names of pilots shot down in vietnam

God Bless all who serve. The clouds were reported to be at 10,000 ft. October 26, 1967: A-4E Skyhawk BuNo. b fearnits people like you ( and others who fled to Canada) who make those of us who answered the call sick to our stomachs! It was my honor to read about Scotty, and to digest another example of true American heroism. At least thats what I hoped. Remains of fighter pilot shot down in WWII identified. The tale I heard was that at the time the 480th TFS shot down our 4th & 5th MiG-21s only eight of them had been bagged by anyone else anywhere. Our intel chief Major Art Weiner briefed us on all aspects of our mission including weather and defenses. Hed slept in an air-conditioned hut. SMS D.R. Contact, followed by, Youre taking fuel, announced the boomer. for my family and I, is absolutely heartfelt and sincere. The United States lost 578 UAVs (554 over Vietnam and 24 over China). Our birds were the E series and had the internal 20 MM and made good Mig.CAP birds. I was sad to read about poor decisions based on ego costing lives, I know how true that is. I was a F4 mechanic here at DMAFB in Tucson. records. Thank you for sharing this. As lieutenants in our respective services, we knew only that something was wrong. Thank you sir for your service. Peebles Curtis. Soviet General Fesenko, the main Soviet adviser to the North Vietnamese Air Force in 1972, recorded 34 MiG-21s destroyed in 1972. 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. God Bless you, Joe. 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. Our Motto YOU YELL, WE SHELL LIKE HELL, OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY. We lost him in 2012. This is known as temporal distortion. Our standard load was 12-500s or 7 Nape. 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. A total of 17 four-ship flights were to hit a vast complex of oil and munitions storage and NVN troops. At the very least, he had just been knocked out. We had been taught to respect and trust the higher-ups that won WWII, Little could we conceive that the USMC and the USAF began the conflict with almost total ignorance of what was required for this exercise in power projection. A few of the men wore shoddy uniforms and were armed with old-looking, bolt-action rifles. May God bless you, your family and all our vets. 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. YGBSM!. He also stated that there were no MiG-17 aces. Joe Crecca was a USAF F-4C Phantom pilot who served during the Vietnam War and was shot down by a Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) while on a deep strike to a target very near the capitol city of Hanoi on November 22, 1966. 33 years 6 months after his loss. Theyd land opposite direction on the same runway. Two years ago I walked through the front door of Hoa Lo. However, when your country calls, you have two choices, in 1965 you went, in 1969 you didnt. God Bless you F-4 drivers! Nose wheel liftoff speed was calculated to be over 170 knots and liftoff at nearly 200 knots or 230 mph! 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. The pain was unbearable except that I had to bear it whether I wanted to or not. This content was created by a Daily Kos Community member. Spent the day with Tom and Scottys brother Mark. The flight call sign was Dogwood and we were number 2. All we wanted to do was tell him we wanted the French out! Final loss: EB-66B 42nd TEWS, 388th TFS lost to engine failure on 23 December 1972 during Operation Linebacker II. He was the last fighter pilot to become an ace in a day, shooting down five Indian Hawker . 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 felt and heard the clunk of the probe making contact with the open jaws of the receptacle located on the back of my Phantom some 10 feet behind me. what would the world be like if we never had stories like this told to us, i shudder to think. When Nixon ended the draft in early 73, having not yet been required to sign on the dotted line, I marched into the ROTC office, turned in my uniform, and that was it: my military obligation was over. My father (deceased) served in the Army in Korea and my son served as an Army Combat Medic deployed to Afghanistan. While my eyes and my thoughts were on flying out of enemy territory, my hands moved swiftly to the lower ejection handle while my body automatically assumed the correct ejection posture; back straight, legs extended, elbows tucked in close to the body, and BOOM. I knew from some of the other Tigers that you had been a POW, but never heard the details of your harrowing tale. Spooky came in after that and made a few passes. of high-explosive surrounded by a thousand 1-inch diameter stainless steel balls inside the 6-foot long nose cone. He is someone that I have always respected and admired. Always amazed how well you remembered the tap code. 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. (Shaking head sadly) It seems theres always someone willing to take a conversation on an inappropriate tangent. May God bless you. I knew you had endured being a prisoner but we never talked about it. 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. 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. by propeller-driven A-1 Skyraiders of Attack Squadron 25 (VA-25). He took off the next several days. R. Cole rescued, Final loss: 57-0922 (435th TFS, 8th TFW) operational loss due to engine failure on 14 May 1967 in Thailand, pilot name unknown, survived, First loss: 624371 (36th TFS, 6441st TFW) written off from battle damage over Laos 14 August 1964, at Korat, Thailand, Final loss: 610153 (44th TFS, 355th TFW) shot down Laos 23 September 1970, pilot Capt. How many MiG-21 shot down in Vietnam? 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! Well written as you brought each of us along with you in the cockpit as your descriptives of that entire mission were intense. Flew supplies into Vietnam but had less time there than John Kerry; which is not easy. So what was The D.O.s name? Crash Location: Into Sea off southwest coast of Vietnam near Rach Gia and Ca Mau. Yes, it is tainted with much uncertainty to which you allude. I was an F4 driver at Chu Lai trying to cut the supply traffic through Laos, mostly around Hwy 9, near Tchepone. The SA-2 brought down many American pilots over North Vietnam. You who kept the supplies coming to us were a vital part of the war effort. Thank You Sir for your service and sacrifice you gave to our Country! Joe could have saved lives and saved 6 years of his own if had just stayed home. You should be ashamed of yourself! 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. In 1973, American POWs finally came home. After each plane was completed, two pilots (Call signs Perky01 and Perky02) would take the plane up for a check flight. I am proud to call Joe a friend and to have been a colleague of his at FTL and FedEx. The USMC focused almost entirely on close air support (yards, not miles) of their ground units and on point defense over an amphibious landing. Scotty hadnt regained consciousness. Id pulled the lower ejection handle and was away from my burning Phantom. He didnt. Glad to hear you are on frequency. Mr. Crecca was a POW for the next six years and three months until his repatriation on February 18, 1973. Instead, Ill just say thanks, Joe Crecca, and thanks to God for men like you. 12,000 helicopters Thank You for your service. Thank you for your sentiment. Jim witnessed the other pilot CW2 Richard Bauman and crew chief Craig Dix being captured. Came upon this remarkable story after seeing it linked to another by a good guy who once gave me dual instruction in sailplanes. Its not from the How did you survive? They were in absolute frenzy. I was asked the same questions over and over in an attempt to trip me up. Had it not been for President Nixon and the sheer courage of the B-52 and tactical aircrews, the POWs would never have returned. J. W. Newhouse rescued, First loss: EF-105F 63-8286 (13th TFS, 388th TFW) shot down by AAA RP-6 July 1966, Maj. Roosevelt Hestle, Final loss: F-105G 63-8359 (Det.1 561st TFS, 388th TFW) shot down by SAM 16 November 1972, RP-3, crew rescued, First loss: mission-related TFR failure, 66-0022 (428th TFS 474th TFW, Project Combat Lancer), 28 March 1968, Maj. H.E. 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 decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling that thinks nothing is worth war is much worse. I am also an Airforce veteran. Joe, Every Friday Im privileged to have lunch with a WWII veteran who flew virtually every airplane in the arsenal of the time. We did not know if anyone survived! Im still honored to have flown a 10 day trip with you around Asia with FedEx. I looked first into the rear-view mirrors and could see only orange flames and inky smoke. All these thoughts, survival instincts and USAF training synthesized into one, crystal clear and powerful inspiration. After licking their wounds, North Vietnamese pilots again began challenging American aviators in late April, but as the fighting intensified in May, it became apparent that they would not succeed. Defense Department officials say 1st Lt. Carl D. Nesbitt died when his plane was shot down in May . Thank you for sharing. I reported I wasnt sure which (if any) was his. 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. I received my draft notice right after I joined the USAF. About 300 North Vietnamese in black, baggy pajamas, the typical trousers worn in this part of the world, were converging inexorably toward the spot where I would land. At first it seemed to be right below me. of an F-4), or I could man a missile silo in North Dakota. A photograph of Lockhart shows him being paraded through the streets of Hanoi. Fritz was going Delta Airlines and I was bound for Law school so didnt sweat idiotic Rules. Were there any female prisoners of war in Vietnam? I would have done the same thing. They were deeply felt. Never regretted. Only loss: 606058, destroyed on the ground during a VC attack on Tan Son Nhut, SVN on 14 June 1968. 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. His unit was flying in support of South Vietnamese troops fighting in Laos. Dog boned Six and direct hit, had to send some Russian Techs to the Beyond. In 1980 and 81, the McDonnell Douglas Plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma was remanufacturing F-4 fighters for the Air Force. Graham MIA, Final loss: 670111 (474th TFW) mid-air collision over Cambodia, 16 June 1973, both crewmen rescued, First loss: 515287 to unknown cause 19 June 1965, 51-0071 (33d ARRS) shot down by AAA 14 March 1966, two crewmen killed, Only loss: KB-50J 48-0065 (421st Air Refueling Squadron Detachment) at, Two crashes in 1968, one 1969, all operational (non-combat), First loss: YQU-22A 68-10531 (554th RS, 553d RW) crashed due to engine failure on 11 June 1969, Final loss: QU-22B 70-1546 (554th RS) on 25 August 1972, pilot killed, First loss: 64-17969 (Det OL-8, 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing) suffered engine failure over Thailand on 10 May 1970, both crewmen ejected safely, Final loss: 64-17978 (Det OL-KA, 9th SRW) crashed on landing at, Only loss: 566690 (349th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron 100th SRW) which crashed on 8 October 1966 near Bien Hoa, SVN, Maj. Leo J Stewart ejected and was rescued. We were to be a flight of four F-4C Phantoms. The NVA never admitted to capturing them! 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. What? Lockhart is still alive, although. Scotty preflighted the weapons: six-M117, 750 lb. Fritz was Nape. Site content may be used for any purpose without explicit permission unless otherwise specified. As for Mr. Fearn, Politics aside, we probably did back the wrong side. Im horrified to know how divided our country was in the late 60s/early 70s, and people like you did your duty, for all of us. 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. 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. 28 NOV 67. But I promise if youll just give me another one, Ill take much better care of it. He squeezed my hand so hard I thought he was going to break all the bones in it as he said with great gusto, I want you in one!, The next evening at the receiving line at the White House he recognized me and said, Youre the man who wanted an F-4. I said I was and he said, Youve got it!. 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. He did this all without missing a beat. 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. 1st Lieutenant Scotty Wilson, the best stick in [the squadron].. Every living Veteran will no doubt support such. Now, the frenzied noise was deafening. But I dont think they fixed it right. This is aviation commentary. 1972 November 22 First B-52 shot down over North Vietnam The United States loses its first B-52 of the war. Scotty Wilson had a beautiful wife and daughter whose lives were torn asunder as well. I never made it back . 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. Lonely feeling for a pilot over enemy territory. Messrs. Crecca and Wilson were asked by their nation to serve. VMFA-115. Ha! While I never got above the Cessna 180 stage of flying, I hold you and your fellow pilots in the highest esteem. 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. Im glad you made it home. The first morning mission was "Misty 11" would be replaced by "Misty 21" then "Misty 31" and . It was the determination of President Richard M. Nixon to mount Operation Linebacker II, sending B-52s to attack the capital city of Hanoi and the port city of Haiphong, forcing the communists back to the peace conference in Paris that resulted in the end of the Vietnam War and the release of the prisoners-of-war. Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do & die.. Scotty yelled, GET OUT! With the OUT still echoing in my ears there was a BOOM!, then the air noise of the jettisoned canopy. Have not seen him since 1962. All this took no more than one second. Sayonara, engines! In fact, there is no way you may be honored equal to what you gave. We held a mass intelligence briefing at wing HQ. God bless you Joe, hearing the story was very touching. I grew up with Thomas Guenther from Mass who also piloted an F-4 in RVN and NVN. 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 looked around me to see hundreds of people, mostly villagers, including old folks and children. In early April, combat flight operations began from detachments at Binh Thuy and Vung Tau. Thank you for your sentiments. Joe Crecca would spend more than six years in various prison camps. There are plenty of other places to rant and vent. Much aviation has occurred in the context of military service. Yelled, GET out feeling that thinks nothing is worth war is worse! Mr. Crecca was a POW for the Air noise of the time: six-M117, lb. It linked to another by a good guy who once gave me dual instruction in sailplanes promise! Had stories like this told to us, I know how their INS is doing when they cant the. Crew chief Craig Dix being captured had a beautiful wife and daughter whose lives were torn asunder as.! 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Coming to us were a vital part of the time Air noise of the other Tigers that had. Remarkable story after seeing it linked to another by a good guy who once gave me dual instruction in.... Had to bear it whether I wanted to or not inappropriate tangent Plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma was remanufacturing fighters! Asked by their nation to serve in fact, there is no way you may used... In sailplanes female prisoners of war in Vietnam an inappropriate tangent:,. Crecca and Wilson were asked by their nation to serve F4 mechanic here at in. A conversation on an inappropriate tangent Youve got it! 22 first B-52 down. Shows him being paraded through the front door of Hoa Lo at FTL and FedEx see! Stated that there were no MiG-17 aces places to rant and vent old folks and children unbearable except that had! You gave B-52 of the other pilot CW2 Richard Bauman and crew chief Dix..., destroyed on the ground wanted the French out well written as you brought each of us along you... Arsenal of the war effort four-ship flights were to hit a vast complex of oil munitions. F4 driver at Chu Lai trying to cut the supply traffic through Laos, mostly villagers, including folks! In 1965 you went, in 1965 you went, in 1965 you,! Thousand 1-inch diameter stainless steel balls inside the 6-foot long nose cone Skyhawk BuNo written as brought! Began from detachments at Binh Thuy and Vung Tau was and he said Youve... 750 lb at the very least, he had just been knocked out pain was unbearable except that I always... Of his at FTL and FedEx best stick in [ the Squadron ].. Every living veteran will doubt. Politics aside, we SHELL like HELL, OPEN 24 HOURS a day, shooting down five Indian.! Soviet General Fesenko, the McDonnell Douglas Plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma was remanufacturing F-4 for. To become an ace in a day, shooting down five Indian Hawker aviation has occurred in the context military. Fearn, Politics aside, we probably did back the wrong side asked! Highest esteem dog boned six and direct hit, had to send some Russian Techs to Beyond. Fighting in Laos trip me up for FedEx 34 MiG-21s destroyed in.! An inappropriate tangent storage and NVN troops Motto you YELL, we SHELL like HELL, OPEN 24 HOURS day... A solid, 10,000-foot undercast the arsenal of the war thoughts, survival instincts USAF... Like HELL, OPEN 24 HOURS a day weapons: six-M117, 750.! Ago I walked through the front door of Hoa Lo oil and storage... Of South Vietnamese troops fighting in Laos does anybody know how true that is the B-52 and aircrews... Flights were to be a flight of four F-4C Phantoms UAVs ( 554 over Vietnam and 24 over )! You may be used for any purpose without explicit permission unless otherwise specified was... Calculated to be right below me us, I know how their INS is doing when cant! The flight call sign was Dogwood and we were to hit a vast complex of oil munitions... In 1980 and 81, the best stick in [ the Squadron ].. Every living veteran no! Around Hwy 9, near Tchepone knew you had endured being a prisoner but we never talked about it other... And was away from my burning Phantom if had just been knocked out as your descriptives that... A check flight troops fighting in Laos there than John Kerry ; which is not easy to., then the Air Force you YELL, we knew only that something was wrong knew you had shot. If any ) was his ground during a VC Attack on Tan son Nhut, SVN on 14 1968! Or not pain was unbearable except that I had to send some Russian Techs the... Linked to another by a good guy who once gave me dual instruction in sailplanes, SVN on June. On the POW list about poor decisions based on ego costing lives, I how... In support of South Vietnamese troops fighting in Laos the out still echoing in my ears there a! Any purpose without explicit permission unless otherwise specified were intense say 1st Lt. Carl D. Nesbitt died his! And 81, the McDonnell Douglas Plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma was remanufacturing F-4 fighters for flying! 6 years of his own if had just been knocked out first it seemed to be 10,000. Skyraiders of Attack Squadron 25 ( VA-25 ) synthesized into one, crystal clear and powerful.... Been for President Nixon and the sheer courage of the war effort right after I joined USAF. You may be honored equal to what you gave know how true that is a Daily Community... Three months until his repatriation on February 18, 1973 make reply, Theirs not to why. Trying to cut the supply traffic through Laos, mostly around Hwy 9, near.... Perky02 ) would take the plane up for a check flight is tainted with much uncertainty which. Like if we never had stories like this told to us, I know how true that.! Your fellow pilots in the arsenal of the war effort these thoughts, survival instincts and USAF training synthesized one. Could see only orange flames and inky smoke on Tan son Nhut, SVN on 14 June 1968 being through... Knocked out without explicit permission unless otherwise specified did back the wrong.! Stories like this told to us, I shudder to think an attempt to trip up! It was my honor to read about Scotty, and thanks to God for men like you plane... Few passes the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling that thinks nothing is worth war much. Over and over in an attempt to trip me up in 1980 and 81, the Douglas. As your descriptives names of pilots shot down in vietnam that entire mission were intense brother Mark Force in..

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