| Date: 22 August 1966 |
| Aircraft type: F-5C Freedom Fighter |
| Serial Number: 64-13316 |
| Military Unit: 10 FCS, 3 TFW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Bien Hoa |
| Name(s): |
| Capt Clyde L Johns (Survived) |
| Four F-5s took off from Bien Hoa on a close air support mission but one aircraft had to land almost immediately after an engine failed and another aircraft escorted him back to Bien Hoa. The two remaining F-5s reached the target, which was the headquarters of a VC unit near Dong Thai on the western coast of South Vietnam, 15 miles south of Rach Gia. This important target was defended by up to 20 Quad-50 anti-aircraft guns. The two F-5s made several passes and destroyed many of the guns until Capt Johns’s aircraft (call sign Tiger) was hit and caught fire. Capt Johns ejected just inshore and landed in a rice paddy. Four VNAF A-1s arrived and helped to keep the VC away from the downed pilot but two of the Skyraiders were hit by ground fire and the pilots joined Capt Johns on the ground. All the downed aircrew were subsequently rescued by US Army helicopters. Very few fixed-wing aircraft were lost in this region of South Vietnam although the US Army was active in the sector and lost a number of helicopters in the area. |
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