Miracle in the Sky
Here’s a notable story about an F-4E Phantom which tangled with a North Vietnamese MIG-21 during a mission in the skies over North Vietnam. It was truly a miracle!
By David Craighead (Clive 04)
Aircrew: 1Lt Wesley Zimmerman, Aircraft Commander
1Lt David “Bubba” Craighead, Weapons Systems Operator
Aircraft: F-4E, tail # 70-321
Unit: 4thTFS, 366TFW, Takhli, RTAFB, Thailand
Flight Location: Pack 6, North Vietnam
Our mission that day was to fly MigCap Patrol for another group of fighters flying from Ubon, RTAFB, Thailand. They would be releasing chaff over the Hanoi area in order to create a chaff corridor for the main F-4 strike force which would be 20 minutes behind us. Our route would take us north over Laos and then east across North Vietnam and into the Hanoi “Downtown” area. The strike target for this mission was the Gia Lam Air Base Communication Control Buildings which housed the main communication system for the North Vietnamese Air Force. I am sure the North Vietnamese were well aware of the American tradition of fireworks on the 4th of July because they expended as many weapons against our force that day as we had seen previously on a single mission.
Our chaff force consisted of sixteen F-4’s and as we set our eastern course for Hanoi, we were told by Red Crown that the MiGs were getting airborne in preparation for our arrival. From as far as 60 miles west of Hanoi, we began receiving heavy AAA barrages including radar-controlled 85mm & 100mm cannon fire. As we approached the Hanoi area and crossed the Red River into the flatlands, our flight was targeted by the surface-to-air missile crews and we became the subjects of the SAM firings. Many SAMs were fired at or towards our chaff force. At this time, our plane received minor damage to the right-wing aileron. The damage was only to the sheet metal portions of the aileron and we continued inbound with the fighter force, figuring no Master Caution light, then no problem.
We concluded our inbound course and performed a group 180* turn to a west heading in order to exit the area. Shortly thereafter, Clive 03, our element leader, made a radio call for us, Clive 04, to “break right, Migs attacking”. A break turn is a maximum performance turn in order to negate an immediate attack from an adversary aircraft. In our instance, Clive 03 had spotted our airplane being attacked by a couple of MiG-19s with 30mm cannons blazing away at us. In fact, the 30mm rounds did hit the vertical stabilizer area of our plane. The “break” turn was a complete 360* turn with us again heading west on our exit heading. But we were now separated from the balance of the chaff force and easily highlighted by their GCI as a single plane by the enemy radar. We had lost visual contact with Clive 03. Shortly thereafter, a MiG-21 snuck into our six-o’clock position and fired his two heat-seeking Atoll missiles at the tailpipes of our F-4E. The missiles scored a hit on our tail section resulting in heavy damage. We were two 1LTs over the Hanoi area taking a ride in what was now a heavily-crippled F-4E. All gauges, navigation gear, radios, and electronic systems were inoperative. The engines continued to churn but at a reduced capability. The cockpit intercom remained OK and we were both talking pretty fast!!
Wes and I had flown together as a team for quite a while and we had briefed this situation at each preflight briefing. In addition, we were roommates and routinely discussed different scenarios of what could happen when flying into the Hanoi area. There was no panic in the cockpit as we agreed to turn to the southwest in order to overfly the least-populated areas of North Vietnam and Laos, so upon our probable ejection, we would have a better chance of not being captured.
At this time, a most unlikely event occurred: Off our left wing at about 1,500ft was the MiG-21 that had just shot his missiles at us! We were certainly glad his cannons, if he had any, were not loaded that day so he was Winchester after firing his two Atoll missiles. He stayed there flying formation with us for quite a while and obviously wondered why this F-4E was still airborne. We were wondering the same thing, but certainly not complaining. He stayed in formation with us for what seemed like a long time.
At this time, we could see Clive 03 in the distance closing in on us. The MiG-21 was directly between us and Clive 03. We were thankful we were not alone now and tried in vain to radio Clive 03 and tell him to shoot down this MiG-21 that was on our wing. MiGs are small and hard to see and being focused on our F-4E, Clive 03 never saw the MiG-21. The MiG pilot became aware of Clive 03, probably by his GCI, and made a rapid 180* turn back to the east, leaving Clive 03 to escort us to the nearest friendly area and to a successful recovery and landing should that be possible. Wes and I had begun preparing ourselves for ejection as we stowed stuff away into the zippered pockets of the G-suit and navigated toward the southwest. With Clive 03 leading us, we were just now starting to believe that #321 would continue flying. Numerous hand signals were traded with the crew of Clive 03 and we knew he was leading us to Nakhon Phenom (NKP) air base in Thailand. Although not home to the F-4s, NKP was a primary emergency recovery base and would serve us well if we made it that far.
We did not know our fuel status and did not attempt air-to-air refueling knowing our system would not operate properly. The flight across North Vietnam and Laos into Thailand was untimed but it was a fairly long time to wonder if landing would be possible. Wes had been careful with the airplane, not making any stressful flight moves, since the missile attack, and I knew he was having some difficulties with the control of the aircraft. Clive 03 escorted us to the NKP approach area and then he went ahead to land first, knowing our landing would shut down the airfield and he was already at Bingo fuel (or worse). NKP had a jolly-green rescue helicopter orbiting in their bail-out area and we could see him at our 2 o’clock position. As we continued our approach to the NKP runway, we were caught up in the jetwash from Clive 03 and determined we must make a 360* turn in order to make a safer landing.
As we began this turn out of traffic towards the bail-out area, we joked that the jolly-green figured he had some business coming his way! So we continued the 360-degree turn and got lined up for a long straight-in approach. We were out of utility hydraulics and used the emergency gear system and got the gear down-and-locked indication, that was good. Our next obstacle was the unknown of at what speed would be necessary for #321 to continue safe flying to the landing. NKP had the cable-arresting system and we planned to land so as to hook up with the approach-end barrier cable. The tail hook was down, we had the cockpits cleaned up for ejection and we were barreling down to the runway. Wes was fighting the aircraft control and I noticed he had the stick pegged far to the right as we maintained 220 knots airspeed. He proved he was an expert pilot as we touched down at 220 knots, the tail hook caught the cable and pulled the plane to a gentle halt.
As the hook released from the cable, the plane rolled into the grass infield and came to a halt. We both made a normal but swift exit from the cockpits and saw the damage for the first time, happy that she stayed airborne.
Photo 1: Craighead left, Zimmerman right, tail hook and cable are visible
Clive 03 gassed up and flew back to Takhli. Wes and I were at NKP with just our flight suits and a few bucks on us, since we had left all personal effects back at Takhli and now needed to hitchhike back to Takhli. It took us 3 days with a puddle-jumper to Utapao and another puddle-jumper to Takhli.
We arrived back at Takhli and resumed flying our sorties. The very next day, they scheduled me for my “mid-tour” check ride, what a bad joke! News and photos of this event traveled around the airbases and we were awarded numerous flight awards by the USAF. Wes was awarded the Koren Kolligian Award for the most outstanding flight safety event of 1972.
We were both transferred to Holloman AFB, NM in December 1972. Wes went on to fly commercial for Continental Airlines and fly F-16s in the Utah ANG. He’s now retired and living in Layton, Utah. I left the Air Force in 1976 and built a custom-homebuilding business in San Antonio, TX.
I again was able to see F-4E #70-321 in May 1974 in a hangar at Eglin AFB, FL. She was being cannibalized for her parts and it is doubtful she ever flew again after that time. On this one day, she took hits from SAM particles, 30mm cannons & heat-seeking missiles, what a fine beast!!
Photo 2: view of the damage
Photo 4: Good ol’ #321 is being towed away
This view begs the question why didn’t the Atoll missiles
continue their flight into the engine tailpipes?
Photo 6: Craighead inspecting the damage, Zimmerman at far right
Photo 3: lost
Photo 7: Craighead & Zimmerman on 26 October 1972, shaking hands after last mission
*****
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