National Vietnam War Veterans Day 2024 – the 14th TRS Loss List

On this Friday, March 29, 2024 we remember and honor the service and sacrifice of all those who served in the American armed forces during the Vietnam War era.  This year here on the Cold War Samurai web log, is a recap of 14th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron McDonnell Douglas RF-4C Phantom II aircraft and aircrew losses in Southeast Asia, from 1968 to 1972.

A McDonnell Douglas RF-4C Phantom II embarks on a photoreconnaissance mission over Southeast Asia in August, 1971, in the era of the “protective reaction” air strikes against communist forces in SE Asia. The “towel rail” antenna on its back was part of a retrofitted system that provided all-weather blind navigation capability. (U.S. Air Force, via historynet.com)

According to the source at the link below, the 14th TRS lost 23 aircraft in combat operations.

That same source tallies 46 aircrew were involved in these incidents, and identifies 44 of them.  Of that number, 18 were killed in action (KIA), 7 became prisoners of war (POWs), 1 remains missing in action (Col Thomas T. White, MIA), and 20 men survived/were recovered (one crew was shot down and recovered twice)

The 14th TRS’s Col Thomas Thawson Wright remains Missing in Action following his shootdown in RF-4C serial number 66-0431, call sign “Sumo,” on a photographic reconnaissance mission over Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam on February 27, 1968. (Image from vvmf.org The Wall of Faces)

The list is as follows, shown chronologically from earliest to latest

04-02-68 RF-4C 66-0443 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) lost in mission over southern Laos. 1th Lt William T. Potter KIA. 1st Lt Robert J.Edgar KIA.

27-02-68 RF-4C 66-0431 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) photo-reconnaissance mission over Quang Binh, North Vietnam. Lost over southern Laos. Maj Gilbert S. Palmer KIA. Capt Thomas T. Wright KIA. (Note:  The Defense POW Accounting Agency (DPAA) carries Col Wright as MIA still, see: https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000BTTtEAO )

18-05-68 RF-4C 66-0442 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) shot down near Dong Hoi, North Vietnam. Crew eject. Col Terry J. Uyeyama POW. Capt Tommy E. Gist KIA.

15-08-68 RF-4C 66-0447 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) shot down by AAA near Ban Don/Dong Hoi, North Vietnam. Crew eject. Capt Terrin D. Hicks killed on ground during evasion. Capt Joseph F. Shanahan POW.

23-08-68 RF-4C 66-0466 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) shot down in night mission near Dong Hoi, North Vietnam. 1st Lt Francis L. Setterquist KIA. 1st Lt Charles L. Bergevin KIA.

30-10-68 RF-4C 66-0457 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) engine failure and crashed at Udorn AB Thailand. Maj R. E. Boucher and Capt R. D. Smith survived.

21-11-68 RF-4C 66-0432 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) ran out of fuel, both engines flamed out and crashed at Udorn AB, Thailand. Crew eject. Capt P. N. Shiraishi and Capt E. U. Larue recovered.

23-11-68 RF-4C 66-0445 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by ground fire near Van Loc/Dong Hoi, North Vietnam. Capt Bradley G. Cuthbert MIA. Capt Mark J. Ruhling POW. (Note:  DPAA carried Capt Cuthbert as accounted for as of 1998, see: https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt000000rr471EAA )

17-04-69 RF-4C 66-0405 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by ground fire near Ban Topen, Laos. Crew eject. Capt R. Bartholomew and Capt B. F. Doyle recovered.

16-11-69 RF-4C 66-0468 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by 37mm AAA over northern Laos. Crew ejected safely over Udorn AB, Thailand. Capt C. P. Sloan and 1st Lt A. L. Guise recovered.

22-11-69 RF-4C 66-0441 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) shot down during reconnaissance over southern Laos. Capt L. P. Wright and 1st Lt F. O. Paige recovered.

21-12-69 RF-4C 66-0396 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by 37mm AAA 20 miles SE of Ban Ban. Crew eject. Capt C. P. Sloan and 1st Lt A. L. Guise recovered.

29-07-70 RF-4C 66-0436 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) lost in night photographic reconnaissance mission over southern Laos. Capt Gary A. Chavez KIA. Capt Donald A. Brown KIA.

08-10-70 RF-4C 68-0610 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) shot down during photographic reconnaissance over Laos. Capt William A. Ott KIA. Capt Donald E. Shay KIA.

13-11-70 RF-4C 66-0420 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by 37mm AAA near Ha Tinh, North Vietnam. Maj David I. Wright KIA. 1th Lt William W. Bancroft KIA.

21-12-70 RF-4C 68-0601 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by AAA during photographic mission in southern Laos. Crew eject. Maj A. F. Rusch and 1st Lt M. M. Mullis rescued by USAF helicopter.

01-10-71 RF-4C 66-0439 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) shot down by AAA near An Loc, South Vietnam. Pilot KIA, WSO rescued.

20-01-72 RF-4C 68-0573 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) shot down by AAA 15 miles S of Ban Ban, Laos. Crew eject. Maj R. K. Mock and 1th Lt J. L. Stiles rescued by an Air America helicopter.

20-04-72 RF-4C 68-0598 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by SA-2 near Dong Hoi. Crew eject. Maj Edward K. Elias POW. 1st Lt Ernest S. Clark recovered.

13-08-72 RF-4C 68-0604 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) shot down by 57mm AAA near Kinh Mon. Crew eject. Capt William A. Gaunt POW. 1th Lt Francis W. Towsend KIA. 

19-08-72 RF-4C 69-0355 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by SA-2 NE of Kep, North Vietnam. Capt Roger E. Behnfeldt KIA. Maj Tomatsu Shingaki eject and POW.

22-09-72 RF-4C 69-0351 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by AAA near Xuan Noe, Laos. Crew eject. Capt J. G. Watts and 1st Lt J. H. Pomeroy rescued by USAF helicopter.

09-12-72 RF-4C 68-0597 (432nd TRW, 14th TRS) hit by SA-2 near Ngai Hung, North Vietnam. Maj Billie J. Williams KIA. 1th Lt Hector M. Acosta eject and POW.

For more on what the 14th TRS photo recon mission was like, please see this article titled “INSIDE PHOTO-RECCE PHANTOM MISSIONS OVER VIETNAM,” in which Bill Cahill profiles the vital work of photo-recce Phantoms in the high-threat skies of Vietnam.  Read it at:

https://www.key.aero/article/inside-photo-recce-phantom-missions-over-vietnam

Source of loss information:  “USAF F-4 Phantom Vietnam losses” posted on the Combat Ace – Combat Sim News and Views forum at:  https://combatace.com/forums/topic/90897-usaf-f-4-phantom-vietnam-losses/