| Date: 25 June 1966 |
| Aircraft type: A-4C Skyhawk |
| Serial Number: 149567 |
| Military Unit: VA-146 |
| Service: USN |
| Home Base: USS Ranger |
| Name(s): |
| Lt Francis Hugh Magee (Survived) |
| As soon as the Intruder was shot down, aircraft from the Constellation and Ranger mounted a rescue attempt. One of the RESCAP aircraft (call sign Busy Bee 604), a Skyhawk of VA-146, was climbing through 5,500 feet about three miles northeast of Vinh when it was hit by a 57mm shell under the cockpit. A fire started in the forward fuselage, the controls stiffened and the engine failed. However, by the time the aircraft became unflyable it was over the sea and Lt Magee ejected and was picked up by a Navy helicopter.
Through the auspices of Joe Harrison, former F-4 RIO in Vietnam, and Rick Weber, whose father was shot down necessitating this rescue attempt, we have an account of this event written by Lt Hugh Magee sometime in 1990 or 1991. To read the story, click on this link. |
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