| Date: 21 September 1967 |
| Aircraft type: RF-8G Crusader |
| Serial Number: 144623 |
| Military Unit: Detachment 43, VFP-63 |
| Service: USN |
| Home Base: USS Coral Sea |
| Name(s): |
| Lt Cdr Milton James Vescelius, Jr. (KIA) |
| As part of a major strike on bridges around Haiphong, the Coral Sea sent an RF-8 to photograph damage at the Kien An road bridge. As Lt Cdr Vescelius was making his run over the target at 3,000 feet and 600 knots, just as the last of the strike aircraft left the area, his aircraft (call sign Cork Tip 710) was hit by AAA and the starboard wing burst into flames. The aircraft commenced a shallow starboard turn and the pilot ejected just to the north of Haiphong harbour. The aircraft exploded shortly afterwards. Lt Cdr Vescelius was seen alive on the ground by other pilots but he may have been killed by North Vietnamese troops. His remains were eventually returned to US authorities on 14 August 1985. |
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