22nd November 1966
"Dogwood2", a McDonnell F-4 Phantom II belonging to the 480th TFS, 366th TFW "Gunfighters" was flying from Danang Air Base, RVN. when it was hit by a SAM just east of southern tip of Thud Ridge, North Vietnam (N 21-30 / E 105-42).
At 10,000 feet, with the plane on fire and becoming uncontrollable, the crew consisting of Lt. Joseph "Joe" Crecca and Gordon Scott "Scotty" Wilson ejected.
GOOD BYE SCOTTY
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! We got hit by a SAM. The F-4 rocked to the left and then to the right. I could see orange flames and black smoke all across the rear of the aircraft. I looked forward and all I could see were all the "Bad" lights, the red and amber ones. Both Fire and Overheat lights were illuminated. Scotty yelled, "Get out!" really loudly. Boom! He ejected. . . .
. . . I
looked around to get my bearings. I saw the F-4 in the ground already
with black smoke coming up. I looked in the opposite direction and
there was Scotty. His chute was open but there was something wrong.
His head was on his chest and his arms weren't up in the risers. Right
next to and behind him was the telltale cloud of another SAM burst. The
NVNese (or the Russkies) had fired a second SAM aimed at the 10,000 foot
altitude and had detonated it right where Scotty's chute opened. It was
about a ten minute ride down to the ground. At about 600 feet I turned
to Scotty, saluted and said aloud, "Good Bye, Scotty". I knew he was
dead and figured I would be in another minute."
Joe Crecca - January 2006
USAF
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Gordon Scott
"Scotty" Wilson |
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Some extracts
used in this Biography were provided thanks
to the generosity of Charles and Mary Schantag who
also gave permission to include the following POWNET biography
link
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