Who was the first American pilot to be downed in Vietnam?
But by then U.S. aircraft had already been bombing North Vietnam for seven months and downed American pilots had fallen into a hell that would last for the rest of the war. Hayden Lockhart was the first Air Force pilot to fall into North Vietnamese hands.
What happened to the 2nd US pilot shot down over Vietnam?
On Feb. 11, 1965, Lt. Cmdr. Bob Shumaker became the second US pilot shot down over Vietnam. He was taken to the Hanoi Hilton and held in isolation for four months before he was even allowed to write home. In that time, Shumaker — known as “Shu” — made contact with one other POW.
What was the name of the book about shot down in Vietnam?
Shot Down During Vietnam: A Fighter Pilot's Story. In 1966, an American fighter pilot took off from the USS Enterprise near the coast of Vietnam, only to be shot down and captured by enemy forces...
What awards were given to rescue the downed airman in Vietnam?
For their actions in rescuing the two men, Norris was awarded the Medal of Honor and VNN Petty Officer Nguyen Van Kiet was recognized with the Navy Cross. Nguyen was the only South Vietnamese sailor given that award during the war. The Air Force did not put limits on what it took to rescue a downed airman.
Is Bat 21 a true story?
Hambleton, USAF Hardcover – January 1, 1980.
Is Bat 21 Still Alive?
Iceal E. "Gene" Hambleton (November 16, 1918 – September 19, 2004) was a United States Air Force navigator who was shot down over South Vietnam during the 1972 Easter Offensive. He was aboard an EB-66 aircraft whose call sign was Bat 21.
What is the movie Bat 21 about?
Lt. Col. Iceal Hambleton (Gene Hackman) is shot down behind enemy lines during the waning days of the Vietnam War. His only connection to the outside world is through radio transmission with Capt. Bartholomew "Bird-Dog" Clark (Danny Glover), a pilot who helps him craft an escape plan and maintain his sanity. Lacking survival skills and unfamiliar with the harsh terrain in Vietnam, Hambleton is forced to fight for his life as he witnesses the shocking horrors of war.Bat*21 / Film synopsis
What planes were used in Bat 21?
Contents1 Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King.2 Douglas EB-66 Destroyer.3 Cessna 337A Super Skymaster.4 Bell UH-1N Twin Huey.5 Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King (as HH-3E Jolly Green Giant)6 Northrop F-5.7 North American F-100D-50 NH Super Sabre.8 See also.
What is a Jolly Green Giant helicopter?
The U.S. Air Force developed the Sikorsky HH-3E helicopter, nicknamed the "Jolly Green Giant," to perform combat search and rescue (CSAR) to recover downed Airmen during the Southeast Asia War.
Where can I see BAT 21?
Bat 21, an action movie starring Gene Hackman, Danny Glover, and Jerry Reed is available to stream now. Watch it on Crackle or Philo on your Roku device.
What year did the movie bat 21 come out?
1988Bat*21 (1988) - IMDb.
What movies did Danny Glover?
Lethal Weapon1987Lethal Weapon 41998Lethal Weapon 21989Predator 21990Lethal Weapon 31992The Color Purple1985Danny Glover/Movies
Why does the US still use b52?
“The B-52 has and will continue to serve as a vital component of the nuclear triad,” the US Air Force Global Strike Command (GSC), which directs strategic deterrence and long-range strike operations, told Newsweek.
Who was the pilot who was shot down in Vietnam?
Everett Alvarez, a former U.S. Navy pilot who was shot down over North Vietnam on August 5, 1964 CBS News. The only way to stop the pain was to tell the North Vietnamese something more than just name, rank and serial number.The first time Alvarez broke, he says, he felt like the "lowest form of human in the world.".
Who was the first American pilot shot down in Vietnam?
aircraft had already been bombing North Vietnam for seven months and downed American pilots had fallen into a hell that would last for the rest of the war. Capt. Hayden Lockhart, the first Air Force pilot shot down over North Vietnam stands with his captors AP.
When was Everett Alvarez shot down?
But in the audience were two former Navy pilots who suffered even longer. "I was the first," Everett Alvarez told me. "I was shot down August 5, 1964. ". Flying off an aircraft carrier in the Tonkin Gulf, Everett Alvarez was shot down on the very first day U.S. jets bombed the North.
Who is Robert Shumaker?
Robert Shumaker, a former U.S. Navy pilot who spent years as a POW in Vietnam CBS News. "With Hayden they handcuffed his left wrist to his right ankle, and you can imagine how painful that must be after hours and hours, this went on for about two weeks," said Shumaker.
What was the name of the plane that was shot down in Vietnam?
The rescue of Bat 21 Bravo, the call sign for Iceal "Gene" Hambleton, a navigator aboard an EB-66 aircraft shot down behind North Vietnamese lines, was the "largest, longest, and most complex search-and-rescue " operation during the Vietnam War. Five additional aircraft were shot down during rescue attempts, directly resulting in the deaths ...
Who was the pilot on the plane that ejected the pilot?
Hambleton , whose call sign was Bat 21 Bravo, was positioned immediately behind the pilot, who gave the signal for everyone to eject. Hambleton pulled the ejection seat handles and had a moment to make eye contact with the pilot as his seat rocketed out of the dying plane.
What was the purpose of the Bat 21?
Bat 21 was configured to gather signals intelligence, including identifying North Vietnamese anti-aircraft radar installations to enable jamming. Bat 21 was destroyed by an SA-2 surface-to-air missile and Hambleton was the only survivor, parachuting behind the front lines into a battlefield filled with thousands of North Vietnamese Army soldiers.
What guns were used in the SAR rescue?
This included not only small arms fire and the previously used 23mm, 37mm and 57mm towed guns, but the 85mm and 100mm towed guns, along with the self-propelled, radar-guided 57mm AAA gun. Most surprising to the Americans were the large presence of SA-2 SAMs, and for the first time the use of the Soviet SA-7 Grail shoulder-fired, heat-seeking SAM.
What was the mission of the B-52 in 1972?
On Easter Sunday, 2 April 1972, two EB-66s ( call signs Bat 21 and Bat 22) were flying pathfinder escort for a cell of three B-52, which were given assignments to bomb Mu Gia or the Ban Karai Pass, the two primary access routes to the Ho Chi Minh Trail through Laos.
Who was above Hambleton in his parachute?
When Hambleton's URC-64 rescue radio beeped, Jankowski responded, and was surprised to learn that Hambleton was above him descending in his parachute. Jankowski followed Hambleton down. Hambleton was concealed by a low fog bank as he landed in a dry rice paddy, unseen by the NVA troops.
Where was the Bat 21?
Hambleton was aboard Bat 21, EB-66C serial number 54-0466, over Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam, just south of the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Vietnam. The airmen were surprised by the intensity of the anti-aircraft fire and SAM activity.
What happened to the Vietnamese when they were strapped down?
When they were strapped down, they were forced to lie in their own excrement. Jim Stockdale, who’d been held in solitary for 18 months, worried when he saw the Vietnamese begin to soften toward their prisoners. The beatings lessened, the food increased.
How did the Americans at Hanoi communicate?
This was how the Americans at Hanoi, led by Stockdale, would communicate from now on: They could warn each other about the most sadistic guards, check in with each other, relay what to expect in so-called “interrogations,” encourage each other not to break, offer consolation when, one by one, they eventually did.
How long was Shumaker in isolation?
He was taken to the Hanoi Hilton and held in isolation for four months before he was even allowed to write home. In that time, Shumaker — known as “Shu” — made contact with one other POW. Shu had seen another American regularly dumping his slop bucket outside and managed to scratch out a note on a piece of toilet paper.
How long was Ron Storz held?
Hands tied behind his back, George McKnight was held for 34 nights in an air-raid trench 4 feet long; he was 6-foot-2.
Where were the 11 POWs thrown?
So the Vietnamese moved them to a remote outpost, the one the POWs called Alcatraz. Here, in a small structure near the Ministry of National Defense, the Alcatraz 11 were each thrown, one by one, into windowless rooms.
Who was Stockdale's second in command?
A sketch of Alcatraz Mike McGrath. Stockdale’s second-in-command was Cmdr. Jerry Denton, who had been hauled before TV cameras by the North Vietnamese and had blinked “t-o-r-t-u-r-e” in Morse code on the air.
Where was James Stockdale tortured?
Tortured in notorious ‘Hanoi Hilton,’ 11 GIs were unbreakable. James Stockdale before he was captured. On September 9, 1965, Navy Cmdr. James Bond Stockdale was flying his A-4 Skyhawk on a mission over North Vietnam, just days after the Gulf of Tonkin incident, when his plane took fire and hurtled down. Forced to eject with seconds ...
Storyline
Lt. Col. Iceal "Ham" Hambleton is a weapons countermeasures expert and when his aircraft is shot over enemy territory the Air Force very much wants to get him back. Hambleton knows the area he's in is going to be carpet-bombed but a temporary shortage of helicopters causes a delay. Working with an Air Force reconnaissance pilot, Capt.
Did you know
As a U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, "Gene" Hambleton commanded the 57first Missile Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, from 1965 to 1971. He is better known as by his tactical radio call-sign, "Bat 21", he used in Vietnam when he was shot down in 1972, while jamming enemy radar, and parachuted behind enemy lines.
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By what name was Bat*21 (1988) officially released in India in English?
How was Scotty hit?
Scotty was probably hit by shrapnel from the missile. At the very least, he had just been knocked out. At least that’s what I hoped. But, I knew the SA-2 was a powerful weapon; 400 lbs. of high-explosive surrounded by a thousand 1-inch diameter stainless steel balls inside the 6-foot long nose cone.
Where was Joe Crecca shot down?
Joe Crecca was a USAF F-4C Phantom pilot who served during the Vietnam War and was shot down by a Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) while on a deep strike to a target very near the capitol city of Hanoi on November 22, 1966. Mr. Crecca was a POW for the next six years and three months until his repatriation on February 18, 1973. He is presently a retired airline pilot who originally flew for The Flying Tiger Line in DC-8s and 747s and then MD-11s for FedEx.
Was Joe Crecca a POW?
Crecca was a POW for the next six years and three months until his repatriation on February 18, 1973. He is presently a retired airline pilot who originally flew for The Flying Tiger Line in DC-8s and 747s and then MD-11s for FedEx. Latest posts by Joe Crecca ( see all) Shot down over North Vietnam - February 13, 2017.
Who was the Navy commando who was shot down in the Vietnam War?
Two nights prior to their risky undercover paddle, Norris led a five-man patrol to rescue Lt. Mark Clark, a forward air controller who was shot down while searching for Hambleton.
What happened to Norris in Vietnam?
Norris continued his military service in Vietnam and participated in a historic reconnaissance operation where he was shot in the head and eventually lost an eye while providing suppressive fire while his SEAL element retreated to the water for exfiltration.
How long did it take for Hambleton to be covered in bamboo?
As the most-wanted man in the region, his first thought was to be afraid. And then his delirious focus noticed Norris’ eyes — an American. After 11 days on the run, Hambleton was helped into the bottom of the sampan and was covered in bamboo with instructions to lay motionless.
What did Norris do to save Clark and Hambleton?
The plan worked. Norris had successfully rescued both Clark and Hambleton and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions between April 10 and April 13, 1972.
How far did Norris search for the missing aviator?
For the next two hours Norris searched the water for any signs of the missing aviator. At dawn — and 2,000 meters behind enemy lines — Norris and his team rendezvoused with the American pilot and brought him safely back to a forward operating base.
Why was Kiet awarded the Navy Cross?
Kiet was awarded the Navy Cross for his role in this operation, the highest award the Navy can give to a foreign national. Photo courtesy of achievement.org. Hambleton, a navigator by trade, was an avid golfer and could envision the layouts of golf courses in his mind.
How many torpedoes did the Seehund carry?
Built in 1944, the Seehund displaced 17 tons, carried two torpedoes, and had a crew of two. The vessel could go four knots underwater, and seven knots on the surface. U-Boat.net notes that 137 of these midget subs were commissioned, which sank eight vessels and damaged three more in four months of operation.
Operational Background
Aircraft Shot Down
- On Easter Sunday, 2 April 1972, two EB-66s (call signs Bat 21 and Bat 22) were flying pathfinder escort for a cell of three B-52, which were given assignments to bomb Mu Gia or the Ban Karai Pass, the two primary access routes to the Ho Chi Minh Trailthrough Laos. Hambleton was aboard Bat 21, EB-66C serial number 54-0466, over Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam, just south of th…
Air Rescue Attempts
- Hambleton had received water survival training at Turkey Run, Florida, and escape and evasion training and survival basics at the Pacific Air Command Jungle Survival School in the Philippines.: 6 He had shrapnel wounds from his aircraft exploding, a ripped finger, and four compressed vertebra from the force of the ejection. Hidden in a clump of trees in his hole, surrounded by Nor…
Ground Rescue
- After five days and multiple attempts to rescue Hambleton, five aircraft had been shot down and another 16 seriously damaged,: 68 10 service members had been killed or were missing in action, two were POWs, and two were behind front lines also waiting to be rescued. On 8 April, Gen. Creighton Abramswas briefed on the high losses in the several failed attempts to rescue Hambl…
Rescue Cost
- There were no rules to apply to determine when a search and rescue was no longer cost effective.: 28
Aftermath
- The rescue of Bat 21 was a watershed event for the military and led them to find a new approach to high-threat search and rescue. They recognized that, if a SAR mission was predestined to fail, it should not be attempted, and other options, such as special operations, diversionary tactics and other creative approaches tailored to the situation, had to be considered. Recognizing the need f…
in Popular Culture
- Fifteen years after the rescue, the USAF held a symposium at Nellis Air Force Baseand invited all those directly involved. John Van Etten, whose call sign was Nail 32, had never met Iceal "Gene" Hambleton in person. When he stepped on stage and put out his hand to Gene, he said, "Hello, Gene, I'm John Van Etten," and Gene replied, "No, you're not. ... you are Nail 32, I would recognize …
Further Reading
- Peter Markle (Director) (December 19, 2000). Bat*21 (Motion picture). ISBN 978-0440613947.
- Whitcomb, Darrel D. (1998). The Rescue of Bat 21. Maxwell AFB, AL: U.S. Naval Institute Press. p. 196. ISBN 978-0-440-61394-7.
External Links
- "Burial of Air Crew In Arlington National Cemetery 19 November 1997". ArlingtonCemetery•net. An unofficial website.