FlightFinder
Check my flight
No fatalities

B-52 Shot Down Over Hanoi During Linebacker II, Crew Taken Prisoner (55-0050)

Bạch Mai, VietnamFlight

On December 21, 1972, a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress (registration 55-0050) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Bạch Mai, Vietnam in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Shot down by enemy fire. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Source recordUpdated 2026-07-04Data APIEditorial standards

A US bomber departed U-Tapao NAS for a Linebacker II mission over Vietnam. Struck by an SA-2 missile over Hanoi, it crashed in the Bạch Mai district. All six crew members were captured as prisoners of war.

Incident Overview

On a mission during the Linebacker II campaign, a US Air Force bomber departed U-Tapao Naval Air Station in Thailand with six crew members on board. While operating over Hanoi, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire, specifically an SA-2 surface-to-air missile. The plane lost control and crashed in the Bạch Mai district of Hanoi.

Crew Members

The six crew members aboard were:

  • Lieutenant Colonel John Harr Yuill, pilot
  • Captain David Ian Drummond, copilot
  • 1st Lieutenant William Thomas Mayall, navigator
  • Lieutenant Colonel William Walter Conlee, electronic warfare officer
  • Lieutenant Colonel Louis Henry Bernasconi, radio navigator
  • Master Sergeant Gary Lee Morgan, air gunner

All six crew members were taken as prisoners of war (PoW) following the crash.

Probable cause

Shot down by enemy fire.

Related events

Same operator

More Boeing B-52 Stratofortress safety records →

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 21 Dec 1972 Boeing B-52 Stratofortress accident near Bạch Mai, Vietnam?

A US bomber departed U-Tapao NAS for a Linebacker II mission over Vietnam. Struck by an SA-2 missile over Hanoi, it crashed in the Bạch Mai district. All six crew members were captured as prisoners of war.

Were there any fatalities in the 21 Dec 1972 Boeing B-52 Stratofortress accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 21 Dec 1972 involved a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, registration 55-0050, operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947), at Bạch Mai, Vietnam.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

Shot down by enemy fire.

More accident analyses