| Date: 25 August 1972 |
| Aircraft type: F-4B Phantom |
| Serial Number: 153020 |
| Military Unit: VF-161 |
| Service: USN |
| Home Base: USS Midway |
| Name(s): |
| Lt Cdr Michael William Doyle (KIA) |
| Lt John Clyde Ensch (POW) |
| The Navy flew a major strike against a military storage area near Nam Dinh at dusk on the 25th. During the raid an SA-2 missile hit one of the CAP Phantoms (call sign Rock River 100) as it was manoeuvring in an effort to avoid SAMs at 3,500 feet about 20 miles northeast of Nam Dinh. The missile exploded close to the aircraft’s cockpit and Lt Ensch was badly injured by the blast but managed to eject. Another pilot reported seeing two parachutes but it is highly probable that Lt Cdr Doyle was severely injured during the incident. A SAR effort was terminated after two days due to heavy ground fire with no indication that there were any survivors. Lt Ensch was captured soon after he landed and had suffered a broken arm and other injuries. He was on his 285th mission when he was shot down (having served on three previous tours with VF-21 and VF-161) and was released from imprisonment on 29 March 1973. John Ensch was credited with two MiGs with his pilot, Lt Cdr R E McKeown, on 23 May 1972 while flying 153020. Lt Cdr Doyle’s remains were returned to the USA on 14 August 1985. |
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