| Date: 3 October 1967 |
| Aircraft type: F-105D Thunderchief |
| Serial Number: 59-1727 |
| Military Unit: 469 TFS, 388 TFW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Korat |
| Name(s): |
| Maj Robert Warren Barnett (POW) |
| A formation of F-105s flew a raid on the Dap Cau road bridge, 25 miles northwest of Haiphong. As the aircraft approached the target at 16,000 feet they heard a SAM warning and a missile exploded close to Maj Barnett’s aircraft (call sign Ozark 1) causing major damage including hydraulic failure and an engine fire. Maj Barnett ejected close to Uong Bi, 15 miles northeast of Haiphong, and was captured by Vietnamese using tracker dogs on the morning of the 5th. Maj Barnett was on his 43rd mission when he was shot down and although he was flying an aircraft from the 469th TFS, he appears to have been a member of the 44th TFS. He was released from captivity on 14 March 1973. A US Navy UH-2B Seasprite SAR helicopter was shot down on 4 October in an attempt to rescue Maj Barnett.
HC-7 Rescue Attempt Helicopter Combat Support Squadron SEVEN (HC-7) was established September 1, 1967. While simultaneously providing several fleet support activities in the Gulf of Tonkin, HC-7 assumed the responsibility for North Vietnam naval combat search and rescue. HC-7 prepared for action using UH-2B Kaman Sea Sprite helos inherited from HC-1 and were stationed in detachments aboard small boys, destroyers (DDs) and Guided Missile Frigates (DLGs), patrolling off the coast of North Vietnam primarily for the purpose of Search and Rescue (SAR) duty. The information at the following link was compiled by Ron Milam, the historian for HC-7, from ship's deck logs, official HC-7 Rescue Reports, other official and unofficial documents, interviews with crew members and survivors, and other sources, including the Chris Hobson book upon which this site is based. The details for the rescue attempt associated with this fixed wing loss can be accessed by clicking on this link. |
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