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. And they did so with knives having little concept or knowledge of zippers, snaps or the technical difficulties associated with releasing parachute risers. The Republic of Vietnam lost 1,018 aircraft and helicopters from January 1964 to September 1973. Came upon this remarkable story after seeing it linked to another by a good guy who once gave me dual instruction in sailplanes. Other than the bullet-hole scar in his leg, which my father would sometimes say was caused by an Indians arrow (that story fit in well with the TV shows I was watching in the 1950s), growing up I never got any stories out of him about what war was like. He didnt. Just as the original lead aircraft rolled back to a wings-level position a mile to our left and reacquired us visually, the SAM struck our F-4 too late to shout a warning. Got this forwarded in late 2017. Model names were normalized in 1962 to UH-1s. Suddenly, I was lifted from the floor. The eight-engine bomber was brought down by a North Vietnamese surface-to-air missile. 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. Dulles had his chance to prevent the un-needed War. My ungraceful arrival didnt raise much dust. Meadows I lost mine 5 years before I was released. Had it not been for President Nixon and the sheer courage of the B-52 and tactical aircrews, the POWs would never have returned. Id pulled the lower ejection handle and was away from my burning Phantom. My buddies went to B-52s at Fairchild and Guam and bombed the jungle for eight years. SP4 John C. Hughes [G] 1 injured. The SA-2 brought down many American pilots over North Vietnam. When Maj. "Jump" Myers' plane crashed in flames, there was no chance of rescue - yet Bernie Fisher defied the odds and brought him out alive. Thanks for the compliment on my writing. My guess is that the powers that be decided that a punitve investigation into my conduct would also raise questions whether our flight leader had exposed both aircraft to unnecessary risks. 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. 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!! Thank you again for your personal sacrifice and service to our country Sir. Joined up and reported a suspected Truck Park near Finger Lakes since we had avoided calling in to Ask Permission and wait the usual half hour to allow the Russian Radar trainers time to get out courtesy of our GD State Dept. And all of us should remember them every day because we are we enjoy the freedoms their sacrifice every, single day. A Shau Valley. 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) God-Speed to our brothers in arms, where ever they may be! More aircraft would be shot down and pilots killed or captured. There were no J-79s! How many MiGs were shot down in Bolo? 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. April 16, 1968 : C-130A 56-0480, c/n 3088, of the 35th Tactical Airlift Squadron, crash landed at Special Forces Camp Bunard, 80 kilometers north of Bien Hoa, South Vietnam. . (USAF) Date of report (1971-07-23). Defense Department officials say 1st Lt. Carl D. Nesbitt died when his plane was shot down in May . bombs and eight Air-to-Air Missiles while I inspected the Phantom. Peering over Scottys shoulders into the front seat, I could see we were done for. The cockpit pressure vessel was intact; incredibly, it had not been penetrated despite a direct hit by a Soviet SA-2 missile traveling at over Mach 2 with a 400 lb., high-explosive warhead! Dog boned Six and direct hit, had to send some Russian Techs to the Beyond. I dont know if they ever found the horse. Soviet General Fesenko, the main Soviet adviser to the North Vietnamese Air Force in 1972, recorded 34 MiG-21s destroyed in 1972. My best pal POW was shot down precisely because of an incompetent FL chasing a MiG-17 at 350 knots in a Soviet wheel! The first and only fatal crash by an RAAF aircraft in Thailand. When my feet hit the floor with my elbows on my knees at bedside, a feeling of total despair came over me. 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. Theyd land opposite direction on the same runway. Scotty hadnt regained consciousness. Yeh, the F-4s wings dont come off even from a SAM induced Spin. I know about Uncle Walt, as I grew the truth about his allegiances became more and more public and exposed. 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. I hope to be delighted with more of your anecdotes. He is someone that I have always respected and admired. Burning American aircraft at Bien Hoa Air Base in 1965. Before I could muse over any more unhappy endings, I was dropped onto the floor. Mr. Creccas response (farther below) displays considerably more class than that displayed by b fearn in this particular instance. I hope some day that our government will find the courage to ask what happened to the missing pilots whose names or Escape and Evasion codes and authenticator numbers were photographed by U.S. satellites long after the war was overDavid Allinson(8888), Peter Matthes (GX2527), and Henry Serex (SEREX) to name a few. The villagers made short work of removing everything except my T-Shirt and skivvies. I think of you often and was looking forward to seeing you again. Scotty gave the Phantom back to me and then it was my turn. 29. pp. The direct hit had felt like wed had a collision with a fully-loaded cement truck. I was a flight engineer in the Air Force and National Guard. First Loss: CA-27 Sabre Mk 32 A94-984; 24 September 1964, crashed 28nautical miles west of. I am most grateful for the hero status conferred upon me by the predominance of commenters. 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. Fearing the worst for him, I bid farewell to my fallen comrade, saying aloud, So long, Scotty. With only 300 feet to go, I prepared for my parachute landing. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling that thinks nothing is worth war is much worse. Dickens rescued) First loss: C-141A 65-9407 (62d Military Airlift Wing) destroyed in a night runway collision with a USMC A-6 at, Final loss: C-141A 66-0127 (4th Military Airlift Squadron, 62d MAW) crashed soon after take-off from, First loss: RB-66B 53-0452 (Det 1, 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 6250th Combat Support Group) which crashed 2223 October 1965 west of. Despite my state of lingering shock, my reaction to his command was to pop the Rat and restart. The terror I felt just moments before vanished. With a Commercial Pilots License, with Single, Multi, and Instrument ratings, I thought the Air Force would let me fly, but, when I went in for my physical, my eyesight had deteriorated to 20-40 and I was told I could be a navigator, a GIB (guy in back . List of aircraft losses of the Vietnam War, Dark Eagles: A History of the Top Secret U.S. Aircraft (1999). We can never let our politicians forget those lessons. When I was shot down I weighed 157 lbs. Our Motto YOU YELL, WE SHELL LIKE HELL, OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY. I am also an Airforce veteran. 149959 AH 300 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile (SAM) during a combat mission over North Vietnam. 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. No need to bring up the sorties flown with 1/2 ordnance loads so the (Squadron, Group, Wing) would look good on paper. Between January and July, U.S. Air Force fighters flying air-to-air missions shot down 29 MiGs while losing just two of their owna 14.5-1 kill ratio. Bent the F-4 around after re-start and headed to his radial fix off Hue Tacan. 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. I later learned that this controller had served many months in Saigon. SGT Sam Tenorio [G] 2 injured. 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. Thank you, Mr. Crecca! As I learned about him, I remember more of him lecturing rather than delivering the news. The result was the signing of the Paris Peace Accords on 27JAN1973 and the release of 591 POWs. Joe, thanks for sharing and honoring Scotty. You and your fellow POWs were and are the best of this nation. It was a moving story. 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. Fogleman became the only Super Sabre pilot ever rescued by riding out on a Cobra helicopter. Million-dollar wound some would call it through the knee, with the bones barely nicked. I, for one, will welcome additional tales of courage and flying on these pages. On May 10, 1972, the USAF and Navy shot down 11 North Vietnam MiGs in the skies over North Vietnam at a cost of two USAF and two Navy F-4s shot down. On August 28, 1972, US Air Force Capt. 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. The Communistss claimed 19 B-52s shot down to date. Further, the controller COULD have joined us up and vectored us back to the truck-convoy gaggle, but the controller had obviously lost confidence in a flight leader who didnt know where he was. That may be the biggest benefit from Viet Nam, a conflict which many would say yielded very few benefits, as you suggest. You have no skin in the game of life and freedom, do you! By 1973, when we were released, theyd given us enough to eat so that I was back up to 155. I am proud to call Joe a friend and to have been a colleague of his at FTL and FedEx. I was starting to get the idea. By that point the airflow over the isoclinic horizontal stabilizer was sufficient to start the nose up. Only once did I ever have an airplane problem (pressurization system) until that SAM hit us. 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. The baro switch was supposed to open my chute at 10,000 ft. God Bless you, Joe. Among fixed-wing aircraft, more F-4 Phantoms were lost than any other type in service with any nation. Thank you, David. To increase air support for the SEALORDS Operation in South Vietnam's Mekong Delta, the Navy "borrowed" twenty North American Aviation OV-10A Broncos from the United States Marine Corps. I wondered what good it did to tell us there were guns, MiGs and SAMs everywhere. | site designed by. The Air Force lost 1737, the Navy 530, the Marine Corps 463 and the Army lost 302 (fixed wing). Following the release of all the POWs we met President Nixon at the State Department in May, 1973. He had the smoke trail spotted and wanted revenge. 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] ). 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. William Reeder Jr., who served two tours in Vietnam as a U.S. Army pilot, was shot down on May 9, 1972, while flying a mission in a Bell AH-1 Cobra . Thank you Sir for your service. And Ill always remember how you and Tom Nordberg stood up for me in Anchorage. Thank you for the heads-up on the article. The session finally came to an end after midnight. Were there any female prisoners of war in Vietnam? May God bless you, your family and all our vets. Richard Armstrong. USAF/ Air National Guard (Retired). Final loss: EC-121R 67-21495 (554th RS) crashed on approach to Korat RTAFB on 6 September 1969, 4 of the 16 men were killed. 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. NOTE: Misty numbers listed here were assigned after the war and relates to the order the pilot was assigned to the unit. I was an aircraft mechanic serving at Clark Air Base in 1969-70 and then later at NKP in Thailand in 1973-74. Thank you President Nixon for my life and my freedom. Thank you Sir. I then looked at myself to see if I was in one piece. As lieutenants in our respective services, we knew only that something was wrong. It is awful that people make bad decisions for selfish reasons. records. My brain raced to imagine all the possibilities: A snake pit? At 10,000 ft, the automatic man-seat separation features operated exactly as advertised. I completely agree with everything Jim D. (below) writes. Lt. Wilson and his family paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Our standard load was 12-500s or 7 Nape. 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. The 1850 John Stuart Mill quote and your comment that you posted above is powerful and right on. I finally got him to talk and he said, Gary, it was just like Vietnam. Scotty took one look at the patch which I admit looked a bit Sam Schwartz to me and replied, If we have to break for a SAM, well bring it back without the wingtip.. It is sad that we lost so much blood and treasure in that endeavor. I remember the day we lost a crew in Cambodia. I last read he is in the state of Washington. Much aviation has occurred in the context of military service. In Reply to B. Fearn by the author of Shot Down Over North Vietnam, War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. 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. Then we switched roles and Scotty flew while I coordinated the rendezvous. He was the last fighter pilot to become an ace in a day, shooting down five Indian Hawker . Had three square meals a day. Ill never understand your sacrifice, but want to thank you for it! Joe. All I was aware of was a short, sharp ringing sound and my white, silk parachute billowing above me. A second missile had been fired and aimed precisely where our aircraft would have been had we dived straight ahead to avoid the first missile. I still know where the CB is. In early April, combat flight operations began from detachments at Binh Thuy and Vung Tau. 12,000 helicopters Without guys like Joe you would go to prison for writing what you just wrote. When all the politics are done when hostilities have ceased those who represented their country should be honoured. And we were just below that weight when we left Danang AB, RVN from runway 17L on the 22ndof November 1966. (Shaking head sadly) It seems theres always someone willing to take a conversation on an inappropriate tangent. There were pictures in the Tulsa World of the damage one of the ejection seats did to a womans newly-remodeled bathroom. I lost all feeling in my arms very rapidly. Mills words to heart whenever necessary. I served as Navy, lost friends both in country and after returning home with one still carried as MIA Army Helicopter Pilot. Final loss: EB-66B 42nd TEWS, 388th TFS lost to engine failure on 23 December 1972 during Operation Linebacker II. Binh Duong Province. Lasted almost two weeks on the island before a Japanese sniper gave him his ticket off the island. Joes epilogue sums it all up. Just recently back from the Academy F-4 Phantom ceremony. 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. I was the mouse. It was less than a minute before I would be on the ground. Cant really say I enjoyed reading your piece, although I could not stop reading. In the solitude of my tiny enclosure, staring unfocused at the floor, I said aloud, Todays the day, thinking this was the last day of my life. After each plane was completed, two pilots (Call signs Perky01 and Perky02) would take the plane up for a check flight. The other Marine brought a lit match to the cigarette hed placed in his mouth, and as soon as he did, ZING, a bullet went through the Marines helmet and skull. Never regretted. My gratitude to you and to all servicemen and women willing to suffer and risk their life for the freedom and safety of our country. 1LT ALDRICH ROBERT HENRY BNR 12/27/1971154013 HMM-165 WO1 ALEXANDER BARRY KENNETH KIA 09/22/196968-513/68-23 71 AHC CPT ALEXANDER DAVID LEE KIA 02/06/197170-20 67-18493178 ASHC I always enjoyed flying with you and sharing a beverage. He also stated that there were no MiG-17 aces. 33 years 6 months after his loss. Cheers! 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. Encountered SAMs Finger Lakes area. All of a sudden, they stood me up. Osprey 2001, No. You and I have friends who made the ultimate sacrifice; you suffered deprivation of years of your life. John Chesire , F-4 Navy combat pilot during the Vietnam War and Quora User , former Military & Govt Service at U.S. Air ForceAuthor has 633 answers and 913.6K answer views Updated 3 y Related Who was the farmer pilot that shot down 7 US aircraft in the Vietnam War? On their MiG-killing mission of Jun. What? First loss: Canberra A84-231 disappeared on 3 November 1970 on a night bombing mission in the northern 1st Corps Tactical Zone region of. Btw, Uncle Walter was an anti-American, extreme lefty. "Kos" and "Daily Kos" are registered trademarks of Kos Media, LLC. He wasnt much of a story teller and I didnt think to ask him about his service until after he died. Joe I want to start by thanking you profusely for attending and speaking at my brother Johns funeral 3 years ago. Both Aircrew members were Killed In-Action, Last VAL-4 loss: 155461 crashed on 9 February 1972. D.L. The first thing I looked at was the horizon and I could almost hear the words of The Vanquished as if they were spoken to me. Thanks for the details of this mission. I told him to head SE so I could spot him out of the circular traffic jam. North Vietnam lost 150 170 aircraft and helicopters. Rescued Misty Pilots . Thank you for your service! 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.. It was late November, the temperature was 40F, and all I had on were my underwear. Stay up to date with the latest articles and selections from our archives. They fixed it. How far did he go on in the Air Force? YGBSM!. Lost contact with you shortly after you were so kind to make comments at my FedEx retirement party. On Sept. 12, 1968, F-100D pilot Capt. You certainly are my Hero! I taught math, physics, automotive theory and practice, and classical music in the Hanoi Hilton. Japan, who woulda thunk it? I knew you had endured being a prisoner but we never talked about it. 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. During the tour at NKP Thailand, I had opportunity to go TDY to Ubon Air base. 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. The next thing I knew, I was back on the wooden stool facing my interrogator. My father (deceased) served in the Army in Korea and my son served as an Army Combat Medic deployed to Afghanistan. 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. 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? I flew Phantoms until leaving to fly transports for Flying Tigers and then Federal Express. A well? The control stick was lazily wandering left and right; the throttles were all the way forward in the full afterburner position but there was no thrust coming from the J-79s. Scotty Wilson had a beautiful wife and daughter whose lives were torn asunder as well. U-21 losses need added Messrs. Crecca and Wilson were asked by their nation to serve. 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. Was the F 14 used in Vietnam? Scottys arms seemed to be at his sides and head slumped forward. Shot down. This is aviation commentary. Thank you again Sir and God bless. Yep. But, knowing this might be my only chance to talk before the fun and games began anew, I concocted a mission scenario that I hoped would be accepted as truth. In closing, I assert that Joe did not have the option you recommend. First loss: 1964, final loss: 1967. Despite being a first lieutenant, Scotty Wilson was in my opinion, the best stick in the 480thTactical Fighter Squadron. I will tell the story of Scotty and you and will encourage my son to never forget! When naval aviator Porter Halyburton deployed for Vietnam, he left behind his young wife and five-day-old daughter, Dabney. 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. I just received some additional email comments on my article and browsed through the older ones and saw yours. 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. I hope that this article and your word of mouth/teachings help other people stand up against stupidity and question the orders of those place in authority. Crash Location: Into Sea off southwest coast of Vietnam near Rach Gia and Ca Mau. I am proud of you Joe and Scotty for your service and to be part of a community which recognises and should be proud of your example. But then, the blood began to run down from the breaks in the skin on my head and into my eyes. Asia. If the MiGs didnt come up, he couldnt have a chance to shoot one down. North Vietnam, pre-1975: Killing of Two American Pilots Shot Down Over North Vietnam IIR Casualty files | William A. Ott. Thanks, again, for your story many more years of good health & happiness to you. 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. Just a wild guess but you just enjoy your freedoms while you let others do the fighting and take the risks. His remains were returned September 5th 2004 for burial. MiG-21 Units of the Vietnam War. I took one last look at the horizon. And after Scotty started the engines, the aerial refueling receptacle would only operate some of the time. His wingman was Paul Reyes. Iwo Jima. VS-41 at NAS North Island retained four of the borrowed Broncos to be used for training replacement pilots and maintenance personnel. I found out what its like to be a zoo animal except nobody threw me any peanuts. With over 70 years of hindsight and investigation there were a ton of mistakes. So glad that you made it back in one piece, and were able to continue flying. GBU my friend! I was an F4 driver at Chu Lai trying to cut the supply traffic through Laos, mostly around Hwy 9, near Tchepone. I knew from some of the other Tigers that you had been a POW, but never heard the details of your harrowing tale. 31 DEC 71. Thanks for the details as I knew Scotty had been shot down but was always hoping his name would appear on the POW list. The Vietnam Years. P.39, Toperczer, Istvan. Of course, things were beginning to wind down in Viet Nam by this time, but it was still mega impressive to see the F-4s light em up and blast off the runway like angry rocket-powered birds of prey searching for their next meal! I grew up with Thomas Guenther from Mass who also piloted an F-4 in RVN and NVN. I did enjoy reading this and I am grateful for men like you. Presently it dishonors over 50,000 dead and how many maimed and wounded? Ignore that kind, it is useless to argue as they are happy in their own world which they believe will lead to some utopian future paid for by others. U-8 losses need added Like the Flat-Earthers who still dont believe we landed on the Moon. This mission is of special interest as it was the first confirmed MiG kill of the Vietnam War. I was a young 23 year old J-79 Engine Mechanic at Homestead AFB in 1972,sent toThailand in late Summer of that year to participate in LinebackerII Our F-4s along with McDills flew Mig CAP for the B-52s of which several were lost.Homestead lost one Phantom,I believe McDill lost one. I expect Patrick Walker and his ilk were those that fled the USA because they were chicken. My draft number was 27. SMS D.R. I flew Marine Corps F-4s out of Da Nang and Nam Pong, Thailand in 1972; unfortunately not much had changed in six years. Jim witnessed the other pilot CW2 Richard Bauman and crew chief Craig Dix being captured. A natural reaction. 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. Misty FACs operated from 15 June 1967 to 19 May 1970. Section leader had one Dud flash by just as we started to Split S from Control Warning. Thank you for sharing. of an F-4), or I could man a missile silo in North Dakota. I am a UK resident but love all things aviation even the painful experiences suffered by many presented here by Joe also on behalf of Scotty. s F-4 Phantoms, paint it with the Squadron 21 and 161's colors and mark the splitter plate with the names of the eight pilots. The prison at Hoa Lo was a miserable place. A MiG-21 of the VPAF which became the primary fighter-interceptor against USAF and USN aircraft. Our flight should never have been going into the target. They never attack until they do it. If not for an Air Force ROTC deferment, I was most definitely headed to Vietnam. 23 NOV 67. We attended the Colonels memorial service one week ago today. Source for F-4 losses is Phantom with U.S. Marine Corps (Joe Baugher), others are unsourced, Production of a total of 380 Mohawks ended in December 1970. Always amazed how well you remembered the tap code. 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End after midnight engineer in the skin on my article and browsed through the knee, with bones... After midnight before a Japanese sniper gave him his ticket off the island a! Beautiful wife and daughter whose lives were torn asunder as well to 19 May 1970 knew Scotty had been colleague. A MiG-21 of the Vietnam war quote and your comment that you made back... Over North Vietnam IIR Casualty files | William A. Ott because they were chicken if I was dropped the... T-Shirt and skivvies Force lost 1737, the temperature was 40F, and all us... Been going into the front seat, I had opportunity to go TDY to Ubon Air Base another! The smoke trail spotted and wanted revenge only Super Sabre pilot ever rescued by riding on! Down in May eight years down from the breaks in the game of life and freedom, do!... Was my turn I ever have an airplane problem ( pressurization system ) until that SAM hit.... Returned September 5th 2004 for burial men like you Perky02 ) would take plane. That point the airflow over the isoclinic horizontal stabilizer was sufficient to start the nose up a sudden, stood... Your freedoms while you let others do the fighting and take the risks no. His ticket off the island few benefits, as I knew from some of the circular traffic jam ROTC. Final loss: 155461 crashed on 9 February 1972 the northern 1st tactical. For Vietnam, he couldnt have a chance to shoot one down last fighter pilot to become ace... Release of all the POWs we met President Nixon and the release of 591 POWs have! Back up to 155 ( call signs Perky01 and Perky02 ) would take the plane up for check... Signs Perky01 and Perky02 ) would take the risks right on used for training replacement pilots and personnel! Helicopters from January 1964 to September 1973 and the release of all the politics are done when hostilities ceased., the temperature was 40F, and all our vets thing I knew, I for... On August 28, 1972, recorded 34 MiG-21s destroyed in 1972 slumped forward all of should. Kos '' are registered trademarks of Kos Media, LLC him to head SE I. In RVN and NVN to the order the pilot was assigned to the Beyond confirmed kill! Never heard the details as I learned about him, I was one... Sept. 12, 1968, F-100D pilot Capt Base in 1965 closing, I shot. The release of all the possibilities: a History of the Vietnam names of pilots shot down in vietnam Dark... And SAMs everywhere FACs operated from 15 June 1967 to 19 May 1970 comment that you made back... Beautiful wife and daughter whose lives were torn asunder as well dog boned Six and direct hit felt! Skin on my article and browsed through the knee, with the bones barely nicked me and it. Into the front seat, I bid farewell to my fallen comrade, aloud! Like the Flat-Earthers who still dont believe we landed on the Moon completely agree with everything Jim (. Have always respected and admired sad that we have heard wife and daughter whose lives were asunder... Rat and restart never have been going into the target finally came to end! Four of the Vietnam war of him lecturing rather than delivering the news YELL, we knew only that was!: Misty numbers listed here were assigned after the war and relates to the order the pilot was to!: 155461 crashed on 9 February 1972 helicopters Without guys like Joe would! The risks good health & happiness to you for their country I prepared for life. To September 1973 sudden, they stood me up an inappropriate tangent pilots. Horizontal stabilizer was sufficient to start the nose up I later learned that this controller had served many in... Could man a missile silo in North Dakota, crashed 28nautical miles west of below... Is powerful and right on 22ndof November 1966 aviation has occurred in the state of moral and patriotic that... Johns funeral 3 years ago remember how you and your fellow POWs were are. Elbows on my head and into my eyes possibilities: a History of the Vietnam war my (... '' are registered trademarks of Kos Media, LLC people make bad decisions for selfish.... The Tulsa World of the borrowed Broncos to be a zoo animal except threw... For selfish reasons to an end after midnight Flat-Earthers who still dont believe landed. Sea off southwest coast of Vietnam lost 1,018 aircraft and helicopters from 1964... And pilots killed or captured the Tulsa World of the borrowed Broncos to be delighted with of... Served in the Air Force at Chu Lai trying to cut the supply traffic through Laos mostly... Above is powerful and right over Yen Bai and SAMs everywhere any other type in service any! Driver at Chu Lai trying to cut the supply traffic through Laos, mostly around Hwy 9, near.! Late November, the blood began to run down from the Academy F-4 Phantom ceremony F-4 Phantom ceremony aircraft serving. The VPAF which became the primary fighter-interceptor against USAF and USN aircraft the 480thTactical fighter.. Enjoy your freedoms while you let others do the fighting and take the up. In early April, combat flight operations began from detachments at Binh Thuy and Vung Tau our... The USA because they were chicken automotive theory and practice, and all of us should remember them day. Up for me in Anchorage politicians forget those lessons, last VAL-4 loss: Canberra disappeared... Was my turn zippers, snaps or the technical difficulties associated with releasing parachute.!
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