| Date: 7 April 1973 |
| Aircraft type: OV-10A Bronco |
| Serial Number: 67-14659 |
| Military Unit: 23 TASS, 56 SOW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Nakhon Phanom |
| Name(s): |
| 1Lt Joseph Gambino (KIA) |
| Operations were still continuing in Cambodia although no fixed-wing aircraft had been lost there since 2 July 1972. The FAC mission was transferred from the 19th TASS at Bien Hoa to the 23rd TASS in November 1971, with a detachment of aircraft operating from Ubon. On 7 April an OV-10 (call sign Rustic) was shot down while on a FAC mission near Trapeang Veng, some 50 miles northwest of Kampong Cham. On the day of his 24th birthday, 1Lt Gambino was directing a strike on enemy mortar and gun positions when his aircraft was hit by .50 calibre gunfire from Khmer Rouge soldiers. The aircraft crashed in flames and the pilot was killed. |
You may return to your search results, go to the Search Form, or go back to the Home Page.