| Date: 6 July 1966 |
| Aircraft type: F-105F Thunderchief |
| Serial Number: 63-8286 |
| Military Unit: 13 TFS, 388 TFW |
| Service: USAF |
| Home Base: Korat |
| Name(s): |
| Maj Roosevelt Hestle (KIA) |
| Capt Charles Elzy Morgan (KIA) |
| The first Thunderchief Wild Weasel (call sign Pepper 1) to be lost during the war was shot down during an Iron Hand strike against a SAM site six miles west of Thai Nguyen. As the flight approached the target it came under heavy fire from anti-aircraft guns and SAMs. The leader of Pepper flight was seen to burst into flames, probably having been hit by 57mm AAA, and then crashed into the side of a hill close to the target. No parachutes were seen or SAR beepers heard and it was assumed that both crew members had died instantly. However, some time later a press conference held in Hanoi was shown on US television and Charles Morgan’s wife recognised her husband on the screen. He had distinctive facial scars from a childhood attack of chicken pox. However, when the prisoners were released in 1973 Charles Morgan was not among them even though some other POWs told Mrs Morgan they had seen her husband in a camp. The Department of Defense could throw no light on the apparent sighting of Charles Morgan but speculation ended when remains were handed over on 31 July 1989 that were later proved to be those of Capt Morgan, although how or when he had died could not be determined. As a Wild Weasel EWO he would certainly have been very valuable to the North Vietnamese had his identity been known to them. The remains of the pilot, Maj Hestle, were handed over in April 2015 after having been found by a Vietnamese farmer in 1996. He was one of the few black airmen shot down over North Vietnam. The remains were confirmed by DPAA in June 2017 as being those of Maj Hestle. |
You may return to your search results, go to the Search Form, or go back to the Home Page.