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B52 aircraft and Crewmembers: Linebacker II as of January 24, 2001
This document was written to
clear up some confusion as to the crewmembers of ten B52s lost over North Vietnam and five B52s lost in other locations. This document is intended supplement other publications. This document uses the
"official" shoot down dates as recorded by the U.S. Defense Department.
For example, Cobalt 1 was shot down over Hanoi at 0003 local time on 12-28-72. Other researchers fix the shoot down date as 12-27-72,
the date the a/c took off from its home base. (A flight could take eight hours just getting to the target). We will use 12-28-72, the official Department of Defense date. Ranks shown are the ranks at the time the
aircraft was shot down.
Call sign Model Tail No Date Base
Crewmember Position Status
Charcoal 1 B52G 58-0201 12-18-72 Anderson LtCol Donald Rissi Pilot NR
1stLt Robert Thomas Co-Pilot NR
Maj Richard Johnson Radar/Nav RR
Capt Robert Certain Navigator RR
Capt Richard Simpson EWO RR
E7 Walter Ferguson Gunner NR
Rose 1 B52D 56-0608 12-19-72 U-Tapao Capt Hal Wilson Pilot RR
Capt Charles Brown Co-Pilot RR
Maj Fernando Alexander Radar/Nav RR
Capt Richard Cooper Nav XX
Capt Henry Barrows EWO RR
E6 Charlie Poole Gunner XX
Orange 3 B52D 56-0622 12-20-72 U-Tapao Maj John Stuart Pilot XX
1stLt Paul Granger Co-Pilot RR
Maj Randolph Perry Radar/Nav XX
Capt Thomas Klomann Nav RR
Capt Irwin Lerner EWO XX
E7 Arthur McLaughlin Gunner XX
Quilt 3 B52G 57-6496 12-20-72 Anderson Capt Terry Geloneck Pilot RR
1stLt William Arcuri Co-Pilot RR
Capt Warren Spencer Radar/Nav NR
1stLt Michael Martini Nav RR
Capt Craig Paul EWO NR
E5 Roy Madden Gunner RR
Olive 1 B52G 58-0198 12-21-72 Anderson LtCol Keith Heggen Air Cdr KR
. LtCol James Nagahiro Pilot RR
Capt Donovan Walters Co-Pilot NR
Maj Edward Johnson R/Nav NR
Capt Lynn Beens Nav RR
Capt Robert Lynn EWO NR
E3 Charles Bebus Gunner NR
Blue 1 B52D 55-0050 12-22-72 U-Tapao LtCol John Yuill Pilot RR
Capt Dave Drummond Co-Pilot RR
LtCol Lou Bernasconi R/Nav RR
1stLt William Mayall Nav RR
LtCol William Conlee EWO RR
E5 Gary Morgan Gunner RR
Tan 3 B52G 58-0169 12-21-72 Anderson Capt Randall Craddock Pilot NR
Capt George Lockhart Co-Pilot NR
Maj Bobby Kirby R/Nav NR
1stLt Charles Darr Nav NR
Capt Ronald Perry EWO NR
E5 James Lollar Gunner RR
Scarlet 3/1 B52D 55-0061 12-22-72 U-Tapao Capt Peter Giroux Pilot RR
Capt Thomas Bennett Co-Pilot XX
LtCol Gerald Alley R/Nav NR
1stLt Joseph Copack Nav NR
Capt Peter Camerota EWO RR
E7 Louis LeBlanc Gunner RR
Ebony 2 B52D 56-0674 12-26-72 U-Tapao Capt Robert Morris Pilot NR
1stLt Robert Hudson Co-Pilot RR
Capt Michael Labeau R/Nav RR
1stLt Duane Vavroch Nav RR
Capt Nutter Wimbrow EWO NR
E6 James Cook Gunner RR
Cobalt 1 B52D 56-0605 12-28-72 U-Tapao Capt Frank Lewis Pilot RR
Capt Samuel Cusimano Co-Pilot RR
Maj James Condon R/Nav RR
1stLt Ben Fryer Nav NR
Maj Allen Johnson EWO NR
E7 James Gough Gunner RR
A total of 10 B-52s went down inside the borders of North Vietnam. 61 total crewmembers. 33 survivors became POWs and were released at end war. 28 of the downed 61 warriors perished.
Five other B52s went
down outside of North Vietnam (plus 2 more that went down on either side of LBII). The first one listed went down the month before LBII, the last one went down after the operation:
(Unknown) B52D 55-0110 11-22-72 U-Tapao SA2 damage at Vinh. Crashed near NKP.
Lost 4 engines on one side.
6 crewmen bailed out/recovered.
Peach 2 B52G 58-0246 12-18-72 Anderson Crew bailed out/rescued over Thailand.
Brass 2 B52G 57-6481 12-20-72 Anderson Crew bailed out/rescued over Thailand.
Straw 2 B52D 56-0669 12-21-72 Anderson Crew bailed out over Laos.
R/N Maj Frank Gould not recovered (XX).
Other crewmembers recovered.
Ash 1 B52D 56-0584 12-26-72 U-Tapao Crashed at U-Tapao.
4 engines out on same side.
Attempted go-around
4 KIA.
CoPilot and Gunner rescued.
Ash 2 B52D 56-0599 12-27-72 U-Tapao Bailed out over Laos. Crew recovered.
(Unknown) B52D 55-0056 1-4-73 U-Tapao SA2 hit over Vinh.
Went feet wet, crew bailed out.
All rescued by US Navy.
During the period April 9, 1972 thru January 14, 1973, 15 other B-52s (one G model and 14 D models) received major battle damage over North Vietnam (caused by SAMs). These craft are listed on the last page of
this document.
Personnel data is from Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Office Reference Document "U.S. Personnel Missing, Southeast Asia (and Selected Foreign Nationals) (U) dated March
1998.
Crew positions determined from direct testimony from the returned POWs.
Ranks for the Gunners are: E3=Airman 1st Class;
E4=Senior Airman;
E5=SSgt;
E6=TSgt;
E7=MSgt.
Air Cdr=Airborne Commander.
Status codes: KR…Died in Captivity, negotiated remains returned, 3- 13-74.
XX…Presumptive finding of death. Remains still unaccounted for.
NR…Negotiated remains returned. Dates of return in our records.
RR…Returnee (POWs). Dates of return in our records.
Out of 498 BUFF sorties over
Hanoi/Haiphong the loss rate was 1.7% (.017). The conservative number of SAMs fired was 884, with 24 BUFFs hit. Source: Linebacker II: A View From the Rock published by the Air War College in 1979. (Note: 2001 Boeing
records list 32 B52 aircraft hit by SAMs).
Bailout order was Nav, Gunner, EWO, CP, RN, P. If any upward seats failed, the crewmember came down to bail out through the hole the Nav left. The RN was there to
assist. The Pilot always went left. In an uncontrolled bail out, it was every man for himself…as quickly as possible. Buff crews were organized as a crew with three teams:
Flight Control Team = Pilot and CoPilot;
Offensive Team = Radar Navigator and Navigator;
Defensive Team = Electronic Warfare Officer and Gunner.
List of fifteen B52s which received major battle damage over North Vietnam, April 1972-January 1973 (aircraft recovered, no deaths or injuries reported).
Serial Date of
Number Damage
Remarks (All damage noted was from SAMs)
D 56-0665 4-9-72 Landed at Danang and flown to U-Tapao, Thailand.
156 damage areas. Repaired and back in service.
D 56-0589 4-23-72 Landed at Danang and flown to U-Tapao.
Approximately 400 outer surface holes. 20,000 manhours.
In commission 1-9-73.
D 56-0604 11-5-72 Landed at U-Tapao.
333 external damage areas.
Using horizontal stabilizer from 55-097.
Estimated time in commission (ETIC) 2-1-73.
D 55-0052 11-22-72 Landed at U-Tapao.
Approx 20 holes.
Repairable by T.O. 1B-52B-3.
In commission 1-8-73 (See Below).
D 56-0678 12-18-72 Landed at U-Tapao.
350 external holes; 24 areas require kits. No inspar damage.
ETIC 7-30-73. Est. 60,000 manhours.
D 56-0583 12-18-72 Landed at U-Tapao.
10 external holes plus several dents and gouges
Returned to service 12-20-72 minus three repairs 53 manhours.
.
D 56-0592 12-18-72 Landed at NamPhong, Thailand; one time flight to U-Tapao 12-23-72.
External holes estimated 2,000 manhours.
ETIC 3-15-73.
G 58-0254 12-18-72 Landed at Anderson AFB, Guam.
Sheet metal damage top of fuselage 30 to 50 holes. Minus three repairs.
D 55-0067 12-22-72 Landed at U-Tapao.
Nineteen external holes. Minus three repairs.
In commission 1-9-73. 70 manhours.
D 55-0051 12-24-72 Landed at U-Tapao.
Eleven external holes. 226 manhours.
In commission 1-9-73.
D 55-0062 12-26-72 Landed at Anderson AFB, Guam.
Minus three repairs.
Returned to service 12-27-72.
D 55-0090 12-26-72 Landed at Anderson AFB, Guam.
Minus three repairs.
Returned to service 12-28-72.
D 56-0629 Landed at U-Tapao (date of incident was not given in source document)
63 manhours. Fourteen external holes plus three dents. Minus three repairs.
Returned to service 12-31-72.
D 55-0052 1-8-73 Landed at U-Tapao. Second Incident (Reference 11-22-72 above)
Approx. 45 holes.
D 55-0116 1-14-73 Landed at Danang.
Over 200 holes. Left wing section 21 needs replacing.
Left drop tank numerous holes.
Removed both; being salvaged 4-1-73.
Note: Source of aircraft data…Boeing maintenance records.
A Special Thanks to the SEA POW Group
for their clarification
and data.. |
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