| Date: 21 January 1967 |
| Aircraft type: F-4C Phantom |
| Serial Number: 64-0810 |
| Military Unit: 480 TFS, 366 TFW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Da Nang |
| Name(s): |
| Capt William Joseph Baugh (POW) |
| 1Lt Donald Ray Spoon (POW) |
| Aircraft type: F-105D Thunderchief |
| Serial Number: 58-1156 |
| Military Unit: 421 TFS, 388 TFW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Korat |
| Name(s): |
| Capt William R Wyatt (Survived) |
| A large raid on railway targets around Kep was protected, as usual, by a flight of F-4s on MiGCAP duties. Capt Baugh’s aircraft flying at 10,000 feet was safe from most flak but the North Vietnamese were introducing more 85mm and 100mm guns, which had a higher effective ceiling. The Phantom (call sign Bass) was hit by one of the large calibre shells about five miles north of Kep and flew on for about 10 miles before the crew were forced to part company with their aircraft. Capt Baugh suffered a compressed vertebra, a broken jaw and cheek bone and was blinded in one eye during the ejection. Both men were captured and both were released on 4 March 1973. Capt Baugh had flown 50 missions (25 in the North and 25 in the South) and 1Lt Spoon had flown 38 missions when they were shot down. Since retirement William Baugh became involved with a Vietnam POW organisation called NAM-POWs.
The strike on the rail targets around Kep also resulted in the loss of one of the F-105 bomber force. Capt Wyatt was approaching the target area at 12,500 feet when his aircraft (call sign Chisel) was also hit by a large calibre anti-aircraft shell. However, the aircraft remained in one piece and Capt Wyatt was able to cross the coast and fly 50 miles out to sea before ejecting. He received major injuries during the ejection but was rescued by a US Navy helicopter. This aircraft had been flown by Maj Fred Tracy on 29 June 1966 when he shot down a MiG-17. |
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