??VF-162-1967 VN combat cruise

Guy Alcala wrote in message ...
Red Rider wrote:

snip

I don't know if the dates are that big a secret anymore or not. Probably not
as every reporter knew about it anyway, but we started flying recon "Yankee
Team"(May 64) with RF-8's and Air Force RF-101's into Laos, which was three
months before the Tonkin Gulf Incident (Aug 64). After a couple of RF-8's
received ground fire, flew into mountains, and other things, they started
having a F-8 fly escort for them, but that was just so they knew why the
RF-8 didn't come back. The first RF-8 was lost on 6 June 1964, easy day to
remember as it was the anniversary of "D-Day". I am having a senior moment
and I can't recall the pilots name.

Chuck Klusmann.

Klusman made a sucessful escape as well after 3 months in Pathet Lao
captivity.
The next day another Kitty Hawk Crusader was lost in Laos. This time
it was an F-8D flown by VF-111 CO Cdr Doyle escorting on one of the
two Yankee Team missions that day. He was rescued but was KIA the next
year.