| 1LT Peter C. Bruhn, pilot, described
the mission in the Phantom NEWSLETTER, June 1967: "On this flight we were going against the North Eastern Railroad, when I saw a SAM (Surface to Air Missile) at our 11 o'clock position. We took evasive action, the SAM missed us, but hit an already damaged F-105 Thunderchief." (CAPT G.L. Ammon, F-105D 62-4371, 357 TFA/355 TFW, call sign Wildcat, was listed as MIA.) 1LT Bruhn then assumed a RESCAP over the down Thud pilot. Their fuel became critical with no chance of making it to home plate, the crew decided to try for the forward unimproved strip at Dong Ha, in northern Quang Tri Province, I CORPS. They selected to not ditch over water with the thought of trying to salvage some of the aircraft. Upon landing on the rough field they ran off the runway, impacting into a 20-ft/6-m embankment. The aircraft was subsequently listed as an administrative strike, being deemed too uneconomical to repair. Though, as typical of this kind of accident, the aircraft was stripped of all usable parts, including major fuselage assemblies, for placement in the sparse in-country spares inventory. |
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Salvage crew from 8th FMS at Ubon.
L to R: A1C Allen, SSgt. George Bryant, SMSgt. Franklin, SSgt Wilson,
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| Photos are from George E. Bryant, USAF E8/GE
Ret., West Chester, OH 45069 gbryant@cinci.rr.com I was a SSgt from the 8th FMS Propulsion Branch and a part of a 6 person team from the 8th TFW at Ubon sent to salvage as much as possible from the 7887 - This was an interesting experience as myself and a couple of other engine guys were tasked to remove the engines which we did while the A/C rested on sand bags on the side of a hill - photos available. The removal was almost by the T.O. (a few deviations like cutting the bay doors off of the A/C) and we used the standard ALC4000 Installation/removal trailer to get the engines out. |
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