Incident Overview
An aircraft departed Andersen Air Force Base on Guam Island under the call sign Straw 2, carrying six crew members as part of the Linebacker II mission over Vietnam. While flying over Hanoi, the aircraft was struck by enemy fire—specifically, an SA-2 surface-to-air missile.
Evasion and Ejection
Despite the hit, the pilot successfully guided the aircraft away from the target area and decided to proceed toward Thailand. However, while over Laos, all six crew members elected to bail out and abandoned the aircraft. The aircraft subsequently dove into the ground and crashed in an isolated area.
Casualties and Survival
Of the six crew members, five survived the incident. The sixth occupant, Major Frank Gould, who served as the radio navigator, was killed.
Official Findings
The probable cause of the incident was determined to be: shot down by enemy fire.