| Date: 28 July 1970 |
| Aircraft type: A-1H Skyraider |
| Serial Number: 52-135263 |
| Military Unit: 1 SOS, 56 SOW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Nakhon Phanom |
| Name(s): |
| Maj Peter B Lee (Survived) |
| The other Skyraider lost on the 28th was flying a night-time Steel Tiger strike over the Trail in southern Laos. Maj Lee (Call sign Hobo 20) had found a convoy of five trucks a few miles southwest of the Ban Karai Pass and commenced to attack his target. On his final pass the aircraft was hit by 37mm flak and the Skyraider’s rear fuselage caught fire. He ejected at 4,000 feet and landed on the side of a hill just above a river. Maj Lee climbed up the hill as far as he could and dug in under the foliage for the rest of the night. FAC aircraft orbited near Maj Lee throughout the night and spoke to him via his emergency radio every 30 minutes. A first-light rescue attempt had to be postponed due to low cloud, and, while waiting for rescue, Maj Lee radioed the positions of enemy troops and guns to the FAC overhead who then brought in air strikes. By late afternoon the weather had cleared enough for a 37th ARRS HH-3E flown by Maj G C Hitt to make an attempt. The helicopter swept in along a valley protected by smoke screens laid down by the Sandys as more A-1s, F-4s and F-105s continued to pound enemy positions to keep them away from the survivor. Maj Lee was quickly hoisted to safety after more than 18 hours on the ground. |
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