| Date: 8 November 1967 |
| Aircraft type: F-4D Phantom |
| Serial Number: 66-0250 |
| Military Unit: 555 TFS, 8 TFW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Ubon |
| Name(s): |
| Capt William S Gordon III (Survived) |
| 1Lt Richard Charles Brenneman (POW) |
| A flight of Phantoms from the 555th TFS tangled with several MiG-21s during a CAP mission on the 8th. The engagement started at 17,000 feet about 25 miles northeast of Yen Bai and, for Capt Gordon and 1Lt Brenneman (call sign Olds 3), finished about 40 miles to the southwest when the Phantom’s tail broke off after having been hit by an air-to-air missile. The crew ejected and parachuted down to earth in hilly terrain near the town of Lao Phou Van, about 25 miles from the border with Laos. A rescue attempt was made but only the pilot, Capt Gordon, could be found and rescued by a HH-3E from the 37th ARRS. Richard Brenneman was eventually captured and spent the next five years as a POW until released on 14 March 1973. Capt Gordon had shot down a MiG-17 with 1Lt J H Monsees on 26 October. |
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