| Date: 24 June 1972 |
| Aircraft type: F-4E Phantom |
| Serial Number: 68-0315 |
| Military Unit: 421 TFS, 366 TFW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Da Nang |
| Name(s): |
| Capt David B Grant (POW) |
| Capt William David Beekman (POW) |
| Aircraft type: F-4D Phantom |
| Serial Number: 66-7636 |
| Military Unit: 25 TFS, 8 TFW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Ubon |
| Name(s): |
| 1Lt James Lon McCarty (KIA) |
| 1Lt Charles Allen Jackson (POW) |
| Two more Phantoms were lost to MiGs on the 24th. A large number of aircraft were sent to bomb the iron and steel plant at Thai Nguyen but as the aircraft neared the target they were jumped by several MiG-21s. The strike force lost its usual cohesion as it had to manoeuvre to avoid the chaff flight egressing the target area. It was at this point that the MiGs pounced on one of the escort flights about 40 miles west of Hanoi and a Phantom (call sign Loggy) flown by Capt Grant and Capt Beekman was shot down from 20,000 feet by an air-to-air missile. The crew were soon captured and imprisoned. About 10 minutes later another Phantom (call sign Salter), this time from the strike force, was shot down by a MiG near Thai Nguyen. The aircraft had just cleared the target when it was attacked by a pair of MiG-21s that dropped out of the overcast. The WSO, 1Lt Jackson, ejected safely and was captured but the pilot apparently did not escape and was killed in the incident. Despite severe ejection injuries, 1Lt Jackson escaped the night after he was captured but he was soon apprehended and imprisoned. McCarty and Jackson are listed as being members of the 433rd TFS in some sources. 1Lt Jackson was repatriated on 12 February 1973 while Capt Grant (75 missions) and Capt Beekman (175 missions) were released on 28 March. The serial number for the 421st TFS aircraft is thought to be incorrect as 66-0315 was flying with the Thunderbirds aerobatic team at this time and later served at Nellis AFB. |
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