There we were...at 20’above the water headed for Red China. We were supposed to be sneaking up on the Chinese Nationals on Taiwan. When we manned up for launch the ship’s posit was announced over the 5MC by the air boss. I saw Ack write it on his hand. It was about 60 miles off from our true position. We got an alignment and launched off on a DR heading for our first turn point. I made Ack turn off the radar, TACAN to receive, IFF off, we were really going to sneak up on those guys!
We saw a coastline but we weren’t sure what it was. I eased up a little higher and got a TACAN azimuth only lock-on pointing back behind our wing. Bad news! This coastline must not be Taiwan, but Red China. We turned and started to “buster” for the USS Coral Sea just as we were intercepted by a couple of National Chinese fighters. They were calling us on guard using our BuNo telling us to land at Taipei. Fat Chance!! Ack and I knew our careers were over but we were going to tell our story on the boat. I told Ack not to answer on the radio and not to look at the guys joined on our wing. We just proceeded straight “back sheep”. I was never so happy to see two F-4s join-upon us and escort us back to the ship. That got rid of the CHINATS.
Fast forward to the Admiral’s stateroom where we were drilled, on and off, for seven nights in a row. The CHINATS thought we were trying to start WW III. Our skipper, Van Westfall, backed us 100%. At one point he tossed his command button on the table and told the Admiral, “Don’t try to hang this crew. I’ll put the navigator, the ship, everybody involved on report ! “ The Admiral basically answered, “Not to worry…nobody was going to hang. “ Turns out he was right, but at the time it looked like the end of two illustrious careers.
Take my word for it. You never want to be involved in an “International Incident”.
RICHMOND / ACKERBAUER VA-95 1975