| Date: 27 June 1972 |
| Aircraft type: F-4E Phantom |
| Serial Number: 69-7271 |
| Military Unit: 366 TFW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Takhli |
| Name(s): |
| Capt Lynn A Aikman (Survived) |
| Capt Thomas J Hanton (POW) |
| Aircraft type: F-4E Phantom |
| Serial Number: 69-7296 |
| Military Unit: 366 TFW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Takhli |
| Name(s): |
| Maj Robert C Miller (Survived) |
| 1Lt Richard H McDow (POW) |
| The MiGs struck again on the 27th when they attacked a flight of four Phantoms that had been protecting the SAR forces as they were attempting to rescue Capt Cerak and Capt Dingee who had been shot down earlier in the day. Valent flight had completed their primary mission of dropping chaff for a strike on Hanoi when it was diverted to the SAR mission. The flight was searching an area about 80 miles to the west of Hanoi heading towards a flight of MiGs when two MiG-21s sneaked in unseen behind and fired their air-to-air missiles, hitting two of the Phantoms. The pilots from the two aircraft were subsequently rescued under heavy ground fire by a pair of HH-53s of the 40th ARRS but the luckless WSOs were both captured. Sgt Charles D McGrath, the PJ from one of the helicopters, was awarded the Air Force Cross for his actions in protecting a survivor during this rescue under heavy fire. Capt Hanton and 1Lt McDow were both released on 28 March 1973. The 366th TFW moved from Da Nang to Takhli towards the end of June and officially took up residence at the Thai base on the 27th. The move to Takhli was made as the security of Da Nang was becoming more difficult due to the increased threat from enemy forces since the Spring Invasion. The loss of two Phantoms on the first day of operations from Takhli was not an auspicious start to this new phase of the Wing’s career. |
You may return to your search results, go to the Search Form, or go back to the Home Page.