Thank you for your service and thank you for sharing your incredible experience in such a telling manner. While I never got above the Cessna 180 stage of flying, I hold you and your fellow pilots in the highest esteem. And we were just below that weight when we left Danang AB, RVN from runway 17L on the 22ndof November 1966. . My best pal POW was shot down precisely because of an incompetent FL chasing a MiG-17 at 350 knots in a Soviet wheel! Scotty was probably hit by shrapnel from the missile. Misty FACs operated from 15 June 1967 to 19 May 1970. 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. USAF/ Air National Guard (Retired). Phew II! If you do that, itll be your first time in harms way. Republic F-105 Thunderchief. I wanted to join you in 1969 after college graduation, but my eyes only qualified me as good enough for USAF navigator. 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. [4] 877 Republic of Vietnam aircraft were captured at war's end (1975)[5] Of the 2750[6] aircraft and helicopters received by South Vietnam, only about 308 survived (240 flew to Thailand or US warships[7] and 68 returned to the United States[8]). But there was no SAM. I felt and heard the clunk of the probe making contact with the open jaws of the receptacle located on the back of my Phantom some 10 feet behind me. Instead, dummy missiles had been placed at the site as a "flak trap.". Thanks so very much. Phew! Im sorry for the ignorant and ungrateful ones who are so foolish and disrespectful to you on this thread. 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. Subconsciously I probably realized I was sitting alone in the back seat of a burning airplane. What? I would not change a thing; glad I was able to serve. All commenters here need to start this needed movement for due change. At 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 (JCS). Final loss: C-130E 72-1297 (314th TAW) destroyed by rocket fire at Tan Son Nhut AB on 28 April 1975. Then, I was pushed face down to the floor and blindfolded. 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. Section leader had one Dud flash by just as we started to Split S from Control Warning. The 1850 John Stuart Mill quote and your comment that you posted above is powerful and right on. I served as Navy, lost friends both in country and after returning home with one still carried as MIA Army Helicopter Pilot. As for Mr. Fearn, Politics aside, we probably did back the wrong side. 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. Sad to hear that your Dad didnt tell you much about his missions. May God continue to bless you. It was the darkest moment of an amazing three weeks in Vietnam and I was quite happy to leave that place. I knew from some of the other Tigers that you had been a POW, but never heard the details of your harrowing tale. The author, during training on the F-4 Phantom. Defense Department officials say 1st Lt. Carl D. Nesbitt died when his plane was shot down in May . God bless you Joe, hearing the story was very touching. Encountered SAMs Finger Lakes area. Joe I want to start by thanking you profusely for attending and speaking at my brother Johns funeral 3 years ago. I did enjoy reading this and I am grateful for men like you. 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. 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. Very sadly, according to the DOD, 1,616 of our brothers are still missing in S.E. 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. My brother got spit on when he landed in Atlanta on his way home. 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? Joe, thanks for sharing and honoring Scotty. The next thing I knew, I was back on the wooden stool facing my interrogator. Lonely feeling for a pilot over enemy territory. 1:00 Jan. 6 will mark 50 years since former Newburgh resident Dave Middleton was shot down in Vietnam while piloting a Loach helicopter on a mission to which he wasn't originally assigned.. 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. The pilot Lieutenant J. M. Krommenhoek is Missing in Action. Not sure which squadron he started with but he ended up assigned to the 366-tfw. Contact, followed by, Youre taking fuel, announced the boomer. First loss: EC-121R 67-24193 (554th Reconnaissance Squadron, 553d RW) crashed 25 April 1969 on take-off in a thunderstorm from. Million-dollar wound some would call it through the knee, with the bones barely nicked. We did not know if anyone survived! Dulles had his chance to prevent the un-needed War. They all worked too. Crash Location: Near Ap Bac, Chau Doc Province, South Vietnam. In fact, there is no way you may be honored equal to what you gave. And Ill always remember how you and Tom Nordberg stood up for me in Anchorage. I never came face-to-face with either asshole but I emailed the flight lead recently and told him off that he was incompetent, got Scotty Wilson killed, cost the USAF an F-4, caused my Fathers premature death and was responsible for unimaginable hardships for Scottys widow and daughter not to mention my 6+ years in prison. Thanks, again, for your story many more years of good health & happiness to you. I am most grateful for the hero status conferred upon me by the predominance of commenters. Of those servicepeople, 2,382 were killed while serving aboard UH-1 Iroquois, better known as the ubiquitous "Huey." Contents [ hide] (Shaking head sadly) It seems theres always someone willing to take a conversation on an inappropriate tangent. Thank you President Nixon for my life and my freedom. Joe, I fly a POW/MIA flag below Old Glory everydayin honor of you, Scotty, and all the other heroes that sacrificed so much in that war. In burner, diving out of 20, didnt take long to head toward So China Sea. If your anti-Vietnam War feelings are still that strong, I dare you to walk up to a highly-decorated Vietnam combat veteran, preferably a Marine or Soldier and vent your anti-war feelings to him, face-to-face! John Stuart Mill Don Ward, came up to me and said words that someone in operations never, ever hears from anybody in maintenance. If I were you, I wouldnt take the airplane., I was in disbelief about what I had just been told, but a realist about the exigencies surrounding me and said to Sergeant Ward that he should tell Lt. Wilson what he had just told me which he did. How many MiGs were shot down in Bolo? Many times not all returned from their missions. Wonderful story. Thank you sir for your service. He said hes sorry I feel that way. As the nose rises, pitch attitude must be controlled to achieve a nose-high attitude of 10 to 12 degrees. His remains were returned to the USA in April, 1986, and he is interred at the Air Force Academy Cemetery, Colorado Springs, Colorado. The claimed flying aces of the Vietnam War, pilots who shot down five or more enemy aircraft, include 19 North Vietnamese pilots (six MiG-17 and 13 MiG-21 pilots),[1]:228 and five Americans. Our intel chief Major Art Weiner briefed us on all aspects of our mission including weather and defenses. 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. Richard Armstrong. The direct hit had felt like wed had a collision with a fully-loaded cement truck. And Ill salute only with that nickname fondly given him by my children, our Elder Eagle, who flew Linebacker BUFFS, along with numerous other often difficult taskings, during his 28 years in USAF. This is aviation commentary. He called me to come back coming out of a Split S spin. AIRCRAFT SHOT DOWN DURING THE VIETNAM WAR BY USN/USMC PILOTS. Crecca/Wilson International would be my recommendation in honor of a deceased F4 pilot and a 6 year POW since the F4 was the most numerous of Vietnam War aircraft casualties. And thanks to one incident at Tulsa International Airport sometime around January of 1981, I know how much the loss of servicemen and women can mean to people you might never suspect would have any feelings at all. In fact all those who kept us in the air were. Presently it dishonors over 50,000 dead and how many maimed and wounded? First loss: operational (non-combat), F-4C 64-0674 (45TH TFS, 15th TFW) which ran out of fuel after strike in SVN on 9 June 1965; first combat loss F-4C 64-0685 (45th TFS, 15th TFW) shot down Ta Chan, NW NVN on 20 June 1965. I remember their faces were not contorted with anger or hatred but rather with kind expressions of understanding almost bordering on a smile. Dog boned Six and direct hit, had to send some Russian Techs to the Beyond. Dogwood 4 was an MND, Maintenance Non Delivery, i.e., no airplane! French-Indo China had been an imperialist hot bed for years, not to mention part of the communist domino effect after WW 2 that everyone was paranoid about. There was a terrifyingly loud and long explosion followed by staccato metal-to-metal sounds, probably of the J-79 turbine and compressor blades departing for parts unknown. 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 hope the AFJ editor will exercise more discretion in the future. The USN was the only service which had been forced to learn power projection as the fundamental war-fighting technique. 3 Enclosures included: COMUSMACV MSG DTD 050023Z and Evaluations. I am grateful to him for that, beyond measure. After licking their wounds, North Vietnamese pilots again began challenging American aviators in late April, but as the fighting intensified in May, it became apparent that they would not succeed. I have four children- ages 34, 30, 11 and 8 and am Grandma to 3 ages 8, 8 & 5. Moments later, the controller asked us to change our squawk, so we could be located for a skyspot drop. Yeh, the F-4s wings dont come off even from a SAM induced Spin. The pain was unbearable except that I had to bear it whether I wanted to or not. Both were exactly right because the top of my parachute was practically in the bottom of the clouds right above me. God Bless You for your service. If you are wondering how this is possible, I will reveal at the outset that it is not possible. 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. That may be the biggest benefit from Viet Nam, a conflict which many would say yielded very few benefits, as you suggest. Only once did I ever have an airplane problem (pressurization system) until that SAM hit us. [1], There were about 11,846 U.S helicopters that served in the Vietnam War. I looked around me to see hundreds of people, mostly villagers, including old folks and children. He had the smoke trail spotted and wanted revenge. In order to avoid my radio falling into enemy hands where it could be used to lure American rescue teams into an ambush, I broke the antenna and tossed it. So glad that you made it back in one piece, and were able to continue flying. Both Aircrew members ejected and were rescued; 155394 was shot down on 29 October 1971. I presume because these stories are such difficult memories, we do not hear enough of them. Only loss: 51-15565 (432d Tactical Reconnaissance Wing) which crashed in Thailand 28 December 1966, both crewmen survived, Only loss: 63-13102 (5th SOS, 14th SOW) shot down 14 August 1969 near Bien Hoa, killing 1/Lt Roger Brown, Final loss: 600282 (38th ARRS) crashed Cam Ranh Bay 7 August 1969, crew rescued, Last losses: four CH-53s (68-10925, 10926, 10927, 701627, all from, C-1A 146016 (Composite Squadron Five VC-5), operational loss (non-combat) 8 August 1967, 3 passengers and 2 crew rescued, Final loss: C-1A 146054 (Carrier Air Wing 11, USS. My head, no longer protected by my helmet, was now receiving direct hits from clubs, rocks, rifle butts and God-knows-what. They did not want to lose their Skin in this deadly game while other Americans bravely went to war. Source's information probably relates to the incident.. We did that maneuver three times until clear of the array of Yen Bai SAM sites. Charles Barbin DeBellevue successfully shot down a North Vietnamese-flown Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 from their McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II. !Cheers my friend. Both Aircrew members were Killed In-Action, Last VAL-4 loss: 155461 crashed on 9 February 1972. Our airplane flew out of the fireball with orange flames and thick, black smoke trailing from the wings, fuselage and tail. Meadows His wingman was Paul Reyes. Now, the frenzied noise was deafening. Sign up for our free email newsletter, packed with tips, tricks and news for pilots. Just to the right of Scottys lifeless figure was the light-brown and white cloud characteristic of an SA-2 detonation! A few of the men wore shoddy uniforms and were armed with old-looking, bolt-action rifles. It was less than a minute before I would be on the ground. 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. Hap. 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. Fritz was going Delta Airlines and I was bound for Law school so didnt sweat idiotic Rules. The NVA never admitted to capturing them! I was asked the same questions over and over in an attempt to trip me up. One night I flew #2 to a newly crowned pentagon prince. Enroute, we learned USAF had discovered a major truck convoy up near the Plain of Jars, wanting help. 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. I completely agree with everything Jim D. (below) writes. God Bless them all. The black, shapeless mass of Vietnamese peasants was all over me. Our flight should never have been going into the target. Re-reading the bulk of the comments to my article was a pleasurable and uplifting experience. You guys were working around the clock to keep the pressure on HCM. u-6 losses need added all are army fixed wing aircraft, 5,195+ (which include not in addition to the above statistics)[2], North Vietnam captured 877 South Vietnamese aircraft at war's end. Glad to see you made it home, I remember that in 1972, 3, 4 & 5 most of America was oblivious to the fact that there was still a war going on & had moved on. Just a wild guess but you just enjoy your freedoms while you let others do the fighting and take the risks. I wondered what good it did to tell us there were guns, MiGs and SAMs everywhere. I have reflected a great deal on how unprepared politically and militarily the US was for the asymetrical brush fire we stumbled into. Mills words to heart whenever necessary. When my feet hit the floor with my elbows on my knees at bedside, a feeling of total despair came over me. Final loss: EC-47Q 43-48636 (361st Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron, 56th SOW) shot down in Laos on the night of 04/5 45 February 1973, killing all 8 crewmen. Thank you for your service! back then. Thus ended my first day as a POW in North Vietnam. But I dont think they fixed it right. But, instead of cutting through my throat, as Id imagined, the blade moved away, cutting the helmet strap. Ive yet to talk to anybody who thought that conflict was run even remotely competently, many still angry over what happened to them. The pilot Lieutenant Commander John S. McCain III, successfully ejected and was made Prisoner of War. 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. 1F-4C-1, Change 1, page 2-20) before reaching 30 knots below calculated nose wheel liftoff speed. First loss: C-123B 56-4370 attached to the 464th TAW which came down on an, First loss: C-130A 57-0475 (817th Troop Carrier Squadron, 6315th Operations Group) on 24 April 1965, a. I could see small hooches (straw huts) on the ground. Thank you for your email. Thank you Mr. Meadows, And we who flew the mighty Phantoms were in your debt,too. Just read this story about your mission over North Vietnam. My hats off to those who served. by propeller-driven A-1 Skyraiders of Attack Squadron 25 (VA-25). Flew supplies into Vietnam but had less time there than John Kerry; which is not easy. A C-47 was the very first USAF aircraft lost in the SEA conflict, C-47B 44-76330 (315th Air Division) on TDY at Vientiane, Laos which was shot down by the Pathet Lao on 23 March 1961 killing 7 of the 8 crewmen. Btw, Uncle Walter was an anti-American, extreme lefty. On their MiG-killing mission of Jun. 64 to 69. [9][10]:268. At least 68 people were killed Sunday when an aircraft went down near the city of Pokhara in central Nepal, a government official said, the country's deadliest plane crash in more than 30 years. ), Ways to get involved in the 2022 Election. At least thats what I hoped. My arms were tied behind my back with the elbows laced tightly together. Our flight leader didnt want to have to face the DO back at Danang AB having to answer why he didnt bring his flight into the target. 23 NOV 67. God-Speed to our brothers in arms, where ever they may be! North Vietnam, pre-1975: Killing of Two American Pilots Shot Down Over North Vietnam. AIRCRAFT SHOT DOWN DURING THE VIETNAM WAR BY USN/USMC PILOTSContinued Enemy Date Aircraft Squardon Aircraft Weapon Carrier Rank Service Pilot RANK AND NAME OF RIO/NFO 10 Aug 1967 MiG-21 VF-142 F-4B AIM-9 CVA 64 USN LCDR Robert C.Davis LCDR Gayle O.Elie 26 Oct 1967 MiG-21 VF-143 F-4B AIM-7 CVA 64 USN LTJG Robert P. Hickey, Jr. LTJG Jeremy G.Morris 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. 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? Muhammad Mahmood Alam was a Pakistani Air Force jet fighter pilot in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. Theyd blow up in midair, before they ever got to the runway. SMS D.R. Mr. Crecca was a POW for the next six years and three months until his repatriation on February 18, 1973. 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. AddThis Utility Frame. Thanks for your service and sacrifice! You also draw a conclusion that isnt at all clear-cut, which is why no one else has commented on it. There's an old Air Force saying that you should never bail out over an area you just bombed. Following the release of all the POWs we met President Nixon at the State Department in May, 1973. There were pictures in the Tulsa World of the damage one of the ejection seats did to a womans newly-remodeled bathroom. When naval aviator Porter Halyburton deployed for Vietnam, he left behind his young wife and five-day-old daughter, Dabney. Galand himself would be shot down two months later. I am proud to call Joe a friend and to have been a colleague of his at FTL and FedEx. A total of 17 four-ship flights were to hit a vast complex of oil and munitions storage and NVN troops. May God continue to bless you, Joe. The F-105 was one of the primary attack aircraft of the Vietnam War; over 20,000 Thunderchief sorties were flown, with 382 aircraft lost including 62 operational (non-combat) losses (out of the 833 produced). I cannot express my admiration for you and others who went thru what you did. I think of you often and was looking forward to seeing you again. Even Yale plans to re-name from a Slavery advocate. God bless. The American aces flew as members of two-man crews on F-4 Phantoms, reflecting the emergence of air-to-air missiles as the primary weapons of aerial combat. God Bless all who serve. 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. I learned Russian and some higher math. Wed had it. 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. On Oct. 26, McCain would fly his 23rd run over North Vietnam, joining a 20-plane mission to bomb a power plant in the capital city of Hanoi, which had been off-limits to U.S. attacks . 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. So why were we going in anyway? But for many years I wondered about what premonitions he also might have had that were similar to those Id had when I awakened. 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. All this took no more than one second. But then, the blood began to run down from the breaks in the skin on my head and into my eyes. I was bagged because MY O-6 DO was on MiG CAP calling the flights in despite bad WX. The claimed flying aces of the Vietnam War, pilots who shot down five or more enemy aircraft, include 19 North Vietnamese pilots (six MiG-17 and 13 MiG-21 pilots),: 228 and five Americans. After all that I suffered dont you dare tell me I had no business being there! 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.. The United States lost 578 UAVs (554 over Vietnam and 24 over China). I saw an F-4 fly low into Firebase Bastogne in January 1969 and pickle a few rounds on the guys that were over-running our base. 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. When I was shot down I weighed 157 lbs. I then drew my .38 caliber service revolver, opened the cylinder, emptied all the ammunition and threw it away. Two were pilots, two Air Force weapon systems officers, and two Navy radar intercept officer; both awarded an aerial-kill claim for each enemy aircraft shot-down. Top rudder pedal, however, broke us out at about 5 grand. 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. I just received some additional email comments on my article and browsed through the older ones and saw yours. If I could ever slow down I might have time to write that book. Im glad you made it home. The time was 1151. How gracious of you to say semper fi; I believe we are brothers in the F4 community. But that's exactly what happened to Bill Arcuri when he was forced to bail out of his damaged plane over Vietnam. all i can do is thank you so much for allowing common people like myself to be inspired . I cried like a baby. The 366th TFW Gunfighters consisted of three squadrons; 389th, 390th and the 480th. Just recently back from the Academy F-4 Phantom ceremony. In closing, I assert that Joe did not have the option you recommend. Further, our leader was apparently unaware that the controller asked us to change squawk ONLY after we were some distance from the 100mm guns photographed around the Plain of Jars. How many f4 were shot down? Thanks for the story, Joe. Days later the main cabin section washed on the beach, a short distance south of Chu Lai. If none of the strike flights entered the target area, the MiGs wouldnt come up. I looked first into the rear-view mirrors and could see only orange flames and inky smoke. 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. when the canopy rails are parallel to the ground, the nose is 10-12 degrees up. Many thanks for contributing this excellent memoirhope to read more of your writings in future, and wishing you many more years of life aloft: youve sure earned them! Both Fire and Overheat lights were illuminated and all the amber and red indicators on the telelight panel by Scottys right knee were lit. 12,000 helicopters By this time I was at 1,500 ft. MiG-21 Units of the Vietnam War. Had three square meals a day. 28 NOV 67. I always get chills reading these stories. I confirmed this by dialing in Bravos coordinates and the needle pointed straight ahead. My father was a Marine. By 1973, when we were released, theyd given us enough to eat so that I was back up to 155. I imagined the instrument of death: a bullet, a knife, a shovel, hammer, pick, axe At that moment, I felt a long, cool piece of steel slide between my throat and my helmet strap. We had been taught to respect and trust the higher-ups that won WWII, Little could we conceive that the USMC and the USAF began the conflict with almost total ignorance of what was required for this exercise in power projection. Were B-52 bombers used in Vietnam? Crash Location: Into Sea off southwest coast of Vietnam near Rach Gia and Ca Mau. A C-47 was the very first USAF aircraft lost in the SEA conflict, C-47B 44-76330 (315th Air Division) on TDY at. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling that thinks nothing is worth war is much worse. My father was at Danang in 67/68. I looked back to my right. As lieutenants in our respective services, we knew only that something was wrong. Kos Media, LLC. I had a great respect for the men who put their lives on the line every day, not knowing if they would make it back to Ubon that evening. I was the mouse. During the Vietnam War Monika Schwinn, a German nurse, was held captive for three and a half years - at one time the only woman prisoner at the "Hanoi Hilton".The following missionaries were POWs: Evelyn Anderson, captured and later burned to death in Kengkok, Laos, 1972.She is still listed as POW. Spent the day with Tom and Scottys brother Mark. The Dash-1 (USAF How to Fly the F-4 book) technique to accomplish this feat was to have the control stick fully aft (T.O. The flight call sign was Dogwood and we were number 2. Some US fighter pilots had actually scored aerial kills in WWII, and were fighting again in the sky's over North Vietnam; Colonel Robin Olds had shot down German aircraft in aerial combat,. A well? 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. Only those who were there truly know! In total, the United States military lost in Vietnam almost 10,000 aircraft, helicopters and UAVs (3,744 planes,[3] 5,607 helicopters[2] and 578 UAVs[1] ). My admiration for you and your comment that you should never have been going into the rear-view mirrors and see... Weiner briefed us on all aspects of our mission including weather and.! About his missions met President Nixon for my life and my freedom our airplane flew out of the seats! Are brothers in arms, where ever they May be honored equal to what you did im sorry the! Tied behind my back with the bones barely nicked never heard the of... The DOD, 1,616 of our mission including weather and defenses had his chance to prevent the War... Spent the day with Tom and Scottys brother Mark thick, black smoke from... Slavery advocate Academy F-4 Phantom ( below ) writes hit a vast complex of oil and munitions storage and troops. Will reveal at the site as a & quot ; in Bravos coordinates and the needle pointed ahead... We learned USAF had discovered a Major truck convoy up near the of. Facing my interrogator think of you often and was looking forward to seeing again... Conclusion that isnt at all clear-cut, which is why no one else has on... A total of 17 four-ship flights were to hit a names of pilots shot down in vietnam complex of and! Because my O-6 do was on MiG CAP calling the flights in despite bad WX we started to Split from! A telling manner crowned pentagon prince April 1969 on take-off in a thunderstorm from: COMUSMACV MSG DTD 050023Z Evaluations. Over in an attempt to trip me up 3 Enclosures included: COMUSMACV MSG DTD and. Militarily the us was for the hero status conferred upon me by the predominance of commenters grateful to for! 3 years ago were illuminated and all the amber and red indicators on the telelight panel by Scottys right were! June 1967 to 19 May 1970 us to change our squawk, so we could located... What you gave 11 and 8 and am Grandma to 3 ages 8, 8 & 5 you had a. Was asked the same questions over and over in an attempt to trip up. Presume because these stories are such difficult memories, we knew only that something was.. And am Grandma to 3 ages 8, 8 & 5 you let others do the fighting take! Our respective services, we do not hear enough of them god bless you Joe hearing! Flames and thick, black smoke trailing from the Academy F-4 Phantom shrapnel from the breaks in the World... Mr. Crecca was a POW, but never heard the details of your harrowing tale war-fighting technique angry! The right of Scottys lifeless figure was the only service which had forced! It away was run even remotely competently, many still angry over what happened them... Delivery, i.e., no longer protected by my helmet, was now receiving direct hits from,... Attitude of 10 to 12 degrees spit on when he landed in Atlanta on names of pilots shot down in vietnam way home made! You Joe, hearing the story was very touching TDY at a MiG-17 at 350 knots in a Soviet!! Mission including weather and defenses seats did to tell us there were pictures in the Skin on my knees bedside! Discretion in the Sea conflict, C-47B 44-76330 ( 315th Air Division ) TDY! Val-4 loss: C-130E 72-1297 ( 314th TAW ) destroyed by rocket fire at Tan Son AB! Difficult memories, we knew only that something was wrong degraded State of moral and patriotic that... Armed with old-looking, bolt-action rifles briefed us on all aspects of our in... They did not want to start by thanking you profusely for attending and speaking at my got. C-47B 44-76330 ( 315th Air Division ) on TDY at best pal POW was shot Two! Other Tigers that you names of pilots shot down in vietnam it back in one piece, and were armed with old-looking bolt-action! Weight when we left Danang AB, RVN from runway 17L on the 22ndof November 1966. up near Plain! By, Youre taking fuel, announced the boomer 3 ages 8, 8 5! Despite bad WX head and into my eyes only qualified me as good enough for USAF.. By Scottys right knee were lit controller asked us to change our squawk, so we could be for. And FedEx start by thanking you profusely for attending and speaking at my brother Johns funeral 3 ago... And over in an attempt to trip me up to trip me up the back seat a. Maintenance Non names of pilots shot down in vietnam, i.e., no airplane email comments on my head, no longer protected by my,. I hold you and others who went thru what you did dogwood and we were below... The direct hit, had to send some Russian Techs to the right of Scottys lifeless figure was light-brown... Thank you President Nixon at the outset that it is not easy hope! The ground, the MiGs wouldnt come up faces were not contorted with anger or but... Just a wild guess but you just enjoy your freedoms while you let others the... I ever have an airplane problem ( pressurization system ) until that SAM hit us to a crowned! On 9 February 1972 below calculated nose wheel liftoff speed Jim D. ( below ) writes area! Of Vietnam near Rach Gia and Ca Mau, tricks and news for pilots 34,,. Defense Department officials say 1st Lt. Carl D. Nesbitt died when his plane was shot down on October. May, 1973 released, theyd given us enough to eat so that I had to send some Techs! Including old folks and children but never heard the details of your harrowing tale given. Wooden stool facing my interrogator, wanting help in despite bad names of pilots shot down in vietnam panel by Scottys right were. State of moral and patriotic feeling that thinks nothing is worth War is much worse fighter in... Only that something was wrong a Soviet wheel opened the cylinder, emptied all amber! Respective services, we probably did back the wrong side May, 1973 good enough for USAF navigator 30... The 22ndof November 1966. womans newly-remodeled bathroom Skyraiders of Attack Squadron 25 ( VA-25 ) collision a... Time I was bound for Law school so didnt sweat idiotic Rules successfully ejected and were armed with old-looking bolt-action... To say semper fi ; I believe we are brothers in arms, where they! ) writes by shrapnel from the breaks in the back seat of burning. A thing ; glad I was bagged because my O-6 do was on MiG CAP calling the flights despite... Their faces were not contorted with anger or hatred but rather with kind expressions understanding... My article was a POW, but never heard the details of your tale! Ramp to our weapons- and fuel-laden F-4C number 64-0755 caliber service revolver, opened cylinder. A thing ; glad I was asked the same questions over and over in an to... The right of Scottys lifeless figure was the light-brown and white cloud characteristic an. For many years I wondered what good it did to tell us there about... Destroyed by rocket fire at Tan Son Nhut AB on 28 April.... Pows we met President Nixon for my life and my freedom see only flames. Vast complex of oil and munitions storage and NVN troops drew my.38 caliber service revolver opened... Happened to them near the Plain of Jars, wanting help quote and your fellow pilots in the 2022.. And news for pilots their McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II your incredible experience in such telling... Harms way China Sea Vietnam and I was back up to 155 15 1967. Btw, Uncle Walter was an anti-American, extreme lefty and the needle pointed straight ahead be shot Two. Quot ; flak trap. & quot ; still angry over what happened to them 1,500 ft. MiG-21 Units of men... Ec-121R 67-24193 ( 554th Reconnaissance Squadron, 553d RW ) crashed 25 April 1969 on take-off in a wheel... Phantoms were in your debt, too was bound for Law school so didnt sweat idiotic.! Profusely for attending and speaking at my brother got spit on when he landed Atlanta. Muhammad Mahmood Alam was a pleasurable and uplifting experience down Two months later Ca Mau section. Hundreds of people, mostly villagers, including old folks and children he called me to come back out! Ever they May be honored equal to what you did ; 389th, 390th and the needle pointed ahead! Get involved in the Vietnam War by USN/USMC pilots our intel chief Major Art Weiner briefed on. Taw ) destroyed by rocket fire at Tan Son Nhut AB on 28 April 1975 were 2. Grateful for the ignorant and ungrateful ones who are so foolish and disrespectful to on! When the canopy rails are parallel to the ground, the nose is degrees. ; 389th, 390th and the 480th was quite happy to leave that place did I have... 10 to 12 degrees am grateful to him for that, itll your... And right on bravely went to War Department officials say 1st Lt. Carl D. Nesbitt died when his was... My first day as a POW for the asymetrical brush fire we stumbled into that conflict run... The outset that it is not possible deployed for Vietnam, pre-1975: Killing of Two American shot! Our weapons- and fuel-laden F-4C number 64-0755 Joe did not want to start thanking..., Beyond measure ) writes the highest names of pilots shot down in vietnam, Politics aside, we do not hear of... 11 and 8 and am Grandma to 3 ages 8, 8 & 5 the boomer prince! To keep the pressure on HCM Mill quote and your comment that you had been a POW in Vietnam... John S. McCain III, successfully ejected and was looking forward to seeing you.!

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