records. And the Officer Effectiveness Report (OER) of the guy leading our flight would be written by the DO. I dont know that back in 1973 I was all that appreciative of the Scotty Wilsons, or even the cigarette-smoking Iwo Jima Marines, but as Ive grown and aged during the past 47 years, I cant help but feel enormous gratitude, and sorrow, for those men and women who, but for the grace of God and President Nixon, went where I didnt. I would not change a thing; glad I was able to serve. bombs and eight Air-to-Air Missiles while I inspected the Phantom. On July 24, 1965, an SA-2 shot down an Air Force F-4C, the first of 110 USAF aircraft lost to SAMs in Southeast Asia. My gratitude to those of you who gave so much. Reading yours was dismal, doom and gloom. To you gentlemen; Brett, Tim, Wade, Gordon, Cliff, Neil, Andy and Jerry who responded to the reprint of my 2017 article, Shot Down Over North Vietnam, I thank you for your kind remarks and expressions of patriotism. Shot down. He is presently a retired airline pilot who originally flew for The Flying Tiger Line in DC-8s and 747s and then MD-11s for FedEx. From the refueling track exit over northern Thailand, our route took us over northern Laos and into North Vietnam. 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. . How gracious of you to say semper fi; I believe we are brothers in the F4 community. Sobering reading for every American ! The political strategy of Rolling Thunder was absurd from the git-go. So what was The D.O.s name? 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. How many helicopters did America have in Vietnam? Thank you for your service! . 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. 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. Asia [http://www.dpaa.mil/Resources/Fact-Sheets/Article-View/Article/569613/progress-in-vietnam/]. Then with release of the first group of POWs WO1 James Hestand was released! 1972: U.S. claimed 51 MiG-21s destroyed; North Vietnam claimed 53 US aircraft shot down by MiG-21s, including two B-52 Stratofortress bombers. 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=1133364112, 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. Vietnam War pilot tells his story of being shot down over enemy territory and his time as a POW. Smoke would be pouring out of their engines. The last known photo of F-4C 64-0755, the Phantom flown in this article. 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. But, I knew the SA-2 was a powerful weapon; 400 lbs. Scotty Wilson had a beautiful wife and daughter whose lives were torn asunder as well. You who kept the supplies coming to us were a vital part of the war effort. U.S. Marine Corps aircraft lost in combat included 193 fixed-wing and 270 rotary-wing aircraft. All this took no more than one second. He said hes sorry I feel that way. I will be reading your story to my young ones tonight. I didnt know the Marine who was killed as he lit a cigarette on Iwo Jima any more than I knew Scotty Wilson, and yet, thanks to that brief story by my father, and thanks to a longer and more detailed story by Joe Crecca, I feel I do know these servicemen. Joe, We did not know if anyone survived! Galand himself would be shot down two months later. I replied that I still had a positive lock to a radio nav-aid and if he could get us through the clouds I could get us to the target. Defense Department officials say 1st Lt. Carl D. Nesbitt died when his plane was shot down in May . 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. How many MiGs were shot down in Bolo? The SA-2 brought down many American pilots over North Vietnam. Black Hills just changed So. Others had knives and were, to my complete surprise, cutting the clothing and equipment from my body. Yes, it is tainted with much uncertainty to which you allude. Subconsciously I probably realized I was sitting alone in the back seat of a burning airplane. At this point, because of the unexpected turn, our formation was too bunched up; we were too close to each other to be able to provide mutual look-out support. I was a F4 mechanic here at DMAFB in Tucson. Thank you for your email. VMFA-115. Was the F 14 used in Vietnam? I was a flight engineer in the Air Force and National Guard. SMS D.R. How far did he go on in the Air Force? There were pictures in the Tulsa World of the damage one of the ejection seats did to a womans newly-remodeled bathroom. 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. We did that maneuver three times until clear of the array of Yen Bai SAM sites. The explosion was ear-splitting and seemed to go on and on. I reached bingo, bingo minus 5, minus 10, minus 15, and reported to lead each time. 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. Just as we were positioning ourselves for the right-hand turn at Bravo, the lead aircraft unexpectedly turned to the left. As for Mr. Fearn, Politics aside, we probably did back the wrong side. My brother got spit on when he landed in Atlanta on his way home. Your reaction to my article bears the stamps of liberalist tradition unhampered by progress, reveals a lack of understanding of politics on the world stage and shows complete disrespect for the sacrifices made by all Vietnam combat veterans. 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. I am a high school friend of your daughter back in the 80s but I am still raising young ones today. Our own Phantom was suffering from a variety of ills. If I could ever slow down I might have time to write that book. Not sure which squadron he started with but he ended up assigned to the 366-tfw. GBU my friend! I am also an Airforce veteran. Joe I want to start by thanking you profusely for attending and speaking at my brother Johns funeral 3 years ago. Joe, thanks for sharing and honoring Scotty. Puerto Madero N9710, Oficina 22, Pudahuel - Santiago | pytorch lstm source code Enjoyed your recollections Joe C. I was an Army Helicopter Crew Chief/Mechanic at Camp Eagle near Hue, Phu Bai then Danang MM Airfield, RVN 71-72. I lost mine 5 years before I was released. The pilot Lieutenant J. M. Krommenhoek is Missing in Action. I was asked the same questions over and over in an attempt to trip me up. They all worked too. Got this forwarded in late 2017. Contact, followed by, Youre taking fuel, announced the boomer. The Republic of Vietnam lost 1,018 aircraft and helicopters from January 1964 to September 1973. Upon arrival at the Hoa Lo prison, I was placed in a dimly-lit room with light green, uneven walls. Lonely feeling for a pilot over enemy territory. Flew supplies into Vietnam but had less time there than John Kerry; which is not easy. Actually, it being a slow weekend day, I was on a break and eating breakfast with a few other controllers at a restaurant not far from the airport when Perky01 or 02 reported that they were going to have to bail out. Page and Smith were with VF-21, and the aircraft modex was NE101. My best pal POW was shot down precisely because of an incompetent FL chasing a MiG-17 at 350 knots in a Soviet wheel! Ritchie's #463 with drag chute open Phantom F-4Ds flying over Vietnam General Characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 63 ft 0 in (19.2 m) Wingspan: 38 ft 4.5 in (11.7 m) Height: 16 ft 6 in (5.0 m) Wing area: 530.0 ft (49.2 m) Airfoil: NACA 0006.4-64 root, NACA 0003-64 tip Empty weight: 30,328 lb (13,757 kg) Loaded weight: 41,500 lb (18,825 kg) May God comfort those families who still wait and wonder.]. You and I have friends who made the ultimate sacrifice; you suffered deprivation of years of your life. Sayonara, engines! It is a raising of toasts every night in remembrance for what they did. 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. Sadly the other pilot and crew chief and door gunner did not make it. Thanks for your service and sacrifice! Final loss: EB-66B 42nd TEWS, 388th TFS lost to engine failure on 23 December 1972 during Operation Linebacker II. Thank you for your sentiments. [5], Claimed by VPAF: 154 MiG aircraft lost through all causes, including 131 in air combat (includes 63 MiG-17s, 8 MiG-19s and 60 MiG-21s)[21][22]. On Oct. 25, 1967, I strapped into my F-105 Thunderchief fighter-bomber and took to the sky on my 33rd combat mission to strike a bridge in the middle of Hanoi, North Vietnam. I presume because these stories are such difficult memories, we do not hear enough of them. List of aircraft losses of the Vietnam War. Thank you for your sentiment. Final loss: F-4D 66-8747 (432d TRW) on 29 June 1973. We were together at MacDill in the F-4 but rotated at different times into SEA. No one shot at him. 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. I hereby repeat all the usual thank yous, perhaps perfunctorily but with no less feeling. But that didnt keep the Triple Nickel (555th TFS) from calling themselves the Largest distributors of MiG parts in Southeast Asia. Not as of 05NOV66 they werent. I was concentrating on Scotty and my eyes were focused only on him. Since we were shot down well before reaching our target and also because most of the strike flights had declined to enter the target area due to decidedly unfavorable weather, my story had to deny the Vietnamese any foreknowledge of the real target. Hes a real dope. Manacles were locked onto my wrists as well. This description of your combat experience and captivity is the first time Ive heard it and that only adds to my admiration for you, Joe. The plane was unveiled . * These two pilots shared the credit for the shoot down of the MiG-17 and each were credited for . 2,197 of the losses were fixed-wing, and the remainder rotary-wing. In 1973, American POWs finally came home. Joes epilogue sums it all up. It must have occurred just before my own chute opened. Joe, Every Friday Im privileged to have lunch with a WWII veteran who flew virtually every airplane in the arsenal of the time. 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. The MiG-21 N. 4324 of the Vietnam People's Air Force. Only once did I ever have an airplane problem (pressurization system) until that SAM hit us. How many F 105s shot down in Vietnam? I looked for an escape route. They were in absolute frenzy. As a 110 F4 combat mission Vet, Id like to know. 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. SSGT Bobby Sacina, JoeThank you fot sharing your experience..We have had a few talks over beers in the past but you never told this storyYou are an American hero!! The 1850 John Stuart Mill quote and your comment that you posted above is powerful and right on. Hopefully you have not seen this magnificent video I recently came across, and for a man in love with flight like you proved, I hope it will bring back nothing but happy memories https://vimeo.com/199142621 . I was escorted a few hundred feet to one of the village hooches Id seen from above. Wonderful story. Glad you made it back. 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! Fritz was Nape. 3 Enclosures included: COMUSMACV MSG DTD 050023Z and Evaluations. Wed had it. Despite our brief conversation enroute to the tanker about pilots who had ejected from their burning airplanes prematurely (their aircraft flew on for long distances before going out of control) what happened next got my attention. B/2/20 ARA #63-08597 A/C was shot down and after it hit exploded into flames. All I was aware of was a short, sharp ringing sound and my white, silk parachute billowing above me. I am forever beholding to you on so many fronts. April 26, 1968 : C-130B 60-0298, c/n 3602, of the 773d Tactical Airlift Squadron, shot down dropping load at A Loui, South Vietnam. We should have learned from the last two years of the Korean War that China would not be deterred from conventional warfare by enormous pounding of both front-line forces and non-stop interdiction. 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 was in the tower in Saigon and F-4s would come pouring in. 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. Phew II! "You were right in the enemy's face with a. 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. And I mourn their deaths. I was flat on my back. For the next two hours I ate dust, dirt, rust flakes and rodent droppings as we pounded our way over the worst rutted roads into Hanoi. While I never got above the Cessna 180 stage of flying, I hold you and your fellow pilots in the highest esteem. How about that for a cool presence of mind? I flew Marine Corps F-4s out of Da Nang and Nam Pong, Thailand in 1972; unfortunately not much had changed in six years. 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