| Date: 29 September 1969 |
| Aircraft type: A-6A Intruder |
| Serial Number: 155696 |
| Military Unit: VMA(AW)-242, MAG-11 |
| Service: USMC |
| Home Base: Da Nang |
| Name(s): |
| Maj Luther Albert Lono (KIA) |
| 1Lt Patrick Robert Curran (KIA) |
| An Intruder from Da Nang disappeared during a night-time armed reconnaissance sortie over southern Laos. The mission was being flown under the control of a USAF FAC. The mission appeared to be going smoothly until the FAC lost contact with the Intruder. The last known position was variously reported as either being 25 miles west of Khe Sanh or to the southeast of the A Shau Valley. A search failed to find any sign of the aircraft or its crew although an emergency transmission was heard briefly during the night. Maj Lono was the executive officer of VMA(AW)-242. These were the last casualties suffered by the Squadron before it returned to the USA in September 1970, taking up residence at El Toro MCAS in California. VMA(AW)-242 spent 47 months of continuous service in Southeast Asia, a Marine Corps record surpassed only by VMCJ-1. During its time at Da Nang VMA(AW)-242 flew 16,782 combat sorties and lost seven Intruders due to enemy action (two of them in airbase attacks) and two more aircraft in accidents. |
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