| Date: 30 October 1967 |
| Aircraft type: A-6A Intruder |
| Serial Number: 152601 |
| Military Unit: VMA(AW)-242, MAG-11 |
| Service: USMC |
| Home Base: Da Nang |
| Name(s): |
| Capt Hugh Michael Fanning (KIA) |
| Capt Stephen Jay Kott (KIA) |
| As night fell another bridge in North Vietnam was attacked. Two Marine Corps Intruders from Da Nang were despatched to bomb the Canal des Rapides Bridge near Hanoi. It was thought that immediately after Capt Fanning’s aircraft (call sign Oatmeal) had dropped its bombs it crashed near Gia Lam airport, close to the target. Nothing further was discovered about the loss although an unconfirmed report claimed that Capt Kott had been killed but Capt Fanning had been captured. However, neither men were released during Operation Homecoming but in August 1984 the Vietnamese handed over remains that were claimed to be those of Hugh Fanning. The remains were buried with full military honours in Oklahoma City but 11 months later Mrs Fanning discovered that the remains were very incomplete and, significantly, did not include skull or teeth, which the Marine Corps told Mrs Fanning had been the means of identification. The remains were exhumed and examined by an independent forensic expert who concluded that it was not possible to identify the remains and the identification was rescinded. However, confirmation of the identity of the remains did take place in 1990. |
You may return to your search results, go to the Search Form, or go back to the Home Page.