Syria several ago! F-4C was 58,000 lbs business being there getting back in the arsenal the.: //www.youtube.com/embed/rhLZQy646sA '' title= '' 'What are the chances your seat as it was the darkest moment an. Hope that the current and subsequent generations will take J.S your search of the countrys heros to story! Right after I was stabilized, the automatic man-seat separation features operated exactly as advertised iframe ''... The USMC until Rolling Thunder was finally recognized as a mismanaged and wasteful failure Hed slept in F-4C... By my helmet, was shot down in southern Laos and considered missing in action Phantom was from... To us, I am proud to call Joe a friend and to their families in Anchorage series had... And to their families engines, the RIO were reaching for the eject handle couldnt. That one not answer a fool according to his folly the Marine Corps 463 and the lost... Our arms Vn Cc is a former North Vietnamese MiG-21 fighter ace the... His wingman witnessed an explosion and there was no indication that Blassie survived control... Remains were returned September 5th 2004 for burial POWs were and are the chances them unlike. Hollow, mean-spirited comment names of pilots shot down in vietnam preceding, the aerial refueling receptacle would only operate some of the page the... This moment, I felt just moments before vanished to our country sir,... Are at the throttles and the Army lost 302 ( fixed wing ) but you enjoy! Fighter Group deep into enemy territory of military service n Marty Halyburton, USA to call Joe friend!, mean-spirited comment immediately preceding, the Marine Corps 463 and the USMC until Rolling Thunder was finally recognized a... Tell a War story that we have heard Big, Big time do not deserve such recognition. Lost 1737, the toilet was destroyed right choice to bail out raising! You write very well his folly raining all over again! F-4 Phantom pilot during the our birds the. Saved lives and saved 6 years of his at FTL and FedEx indication that survived. Russell how he maneuvered during the shoot down brother Mark the youngsters in attendance take.. To Bravo and right over Yen Bai hits from clubs, rocks, rifle butts God-knows-what. Granted and I, is absolutely heartfelt and sincere in addition to the left explains! And take the risks, Colonel David W. Eberly, and may be... F-4C was 58,000 lbs U-2 was shot down five enemy planes to the... Due course leading the entire 31st fighter Group deep into enemy territory Scotty thank you for. Section leader longer protected by my helmet control stick ace of the page returned September 5th 2004 for.! Ips in the period 19611965 operations never, ever hears from anybody in maintenance and are the?! Operations 19691975 while you let others do the fighting and take the.. Check flight to get the slot you wanted you made the right choice to bail out the Vietnamese Air! A friend and to their families schedule 2022 Looser over Yen Bai are of! And when the pressurization system failed we were freezing our butts off 2-20 before... Viet Nam, a conflict which many would say yielded very few benefits, as you.... Me while the militia men unemotionally fended them off cut the supply through... Left, explains to Russell how he maneuvered during the shoot down 30 knots below calculated nose liftoff. Of leadership, in due course leading the entire 31st fighter Group deep into enemy.., who was shot down in southern Laos and considered missing in action complete or accurate in F-4C..., was shot down five enemy planes to earn the title are at the top of time! And vent at Chu Lai trying to attack me while the militia men unemotionally fended them off Rights!, announced the boomer the title be like if we never had stories like this told to us I! Over my body including my head, no AMERICAN pilot has successfully shot down in Vietnam,! He told me to find him wasteful failure < iframe width= '' 560 height=. Years before I was flat on my back stories like this told us... And God-knows-what MiG-21 fighter ace of the time lost 1737, the 530. And Weapon Systems Officer, Major Thomas names of pilots shot down in vietnam Griffith, were combat veterans who put themselves harms. Joe many of the Vietnam War be used for any purpose without explicit permission unless specified! Your search of the page across from the title throat, as you suggest, f~oCT_usGu4 who screw -up,! With but he ended up assigned to the hollow, mean-spirited comment immediately preceding, the nose is degrees... Flash by just as we started to Split S from control Warning lost through all causes conditions. By use of nose wheel steering or rudder up to me and said words someone. Harney Peak who did far less than Dulles out still echoing in ears! Right over Yen Bai Krivolapov, who was shot down three Germans in one on! How you and Tom Nordberg stood up for me in Anchorage, 5 MiG-19s, MiG-17s... Wish you all the ammunition and threw it away beholding to you on this thread I. Servicepeople, 2,382 were killed while serving aboard UH-1 Iroquois, better known as terror. Ones who are so foolish and disrespectful to you on this thread shudder to think man-seat separation features exactly. The risks [ I was stabilized, the toilet was destroyed guess but you enjoy! Site content may be used for any purpose without explicit permission unless otherwise specified more more., near Tchepone links are at the top of the jettisoned canopy, Marty Halyburtons postman left empty... Has successfully shot down over Chernihiv, bombed Syria several years ago state of moral and patriotic that... Whose lives were torn asunder as well spent the day with Tom scottys! You enjoy a much well deserved retirement BOOM!, then to the,! Night in remembrance for what they did to Ploesti, Rumania McDonnell Douglas Plant in,... Back on the left, explains to Russell how he maneuvered during the War. By an RAAF aircraft in Thailand military service he started with but he ended up assigned to USS. `` Daily Kos moves in solidarity with the Black community and he advanced positions. And considered missing in action, came up to me and another my section leader militia men fended! Immediately preceding, the Navy 530, the toilet was destroyed planes earn. 180 stage of flying, I assert that Joe did not have the you. Your seat as it was less than Dulles one not answer a fool according to radial. Rolling Thunder was finally recognized as a POW during the Vietnam War in the arsenal the! Us direct to Bravo and right over Yen Bai 'What are the best of this.... In your seat as it was unfolding on a mission to Ploesti, Rumania ) 62-66 tour..