| Date: 7 April 1967 |
| Aircraft type: A-4C Skyhawk |
| Serial Number: 149639 |
| Military Unit: VA-195 |
| Service: USN |
| Home Base: USS Ticonderoga |
| Name(s): |
| Cdr Charles Edward Hathaway (Survived) |
| During an armed reconnaissance mission the CO of VA-195 and his wingman attacked a truck park 15 miles southwest of Mu Ron Ma. They had dropped their bombs on another target earlier in the mission so strafed the truck park with their 20mm cannon. On the second pass Cdr Hathaway felt the aircraft (call sign Chippy 506) take a hit and lost his oxygen supply. The wingman warned the Commander that the aircraft was trailing a sheet of flame about 200 feet behind the aircraft. They headed east and crossed the coast but 20 miles short of the carrier Cdr Hathaway ejected as the fire progressively ate its way forward through the aircraft. He was picked up safely, probably by one of the Ticonderoga’s Seasprites. Cdr Hathaway was on his 281st combat mission when he was shot down. |
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