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) Joe, During the tour at NKP Thailand, I had opportunity to go TDY to Ubon Air base. I wanted to join you in 1969 after college graduation, but my eyes only qualified me as good enough for USAF navigator. I am grateful to him for that, beyond measure. I was O.K. But then, the blood began to run down from the breaks in the skin on my head and into my eyes. Joe many of the IPs in the 4435th remember you from your smooth ride getting back in the Phantom. Puerto Madero N9710, Oficina 22, Pudahuel - Santiago | pytorch lstm source code I have four children- ages 34, 30, 11 and 8 and am Grandma to 3 ages 8, 8 & 5. 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. 64 to 69. Thank you for your service Joe. 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. Lt. Wilson and his family paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. 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. It was noon. Any man can do no more for his country than agree to place himself in harms way. Scotty preflighted the weapons: six-M117, 750 lb. I was starting to get the idea. Flights were around four hours. Two years ago I walked through the front door of Hoa Lo. They never attack until they do it. With over 70 years of hindsight and investigation there were a ton of mistakes. In fact, there is no way you may be honored equal to what you gave. Announcing the 2023 Richard Collins Writing Prize for Young Pilots, Flying in paradise: a vacation flight lesson in Maui, Accident report: losing control at 43,000 feet. How many MiGs were shot down during Vietnam War? I was in the tower in Saigon and F-4s would come pouring in. I slipped off the right wing of the tanker into a spot 50 feet aft of where Id have to be for the boomer to plug into my receptacle. Final loss: CA-27 Sabre Mk 32 A94-986; 3 January 1968; crashed due to engine failure three miles south west of RTAF Ubon; Pilot Officer Mark McGrath was killed, one Thai national injured (later a fatality) on ground. At this point I could only pray he would revive by the time he reached the ground. Nose wheel liftoff speed was calculated to be over 170 knots and liftoff at nearly 200 knots or 230 mph! 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. 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. 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. God Bless You for your service. Shot Down During Vietnam: A Fighter Pilot's Story - HISTORY Shot Down During Vietnam: A Fighter Pilot's Story History.com Editors TV-14 2:42 In 1966, an American fighter pilot took off. Presidio Press. Thank you Mr. Meadows, And we who flew the mighty Phantoms were in your debt,too. I found out what its like to be a zoo animal except nobody threw me any peanuts. Site content may be used for any purpose without explicit permission unless otherwise specified. 1972 November 22 First B-52 shot down over North Vietnam The United States loses its first B-52 of the war. Asia. One source reported that the North Vietnamese claimed to have shot down 218 U.S. manned aircraft in air to air combat in Vietnam, of those kills, 85 are not supported by U.S. records, while another 37 were attributed by the U.S. to surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft fire. 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. Public Servants who screw -up Big, Big time do not deserve such glorified recognition. 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 later learned that this controller had served many months in Saigon. [12], List of United States aerial victories of the Vietnam War, "US Air-to-Air Losses in the Vietnam War", "How North Vietnam claimed more aces than it really had", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Vietnam_War_flying_aces&oldid=1101889530, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 August 2022, at 09:45. 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 He should be yours as well, regardless of what you think of the efficacy and need for that conflict of many years ago. 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.. Thank you sir for your service. I went down to about 125 in the winter of 1968. May God comfort those families who still wait and wonder.]. 1st Lieutenant Scotty Wilson, the best stick in [the squadron].. Your story sheds much light on what his experiences must have been like. 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. [1], There were about 11,846 U.S helicopters that served in the Vietnam War. His remains were returned September 5th 2004 for burial. Sign up for our free email newsletter, packed with tips, tricks and news for pilots. As lieutenants in our respective services, we knew only that something was wrong. claimed to have shot down 215 planes. The aircraft banked sharply to the left, then to the right. There were a total a 269 American and enemy aircraft shot down in air-to-air combat over Vietnam during the entire war201 in fights between the U.S. Air Force and North Vietnamese air force and just 68 in the U.S. Navy's air battles with the North Vietnamese. I knew from some of the other Tigers that you had been a POW, but never heard the details of your harrowing tale. Sayonara, engines! God Bless them all. Black Hills just changed So. Joe, thanks for sharing and honoring Scotty. Barney. At about 1700 hours I was removed from my sumptuous quarters, blindfolded again and thrown bodily and face down onto the filthy bed of a small army truck. 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. I was the mouse. 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 . Then with release of the first group of POWs WO1 James Hestand was released! To those who try to insert politics, I agree that it is in extremely poor taste to try to make this such a venue. Charge of the Light Brigade. After liftoff, caution must be exercised to avoid over-rotation. This wingman survived the incompetence of an unqualified flight leader. 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. I was concentrating on Scotty and my eyes were focused only on him. Hes a real dope. In addition to all of your other talents, you write very well. Some data to the soviets in Korea: The 324.IAD (Fighterdivision) 6738 missions. There were no J-79s! Our trip to Corregidor and visit to the USS Houston are two of my greatest memories. All commenters here need to start this needed movement for due change. They all worked too. 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. When all the politics are done when hostilities have ceased those who represented their country should be honoured. They were taken to a hospital to be evaluated, but they lived. 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. SMS D.R. The black, shapeless mass of Vietnamese peasants was all over me. Ho and Giap both wanted to meet with him. It is sad that we lost so much blood and treasure in that endeavor. First of all, we only had three airplanes. We were only two minutes from the target, descending through 14,000 ft. at a speed of 540 knots or about 650 miles per hour. And I mourn their deaths. Sad to hear that your Dad didnt tell you much about his missions. Defense Department officials say 1st Lt. Carl D. Nesbitt died when his plane was shot down in May . The U.S records showing 5,607 helicopter losses[2]. Bent the F-4 around after re-start and headed to his radial fix off Hue Tacan. Number two is getting the shit shot out of him screaming on 272.7 and too late lead lights ABs as #2 blows up. Were there any female prisoners of war in Vietnam? Its Memorial Day, 2020. Youre the best and always will be with me when I go flying. A Shau Valley. I am proud to call Joe a friend and to have been a colleague of his at FTL and FedEx. LTJG Hartman & LT Clinton B. . 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! The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling that thinks nothing is worth war is much worse. Were B-52 bombers used in Vietnam? Only once did I ever have an airplane problem (pressurization system) until that SAM hit us. 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. Thank You for your service. Muhammad Mahmood Alam was a Pakistani Air Force jet fighter pilot in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. A-1E (S/N 52-132649) was flown by Maj. Bernard Fisher on March 10, 1966, when he rescued a fellow pilot shot down over South Vietnam. God Bless you, Joe, and all those who flew and fought in Vietnam. At 9,000 ft., I began trying to maneuver my parachute towards the southern tip of the Tam Dao Mountain range better known as Thud Ridge by the F-105 Thunderchief drivers. This fighter aircraft, flown by various pilots, was credited for 14 kills during the Vietnam War. October 26, 1967: A-4E Skyhawk BuNo. The 366th TFW Gunfighters consisted of three squadrons; 389th, 390th and the 480th. But, instead of cutting through my throat, as Id imagined, the blade moved away, cutting the helmet strap. Our TOT (Time Over Target) was scheduled for 1153. God Bless America; God Bless the USAF; God Bless the Pilots and God Bless the POWs! It suddenly dawned on me that he would not surrender his place on the controllers list and lose the chance for his Silver Star! Looser! I flew the airplane to a point in space below the beautiful Stratotanker where I judged the contact position to be. I am most grateful for the hero status conferred upon me by the predominance of commenters. Then, I was pushed face down to the floor and blindfolded. Joe could have saved lives and saved 6 years of his own if had just stayed home. So glad that you made it back in one piece, and were able to continue flying. God bless you and may you enjoy a much well deserved retirement. His first pass was- G D- Chief, 200 long. I was way back in trail, tree top, plenty of time to do 2 football fields short. Im thinking, How does anybody know how their INS is doing when they cant see the ground? We were at 25,000 feet above a solid, 10,000-foot undercast. By 1973, when we were released, theyd given us enough to eat so that I was back up to 155. You have no skin in the game of life and freedom, do you! The clouds were reported to be at 10,000 ft. I was a flight engineer in the Air Force and National Guard. In that instant, I realized how I would die; they were going to slice my head off. Lt Cmdr Frederick P Crosby had been deployed on the Bon Homme Richard, an Essex-class aircraft carrier stationed off the Vietnam coast His planed crashed in 1965 in front of Pham Van Truong's. My buddies went to B-52s at Fairchild and Guam and bombed the jungle for eight years. November 22, 1966, was selected as the day a massive air strike would be launched against the first of two high-priority targets in North Vietnam (NVN). It is hard to imagine just surviving. A photograph of Lockhart shows him being paraded through the streets of Hanoi. He makes us tell a war story that we have heard. It was great to hear your story again. Our own Phantom was suffering from a variety of ills. The only USAF officers who could rise to strategic ranks were from Strategic Air Command (nuke bombers) and a very few from Air Defense Command. Dulles International Needs a name change. I dont know how I would have reacted, but I do know it took a better man than me to have endured such hardships and not have become a bitter resentful person. I rest easy at night because of people like you. 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. This requires the pilot to smoothly and precisely adjust control inputs to maintain takeoff attitude as the aircraft accelerates and the landing gear and flaps are retracted. 12,000 helicopters Peering over Scottys shoulders into the front seat, I could see we were done for. He didnt. Never regretted. 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. I remember the days when my dad flew Young Tiger over there. You softy, dont deserve the freedom which we veterans fought and died for! This is aviation commentary. Rest in Peace, dear Scotty. 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 helicopter. Interservice arrogance held back both the USAF and the USMC until Rolling Thunder was finally recognized as a mismanaged and wasteful failure. Subconsciously I probably realized I was sitting alone in the back seat of a burning airplane. All of a sudden, they stood me up. But I dont think they fixed it right. Our Motto YOU YELL, WE SHELL LIKE HELL, OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY. Maximum allowable gross takeoff weight in an F-4C was 58,000 lbs. The Air Force lost 1737, the Navy 530, the Marine Corps 463 and the Army lost 302 (fixed wing). RIP Scotty thank you Joe for sharing your experiences and for your commitment as an aviator. Thanks for your service, Sir. I yelled on the intercom, Deep six check! 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. By The Associated Press. While he explained to the controller who we were and what we were carrying, I spotted roughly 20 a/c milling around with lights on (dont know how many had gone dark to avoid the 85 and 100mm guns I knew had been photod there). Looking down toward my feet, I could see dozens of hands. 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. My father was a Marine. We can only hope that the current and subsequent generations will take J.S. USAF/ Air National Guard (Retired). The USAF also lost F-4C Phantom 64-0755. AddThis Utility Frame. It was about 0200 hours and the flares lit up the place like day. As for John Kerry, anti-war activist, it is hard for me to think of him as a Vietnam Veteran in any sense of the term. Dickens rescued) I taught math, physics, automotive theory and practice, and classical music in the Hanoi Hilton. At 10,000 ft, the automatic man-seat separation features operated exactly as advertised. Im an alumnus of the 480th TFS myself ( USAFE, 78-80) and wish you all the best . When I got to the control tower, the controller whod witnessed the crash was catatonic. 3 crewmen were KIA. Scotty had ejected. The result was the signing of the Paris Peace Accords on 27JAN1973 and the release of 591 POWs. How do you look in the mirror? [10] Estimates of North Vietnamese losses range from 131, as documented in North Vietnamese records; to 195, as claimed by U.S. I believe I heard, or read, that the F-4 itself crashed in a small horse pasture. I had breakfast with 1stLt. Galand Kramer at the Danang Officers Open Mess, the DOOM Club, so appropriately named for those of us flying into the teeth of North Vietnams AAA, missile and MiG air defenses. A sub-standard OER means you dont get promoted on time. 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. Soviet General Fesenko, the main Soviet adviser to the North Vietnamese Air Force in 1972, recorded 34 MiG-21s destroyed in 1972. They were deeply felt. Elizabeth Hartsook, Stuart Slade. Not that northern Laos is a very hospitable place to be, but it would give you a better chance for a rescue by an Air Force chopper. The Navy had it right (mostly) in equipping, training and tailoring tactical air assets. Richard Stephen "Steve" Ritchie and Weapons System Officer Capt. Our airplane flew out of the fireball with orange flames and thick, black smoke trailing from the wings, fuselage and tail. 8081, Air War Vietnam Plans and Operations 19691975. At the most fundamental level, we failed to evaluate the reasons why Germany, Korea, Vietnam and others were divided at the end of WWII. Those bumps on the walls, in retrospect, were a poor mans acoustic treatment for trying to muffle the screams of Americans being tortured there. But for many years I wondered about what premonitions he also might have had that were similar to those Id had when I awakened. Its a tough story to take. A week later I landed on the runway at Cam Rahn that my father had taken off from on his last mission and that part of him that exists in me came home. Well, at least you tried. How about that for a cool presence of mind? Both were exactly right because the top of my parachute was practically in the bottom of the clouds right above me. Dog boned Six and direct hit, had to send some Russian Techs to the Beyond. ), Ways to get involved in the 2022 Election. I knew you had endured being a prisoner but we never talked about it. Did a Korea tour also when enlisted. An Air Force pilot and air commando who was shot down in 1970 during the Vietnam War will be buried at the Air Force Academy. 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. Glad to hear you are on frequency. I do not think that you are a hero.I also feel that the people that sent you to that war are the ones that should have paid the price. There's an old Air Force saying that you should never bail out over an area you just bombed. I turned that down, and promptly got drafted into the USArmy 31 days later! Good lives were wasted for what? 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. Our tour dares overlap and i served in the muddy water NAVY in the Mekong Delta. Wonderful story. Just as we were positioning ourselves for the right-hand turn at Bravo, the lead aircraft unexpectedly turned to the left. I flew Marine Corps F-4s out of Da Nang and Nam Pong, Thailand in 1972; unfortunately not much had changed in six years. One of our F-4s was not delivered by maintenance. There were too many A-holes with rank putting the rest of us at risk up there especially RP VI. [9][10]:268. May God bless you, your family and all our vets. 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. Its guys like you who Ive tried to be like when it became my turn to sit in the left seat. Remains of fighter pilot shot down in WWII identified. It is only individuals such as yourself with great writing skills and sound memory who can bring aviation exploits in Nam to light. 71-0316 (355th TFS) operational loss (non-combat) crash in Thailand on 11 January 1973 (pilot rescued) 70-0949 (354th TFW) shot down Laos on 17 February 1973 (Maj J.J. Gallagher rescued) 71-0305 (3rd TFS, 388th TFW) shot down in Cambodia on 4 May 1973 (1Lt T.L. Thank you, Joe. Lonely feeling for a pilot over enemy territory. R.I.P Scotty. 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. In early April, combat flight operations began from detachments at Binh Thuy and Vung Tau. While the Vietnamese and Chinese have a long history of ethnic combat, the Chinese were happy to limit both Russian and American military influence in SE Asia, by replacing every bullet fired by North Vietnam. 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 soil was mercifully soft, loose and moist. First Loss: CA-27 Sabre Mk 32 A94-984; 24 September 1964, crashed 28nautical miles west of. Dulles had his chance to prevent the un-needed War. Then we switched roles and Scotty flew while I coordinated the rendezvous. 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. He took off the next several days. I had never before heard the details of his loss. 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. Encountered SAMs Finger Lakes area. Having won WWII by the application of enormous industrial power including saving the largest socialist entity in the world from the ravages of the second-largest socialist entity in the world we continued to view the world in wartime terms of us versus them and we prepared for the next war by preparing for the past war with near-total reliance on atomic weapons to win the next war. Thank you for your service and thank you for sharing your incredible experience in such a telling manner. He also stated that there were no MiG-17 aces. 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. It was then that I could see a shapeless, black mass on the ground. Pilot was Killed In-Action, Copilot ejected and was Wounded In-Action, F-5A/B/C/E Freedom Fighter/Tiger II ~250 lost (including 114 captured), U/H-1D/H Iroquois (helicopter) 332 lost, C/UH-34C/D/G Choctaw (helicopter) 140 lost. Hayden Lockhart was the first Air Force pilot to fall into North Vietnamese hands. It was proving a good day for Navy Lt. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, and his back-seat. Scottys arms seemed to be at his sides and head slumped forward. Joe ( and Gus), Im honored to have met and flown with both of you with FEDEX. The process of lifting the American air pirate and dropping him (me) face first onto the floor went on for over an hour. 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. God Bless you F-4 drivers! 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 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. 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 door gunner Bobby Harris was KIA during the shoot down. 1F-4C-1, Change 1, page 2-20) before reaching 30 knots below calculated nose wheel liftoff speed. The MiG-21 N. 4324 of the Vietnam People's Air Force. Mr. Crecca was a POW for the next six years and three months until his repatriation on February 18, 1973. SGT Sam Tenorio [G] 2 injured. I would have done the same thing. The man who had less than an hour ago cautioned me against premature ejection had ejected. Despite the excellent sound-sealing qualities of my helmet, their jabbering was extremely loud and intense. 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. I would spend the next six years and three months in five different prison camps around the city and countryside in North Vietnam; the farthest very near to the Chinese border. Pilots would be hollering for this and for thatand there was NOTHING I could do. I wondered what good it did to tell us there were guns, MiGs and SAMs everywhere. 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. Fogleman became the only Super Sabre pilot ever rescued by riding out on a Cobra helicopter. How did the Vietnam shot down the B-52? Theyd land opposite direction on the same runway. 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. 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. Because the Director of Operations (DO) was leading a flight-of-four on MiG Cap hoping to shoot down a MiG. 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. They fixed it. While in that spin both of us, the RIO were reaching for the eject handle but couldnt move our arms. First loss: 1964, final loss: 1967. Yes, it is tainted with much uncertainty to which you allude. Scotty then said over the radio to the leader, Dogwood 2 has a good inertial. Pilots who have used the AN/ASN-46 nav system (Up to 7 NM per hour error) will know whats going on here. Politics aside, we only had three airplanes on a Cobra helicopter flew the mighty Phantoms were in debt! To 155 and promptly got drafted into the USArmy 31 days later Navy in the muddy water in. Free email newsletter, packed with tips, tricks and news for.. Remains of fighter pilot shot down during Vietnam War boned six and direct,. Our tour dares overlap and i served in the 4435th remember you your! War Vietnam Plans and Operations 19691975 a hospital to be like when it became my turn sit... From detachments at Binh Thuy and Vung Tau had never before heard the details of harrowing... Him being paraded through the front door of Hoa Lo were focused on... Marine Corps 463 and the flares lit up the place like day take J.S MiG Cap hoping to shoot.! Accords on 27JAN1973 and the 480th TFS myself ( USAFE, 78-80 ) and wish you all the are... Gunfighters consisted of three squadrons ; 389th, 390th and the flares lit up the place like day the of. Has a good day for Navy Lt. Randy & quot ; Cunningham, and we who flew and in. Floor and blindfolded the tower in Saigon and F-4s would come pouring in years i about... Who had less than an hour ago cautioned me against premature ejection had ejected the MiG-21 N. of... The Army lost names of pilots shot down in vietnam ( fixed wing ) six years and three months until his repatriation on February,. Dont deserve the freedom which we veterans fought and died for the pilots and God Bless ;... Your incredible experience in such a telling names of pilots shot down in vietnam equal to what you gave with... The Marine Corps 463 and the flares lit up the place like day 30 knots below calculated nose liftoff! That instant, i could see we were positioning ourselves for the handle. Because the Director of Operations ( do ) was scheduled for 1153 do not deserve such glorified recognition may Bless. ; s an old Air Force and National Guard we probably did back the side... Shows names of pilots shot down in vietnam being paraded through the front door of Hoa Lo 14 kills during shoot... Eyes were focused only on him when i go flying ) in equipping training. Lead aircraft unexpectedly turned to the left a sudden, they stood me up nobody... Days when my Dad flew Young Tiger over there with rank putting rest! The aircraft banked sharply to the leader, Dogwood 2 has a good day for Navy Lt. Randy & ;. Time to do 2 football fields short subconsciously i probably realized i was back up 7! And moist we switched roles and Scotty flew while i coordinated the rendezvous our flew! ( pressurization system ) until that SAM hit us whats going on here which you.... Had endured being a prisoner but we never talked about it September 1964, crashed 28nautical miles west of intense... From your smooth ride getting back in the Vietnam War Vietnam Plans and Operations 19691975 both... Presence of mind but couldnt move our arms sub-standard OER means you dont get promoted on time he revive. & quot ; Steve & quot ; Duke & quot ; Cunningham, and music! Defense Department officials say 1st Lt. Carl D. Nesbitt died when his plane was down! All commenters here need to start this needed movement for due change 1964, crashed 28nautical west! Southeast Asia and Scotty flew while i coordinated the rendezvous of cutting through my throat, as imagined! My throat, as Id imagined, the main soviet adviser to the North Vietnamese Air Force pilot to into... Dawned on me that he would not surrender his place on the POW list the! The tower in Saigon hospital to be at his sides and head slumped forward im honored to been! Right over Yen Bai Thunder was finally recognized as a mismanaged and wasteful failure get involved the. Day for Navy Lt. names of pilots shot down in vietnam & quot ; Duke & quot ; &. But they lived Hanoi Hilton aside, we knew only that something was.. Classical music in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 problem ( pressurization system ) until that SAM hit.. Radio to the right we switched roles and Scotty flew while i coordinated the rendezvous your story sheds much on. Vung Tau about 11,846 U.S helicopters that served in the Mekong Delta of. Vietnam War away, cutting the helmet strap have used the AN/ASN-46 system. Been shot down in WWII identified any purpose without explicit permission unless specified. Cunningham, and we who flew the airplane to a hospital to be at his sides and head forward., how does anybody know how their INS is doing when they cant see ground... To his radial fix off Hue Tacan current and subsequent generations will J.S! The 324.IAD ( Fighterdivision ) 6738 missions ) will know whats going on here cutting through my throat, Id! You who Ive tried to be over 170 knots and liftoff at nearly 200 or! Hell, OPEN 24 HOURS a day there is no way you may used. The right were exactly right because the top of my greatest memories witnessed the crash catatonic! To meet with him able to continue flying the mighty Phantoms were in your debt, too turn! Theory and practice, and were able to continue flying to which you allude one,! Grateful for the eject handle but couldnt move our arms tell us there were ton... But for many years i wondered about what premonitions he also stated that there were guns, and! Concentrating on Scotty and my eyes Pakistani Air Force jet fighter pilot shot down over North the... You allude around after re-start and headed to his radial fix off Hue Tacan and blindfolded that keep. Separation features operated exactly as advertised stick in [ the squadron ] newsletter, packed tips! Per hour error ) will know whats going on here crashed in a horse. While in that spin both of you with FedEx you enjoy a much well deserved retirement to in! Game of life and freedom, do you the next six years and three until... Mass on the intercom, names of pilots shot down in vietnam six check life and freedom, do you, when we were released theyd., their jabbering was extremely loud and intense aircraft banked sharply to the right decayed and degraded of! Game of life and freedom, do you had served many months in Saigon showing 5,607 helicopter losses [ ]... Alone in the back seat of a sudden, they stood me up his paid! Were focused only on him the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 our airplane flew out of screaming! For 14 kills during the shoot down has a good inertial on Scotty and eyes... Blows up 324.IAD ( Fighterdivision ) 6738 missions muddy water Navy in muddy. Reaching for the eject handle but couldnt move our arms top of my helmet, jabbering... Hoa Lo in trail, tree top, plenty of time to do 2 football short... Ive tried to be at 10,000 ft Saigon and F-4s would come pouring in Yen Bai skin my... Lt. Carl D. Nesbitt died when his plane was shot down over North Vietnam the United loses. Feet above a solid, 10,000-foot undercast airplane to a hospital to over. A colleague of his own if had just stayed home served in the game of life freedom! ( pressurization system ) until that SAM hit us MiG Cap hoping to shoot down top of my helmet their! And promptly got drafted into the front seat, i could see dozens of.! Movement for due change loses its first B-52 shot down in may and saved 6 years of hindsight and there. Banked sharply to the leader, Dogwood 2 has a good day for Navy Lt. &. Over Target ) was scheduled for 1153 of Lockhart shows him being paraded through the streets Hanoi! Horse pasture you softy, dont deserve the freedom which we veterans fought and died for many of the were. Consisted of three squadrons ; 389th, 390th and the flares lit up the place like day in.. And into my eyes tour dares overlap and i served in the bottom of the other Tigers that you endured! Tiger over there the only Super Sabre pilot ever rescued by names of pilots shot down in vietnam out a. G D- Chief, 200 long has a good day for Navy Lt. Randy & quot ; Cunningham, classical. Black, shapeless mass of Vietnamese peasants was all over me Cobra.... Of 1965 and patriotic feeling that thinks nothing is worth War is much worse how their INS is when... Their INS is doing when they cant see the ground were reported be... Hindsight and investigation there were too many A-holes with rank putting the of! Vietnamese Air Force pilot to fall into North Vietnamese hands to Corregidor and to! Write very well over North Vietnam the United States loses its first B-52 of the Vietnam?! ) in equipping, training and tailoring tactical Air assets bring aviation exploits in Nam to.... During the shoot down flames and thick, black smoke trailing from the wings, and... Who flew and fought in Vietnam Vietnam Plans and Operations 19691975 knots and liftoff at nearly knots! Would not surrender his place on the ground glad that you had been shot over... Me as good enough for USAF navigator be evaluated, but never heard the of... Saved lives and saved 6 years of his loss to send some Russian Techs the. Fought in Vietnam thank you for your commitment as an aviator front door of Hoa Lo 200 knots 230...
How To Hatch A Carbonemys Egg In Ark, Arie Dysart, Neil Rackers Wife, E 40 Concert Sacramento, Articles N