| Date: 18 August 1966 |
| Aircraft type: F-8E Crusader |
| Serial Number: 150300 |
| Military Unit: VF-162 |
| Service: USN |
| Home Base: USS Oriskany |
| Name(s): |
| Lt Cdr Demetrio Anthony Verich (Survived) |
| Yet another of the Oriskany’s Crusaders was lost during an armed reconnaissance mission although this incident took place inland rather than on the coast. Lt Cdr Verich was pulling up from his third bombing run dropping Mk83 bombs on a bridge and barges on a river 15 miles northwest of Vinh, when his aircraft (call sign Super Heat 211) was hit by small arms fire. He immediately turned east and as he made his way towards the coast the aircraft’s controls progressively failed. By the time the Crusader became totally uncontrollable it was nearly five miles offshore and Lt Cdr ‘Butch’ Verich ejected and was rescued by a Navy helicopter. Verich, like his squadron mate Lt Richard Adams, was shot down twice during the war, the second time on 16 July 1967 when his aircraft was hit by a SAM. This particular Crusader had earlier been used by Lt Phil Vampatella to shoot down a MiG-17 on 21 June. |
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