| Date: 9 December 1972 |
| Aircraft type: RF-4C Phantom |
| Serial Number: 68-0597 |
| Military Unit: 14 TRS, 432 TRW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Udorn |
| Name(s): |
| Maj Billie Joe Williams (KIA) |
| 1Lt Hector Michael Acosta (POW) |
| The last USAF casualty before the start of the Linebacker II offensive was a reconnaissance Phantom from Udorn that was shot down on a road reconnaissance mission north of the city of Vinh. Maj Williams and 1Lt Acosta (call sign Kansas 1) were escorted by a flight of four Phantoms as they photographed targets in preparation for the new offensive but their aircraft was hit by a SAM near Nghai Hung, about 35 miles north of Vinh. 1Lt Acosta ejected himself and his pilot and two parachutes were observed by the other Phantom crews. However, the missile damaged the aircraft’s cockpit and Acosta thought that Maj Williams might already have been dead or at least severely injured. The next day a HH-53 from the 40th ARRS was fired on as it hovered over a body, thought to be that of Maj Williams, as it lay in a clearing near the wreckage. Two HH-53s were damaged by ground fire and several crewmen wounded during the futile rescue attempt. Hector ‘Mex’ Acosta was badly injured and was captured but spent less than three months as a POW before being released on 29 March 1973. He had flown 92 missions and his pilot had flown 100 missions before they were shot down. On 20 December 1990 it was announced that the remains of Maj Williams had been returned and identified. |
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