| Date: 24 January 1973 |
| Aircraft type: A-6A Intruder |
| Serial Number: 157007 |
| Military Unit: VA-35 |
| Service: USN |
| Home Base: USS America |
| Name(s): |
| Lt Clifford Maxwell Graf II (Survived) |
| Lt Stephen Harry Hatfield (Survived) |
| An Intruder was shot down by ground fire during a close air support mission six miles north of Quang Tri, the first US Navy aircraft to be lost in combat in South Vietnam since September 1972. The aircraft (call sign Ray Gun 507) was hit either by 37mm AAA or a SAM and flew out to sea and almost made it back to the carrier but the two crew had to eject about 55 miles northeast of the DMZ and were later rescued by a Navy helicopter. This was the last aircraft lost by the America before it left TF 77 control on 24 March. The USS America continued to serve until it was decommissioned on 9 August 1996 and is currently in storage at Philadelphia awaiting final disposal. |
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