This is known as temporal distortion. 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. 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. You willingly took huge risks, knowing that that mission could be your last. We can never let our politicians forget those lessons. It is awful that people make bad decisions for selfish reasons. Col. Jack Broughton had stated in THUD RIDGE that a few days of bombing Hanoi set them back 6 months in ammo and people coming down the Ho Chi Minh trail which we were shelling every night with 8 inch artillery. I just received some additional email comments on my article and browsed through the older ones and saw yours. Thanks so very much. Of those servicepeople, 2,382 were killed while serving aboard UH-1 Iroquois, better known as the ubiquitous "Huey." Thank You Sir for your service and sacrifice you gave to our Country! The spot where I landed was probably a potato patch. AIRCRAFT SHOT DOWN DURING THE VIETNAM WAR BY USN/USMC PILOTS. They were taken to a hospital to be evaluated, but they lived. Lt Cmdr Frederick P Crosby's plane crashed in a pond during the Vietnam War in 1965 (inset). Model names were normalized in 1962 to UH-1s. 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. It was very kind of you to drive the 40 miles and spend the time to honor the memory of my brother, your fellow employee at Flying Tigers and FedEx. A year and a half after his plane was shot down over North Vietnam, Porter sat in a filthy cell shared with another American prisoner of war, and learned that he was supposedly dead. I quickly figured out that, because we were going to be late, our flight lead was cutting Alfa out and going directly to Bravo. When all the politics are done when hostilities have ceased those who represented their country should be honoured. Barney. Number two is getting the shit shot out of him screaming on 272.7 and too late lead lights ABs as #2 blows up. Then came the shock. Was he making a record that his stupid wingman was messing up the mission? 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. The door gunner Bobby Harris was KIA during the shoot down. Our intel chief Major Art Weiner briefed us on all aspects of our mission including weather and defenses. GBU my friend! How gracious of you to say semper fi; I believe we are brothers in the F4 community. 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 thank you for what you did for us all, and I know it cost you. There were pictures in the Tulsa World of the damage one of the ejection seats did to a womans newly-remodeled bathroom. 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. Its entirely, entirely because of you guys. During the Vietnam War, thousands of U.S. aircraft were lost to antiaircraft artillery (AAA), surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), and fighter interceptors ( MiG )s. The great majority of U.S. combat losses in all areas of Southeast Asia were to AAA. The United States loses its first B-52 of the war. I would not change a thing; glad I was able to serve. Using first-hand accounts from diary entries, letters, and family stories, Snyder revives experiences that are accessible and relevant both to historians and readers with a casual interest in . He wasnt much of a story teller and I didnt think to ask him about his service until after he died. They never attack until they do it. I went down to about 125 in the winter of 1968. By 1973, when we were released, theyd given us enough to eat so that I was back up to 155. So that the pilot does not have to be utilizing his attitude indicator for this, the canopy rails happen to be canted downward at just the correct angle making it possible to perform the takeoff maneuver using purely visual references, e.g. 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. My squadron commander, the pentagon prince and I had an interesting discussion about flight discipline and the military justice system. 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. Names. I completely agree with everything Jim D. (below) writes. North Vietnam, pre-1975: Killing of Two American Pilots Shot Down Over North Vietnam IIR Casualty files | William A. Ott. 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.. The former fighter pilot, who was shot down over Vietnam in 1967, went on: 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. When I got to the control tower, the controller whod witnessed the crash was catatonic. I live on Easy Street. 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. by propeller-driven A-1 Skyraiders of Attack Squadron 25 (VA-25). God Bless You for your service. Pilots lost control in low clouds during a night flare mission. The U.S records showing 5,607 helicopter losses[2]. After liftoff, caution must be exercised to avoid over-rotation. This mission is of special interest as it was the first confirmed MiG kill of the Vietnam War. Fogleman became the only Super Sabre pilot ever rescued by riding out on a Cobra helicopter. Now I know a little bit more about what he did. 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. No need to bring up the sorties flown with 1/2 ordnance loads so the (Squadron, Group, Wing) would look good on paper. Our trip to Corregidor and visit to the USS Houston are two of my greatest memories. So Scotty did the same check with a roll to the right with the same result. 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. Iwo Jima. I reported I wasnt sure which (if any) was his. Scotty gave the Phantom back to me and then it was my turn. USAF/ Air National Guard (Retired). 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. I saw 3 aircraft in front of me, so I asked lead to flash his lights. Richard Stephen "Steve" Ritchie and Weapons System Officer Capt. Theyd be shot up to hell. The United States lost 578 UAVs (554 over Vietnam and 24 over China). You certainly are my Hero! Very sadly, according to the DOD, 1,616 of our brothers are still missing in S.E. 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. Thanks for the details of this mission. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he values above his own personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of men better than himself. I flew the airplane to a point in space below the beautiful Stratotanker where I judged the contact position to be. There were no J-79s! Flights were around four hours. I was at a loss for words. Thanks for telling our story Joe. Ed McGaa, Marine F4s, Chu Lai Mostly CAS. North Vietnam lost 150 170 aircraft and helicopters. 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! God Bless you, Joe, and all those who flew and fought in Vietnam. At this point I could only pray he would revive by the time he reached the ground. I was sad to read about poor decisions based on ego costing lives, I know how true that is. The villagers made short work of removing everything except my T-Shirt and skivvies. It was great to learn about your time before FTL/FDX. Crecca/Wilson International would be my recommendation in honor of a deceased F4 pilot and a 6 year POW since the F4 was the most numerous of Vietnam War aircraft casualties. In 1973, American POWs finally came home. 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. Date Enemy Aircraft Squardon Aircraft Weapon Carrier Service Rank Pilot RIO/NFO Note; 17 Jun 1965: MiG-17: VF-21: F-4B: AIM-7: CVA 41: USN: CDR: Louis Page : LT John C. Smith, Jr. . The black, shapeless mass of Vietnamese peasants was all over me. Thank you for your email. 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? 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. At this moment, I felt a great calm envelope me. Despite being a first lieutenant, Scotty Wilson was in my opinion, the best stick in the 480thTactical Fighter Squadron. He still had the baleful look of an owl about to gobble a mouse. First loss: operational (non-combat), F-4C 64-0674 (45TH TFS, 15th TFW) which ran out of fuel after strike in SVN on 9 June 1965; first combat loss F-4C 64-0685 (45th TFS, 15th TFW) shot down Ta Chan, NW NVN on 20 June 1965. Instead, Ill just say thanks, Joe Crecca, and thanks to God for men like you. (USAF) Date of report (1971-07-23). God Bless you F-4 drivers! I am most grateful for the hero status conferred upon me by the predominance of commenters. 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 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. Peebles Curtis. bombs and eight Air-to-Air Missiles while I inspected the Phantom. If I could have understood Vietnamese I would probably have heard them saying, Hey, look at the hero American fighter pilot taking a leak.. All I was aware of was a short, sharp ringing sound and my white, silk parachute billowing above me. Osprey 2001, No. And we were just below that weight when we left Danang AB, RVN from runway 17L on the 22ndof November 1966. Tried to cross-service in 64 or 65 to Army for WO pilot program, but because I was already in the military (being in a critical COMSEC AFSC probably didnt help), I was offered no guarantee of flight training, so I withdrew the request otherwise, I may have been one of your grateful students, or still buried in some shallow grave. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he values above his own personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of men better than himself.. Secondly, everybody else all the other strike flights, 15 of them, one after the other were calling, Outbound for weather meaning the target area was socked in and it would be just plain stupid to drop into the clouds where it would be hard to locate the target and easy to get nailed by a SAM (Surface-to-Air Missile). But, I stuck to my story answering the same question in the same way each time. Thank you sir for your service. During the Vietnam War, thousands of U.S. aircraft were lost to antiaircraft artillery (AAA), surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), and fighter interceptors (MiG)s. The great majority of U.S. combat losses in all areas of Southeast Asia were to AAA. Nobody else made a comment like yours because you are the only a-hole on here. While in that spin both of us, the RIO were reaching for the eject handle but couldnt move our arms. He didnt understand that we were mixed in a huge gaggle competing for time on target, lugging 10 X 500# bombs, 400 miles from base, with marginal weather, fuel hungry, not in sight with each other? 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. Despite the excellent sound-sealing qualities of my helmet, their jabbering was extremely loud and intense. And I mourn their deaths. 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.. Summer-67- Lost an engine to one but miraculously survived blast suffocation and stupidly re-started the J-79 after safely- feet wet. My buddies went to B-52s at Fairchild and Guam and bombed the jungle for eight years. As a former volunteer at the NMUSAF and the son of a now deceased USAAF WWII combat vet, I have always known that our country and our armed forces have been blessed with seemingly ordinary, matter-of-fact guys who do extraordinary things. As my turn got closer and closer, I was still mentally tongue-tied. 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. It was noon. I looked for an escape route. Thank you again for your personal sacrifice and service to our country Sir. I met and liked John Dremesi whose experience was the same as yours. 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. On 27 July 1968, Commander Mongilardi was the pilot of an A4C Skyhawk that launched from the deck of the USS Coral Sea as the section leader in a flight of two on a armed reconnaissance/strike mission over North Vietnam. The man who had less than an hour ago cautioned me against premature ejection had ejected. 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. They were in absolute frenzy. I still know where the CB is. And Mr. Crecca, again, I thank you. How many a4 Skyhawks were shot down in Vietnam? 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. 71-0305 (3rd TFS, 388th TFW) shot down in Cambodia on 4 May 1973 (1Lt T.L. Both Aircrew members ejected and were rescued; 155394 was shot down on 29 October 1971. 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. Encountered SAMs Finger Lakes area. 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. More aircraft would be shot down and pilots killed or captured. At the most fundamental level, we failed to evaluate the reasons why Germany, Korea, Vietnam and others were divided at the end of WWII. of an F-4), or I could man a missile silo in North Dakota. Those bumps on the walls, in retrospect, were a poor mans acoustic treatment for trying to muffle the screams of Americans being tortured there. And I still think of that crash not itself something that caused a loss of life, but something that reminds me of how significant the memory of wounded F-4 pilots, limping back to base in badly-damaged airplanes, was, and is, to those who served during the Vietnam war. It suddenly dawned on me that he would not surrender his place on the controllers list and lose the chance for his Silver Star! Thank you again Sir and God bless. Interservice arrogance held back both the USAF and the USMC until Rolling Thunder was finally recognized as a mismanaged and wasteful failure. Jim Hestand the AC of the fateful flight gave the eulogy at Bobbys funeral! Hed slept in an air-conditioned hut. GlobalSecurity, South Viet Nam Air Force VNAF Aircraft Deliveries. Thank you for the heads-up on the article. Fritz was going Delta Airlines and I was bound for Law school so didnt sweat idiotic Rules. By the time of the American involvement in Southeast Asia communism, by moderate estimates, around the globe had murdered 110 million people! Only those who were there truly know! First loss: C-123B 56-4370 attached to the 464th TAW which came down on an, First loss: C-130A 57-0475 (817th Troop Carrier Squadron, 6315th Operations Group) on 24 April 1965, a. We can only hope that the current and subsequent generations will take J.S. Just a wild guess but you just enjoy your freedoms while you let others do the fighting and take the risks. Those of us that were there were paying attention; I remember that it was not assured, back then, if anybody would be repatriated. This farmer pilot is Nguyn Vn By who died on Sept. 21, 2019 at the age of 83. 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