Mission and Incident
An RC-47D aircraft was dispatched on a surveillance mission in the vicinity of the Pathet Lao stronghold of Sam Neua. During the operation, the aircraft flew close to—and may have crossed—the border with North Vietnam. Although MiG fighters had occasionally been observed operating near the Laotian border, they were not considered a significant threat to aircraft in the Sam Neua area.
A North Vietnam Air Force MiG-17 executed a high-speed dash to the border and engaged the RC-47D, shooting it down before retreating deep into North Vietnamese territory.
Crew and Casualties
All eight crew members aboard the RC-47D were killed in the incident:
- Captain Bernard Conklin
- Captain Robert Eugene Hoskinson
- First Lieutenant Vincent Augustus Chiarello
- First Lieutenant Robert Joseph Di Tommaso
- Major Galileo Fred Bossio
- Technical Sergeant John Micheo Mamiya
- Technical Sergeant Herbert Eugene Smith
- Staff Sergeant James Shreve Hall
Source: Chris Hobson