On the morning of Dec 5, 1969, two F-4 Phantoms from the 12th TFW launched from their airbase in Thailand for a bombing mission over Laos.
Only one aircraft would make it back.
Capt. Ben Danielson piloted the second F-4 – call sign Boxer 22 – with 1st Lt. Woodrow Bergeron Jr. in his back seat.
As he lined up his target, enemy anti-aircraft fire tore through the F-4 and immediately set it ablaze.
They had but one choice: eject.
As they did their best to avoid capture deep behind enemy lines, the sky above them began swarming with American aircraft intent on rescuing them.
A-1 Skyraiders made countless passes, shooting 20mm rounds and rockets at enemy soldiers as they searched for the two Airmen. More F-4s arrived and dropped their bombs, trying to destroy AA sites.
Helicopters hovered nearby, making several attempts to pick up the aircrew, but each time getting chased off by heavy gunfire.
The setting sun put an end to rescue efforts that day. They would spend the longest night of their lives in enemy territory.
Sleep never came. Enemy soldiers continued a relentless search for the two airmen. In the early morning hours, Bergeron heard a distant commotion, there was gunfire. He knew his pilot had been found and killed. Danielson was never heard from again.
The second day brought more of the same. Hundreds of aircraft flew over Bergeron as they tried to save him, but each time the enemy chased them off.
On the 16th rescue attempt and with the enemy at only 50 ft away, Bergeron was located and rescued. They pilot announced over the radio “We’ve got him!”
A total of 336 sorties were flown by aircraft that expended 1,463 smart bombs, high-explosive bombs, cluster bombs, smoke bombs, napalm bombs and rocket pods over the course of three days. Skyraiders alone flew 242 sorties; the HH-3 and HH-53 helicopters, over 40.
It is still to this day the largest search and rescue mission in the history of the Air Force. #brotherhood #stayzero #zerofoxtrot #vietnamwar