| Date: 23 January 1968 |
| Aircraft type: A-4E Skyhawk |
| Serial Number: 150053 |
| Military Unit: VMA-311, MAG-12 |
| Service: USMC |
| Home Base: Chu Lai |
| Name(s): |
| Maj William Edward Loftus (Survived) |
| The third Marine Corps aircraft lost in as many days was shot down on the 23rd. Maj Loftus was commencing a strafing run at 1,500 feet on an enemy troop concentration near Khe Sanh when his Skyhawk was hit in the fuselage by small arms fire. Realising that he could not reach his airfield or even the coast, he managed to reach Khe Sanh and ejected directly over the base. Loftus landed on the perimeter of the base and his parachute became entangled in the concertina wire that was used extensively to protect US bases in South Vietnam. He was freed by Marines from the base before the North Vietnamese, who were beginning to encircle the camp, could reach him. |
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