What happened
During the Linebacker II operations over Vietnam, an aircraft departed from Andersen Air Force Base on Guam. The flight was carrying a total of six crew members as part of a mission targeting areas near Hanoi. While traversing the airspace over Hanoi, the plane was struck by an enemy SA-2 surface-to-air missile.
Following the impact, the aircraft lost altitude and descended into a field situated in Yên Viên. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. Among the crew, three fatalities were recorded, while the remaining three members were captured and held as prisoners of war.
Findings
- The aircraft was intercepted by enemy anti-aircraft systems.
- Enemy surface-to-air missile fire caused the loss of altitude and subsequent crash.