| Date: 19 July 1967 |
| Aircraft type: A-4E Skyhawk |
| Serial Number: 152034 |
| Military Unit: VA-164 |
| Service: USN |
| Home Base: USS Oriskany |
| Name(s): |
| Lt(jg) Barry T Wood (Survived) |
| Aircraft type: SH-3A Sea King |
| Serial Number: 151538 |
| Military Unit: HS-2 |
| Service: USN |
| Home Base: USS Hornet |
| Name(s): |
| Lt Dennis William Peterson (KIA) |
| Ens Donald Patrick Frye (KIA) |
| AX2 William Braxton Jackson (KIA) |
| AX2 Donald Paul McGrane (KIA) |
| At first light on the 19th a Navy rescue force set out to attempt a rescue of Lt Cdr Hartman who had been shot down the day before. That day's events are described at this link.
Four A-4s from VA-164 were flying cover for the Hornet’s repaired SH-3A, which had been damaged in a rescue attempt the previous day. Unfortunately the helicopter was hit by 37mm ground fire and crashed near Phu Ly killing all on board. The remains of the crew were recovered and returned to the USA over a number of years and eventually identified and buried in a group burial in Arlington National Cemetery. As the A-4s were attacking enemy gun positions Lt Wood saw his fuel gauge rapidly unwinding indicating a fuel leak so he jettisoned his ordnance and made for the coast. His aircraft had probably taken a hit during a Zuni rocket attack. Lt Wood made it about eight miles off the coast before he was forced to eject when his fuel ran out. He was picked up by a rescue boat from the destroyer USS Richard B Anderson which was on plane guard/SAR duties. After the loss of the SH-3A and the A-4E, not to mention damage to several Navy and Air Force aircraft involved, the SAR mission to rescue Lt Cdr Hartman was reluctantly called off later on the 19th. Meanwhile, through all the activity overhead, Lt Cdr Hartman was in hiding on a karst hill and in radio contact with his flight. He evaded the North Vietnamese for three days and was resupplied by air during this time. However, he was eventually captured and was either killed at the time of capture or died soon after in a POW camp. On 6 March 1974 his remains were returned by the Vietnamese who produced a death certificate stating that he had died in a military hospital on 22 July. |
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