HC-7 RESCUE 113(1) 30-Jul-1972 (Sunday)

HH-3A Sikorsky Seaking helo Det 110 Big Mother
Combat Day (2)
51 miles off North Vietnam coast

Pilot – LT Michael J. Bradshaw
Co-pilot – LTJG Michael P. Ekdall
1st crew – AO-3 Joseph E. Hilyer
2nd crew – AT-2 Thomas M. McCann

F-4D Phantom 66-7770 (Mustang) 523 TFS, 405 FW, attached to 432, USAF,
Udorn, Thailand

Capt D. A. Crane (survived)

1 Lt D. W. Petkunas (HC-7 rescuee 113)

The 523rd TFS deployed from Clark AB and was attached to the 432nd TRW at Udorn on 9 April for seven months. The first aircraft lost by the Squadron was abandoned over the Gulf of Tonkin about 60 miles northeast of Vinh when it ran out of fuel returning from an escort mission. The crew were rescued by a Navy HH-3A SAR helicopter. (5)

1) Numbering as per HC-7 Rescue Log (accumulative rescue number)
2) HC-7 Rescue Log
3) HC-7 Det 110 Rescue report – None on file
4) Map – Goggle Earth
5) “Vietnam – Air Losses” By: Chris Hobson (with permission)
6) Loss aircraft location data provided by: W. Howard Plunkett (LtCol USAF, retired)
10) HC-7 History collection; Ron Milam – Historian

(Compiled / written by: Ron Milam, HC-7 Historian – HC-7, 2-1969 to 7-1970, Det 108 & 113)