| Date: 24 November 1963 |
| Aircraft type: B-26B Invader |
| Serial Number: 44-35703 |
| Military Unit: 1 ACS, 34 TG |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Bien Hoa |
| Name(s): |
| Capt Howard Rudolph Cody (KIA) |
| 1Lt Atis Karlis Lielmanis (KIA) |
| VNAF observer name unknown (KIA) |
| On 24 November a major battle developed between Viet Cong forces and the ARVN’s 21st Division at Cha La on the Ca Mau Peninsula. US Army helicopters brought in more troops during which an H-21 was shot down and 10 other helicopters damaged. USAF and VNAF strike aircraft attacked throughout the day in what was the largest air operation flown during a single day up to that time. A B-26 was shot down while attacking entrenched machine gun positions. Capt Cody’s aircraft was damaged in the first pass over the target but he continued to make another attack forcing the VC gunners to reveal their positions. Cody’s aircraft was shot down but other aircraft destroyed the machine gun positions. Capt Cody was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross and an academic building at Keesler AFB, the USAF’s largest technical training base, was named in his honour. He had flown C-123 and C-54 aircraft before converting to the B-26. |
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