| Date: 14 January 1966 |
| Aircraft type: A-4C Skyhawk |
| Serial Number: 147753 |
| Military Unit: VA-36 |
| Service: USN |
| Home Base: USS Enterprise |
| Name(s): |
| Lt(jg) Stephen Brown Jordan (Survived) |
| The US Navy flew many air strikes in the Steel Tiger region of southern Laos during the bombing halt. A section of Skyhawks from the Enterprise was sent to bomb a bridge 35 miles northwest of Saravan using Snakeye retarded bombs. On his fifth pass Lt Jordan (call sign Gale Force 711) came too low and hit trees just after releasing a bomb. The aircraft began to stream fuel and a close inspection revealed extensive damage. Both wings had lost about a foot off each wingtip, the slats were partially torn off, the ailerons damaged (one of them was bent vertical), and the main landing gear doors were badly damaged. Miraculously, the aircraft remained controllable and Lt Jordan made it back to the Enterprise but he was unable to jettison his last bomb and had to eject near the carrier. |
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