| Date: 18 December 1971 |
| Aircraft type: F-4D Phantom |
| Serial Number: 65-0799 |
| Military Unit: 13 TFS, 432 TRW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Udorn |
| Name(s): |
| Maj William T Stanley (Survived) |
| Capt Lester O’Brien (Survived) |
| Aircraft type: F-4D Phantom |
| Serial Number: 64-0954 |
| Military Unit: 13 TFS, 432 TRW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Udorn |
| Name(s): |
| 1Lt Kenneth R Wells (POW) |
| Maj Leland L Hildebrand (POW) |
| As soon as Falcon 66 was shot down the rescue task force swung into action in the hope of recovering the Phantom crew before they could be captured. A formation of Phantoms from a sister squadron at Udorn took part in the attempted rescue but two of the aircraft then became casualties themselves. Nearly three hours after Falcon 66 went down Maj Stanley (call sign Falcon 74) was heading southeast away from the area to refuel when he was attacked by a MiG and the Phantom was shot down. Both the crew ejected and were eventually picked up by a HH-53C helicopter from the 40th ARRS. Half an hour later another Phantom flying CAP coverage over the rescue force was also lost, the aircraft running out of fuel as it tried to reach a tanker following an engagement with a MiG. 1Lt Wells and Maj Hildebrand ejected but were captured before they could be rescued and joined Maj Johnson and 1Lt Vaughan in captiivity. Wells and Hildebrand were also sent to North Vietnam and were both released on 28 March 1973. Leland Hildebrand was on his 20th mission when he was shot down while Ken Wells was only on his 9th mission having arrived at Udorn on 9 November. Capt O’Brien survived the crash of his Phantom at Udorn on 1 February 1972. |
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