Incident Overview
A US Air Force bomber, departing from Andersen Air Force Base on Guam Island with six crew members, was participating in the Linebacker II mission over Vietnam. While flying over Hanoi, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire in the form of an SA-2 surface-to-air missile. The aircraft subsequently lost height and crashed in a field located in Yên Viên, where it was destroyed.
Crew Casualties and Captures
Three crew members were taken as prisoners of war, while three others were killed. The deceased crew members were: Lt Col Donald Louis Rissi (pilot), 1st Lt Robert James Thomas (copilot), and Cpt Richard Thomas Simpson (electronic warfare officer). The surviving crew members who were captured were: Cpt Robert Glenn Certain (navigator), Maj Richard Edgar Johnson (radio navigator), and M/Sgt Walter Lee Ferguson (air gunner).
Cause of the Accident
According to official findings, the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire.