U.S. Navy Pilot Wounded On Raid Over North Vietnam Brings A-4 "Skyhawk" To Safe Landing On Carrier USS Oriskany in Tonkin Gulf

Description

DEPARTMENT OF DEPOSIT NEWSFILM RELEASE OFFICE OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (PUBLIC AFFAIRS) UNITED STATES AMERICA WASHINGTON, D.C. - 20301 OF PLEASE NOTE DATE IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 7, 1967 OXford 75111 Number 370-67 Footage: 51' 16mm Black and White Negative Room 2E 771 w/65 seconds 1" Audio Tape Time: 1:25 U. S. NAVY PILOT WOUNDED ON RAID OVER NORTH VIETNAM BRINGS A-4 "SKYHAWK" TO SAFE LANDING ON CARRIER USS ORISKANY IN TONKIN GULF (Official U. S. Navy Film Released by the Department of Defense) On November 20, 1967, a 26-year-old U. S. Navy pilot, Lieutenant Junior Grade Dennis Earl of Mendon, Utah, was on a flak suppression mission over North Vietnam in his A-4 "Skyhawk". Enroute to a secondary target area near Thanh Hoa, Lieutenant Earl recalls, "I just felt a large thump in the aircraft. Immediately I suspected we'd been hit by a SAM (Surface to Air Missile) that I hadn't seen. "The aircraft was knocked around and I immediately felt considerable pain in my left foot, especially, and observing my right leg I noticed that it was slightly bent out of the original position. A later inspection of the aircraft revealed a single coin-size hole in the fuselage. The bullet which had pierced both the lieutenant's legs was a 14.7mm machine gun round. In the sickbay of the USS ORISKANY after five hours of surgery, Lieutenant Earl gave a lot of credit to his wingman, Lieutenant Commander James B. Busey, 34, of Urbana, Illinois. Busey, like Earl, a member of Attack Squadron 163, stayed close behind the younger pilot as they flew towards the ORISKANY, guiding and advising him over their radio. "I told him to jettison his bombs" Busey said. "But he didn't jettison them-- he took a few extra seconds to concentrate on getting over a road and dropping his bombs. "Denny was utterly calm. By the time we reached the water, the search and rescue forces in the gulf were alerted and ready. NOTE TO EDITORS: PLEASE CREDIT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE-1 MORT IN TITLE OR COMMENTARY This motion film released to DOD pool member designated is for duplication and distri- bution to interested TV and newsreel pool members. It is to be forwarded within 72 hours to: Army Motion Picture Depository, Army Pictorial Center, 35-11 35th Ave., Long Island, N.Y. 11106, telephone 937-0600. This agency will deliver a duplicating master to Deluxe Laboratories, 850 Tenth Ave., New York City, telephone Circle 73220, where it will be available to non-pool members and other authorized agencies which make satisfactory financial arrangements with Deluxe Laboratories. The original release film must not be cut in any manner.

Collection

Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer

Series

Filmed News Releases