INTRUDER - Black Monday

[OUSOONER]

Too bad you didn't have the capability to dump a bunch of water on top of them. They would have come home very rich waitresses.

 

[PhrogLoop]

All we would have needed was a few buckets!

 

[GroundPounder]

Too bad you didn't have the capability to dump a bunch of water on top of them. They would have come home very rich waitresses.

Depending on the time frame,and if it the old Hooters I'm thinking of, most of them worked nights at the "Pink Pony " and wouldn't have minded a bit.

 

[BusyBee604]

The Hooters was just outside tower's airspace, so the HAC circled over the Hooters while the rest of us hooked up to gunner's belts to check out our greeting party. For about 10 minutes, nobody inside got any service because all the waitresses were outside waving and jumping. Seriously, it was about the coolest thing I ever saw...

I'm hoping the Statute of Limitations applies here....lol. Some antics that were considered 'cool' back in the day, are verboten career-enders in the present era.
BzB

 

[PhrogLoop]

I'm hoping the Statute of Limitations applies here....lol. Some antics that were considered 'cool' back in the day, are verboten career-enders in the present era.
BzB

Absolutely...I pray that today's generation of JOs know that this shit would not fly (no pun intended) in the world of iPhones and YouTube.

 

[bunk22]

Chinese Mig-19's shot them down, correct?

 

[twobecrazy]

Bee,

Hope all is going well with you. I have been meaning to talk with you. This may sound odd but my cousin's grandfather was in a sister squadron of yours. When I went to Tampa Bay to visit her I stayed at his place. I talked to him extensively about my dreams and goals of flying in the Navy. I mentioned this site and how great it is by allowing individuals such as myself to converse with you and the many others on this site regularly. So he brought out some old cruise books along with a book that listed every aircraft shot down along with individuals that received a DFC during Vietnam. It told how they were shot down or what they did to earn the DFC. It was a pretty awesome experience.

Also, he mentioned your name sounded familiar when I mentioned that you frequent the site so we looked around and we found some older pictures of you and your squadron mates. I thought that was pretty cool and it reminded me of how close the Naval Aviation community is. Thanks again for sharing all your great stories.

Sincerely,
TBC

 

[rondebmar]

I'm hoping the Statute of Limitations applies here....lol. Some antics that were considered 'cool' back in the day, are verboten career-enders in the present era.
BzB

Damn, Hugh ...ain't that the truth!! (And that, by golly ...is all I'm sayin' about that!!)

 

[BusyBee604]

Bee, Hope all is going well with you. I have been meaning to talk with you. This may sound odd but my cousin's grandfather was in a sister squadron of yours.

TBC, all is going great for da Bee, mucho betta than a year ago, thanks! Re your Cousin's G'pop, could you PM or e-mail me his name & Squadron if you can? If he was in a Sister Squadron, I should know/remember him as Sis' Sqdns (same type A/C in Airwing), although a natural rivalry exists, "Brand X" Sqdns are actually very close friends.

Was that book listing A/C losses titled Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club, by Rene Francillon (USNI Press)? Best reference book I've ever seen on 7th Fleet "Yankee Station" AirOps 1964-73. Includes each CVA/CVS cruise/line period dates, downed A/C dates/pilot/crew names/modex/tail letters/disposition (recovered-POW-MIA-KIA)/MIG kills, & much more. A must for Navy air war (N. Vietnam) researchers. Great photos also.
BzB

 

[rondebmar]

Its $85 USD for that book, Hugh ...used!! I'll wait for the movie!!

BTW, there's another book out there re Yankee Station ...proclaimed to be among the best ...yet does NOT include my squadron ...no mention in any listing at all! I plan on informing the well-known author of that one of his error of omission ...when I have a little more time!

 

[BusyBee604]

I happened to be airborne on a RP-4 recce on 21 Aug. '67 (Black Monday), when the VA-196 "Main Battery" launched a division of A-6As to strike a Hanoi area target. During the bombing run, the leader, CO Leo Profilet was shot down & both he & his B/N captured. The CO's wingman headed for "feet wet". The remaining section, retiring toward the coast, encountered a huge thunderstorm. and elected to attempt to skirt it to the north. Unfortunately, despite warning calls from BIG LOOK & RED CROWN, they flew close to, or crossed the Chinese border and were shot down by 'salivating' Chinese MIGs. One lone Intruder returned to CONNIE, devastating the Airwing, Ship, & Squadron. The radio traffic was gut-wrenching as no SAR was possible.

The toll: 3 KIA, 2 POW - NVN, 1 POW - China, and 1/3 of the Sqdns A/C! Black day indeed...

CDR Profilet & his B/N were returned in March '73, and B/N LCDR Bob Flynn by China shortly thereafter.
*Freedom is not free...
BzB
View attachment 10507

I've never heard of Chinese POWs before. What did they do with them? Did they stay in mainland China? Were conditions comparable to the NVN camps?

I've been missing little tidbits of Naval Aviation like this on this site.

Thread Resurrection:

Bringing this thread back because I recently learned (belatedly), that my longtime friend and Shipmate Bob Flynn, the ex-Chinese POW downed/captured in the "Black Monday" tragedy cited above, had passed away last May of a heart attack.



I realized that inasmuch as this thread is over three years old, most of our newer members never heard of this historic and tragic event. It has always boggled my mind that a squadron could lose roughly 1/4 of their flight crews (including their Skipper), and 1/3 of their aircraft on one mission!

But much to their credit, VA-196 soldiered on with what they had left until the end of the line period, when replacement aircrews/aircraft awaited our arrival at Cubi Pt.

To top off that 'bad day', we also lost a VF-142 F-4J deep in the north (approx. 40 nm NE of Hanoi). My leader & I were diverted to provide cover for this SAR, and got to witness a most courageous and successful helo recovery of the "Ghostrider" CO & his RIO. A pinpoint of light on a dark day.

I will never forget those Shipmates, and their sacrifices on that day!

*Ex-POWs LT Bob Flynn (2nd from L). and MAJ Phillip E. Smith USAF F-104 Pilot, being accepted by U.S.Officials after crossing the Chinese border into Hong Kong on 15 May 1973

BzB

 

[brownshoe]

^^^
Hugh, thanks for resurrecting this thread and the trip down Memory Lane of the non PC Navy, great read. Sorry for the reason though.

BTW... I do miss Ron's input and his frequent phone calls. Hugh, Corkeyboy (Walt) called yesterday and we were on the phone for almost two hours chatting about VA-44, Cecil Field and JAX.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

great thread resurrection, sorry for the loss of your friend.