| Date: 14 January 1973 |
| Aircraft type: F-4B Phantom |
| Serial Number: 153068 |
| Military Unit: VF-161 |
| Service: USN |
| Home Base: USS Midway |
| Name(s): |
| Lt Victor Theodore Kovaleski (Survived) |
| Ensign Dennis Hoyt Plautz (Survived) |
| A flight of Phantoms was escorting a Blue Tree photographic reconnaissance mission near Thanh Hoa when the formation ran into heavy flak about 10 miles southwest of the city. Lt Kovaleski’s aircraft (call sign Rock River 110) was hit by an 85mm anti-aircraft shell that caused a massive fuel leak, damaged the port engine and led to electrical failure. When the remaining engine failed just as the aircraft crossed the coast the crew ejected safely and were rescued by a Navy HH-3A SAR helicopter from HC-7. Lt Kovaleski had achieved fame two days earlier when he shot down a MiG-17, the 197th and last MiG shot down during the war. Phantom 153068 had shot down a MiG-19 on 18 May 1972 when flown by Lt H A Bartholomay and Lt O R Brown. It was also the last aircraft lost by the USS Midway before the carrier left TF 77 control on 12 February having spent a record 208 days on the line during its third and final tour in Southeast Asia. The Midway was decommissioned on 11 April 1992 and was stored at Bremerton, Washington. It is now a museum permanently pier-side in San Diego.
HC-7 Rescue Helicopter Combat Support Squadron SEVEN (HC-7) was established September 1, 1967. While simultaneously providing several fleet support activities in the Gulf of Tonkin, HC-7 assumed the responsibility for North Vietnam naval combat search and rescue. HC-7 prepared for action using UH-2B Kaman Sea Sprite helos inherited from HC-1 and were stationed in detachments aboard small boys, destroyers (DDs) and Guided Missile Frigates (DLGs), patrolling off the coast of North Vietnam primarily for the purpose of Search and Rescue (SAR) duty. The information at the following link was compiled by Ron Milam, the historian for HC-7, from ship's deck logs, official HC-7 Rescue Reports, other official and unofficial documents, interviews with crew members and survivors, and other sources, including the Chris Hobson book upon which this site is based. The details for the rescue associated with this fixed wing loss can be accessed by clicking on this link. |
You may return to your search results, go to the Search Form, or go back to the Home Page.