| Date: 29 August 1965 |
| Aircraft type: RF-8A Crusader |
| Serial Number: 146828 |
| Military Unit: Detachment G, VFP-63 |
| Service: USN |
| Home Base: USS Oriskany |
| Name(s): |
| Lt Henry Sterling McWhorter (KIA) |
| Oriskany’s second loss of the day involved one of her photographic reconnaissance Crusaders. In company with a wingman, Lt McWhorter was flying at 8,000 feet about 25 miles northwest of Vinh when the pair encountered heavy ground fire. The wingman warned Lt McWhorter and then took evasive action himself. When he last saw McWhorter’s aircraft (call sign Cork Tip 919) it was flying wings level but with the canopy and the ejection seat missing. Damage to the cockpit area indicated that the aircraft might have been hit by an anti-aircraft round that could have fired the ejection seat and most likely killed the pilot. The aircraft’s wheels came down (probably as a result of damage to the hydraulic system) and the aircraft entered a gentle glide until it hit the ground. In February 1987 the Vietnamese returned human remains that were later identified as being those of Henry McWhorter. |
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