| Date: 9 July 1967 |
| Aircraft type: A-4C Skyhawk |
| Serial Number: 149603 |
| Military Unit: VA-34 |
| Service: USN |
| Home Base: USS Intrepid |
| Name(s): |
| Lt Cdr Edward Holmes Martin (POW) |
| At almost the exact same moment that Lt Lee was being shot down, a SAM battery scored another hit a few miles away to the northwest. The Intrepid’s aircraft were targeted at the Army barracks at Ban Yen but before they arrived at the target they also encountered SAMs. Lt Cdr Martin, the executive officer of VA-34, was leading the formation at about 10,000 feet and was taking evasive action but an SA-2 exploded close to his aircraft (call sign Fighting Tiger 3) and peppered the Skyhawk with shrapnel. The aircraft caught fire and quickly became uncontrollable forcing Lt Cdr Martin to eject about 10 miles south of Hai Duong. Lt Cdr Martin was quickly captured and spent the rest of the war in various POW camps until his release on 4 March 1973. He had a most distinguished post-war career having captained the USS Saratoga, been Chief of Naval Air Training and commanded the US 6th Fleet as a Vice Admiral. In 1985 he was appointed Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air Warfare) and as such was the head of US naval aviation. He later became Commander Eastern Atlantic and Deputy Commander-in-Chief, US Naval Forces Europe and eventually retired from the Navy in 1989. He was on his 19th mission over North Vietnam when he was shot down. |
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