| Date: 14 February 1969 |
| Aircraft type: A-4C Skyhawk |
| Serial Number: 148547 |
| Military Unit: VA-216 |
| Service: USN |
| Home Base: USS Coral Sea |
| Name(s): |
| Lt Cdr James F Meehan (Survived) |
| Aircraft type: A-4C Skyhawk |
| Serial Number: 149529 |
| Military Unit: VA-216 |
| Service: USN |
| Home Base: USS Coral Sea |
| Name(s): |
| Lt(jg) Larry James Stevens (KIA) |
| A pair of Skyhawks was assigned to accompany an Intruder on a night interdiction mission over the Ho Chi Minh Trail in southern Laos. The Intruder was using the airborne moving target indicator function of its AN/APQ-148 multi-mode radar to search for moving traffic on the roads and trails and the two Skyhawks were in close formation just behind. As the three aircraft headed west near Ban Kate at 14,000 feet, Lt Cdr Meehan saw anti-aircraft fire moments before his aircraft (call sign Diamondback 601) was rocked by two massive explosions. He saw the aircraft of his wingman (call sign Diamondback 607), Lt Stevens, crash into the ground and explode with no indication that the pilot had been able to escape. Lt Cdr Meehan’s own Skyhawk (call sign Diamond Back 601) was badly damaged, probably by the explosion of Lt Stevens’s aircraft, and suffered an elevator control restriction that resulted in a nose high attitude and pitch oscillations. Lt Cdr Meehan flew his damaged aircraft for 35 minutes until he reached the coast and ejected about 20 miles off Hué and was picked up by a USAF HH-3E helicopter from the 37th ARRS. The aircraft was close to the stall throughout the flight due to the damaged elevator controls. |
You may return to your search results, go to the Search Form, or go back to the Home Page.