| Date: 2 July 1967 |
| Aircraft type: F-105D Thunderchief |
| Serial Number: 60-0494 |
| Military Unit: 44 TFS, 388 TFW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Korat |
| Name(s): |
| Capt Dale M Pichard (Survived) |
| A flight of F-105s was tasked with the destruction of what was thought to be an unoccupied AAA site near Xom Hoai, 25 miles south of Vinh. Unfortunately, there were several active sites in the area and a 57mm shell blew a large hole in Capt Pichard’s aircraft (call sign Pintail 2) and set it on fire. He headed towards Thailand but was forced to eject about 20 miles northeast of the Mu Gia Pass. Capt Pichard landed in the middle of a busy section of the Ho Chi Minh Trail and had to hide immediately after landing. A SAR task force under the command of Maj Larry Mehr in an A-1 from the 602nd ACS arrived at the scene but could not locate Capt Pichard and a HH-3E had to return to base with a transmission problem. The search was called off as darkness approached but resumed at first light the next day. A force of 20 F-105s from Korat was directed onto enemy gun positions by Maj Mehr until he was satisfied that most of the ground fire had been subdued. A HH-3E (65-12781) flown by Capt G Etzel, who was on his first rescue mission, then dashed into the area and successfully picked up Capt Pichard. Both Mehr and Etzel were awarded the Air Force Cross for this daring rescue. F-105D 60-0494 was named ‘Mr Pride’ when it flew with the 469th TFS. |
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