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. Steve said the following about the rescue: We come to fully understand the effort to which we will go, the resources we will commit, the risks that we will take to rescue one crew member, one American, one ally. None of the 6th Troop Carrier Squadron (6th TCS) pilots knew where they were when they landed in New Guinea on 13 October 1942, with their thirteen, unarmed C-47 aircraft. The attached photo shows Gary on the left and me on the right., Gary is a fighter pilots fighter pilot. Lt.Gen. Conversely, the Soviet Union sources claim to have shot down 800 UN aircraft, while the US claims to have lost only 100 aircraft in combat. Is Brooke shields related to willow shields? The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the famous high-altitude Mach 3 [], This may be one of the best helicopter footage youve ever seen! Watch the video. The episode's plot centered on two new prisoners entering Stalag 13 (in this episode, referred to as Camp 13), Lieutenant Carter (played by Hovis), who escapes into the camp, and Wagner (played by Noam Pitlik), who is actually a German spy posing as an Allied prisoner. 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. It takes me back to that period of time and has made me re-examine my feelings about the U.S. involvement in the war. 2,197 of the losses were fixed-wing, and the remainder rotary-wing. He loves traveling and exploring new places, and he is an avid reader who loves learning about new cultures and customs. You said the Vietnam War series also promotes false leftist narratives such as the claim that Tet uprising and the Easter Offensive were American defeats. I havent gotten to the Easter Offensive yet, but the series did not portray Tet as a victory for the north. The text says: Air-Commanders New F-4E Phantom, Paper Tiger, 67-0268, 35th TFS, 388th TFW, USAF, 1972 1/72 Die Cast Model, Limited Edition Worldwide!! That guy is the infamous (now retired Lt General) Mai van Cuongone of Vietnams three pilots tied for 2nd leading ace of the war. Its also best not to discuss the calamitous employment of the F-105 by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds that ended in a fiery aircraft disintegration on May 9, 1964 at an airshow venue in California. A supersonic blast wave tore outward in all directions into the subfreezing arctic air. The text of the sales page that mentions Dan and his front seater Gary Retterbush. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Fee-Based Research Services Offered by the Library of Congress 1. The Republic of Vietnam lost 1,018 aircraft and helicopters from January 1964 to September 1973. I was picked up the U.S. Coast Guard. Regardless of your assessment of the Thunderchief, the odds were always stacked against it. From helicopters to jets, these men reveal how they felt risking their lives in a war that was confusing and unpopular, to say the least. When our guys got to the SAM site they found out all of the missiles had been removed. I highly recommend the series, but it does bring back the pain of losing 58,200 Americans, 2 million civilians on both sides, 1.1 million North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters and 200,000 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers. First loss: Canberra A84-231 disappeared on 3 November 1970 on a night bombing mission in the northern 1st Corps Tactical Zone region of. F-105 Pilots Killed in Action Marker. FYI: Red Crown was the call sign of a Navy ship in the Gulf of Tonkin that had very sophisticated radars and electronics that allowed it to track all airplanes (friend and foe) airborne over North Vietnam. Among the Mig pilots were guys who had flown the Mig-17, the 19 and the 21, and among them were three retired Lt Generals. Eventually, with the addition of more recent shoot-downs, the population of our 2060 foot cell grew to 48 prisoners. The Royal Australian Air Force also flew combat and airlift missions in South Vietnam, as did the Republic of Vietnam. In early April, combat flight operations began from detachments at Binh Thuy and Vung Tau. After four days the Americans captured the summit at a cost of 115 men killed and 156 wounded. Be sure that you are always searching This Collection in the box to the left Click on a collection item to view the complete original document and its associated metadata. We encourage readers to comment on our articles. Several were able to identify each other so they met at the two front tables and with the aid of interpreters got their stories and events synced up. The Shocking Story of the Vietnam War's Mystery Fighter Ace The Thunderbirds only flew the F-105 in six shows before they switched back to the North American F-100D Super Sabre. Paul said the stick would not move fore and aft and asked me to pull as well. He had recently finished his FAC tour and returned to the U.S. . Here is the text of Lances Medal of Honor citation: While on a flight over North Vietnam, Capt. The pilot episode, "The Informer", filmed in early 1965, aired on September 17 that year. An icon. Lt. Richter flew his first F-105 Thunderchief combat mission only four days after arriving in Southeast Asia. Even more so than the F-104 Starfighter, the F-105 Thunderchief was what most Americans visualized when they heard the term Jet Fighter in the 1960s. It was six seconds from the time Gary was told to eject to when his airplane blew up. It looks like the USAF Warthog attack planes are rapidly moving across eastern Europe: after deploying to Germany, as [], The air inlets were the key factor that helped the J-58 engines to provide 32,000 pounds of thrust and allow the Blackbird to reach Mach 3.2. Another interesting snippet was that the North Koreans had asked the Vietnamese if they could send some pilots to fly with them so they could get some experience fighting Americans. Citing Primary Sources. Top image: Crews of the F-105D and F-105G Thunderchiefs in Thailand. Even after years I unearth new names and heroic exploits every week. Red Crown says Heads up. Kiowas, OH-6 Cayuse, AH-1 Cobras, CH53, Chinooks, H21 Shawnees, ), Ways to get involved in the upcoming elections. Of course, I responded that he wasnt crazy; he was as sane as the rest of us (if you dont count landing jet fighters on an aircraft carrier). Over Vietnam, F-100 pilots flew fast and low. Get it at Petes Collectibles. This is a list of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II.The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces.The recipient must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their own life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an "enemy of the United States . In particular, one group of pilots repeatedly shows up in photos of medal winners and in heroic tales. Soon thereafter, he managed to incapacitate a guard and escape into the jungle, but was recaptured several hours later. Over the course of the entire Vietnam War, there were 800 documented fragging attempts in the Army and Marine Corps. The only thing General Westmoreland cared about was the body count. how many b52 were shot down in vietnam. I find these stories daily in research about military aviation history. Is It Hard To Get Into Kent State University? The first attack was unsuccessful. Vietnam Helicopter Memorial: Veterans Fight Bureaucracy | Time North Vietnam, pre-1975 / Refno 0760-0-01, Post-1975 Vietnam North Vietnam, pre-1975 / Refno 0760-0-01 / DTG 101900ZJAN83, Joint Casualty Resolution Center-Barbers Point, HI, North Vietnam, pre-1975 / Refno 0785-1-01. The enemy simulated a SAM launch to distract Gary and Dan while two MiG-21s attacked them from their low six oclock position. The Viets left and the Blues mingled and I drank two-three-seven too many more Jack n Cokes and kept schmoozing, then around 9:30 I left tooand I sure was glad I had a designated driver. How many U.S. helicopters were lost in Vietnam? killed in the Viet war. After an hour and a half lunch break we had a new interpreter who did a much better job and everybody seemed to enjoy the stories much more. 6. A United States Air Force pilot mistakenly shot down an F-4E-54-MC Phantom II, 72-1486, c/n 4445, . Please leave your comments below. Captain Mike McGrath spoke at the at the United States Air Force Academys 2019 annual National Character and Leadership Symposium (NCLS). What follows below is the text of my reply to the above comment. Capt. Final loss: EB-66B 42nd TEWS, 388th TFS lost to engine failure on 23 December 1972 during Operation Linebacker II. B-52s dropped 15,237 tons of ordnance on 18 industrial and 14 military targets (including eight SAM sites) while fighter-bombers added another 5,000 tons of bombs to the tally. 7. 9 of the losses were parked aircraft struck by rockets. . I found Lance at Panel 54W, line 037, Lynn over at Panel 51W, line 032, and Vince down at line 103 on Panel 27W. The first interpreter was a woman who had to interpret a stranger-than-usual southern Vietnamese dialect into a northern dialect so the other interpreter could understand before translating it into English. Perhaps the most significant inscription is on the one displayed at Maxwell AFB in Alabama. List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II - Wikipedia I pulled the power off just as I touched down and the aircraft settled onto the wire cutting it. Crews could determine the type of radar by the pitch of the tone. A MiG-21 of the VPAF which became the primary fighter-interceptor against USAF and USN aircraft. Select the first letter of the last name of the person you want to find: His stories about Thud missions over North Vietnam in 1965 are incredible. See Gary Retterbush 2 - North Vietnamese Air Force 0; Three Silver Star medals. Known as the workhorse of the Vietnam War, the Huey was a favourite among pilots who valued its adaptability and ruggedness. That interpreter was a former Mig-21 pilot, now airline Captain Nguyen Nam Lien who flies 787 Dreamliners for Vietnam Airlines. Crash Location: Near Ap Bac, Chau Doc Province, South Vietnam. I agree with the General. Based on a database received from the Pentagon, we estimate that over 40,000 helicopter pilots served in the Vietnam War. Lance ejected from his stricken F-4 on November 9, 1967 over Laos near the border of North Vietnam. Nguyn Vn By, the most highly decorated Vietnamese Mig-17 pilot. All Rights Reserved. of the USS Chicago forty years ago has wanted to know for years if the one Talos he fired brought down the entire flight of four Mig-17s he was shooting at that day in May 1972. Samuel E. Waters was that his image, and the similar images of men, fighter pilots, like him shaped my impression of what a real man truly was. 12,000 helicoptersOverall, the U.S. military used nearly 12,000 helicopters in Vietnam, of which more than 5,000 were destroyed. They were the Thud drivers, the pilots of the Republic F-105 Thunderchief. His narrative of this unusual meeting is truly fascinating. Demerly is an experienced parachutist, holds advanced SCUBA certifications, has climbed the highest mountains on three continents and visited all seven continents and has flown several types of light aircraft. One segment that really struck home with me was former Chief of Staff of the USAF General Merrill McPeaks statements about his experience dropping bombs from his F-100 and being a Misty FAC in 1968 and 1969. In his emaciated and crippled condition, he overpowered 1 of his guards and crawled into the jungle, only to be recaptured after several hours. The operation became the most intense air/ground battle waged during the Cold War period; it was the most difficult such campaign fought by the United States since the aerial bombardment of Germany during World War II. Capt. COMPUTER RECORDS OF AMERICAN PILOTS SHOT DOWN DURING THE VIETNAM WAR. The Mig drivers accepted the invitation and arrived in San Diego on September 20th. Pumpkin soup became our staple food source, along with a baguette of French bread. Suddenly, an intensely bright white light outshone the orange jet fuel blaze as the high explosives in four hydrogen bombs in the bomb bay detonated from the shock of impact. First loss: C-141A 65-9407 (62d Military Airlift Wing) destroyed in a night runway collision with a USMC A-6 at, Final loss: C-141A 66-0127 (4th Military Airlift Squadron, 62d MAW) crashed soon after take-off from, First loss: RB-66B 53-0452 (Det 1, 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 6250th Combat Support Group) which crashed 2223 October 1965 west of. He told the Viet pilot Alright then, you saved my life, so come on over to my place and I will give you some VODKA!!!!! List of songs about the Vietnam War - Wikipedia (AAF) pilots shot down almost 15,800 enemy airplanes. My flight-leader, the most exalted fighter-pilot the navy had ever known, led us right into a trap and handed us to the Zoong on a silver platter. When Edmund isn't working or speaking, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends. I just finished episode 7 of Ken Burns series. I had 334 missions in three cruises, so I still dont understand the reason for the big difference in numbers. The conclusion of the accident board, after 30 days of dredging for parts, was that the pitch control linkage had become disconnected, that part was found on the last day of dredging and there was no joining pin. Among fixed-wing aircraft, more F-4 Phantoms were lost than any other type in service with any nation. He has dedicated his life to helping students achieve their full potential in the classroom and beyond. We were at 4,000 feet and Kenny was flying the airplane when I heard an explosion, the aircraft shuddered and the front windscreen was covered in what turned out to be hydraulic fluid. I wonder if Kim Jung Un knows about that monument..? Richter was an Air Force Academy graduate from 1964. I saw that quickly, and anybody with eyeballs could see it., The U.S. decision to fight using conventional means also made victory impossible, McPeak says. What a hero is. When the Blues took off the Viets were all eyes to the skies and you could see by their smiles and gestures that some of them were flying right along with the Blues. It took four months for the SAM sites to be operational during which time U.S. leaders prohibited the USAF and the Navy from attacking the under construction SAM sites. This is the story of Major Robert Lodge and Captain Roger Locher getting their third MiG kill on May 10, 1972, then getting shot down by a MiG. It is awarded for gallantry in action while . 30 B-52s Only one other B-52 tail gunner had scored a successful kill against a Vietnamese fighter, though more than 30 B-52s had been shot . This is a little long, but well worth the read: Below is the text of J.B. Souders very informative and interesting account of the meeting between the former adversaries. Just seconds after he did, the missile exploded, tearing his Mig to small pieces. for US Forces. To learn more about this American hero go to read The Courage of Lance Sijan. Better yet, buy one of my favorite books called Into the Mouth of the Cat: The Story Of Lance Sijan, Hero Of Vietnam, a book that tells Lances story. The AAF produced about 690 aces during that greatest of wars. I had intentionally avoided visiting the wall when it came to town in years past, because I did not trust myself to behave in a composed manner, but after nearly three decades it was time to try for some closure on this issue. Senator, and presidential candidate would ask me, an Air Force aviator, if I thought he was crazy! "It's pretty gruesome. The U.S records showing 5,607 helicopter losses[2]. The TDU was a small rectangular box with two rows of lights. After attending Undergraduate Pilot Training at Reese Air Force Base, Lubbock, Texas, F-4 Replacement Training, Air Force Survival Training and Jungle Survival Training, he was assigned to the 497th Tactical Fighter Squadron Night Owls, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing Wolfpack, Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand in 1968 as a Weapons System Operator (WSO) aka Guy In Back (GIB) flying the F-4D, Phantom II. Sijan was taken to a holding point for subsequent transfer to a prisoner of war camp. The courtyard of the prison was sectioned so that the area outside of each cell was partitioned by bamboo and tar paper, enabling the North Vietnamese prison officials to keep the more recently captured prisoners, FNGs, isolated from those captured years earlier in the war, FOGs (feel free to use your imagination regarding the initials). The United States lost 578 Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) (554 over Vietnam and 24 over China). That made me wonder if the era the Mig pilot referred to was before TOP GUN came along [when the F-4 community finally learned to dogfight]. In small suburbs and country towns people talked about these men. How Many Huey Helicopters Were Shot Down In Vietnam? There were coffee and ice-water urns in the rear of the room. Excerpts from an Oct. 20, 2019 interview with Col. Ken Cordier, a former United States Air Force pilot who was an American prisoner of war in North Vietnam for 6 years, 3 months and 2 days during the Vietnam War. The Aviation Geek Club: The first official American aerial victory of the Vietnam War was scored on Apr. Below the chiseled figure of F-105 Thunderchief fighter pilot Lt. Karl W. Richter the Biblical inscription of Isaiah 6:8 reads: Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Some sources will state over 5,000 helicopter pilots were There was a crowd at the park that day, and it took us awhile to connect, but with the aid of a computer we made it. Kenny landed in high trees in Laos. The Americans went out on the internet and invited any/all of us who had tangled with Migs during the war, or who were just interested in it, to attend the meeting both to get good looks at the Mig pilots up close and personal and to add to the stories. If you flew the F-4 in the Vietnam War in any branch of the service please become an author on this site and tell your stories. How many Vietnam veterans are still alive 2021? Kos Media, LLC. See Kennys memorial web page. Quora - A place to share knowledge and better understand the world Kenny is in the front row third from the left. The flight was conducting an afternoon strike mission against Route. At the time of the kill, the estimated flight parameters were: F-4 mach 1.2+ (800+ kts/hour); MiG-19 0.77 mach (500 kts/hour); altitude above terrain 500 feet; slant range 200-300 feet; and flight path crossing angle 90 degrees. The average lifespan of a door gunner on a Huey in Vietnam was just two weeks. 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). FLASH BACK: During that first meeting back in Hanoi one of the navy guys had asked the question of the most senior officer in the group, himself a six-kill Mig-21 pilot, Lt General Nguyn c Sot, (pronounced Swat) who were the better adversaries, the USAF or the NAVY. I was reviewing old compact discs and found the video. Richter also shot down a North Vietnamese MiG-17 on September 21, 1966 using the cannon on his F-105. Before the afternoon session began I introduced myself to him and I was startled to hear him say Oh yes, I know you, we have met before. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Gary said that when he first started flying north in 1965 North Vietnam did not have any surface to air missiles (SAMS), but the Russians started building SAM sites in 1965. American pilots continued to be captured over the north between 1965-1968 as part of Operation Rolling Thunder, the sustained aerial bombing campaign against North Vietnam. In all, a staggering 382 Thunderchiefs were lost in Vietnam, nearly half the total number that was built. Sections. [9] Another source claims that the U.S. attributed losses to surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft fire because it was considered "less embarrassing". (and had to learn to speak Russian) in Russia learning how to fly veterans. Some sources will state over 5,000 helicopter pilots were killed in the Viet war. Shot down over North Vietnam : Air Facts Journal Sijan ejected from his disabled aircraft and successfully evaded capture for more than 6 weeks. Sometimes, however, we did bad work. One interesting thing though, was a long session with 82 year old Sen.Col. But along the way, they. Jim Hoogerwerf USAF C-130B, TAC Airlift Former Navy Commander Dick Nelson got a message from former Commander J.B. Souder in which Commander Souder wrote about meeting with thirteen former MiG pilots in San Diego, California, on September 21, 2017. He frequently liked pictures I posted. 29. pp. I too flew F-4s in Southeast Asia in 1972. It is a seemingly endless tablet of remarkable tales etched into the bedrock of freedoms foundation. Heroes who set the highest bar for selflessness, honor and sacrifice. He seemed a little embarrassed to be a 19 pilot. But by June of 1964 accidents in the F-105 Thunderchief increased remarkably. PDF APPENDIX 33 List of Navy and Marine Corps Shoot Downs Since 1950 Clint Johnson USN A-1, 1 victory Shot down over Vietnam: POWs share memories 50 years later Bob Jeffery and one of his side-kick pals from his Viet squadron days was there and I explained basic differences in US Navy/Marine Corps and US Air Force philosophy/policy/doctrine/viewpoints/ways of doing things to them. At the 480th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Danang AB, RVN, four two-man crews were hand-picked to deliver the lethal ordnance onto both targets . Final loss: EC-121R 67-21495 (554th RS) crashed on approach to Korat RTAFB on 6 September 1969, 4 of the 16 men were killed. I asked about engagements and he said hed had 25 engagements, only 20 of which he would consider true dogfights. First loss: 560937 (476th TFS, 497th TFW) shot down by enemy ground fire during CAS mission near Tri Dao, Vietnam, on 29 June 1965, pilot Capt. A lot of the afternoon was taken up by an interview with Lt General Pham Phu Thai, a four-kill Mig-21 driver. 9. Another radar went up and down repeatedly. So, we continued an idiotic intervention on behalf of a corrupt regime.. Waters. During another brief interview, a Viet pilot said his most dreaded adversary was the navy F-8 Crusader, that it was the hardest to fight against as it had a gun. Colonel Robin Olds had shot down German aircraft in aerial combat, Unlike his outwardly attractive but structurally dubious aircraft, Capt. I distinctly remember 8 mm movies Kennys brother showed us taken during some of his FAC missions. In Vietnam, if a two-man F-4 crew shot down one enemy airplane, the pilot and the weapon systems officer each earned a whole aerial victory credit. (June 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) This is a list of songs concerning, revolving around, or directly referring to the Vietnam War, or to the Vietnam War's after-effects. He eventually completed 198 combat missions over Vietnam in a number of aircraft including the F-100 Super Sabre and the O-1A Bird Dog light Forward Air Control (FAC) aircraft. The first fighter pilot captured in North Vietnam was Navy LTJG Everett Alvarez, Jr., who was shot down on August 5, 1964, in the aftermath of the Gulf of Tonkin incident. He had only one kill and nobody there had fought a 19 so Quang gave us a brief on the 19. Men like Capt. It was not because the Thunderchief was somehow cursed. 3. Then, I started swinging back and forth between them. DAmario and five of his fellow crewmen made it safely to the ground. This meeting was a lot more fun since we got to do more than just talk and it was a lot more laughs with 13 of them. A pilot could do everything perfectly to hit the target, but where the bombs actually landed depended on the wind. Unfortunately Kenny died in 2010. Zoong told both Lien and me that he climbed to about 15,000 feet while heading south to meet us then after sighting me he swooped down to my six (behind me) and smoked me with an Atoll, a heat-seeker missile. Mr. Nguyn Nam Lin 910th Fighter RegimentInterpreter, 1. He was ever the diplomat and said they preferred the USAF as (1) they had to fly a long time from Thailand in order to get to targets in Vietnam so hopefully they were tired when they got there, (2) they brought a LOT of airplanes with them which provided more to pick-on, and (3) they stayed in the area longer providing more opportunities for fights. 3032+ Pilots Were Shot Down Over Vietnam - Daily Kos Lt.Gen. Kenny stayed atop the trees in his parachute harness all night. radio for help only one of the pilots survived. Different from the aircraft itself the men who flew the F-105 Thunderchief, like USAF Captain Samuel E. Waters, were absolutely dependable no matter the odds or the mission. Guess what Dan said? The three main components of the RHAW system were the threat display unit (TDU), the round cathode ray tube (CRT) and the audio sounds the RHAW system made in the headset. The goal of the U.S. was to kill North Vietnamese and Viet Cong until they stopped fighting. After a lot of thought he was able to adequately mentally insult the unknown pilot. They DID provide all the Mig-21s the Vietnamese flew but they didnt actually fight against usexcept once! They both understood our ways but found it hard to believe and accept. The Generals and Colonels, such as GEN's Curtis The lights nobody wanted to see were the two flashing lights that said MISSILE and LAUNCH. What follows is Ray Battles comments on the mission: Kenny Boone and I were flying a fast mover FAC mission along the Ho Chi Min trail in Laos. 9, 1965 by Lt. Total helicopter pilots killed in the Vietnam War was 2,165. Between 1969 and 1970 alone, the U.S. Army reported 305 fraggings. A U.S. fighter pilot's epic struggle of survival after being shot down on a mission over Laos during the Vietnam War. A few seconds later Col. Beckers radioed Lark 3 break left. Beckers was checking Lark 3s six oclock and saw the missiles come off the rails. 22untilnone on Instagram: "The Coast Guard gets ragged on a lot, mostly It felt GREAT to have a kind of cathartic experience with Zoong and it was really fun to watch the other Americans in the group as they intermingled and interrelated with the Vietnamese. We were TDY from Kunsan Air Base, Korea. The picture below is B flight of the 311 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron at Luke AFB 1972.
