Wednesday, July 1, 2009

July 1, 1966

On this day in 1966, four US aircraft were downed in Southeast Asia by enemy fire.

F-105D 59-1722, 354TFS 355TFW, flying out of Takhli was shot down over North Vietnam. The pilot, Capr. Lewis Shattuck, was lucky enough to eject and was picked up by a USAF HU-16 Albatross amphibian. Capt. Shattuck's luck ran out 10 days later, when he was again shot down, this time being captured and becoming a POW for 7 years.

F-105D 62-4354, 13TFS 388TFW, flying out of Korat, was also lost over North Vietnam. The pilot, Lt. Burton Campbell, was captured and spent 7 years as a POW.

A-4E 150017, VA-155, flying off the USS Constellation, was shot down over North Vietnam while attacking a POL site. The pilot, Navy Cdr. Charles Peters, ejected from his stricken craft, but did not survive.

A-1E 52-133890, 602ACS 14ACW, based at Udorn, was lost during a SAR mission. The pilot, USAF Maj. Robert Williams, did not make it out of the craft before is crashed.

One day in a long air war ....

1 comment:

LjonesNapa said...

I wore the POW bracelet bearing Lt. Col. Lewis W. Shattuck's name during his imprisonment back. I was in Jr. High at the time in Washington, DC. Upon his release, which was featured in the Washington Post, I contacted him and received the most wonderful letter in return from him.

All these years later I continue to think of him and hope he's doing well. If anyone reads this and knows how I can contact him - email or otherwise - please let me know via my email, jonesey1221@yahoo.com.

Blessings.