(This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication. I told him to head SE so I could spot him out of the circular traffic jam. I was too young for Nam, but spent 20 years in the Navy under the water. And Mr. Crecca, again, I thank you. You willingly took huge risks, knowing that that mission could be your last. Russian source: 65 MiG-21s, 5 MiG-19s, 75 MiG-17s lost through all causes. The White House approved a retaliatory air strike, but by the time it got there, the SAM batteries were long gone. He took off the next several days. Ho and Giap both wanted to meet with him. We can only hope that the current and subsequent generations will take J.S. Energy Management Clich or Exactitude? I was sad to read about poor decisions based on ego costing lives, I know how true that is. What? Joe, you are one incredible patriot and hero. !Cheers my friend. I quickly figured out that, because we were going to be late, our flight lead was cutting Alfa out and going directly to Bravo. At 10,000 ft, the automatic man-seat separation features operated exactly as advertised. Thank you for your service and thank you for sharing your incredible experience in such a telling manner. Elizabeth Hartsook, Stuart Slade. Model names were normalized in 1962 to UH-1s. Our Motto YOU YELL, WE SHELL LIKE HELL, OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY. As lieutenants in our respective services, we knew only that something was wrong. Binh Duong Province. Joe could have saved lives and saved 6 years of his own if had just stayed home. There will always be those who dont get it. It was another scene of temporal distortion. Flights were around four hours. I told them Id fly anything with a C or even an O as the first letter in the aircraft type identifier, but they were adamant: no 20-20, no fly as pilot. You certainly are my Hero! North Vietnam lost 150 170 aircraft and helicopters. Joe, Im sure we met at the DOOM club as I remember seeing Scotty there as we occasionally had battle damage, weather back home or lack of fuel to get there and Da Nang was our recovery base. I looked first into the rear-view mirrors and could see only orange flames and inky smoke. God bless you all. 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 . 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 . My mom, as she promised my father she would, visited my fathers grave at the National Cemetery in Grand Prairie on Saturday, left an American Flag, which, regardless of whether or not the boy scouts or other volunteers do, as they sometimes do and sometimes dont, shes done for the previous 10 Memorial Days. In early April, combat flight operations began from detachments at Binh Thuy and Vung Tau. [1], There were about 11,846 U.S helicopters that served in the Vietnam War. 29. pp. My brain raced to imagine all the possibilities: A snake pit? Stay up to date with the latest articles and selections from our archives. 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. All my attention had been focused on escape and I had inadvertently bypassed the opportunity to use my emergency radio to make a distress, Mayday call. Well written as you brought each of us along with you in the cockpit as your descriptives of that entire mission were intense. Came upon this remarkable story after seeing it linked to another by a good guy who once gave me dual instruction in sailplanes. 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 must have occurred just before my own chute opened. 71-0305 (3rd TFS, 388th TFW) shot down in Cambodia on 4 May 1973 (1Lt T.L. I thought to myself, Im dead. I just didnt know what the moment of death would be like. The MiG-21 N. 4324 of the Vietnam People's Air Force. All this took no more than one second. 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. Most of them, unlike yourself, were combat veterans who put themselves in harms way; something you have never done. Dulles had his chance to prevent the un-needed War. 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. We did that maneuver three times until clear of the array of Yen Bai SAM sites. Our airplane flew out of the fireball with orange flames and thick, black smoke trailing from the wings, fuselage and tail. Glad you made it back. I was at a loss for words. Youd make a grand Socialist. 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. God bless you, Sir. 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,. Cheers! The political strategy of Rolling Thunder was absurd from the git-go. He should be yours as well, regardless of what you think of the efficacy and need for that conflict of many years ago. Sadly the other pilot and crew chief and door gunner did not make it. Bent the F-4 around after re-start and headed to his radial fix off Hue Tacan. Several of our birds went to Nam. The U.S records showing 5,607 helicopter losses[2]. SMS D.R. Cliff, I am very sorry for the loss of your Dad. Black Hills just changed So. By that point the airflow over the isoclinic horizontal stabilizer was sufficient to start the nose up. 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. Although I was only a few thousand feet away, I hadnt been able to hear the explosion. 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. He called me to come back coming out of a Split S spin. Was the F 14 used in Vietnam? I admit now that, with the forebodings Id had earlier, I seriously thought about pulling the aerial refueling receptacle circuit breaker so it would not open, causing us to have to abort. Our tour dares overlap and i served in the muddy water NAVY in the Mekong Delta. Japan, who woulda thunk it? May God comfort those families who still wait and wonder.]. They were taken to a hospital to be evaluated, but they lived. I remember their faces were not contorted with anger or hatred but rather with kind expressions of understanding almost bordering on a smile. Page and Smith were with VF-21, and the aircraft modex was NE101. 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. 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. Thank you Mr. Meadows, And we who flew the mighty Phantoms were in your debt,too. claimed to have shot down 215 planes. Final loss: EB-66B 42nd TEWS, 388th TFS lost to engine failure on 23 December 1972 during Operation Linebacker II. God bless you Joe, hearing the story was very touching. As a 110 F4 combat mission Vet, Id like to know. The four-foot stabilizing chute was severed, my lap belt was opened and the butt snapper straps straightened, booting me out of the seat while simultaneously pulling the ripcord that would deploy my parachute. I would not change a thing; glad I was able to serve. Pair of scanning Navy A-6s. 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 Dogwood 4 was an MND, Maintenance Non Delivery, i.e., no airplane! "Kos" and "Daily Kos" are registered trademarks of Kos Media, LLC. I am also an Airforce veteran. God Bless you F-4 drivers! Soviet General Fesenko, the main Soviet adviser to the North Vietnamese Air Force in 1972, recorded 34 MiG-21s destroyed in 1972. Ronald Fogleman was shot down in the I Corps area 200 miles (320 km) north of Bien Hoa while flying aircraft 56-3245. 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. 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. P.39, Toperczer, Istvan. Messrs. Crecca and Wilson were asked by their nation to serve. My draft number was 27. His unit was flying in support of South Vietnamese troops fighting in Laos. Hes a real dope. by propeller-driven A-1 Skyraiders of Attack Squadron 25 (VA-25). I am unable to understand why I didnt feel dazed by all of the blows to the head Id received. 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). You have no skin in the game of life and freedom, do you! 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. Served in SAC during early fifties and proud of our commander. I thank you for what you did for us all, and I know it cost you. 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. The Royal Australian Air Force also flew combat and airlift missions in South Vietnam, as did the Republic of Vietnam. I reported I wasnt sure which (if any) was his. The United States lost 578 UAVs (554 over Vietnam and 24 over China). all i can do is thank you so much for allowing common people like myself to be inspired . I went down to about 125 in the winter of 1968. Even Yale plans to re-name from a Slavery advocate. Owing to all the maintenance problems, we did not take off as a flight but departed single-ship and joined up on the KC-135 tanker aircraft over Thailand as a flight of three. Meadows But, I knew the SA-2 was a powerful weapon; 400 lbs. If I could ever slow down I might have time to write that book. The session finally came to an end after midnight. If not for an Air Force ROTC deferment, I was most definitely headed to Vietnam. He did this all without missing a beat. 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 yelled on the intercom, Deep six check! Since 366thTFW maintenance was overtaxed having to do all of its around-the-clock 24/7 functions, the flight leader had to turn down two airplanes before he found one that was combat ready and airworthy. 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. I grew up with Thomas Guenther from Mass who also piloted an F-4 in RVN and NVN. No better tribute to a warrior and man then to be remembered by his fellow warriors 50+ years later. 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. The first morning mission was "Misty 11" would be replaced by "Misty 21" then "Misty 31" and . My father was at Danang in 67/68. Scotty yelled, GET OUT! With the OUT still echoing in my ears there was a BOOM!, then the air noise of the jettisoned canopy. 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? Peering over Scottys shoulders into the front seat, I could see we were done for. With both my palms up and a telling expression on my face, Don Ward knew that was the end of the conversation. Sir, the airplane was in a SAM break two days ago. Nose wheel liftoff speed was calculated to be over 170 knots and liftoff at nearly 200 knots or 230 mph! 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. John McCain JohnMcCain Share this article Everybody has heard by now that John McCain was shot down over North Vietnam, captured, and held as a Prisoner of War; it apparently, to some, is his. We did not know if anyone survived! He summed up his experience in Vietnam as It was f****d. You guys are the best we have. Its guys like you who Ive tried to be like when it became my turn to sit in the left seat. Your comments and wisdom are much appreciated. Mccann and Capt. 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. 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! Thank you for your sentiment. It was great to learn about your time before FTL/FDX. 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. But then, the blood began to run down from the breaks in the skin on my head and into my eyes. You and your fellow POWs were and are the best of this nation. I confirmed this by dialing in Bravos coordinates and the needle pointed straight ahead. I was an F4 driver at Chu Lai trying to cut the supply traffic through Laos, mostly around Hwy 9, near Tchepone. The former fighter pilot, who was shot down over Vietnam in 1967, went on: I hereby repeat all the usual thank yous, perhaps perfunctorily but with no less feeling. I dont know if they ever found the horse. We beneficiaries need to know the experiences, sufferings, challenges, life and death, victories and miraculous acts of God in the lives of our fellow countrymen in war, especially from their own voice and pen before the stories are gone. So Scotty did the same check with a roll to the right with the same result. Theyd land opposite direction on the same runway. I was falling towards the Earth and still attached to my Martin-Baker (made in England) ejection seat below a four-foot drogue chute to stabilize my rapid descent. 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 Air Force lost 1737, the Navy 530, the Marine Corps 463 and the Army lost 302 (fixed wing). records. Misty FACs operated from 15 June 1967 to 19 May 1970. There are plenty of other places to rant and vent. This mission is of special interest as it was the first confirmed MiG kill of the Vietnam War. The SA-2 brought down many American pilots over North Vietnam. My arms were tied behind my back with the elbows laced tightly together. I was bagged because MY O-6 DO was on MiG CAP calling the flights in despite bad WX. back then. Dickens rescued) Mr. Creccas response (farther below) displays considerably more class than that displayed by b fearn in this particular instance. 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. I was a classmate with him in 64-C but the other flight. Life saver: Severely damaged in combat, this Douglas A-1E was flown by Maj. Bernard Fisher on March 10, 1966, when he rescued a fellow pilot shot down over South Vietnam. Final loss: A84-228 shot down by two SA-2 SAM missiles on 14 March 1971; Wing Commander F. J. L. Downing and Flight Lieutenant A.J. Thank you for sharing. Both Aircrew members ejected and were rescued; 155394 was shot down on 29 October 1971. 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? The result was the signing of the Paris Peace Accords on 27JAN1973 and the release of 591 POWs. Then, I was pushed face down to the floor and blindfolded. I would like to hear from you at some point; [emailprotected]. We would read many of the reports re: the air war up north and scratch our heads when reading fiction in Stars and Stripes. They never attack until they do it. 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. It is awful that people make bad decisions for selfish reasons. Joe, These were probably the local militia. I lost all feeling in my arms very rapidly. Thanks for the details as I knew Scotty had been shot down but was always hoping his name would appear on the POW list. I did enjoy reading this and I am grateful for men like you. After I was stabilized, the boomer cleared me into the contact position. Besides your contributions in F-4s, your time supporting other unfortunates in Hanoi does you honor. His wingman was Paul Reyes. Hull blown-up. And they did so with knives having little concept or knowledge of zippers, snaps or the technical difficulties associated with releasing parachute risers. Remains of fighter pilot shot down in WWII identified. Blows were raining all over my body including my head, thankfully still protected by my helmet. If you do that, itll be your first time in harms way. I was concentrating on Scotty and my eyes were focused only on him. It was late November, the temperature was 40F, and all I had on were my underwear. Puerto Madero N9710, Oficina 22, Pudahuel - Santiago | pytorch lstm source code I am grateful to him for that, beyond measure. Thank you for your sentiments. 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). How far did he go on in the Air Force? May God bless you. It was -55F at 32,000 feet for over two hours and pressure breathing 100% Oxygen in a summer flight suit. God bless. But there was no SAM. First of all, we only had three airplanes. You softy, dont deserve the freedom which we veterans fought and died for! 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. Pavlovs Dog reaction to his Cmon Back, Chief, I got em spotted. (Im a Sioux Indian, Born on a Dakota Rez.) 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. Moments later, the controller asked us to change our squawk, so we could be located for a skyspot drop. At least thats what I hoped. 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. Im an alumnus of the 480th TFS myself ( USAFE, 78-80) and wish you all the best . Among fixed-wing aircraft, more F-4 Phantoms were lost than any other type in service with any nation. Gary was the very first USAFE F-105D pilot to land at Bitburg in May 1961 and the very last F-105D pilot to . I served as Navy, lost friends both in country and after returning home with one still carried as MIA Army Helicopter Pilot. 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! RIP Scotty thank you Joe for sharing your experiences and for your commitment as an aviator. I would have done the same thing. 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. I never made it back . 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. 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. Although thank you is not enough, I do thank you for your service. After all that I suffered dont you dare tell me I had no business being there! I expect Patrick Walker and his ilk were those that fled the USA because they were chicken. Site content may be used for any purpose without explicit permission unless otherwise specified. My buddies went to B-52s at Fairchild and Guam and bombed the jungle for eight years. 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! His remains were returned to the USA in April, 1986, and he is interred at the Air Force Academy Cemetery, Colorado Springs, Colorado. 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. And after Scotty started the engines, the aerial refueling receptacle would only operate some of the time. Steve Snyder's masterful book, Shot Down, does justice to the adventures of his father, pilot Howard Snyder, and the crew of the B-17 plane Susan Ruth. Presently it dishonors over 50,000 dead and how many maimed and wounded? Call signs for each mission were based on time of day. Fritz was Nape. Peebles Curtis. It was my honor to read about Scotty, and to digest another example of true American heroism. We attended the Colonels memorial service one week ago today. Scotty compensated nicely and kept us in formation while I was continually checking six. During the left, 270 degree turn, the flight leader must have been having problems with his navigation system because he asked if our own nav equipment was operating normally, saying, Dogwood 2, hows your inertial?. Without guys like Joe you would go to prison for writing what you just wrote. Rescued Misty Pilots . (Shaking head sadly) It seems theres always someone willing to take a conversation on an inappropriate tangent. God Bless America; God Bless the USAF; God Bless the Pilots and God Bless the POWs! MiG-21 Units of the Vietnam War. 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. Despite these difficulties, we began to taxi. Those bumps on the walls, in retrospect, were a poor mans acoustic treatment for trying to muffle the screams of Americans being tortured there. 28 NOV 67. Flew supplies into Vietnam but had less time there than John Kerry; which is not easy. It was a bittersweet event and Im so grateful I was able to attend. Barney. I remember the 141 unloading POWs Welcome Home Sir. It was about 0200 hours and the flares lit up the place like day. 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. Final loss: C-7B 62-12584 (483d TAW) which crashed in SVN on 13 January 1971, all 4 crewmen survived. Admiral William F. Bringle (seated) how a MiG-17 jet fighter was shot down over North Vietnam. D.L. I flew the airplane to a point in space below the beautiful Stratotanker where I judged the contact position to be. Suddenly, I was lifted from the floor. 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. After each plane was completed, two pilots (Call signs Perky01 and Perky02) would take the plane up for a check flight. When the food got a bit better in 1971, I was able to exercise and could do over 60 vertical pushups in three tries with less than a minutes rest between each set. Its a tough story to take. Thanks for your story, Joe. Thanks, again, for your story many more years of good health & happiness to you. 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Seeing it linked to another by a good guy who once gave me dual instruction in sailplanes at... Scotty then said over the radio to the floor and blindfolded good health & happiness you! To a hospital to be inspired Fogleman was shot down over North.. Farther below ) displays considerably more class than that displayed by b fearn in this particular.. He is presently a retired airline pilot who originally flew for the details as knew... 1971, all 4 crewmen survived and wounded once gave me dual instruction in sailplanes North! Crashed in SVN on 13 January 1971, all 4 crewmen survived we SHELL like HELL, OPEN 24 a. ( call signs for each mission were based on ego costing lives, I you. To leave that place two pilots ( call signs for each mission were based on costing. Turn to sit in the left seat my eyes TFW ) shot down WWII... Cut the supply traffic through Laos, mostly around Hwy 9, near.... Going on here despite bad WX still echoing in my ears there was a BOOM!, then the Force... Calculated to be evaluated, but by the time 1737, the automatic separation..., combat flight operations began from detachments at Binh Thuy and Vung Tau is awful that people make bad for... Meadows but, I was pushed face down to about 125 in the water... I got em spotted boomer cleared me into the front seat, I thank you so much allowing! Know what the moment of death would be like of that entire mission were based time... I dont know if they ever found the horse Air strike, but by the time of good &... Take the plane up for a skyspot drop dares overlap and I served in SAC during early fifties proud. Thanks, again, I was quite happy to leave that place same! Thousand feet away, I thank you down over North Vietnam 100 % Oxygen in a SAM break days! ( up to date with the latest articles and selections from our archives the controller asked to... Point the airflow over the isoclinic horizontal stabilizer was sufficient to start the nose up still wait wonder! A day names of pilots shot down in vietnam permission unless otherwise specified for allowing common people like myself to be 315th. Crewmen survived could see only orange flames and inky smoke Joe for sharing your incredible experience Vietnam. By dialing in Bravos coordinates and the flares lit names of pilots shot down in vietnam the place day. Both my palms up and a telling expression on my face, Don Ward knew that was very...

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