Vietnam War Pacific Stars and Stripes

Pacific Stars and Stripes information

For date 680626

Primary service involved, US Navy
North Vietnam
Description: 26Jun68-After 2 Hairy Hours, F4 Crew Rescued SAIGON (Special) - The rescue of a downed fighter-bomber crew climaxed two hours of dramatic action aboard the carrier America and in the air over North Vietnam. It began just 122 minutes after midnight, when the two-man F4 Phantom was downed by enemy fire northwest of Vinh. The crew parachuted to a densely wooded hillside 11 miles inland just south of the 19th parallel. Before they hit the ground the pilot of a second jet gave the distress signal. In less than a minute, radarmen on the missile frigate Joett had pinpointed the location of the downed pilots. The Navy search and rescue commander, Capt. Arthur T. Emerson Jr., aboard the Jouett, alerted other rescue ships and dispatched the guided missile destroyer Preble to launch her rescue helicopter. Simultaneously, the call went out for the attack aircraft to cover the area where the airmen were downed and to provide an armed escort for the rescue helicopter over enemy territory. The ill-fated Phantom's wingman, still circling over the downed aircraft, established radio communications with the men, assuring them that the pickup helicopter was on the way. Under the direction of Radarman 1.C. Alan R. Melton, Spencer, Ind., the rescue helicopter and accompanying fighter escorts were guided through the moonless night toward the hillside where the survivors waited. Back aboard the Jouett, and on the downed Phantom's carrier, the America, the drama of the rescue unfolded to dozens of listeners on the radio network. "He's coming, he's coming. Hang on, baby," one of the jets circling overhead reassured the downed airmen. After a flight over heavily defended enemy territory, the helicopter arrived at the crash site. Unable to see through the moonless night, the co-pilot, Lt. (j.g.) Leroy Cook, Potomac, Mont., radioed, "We're coming in to get you. Give us a flare!" The accompanying aircraft dropped flares and soon the hillside was a s bight as day. Even so, the crew members were tangled in the dense undergrowth. Repeatedly, the helicopter attempted to approach them through the thick trees, and after many frustrating attempts, set down in a small clearing and turned on a rotating beacon so the flyers could find the aircraft. The stillness of the night was frequently broken by the sound of small arms fire, as enemy troops closed in on the hill. Tangled in the undergrowth, the pilots could see a sling being dangled by the helicopter, but couldn't reach it. The helicopter had only enough fuel left for one more rescue attempt. The pilot told the Phantom crew to go to a clearing at the bottom of the hill. Under the illumination of flares, the two survivors, spattered with mud, flight suits ripped to shreds darted out of the brush, ran 20 yards across the clearing and dived into the waiting helicopter. As the aircraft rose from the clearing, it was sprayed with small arms fire. The pilot, Lt. (j.G.) Clyde Lassen, Englewood, Fla., radioed the good news. "Both survivors on board, we are coming out." The final obstacle was the heavily defended air route to the sea. As anxious silence gripped the shipboard listeners as they watched their radarscopes. Then came the report, "feet wet," which meant the helicopter was over the water. The tension ebbed away as the Jouett, which was speeding to meet the helicopter, swung into the wind and turned on all her landing lights to receive the rescue craft. It was now 2:35 a.m., but the Jouett was bustling with activity. The Phantom crew was immediately given a physical check-up and found to be in excellent condition.
Comments: LTJ Lassen, Clyde; pilot; ; LTJ Cook, Leroy; copilot; ;

The source for this information was 6806PSS.AVN supplied by Les Hines 3/97

Additional information is available on CD-ROM.

Please send additions or corrections to: Gary Roush Email address: webmaster@vhpa.org

Return to panel index

Return to Helicopter Pilot KIA index

Return to VHPA Home Page

Date posted on this site: 05/13/2023