| Date: 26 January 1966 |
| Aircraft type: RF-101C Voodoo |
| Serial Number: 56-0084 |
| Military Unit: 20 TRS, 6250 CSG |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Tan Son Nhut |
| Name(s): |
| Capt Wilmer Newlin Grubb (POW (died)) |
| Although President Johnson had temporarily stopped the bombing of North Vietnam, reconnaissance flights over the country were still permitted. Capt ‘Newk’ Grubb was sent on a lone mission to obtain photographs of barracks at Xuan Son, about 20 miles northwest of Dong Hoi. The aircraft (call sign Pearch) may have suffered an engine problem as it was unable to gain altitude and Capt Grubb ejected moments before it crashed into a hillside near his target. ‘Newk’ Grubb was taken prisoner and was forced by the North Vietnamese to make a radio broadcast accusing the US of breaking the cease-fire. Photographs of Capt Grubb showed him to be in good condition but with a leg wound. Nothing more was heard about him until 1970 when the North Vietnamese announced that he had died of his wounds nine days after his crash (and before his photographs had been published by any newspaper). His remains were returned to the USA on 13 March 1974. |
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