Latest news with #P-51Mustang
CBS News
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
U.S. Navy Blue Angels headline this weekend's 2025 Air Dot Show Fort Lauderdale
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels will do what they do best as they headline the 2025 Air Dot Show Fort Lauderdale on May 3 and 4. The annual favorite for South Florida, formerly known as the Fort Lauderdale Air Show, features a combination of military and civilian pilots who put their skills to the test with daring aeronautical acrobatics. Other scheduled performances include the U.S. Airforce's F-22 Raptor Demo Team, Florida ANG F-15 Eagles, SOCOM Para-Commandos, NORAD Intercept Demo, P-51 Mustang and a U.S. Coast Guard SAR (Search and Rescue) Demo. The show kicks off around 11:45 a.m. and ends around 3:00 p.m. on both days. The show center is at Birch State Park. Road closure for the shows State Road A1A will be closed on Saturday and Sunday from north of the Sunrise Blvd intersection to 19th Street from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Sunrise/A1A intersection will remain open but due to traffic congestion in that area it is recommended you avoid it. According to organizers, those watching the show are not allowed to set up chairs on closed section of A1A. The Sunrise/A1A intersection will remain open but due to traffic congestion in that area, it is recommended you avoid it. While there are several ticket packages available for those who want a prime viewing location, there are free public locations north and south of the show center. What to bring A day at the beach requires a little planning. First, you will need beach chairs or something to sit on like a towel or blanket. Don't forget the sunscreen and you should probably wear a hat. Per city ordinances, there is no smoking on the beach. There are designated smoking areas along the A1A sidewalk. Also prohibited are pets on the beach, so leave the furries ones at home. While beach umbrellas are allowed, tents, pop-ups, and other structures (including baby tents) are prohibited. Parking If you are driving to the event, there parking lots, garages and metered spaces near the beach between SE 17 Street and Oakland Park Boulevard. The closest available large parking area is at the Galleria Mall on Sunrise Boulevard, about half a mile from the beach.
Scottish Sun
23-04-2025
- General
- Scottish Sun
I was shot down, escaped PoW camp & fought for Russians… I'd do it all again, says pilot, 100, teaching kids about WW2
Joe Peterburs is one of five World War Two survivors taking part in VE Mail, a project where pupils can exchange letters with a veteran TRUE HERO I was shot down, escaped PoW camp & fought for Russians… I'd do it all again, says pilot, 100, teaching kids about WW2 FIGHTER pilot Joe Peterburs had to wait 80 years to complete his 50th wartime mission. His first attempt was in April 1945 when he took off from an airbase near Cambridge to protect US bombers as they flew to Germany in one of the last raids of World War Two. Advertisement 9 Joe prepares to fly his 50th 'mission' in a P-51 Mustang Credit: Damien McFadden 9 Joe and pilot Isabel Rutland executed a perfect victory roll above the English countryside Credit: Damien McFadden But after a series of dogfights in the skies above Berlin, Joe, then aged 20, was shot down and captured by the Gestapo. Incredibly, he broke out of a prisoner of war camp and ended up fighting alongside the Russians as they raced to liberate the German capital. Now, Joe, 100, from Wisconsin in the US, has shared his amazing story in a letter to British schoolchildren — and returned to the UK to complete his mission eight decades late. He is one of five World War Two survivors taking part in VE Mail, a project where pupils can exchange letters with a veteran as part of the 80th anniversary of the end of the conflict in Europe on May 8, 1945. Advertisement Like Joe, the veterans have each written about their life during the war and the lessons they want to pass on to the next generation. 'You think you're going to live forever' This month, on the anniversary of his last flight, a still sprightly Joe climbed into a two-seater version of the P-51 Mustang fighter-bomber he fought in. He and pilot Isabel Rutland executed a perfect victory roll above the English countryside — an air force tradition at the end of 50 missions. In a hangar at RAF Duxford, Cambs, Joe exclusively told The Sun: 'When you're young, you're full of pee and vinegar. Advertisement 'We all had a fearlessness with being young. You think you're going to live for ever, but that wasn't the case for a lot of men I served with.' Before joining the Army Air Corps in November 1942, Joe had been in the seminary for two years to become a priest. WW2 veteran and survivor remember the liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp Based in England, he regularly flew half-day missions with no food or water on board his tiny single-seater fighter bomber. He recalled: 'A typical day, I'd get up about five o'clock, and you eat breakfast, go to the briefing, which is about an hour, and then you get ready to take off. Advertisement 'You fly a mission that's five or six hours long, and you get back, and then you're debriefed, that's about 45 minutes. 'And in all the time you're flying, you don't have any water and you don't have any food, so you go to the mess hall. I found a Russian tank convoy and started fighting with them — that could have gone badly Joe Peterburs 'But first you go to the bar for a drink, and all the pilots get together and we start telling lies about how great we were and then we'd go eat. Then you'd write letters home.' Joe flew 269 combat hours before being shot down. Advertisement He said: 'On my last mission, the bombers had about six different targets and it was one big force going into different places in Germany. 'Can you imagine 1,800 bombers and 950 of us P-51 Mustangs?' Joe's plane was named Josephine after his sweetheart back home in Wisconsin. He said: 'We became engaged just before I left. Advertisement 9 Joe in his wartime flying gear Credit: Supplied 9 Joe mans the guns aboard a B17 G Flying Fortress at Duxford Credit: Damien McFadden 'Her name wasn't on the nose of the aircraft, it was on the canopy. I put it there because it kept her as close to me as I could get.' At around 3pm on April 10, 1945, six hours into the mission, Joe dived to attack a German fighter, which had just shot down a fourth US bomber. Advertisement The German pilot, Walter Schuck, remembered being attacked from behind by a Mustang that hit his left wing and engine with .50 calibre machine-gun fire. As Schuck escaped into low cloud, his plane's left wing burst into flames and the plane went into a death spiral. The pilot bailed out at 1,500ft. Just 20 minutes later, Joe's Mustang was shot up and crashed to Earth, after he parachuted out. Joe said: 'When I was shot down, the first thing I thought was my mom's going to get a telegram. Advertisement Guardian angel 'My brother had been killed the year before as a submariner. 'All I could think about was how she would feel.' While Joe miraculously escaped serious injury when he crashed near Berg, 260 miles from Berlin, he was captured and almost shot before being sent to a prisoner of war camp, which he escaped from. He said: 'I'm convinced that I have our guardian angel on my shoulder. There are too many things where I should not have survived. Advertisement "I was going to be hanged by the German civilians who were coming after me but I was saved by a policeman. 'Then the chief of police of the town wanted to blow my brains out with a Luger and I escaped. 9 Joe flying high in the Mustang again Credit: Supplied 'I found a Russian tank convoy and started fighting with them — that could have gone badly. Just outside Wittenberg was the last battle I fought with them. Advertisement 'When VE Day came, I remember I wasn't as excited as the Europeans because I knew it meant, as Americans, we were going over to the Pacific to finish the war over there.' 'We did our duty. The world was in turmoil' Joe stayed with the Army Air Corps after the war and later fought in Korea and Vietnam. He has more than 35 medals, including the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Air Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters. Advertisement While Joe is moved at being called a hero, he is adamant the heroes were the men he served with. He said: 'I'm not comfortable at all being called a hero because I'm not. Along with all of my buddies we did our job. You should have something that you care enough about to be willing to die for it Joe Peterburs 'We did our duty. The world was in turmoil and the heroes are the ones that didn't make it. 'The rest of us were lucky to survive, but we're no heroes. Advertisement 'We did the best we could, and that's what anybody should do in whatever endeavour they're undertaking in whatever profession — do the best you can. 'You should have something that you care enough about to be willing to die for it. And when I was growing up, mine was my God, my country and my family.' Joe retired in 1979 as a colonel, going on to work in finance for the rest of his career. He said: 'If I could go back and do it all again, I absolutely would — but I'd do it better.' Advertisement JOE'S STORY Dearest children, MY name is Colonel Joe Peterburs and I was a P-51 Mustang American fighter pilot during the Second World War. I am writing to you as I fly to the UK from the USA, to return to the Kings Cliffe airfield near Peterborough, where I took part in 49 missions from November 1944. In April 1945, I was taken prisoner after my plane was shot down just outside Berlin in Germany. I was held as a prisoner of war at Stalag III in Luckenwalde for a week, before escaping and fighting alongside the Russian Red Army until the war's end. On VE Day I was in Wittenberg, Germany, having been retrieved by an American army unit just a day or two before. Though the war outside of Europe wasn't over, my first thought was that I was going to get home and marry my fiancée, Josephine, who I named my aircraft after. I had proposed just before I left for the UK and when I returned, we quickly married, before the war felt like it really came to an end with VJ Day in August 1945. The Second World War took me on a very different path in life. Before the war I had plans of becoming a priest and never marrying. Joining the air force changed my whole perspective on life and where I thought I needed to be. I am from a small town in Wisconsin, and so coming to the UK felt like a totally new world. You don't have time to think about the external things when you're at war and I learnt from a young age the importance of concentrating on the task in hand and living life day by day. My plane coming down close to Berlin was a big moment in my life. I shouldn't have survived and yet I did. Years later, I became friends with the German who I had shot down just 20 minutes before my own misfortune. He sprained both legs as he parachuted to the ground and in doing so was unable to fight again, something he believes saved his life. We met again 60 years later in California, and he became known to my family as Papa Walter. Some people were confused by our friendship but we knew that, despite being on opposite sides, we had both just been young men, each trying to protect our home. I believe it is important to be kind as it gives you more than it takes away from you, and in general it makes life a lot happier. I went on to serve for 36 years in the military and finally retired in 1979 at the rank of colonel. When asked what bravery means to me, I would say it's hard to define. As long as you're doing your best, that's all that matters. If it ends up being something others would deem brave, fine, but you'll find most first responders, such as firefighters, don't feel brave – they are just doing their job. It's because of humankind's kindness and other good traits that we have bravery. I urge your generation to seek peace and kindness. Life is important and should not be wasted. You have to love one another. Best wishes, your friend from across the Pond. Colonel Joe Peterburs 4 MORE HEROES YOUNGSTERS CAN WRITE TO MERVYN KERSH 9 Transport operator Mervyn Kersh, now 100 Credit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun TRANSPORT operator Mervyn, now 100, landed in France on D-Day and went all the way through Belgium, Holland and Germany. In April 1945, Jewish Mervyn became separated from his unit, so he went to Belsen where he befriended survivors of the concentration camp where tens of thousands died. JEAN GREEN 9 'Rum Bosun' Jean Green, 102, from Norwich Credit: Huw Evans Advertisement THE 102-year-old from Norwich joined the Women's Royal Naval Service aged 19 in 1942. Living with fellow Wrens in a cabin, she loved the work and became close to colleagues who became lifelong friends. She served at HMS Raven in Eastleigh, Hants, where her job as 'Rum Bosun' was to decide which conscripts got a daily tot of rum. JOHN ESKDALE 9 John Eskdale joined the Home Guard in Bristol aged 14 Credit: Huw Evans Advertisement AFTER faking a birth certificate, John joined the Home Guard in Bristol aged 14. At 17 he joined the Royal Marines and two years later he nearly lost his life when his ship was sunk in the English Channel. Of 458 crew who went into the sea, only 103 survived. John, now 103, was the last man to be pulled from the water. TOM JONES 9 Bombardier Tom Jones, 103, served in the Royal Artillery Credit: Sky News Advertisement BOMBARDIER Tom, 103, was called up to serve in the Royal Artillery as the war broke out in 1939, when he was 17. The signaller, from Salford, Gtr Manchester, spent time defending the Liverpool Docks before being posted to Burma – now Myanmar – for four years until the end of the war in 1945.
The Irish Sun
23-04-2025
- General
- The Irish Sun
I was shot down, escaped PoW camp & fought for Russians… I'd do it all again, says pilot, 100, teaching kids about WW2
FIGHTER pilot Joe Peterburs had to wait 80 years to complete his 50th wartime mission. His first attempt was in April 1945 when he took off from an airbase near Cambridge to protect US bombers as they flew to 9 Joe prepares to fly his 50th 'mission' in a P-51 Mustang Credit: Damien McFadden 9 Joe and pilot Isabel Rutland executed a perfect victory roll above the English countryside Credit: Damien McFadden But after a series of dogfights in the skies above Berlin, Joe, then aged 20, was shot down and captured by the Gestapo. Incredibly, he broke out of a Now, Joe, 100, from Wisconsin in the US, has shared his amazing story in a letter to British schoolchildren — and returned to the UK to complete his mission eight decades late. He is one of five World War Two survivors taking part in VE Mail, a project where pupils can exchange letters with a veteran as part of the 80th anniversary of the end of the conflict in Europe on May 8, 1945. READ MORE ON WAR HEROES Like Joe, the veterans have each written about their life during the war and the lessons they want to pass on to the next generation. 'You think you're going to live forever' This month, on the anniversary of his last flight, a still sprightly Joe climbed into a two-seater version of the P-51 Mustang fighter-bomber he fought in. He and pilot Isabel Rutland executed a perfect victory roll above the English countryside — an air force tradition at the end of 50 missions. In a hangar at RAF Duxford, Cambs, Joe exclusively told The Sun: 'When you're young, you're full of pee and vinegar. Most read in The Sun 'We all had a fearlessness with being young. You think you're going to live for ever, but that wasn't the case for a lot of men I served with.' Before joining the Army Air Corps in November 1942, Joe had been in the seminary for two years to become a priest. WW2 veteran and survivor remember the liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp Based in He recalled: 'A typical day, I'd get up about five o'clock, and you eat breakfast, go to the briefing, which is about an hour, and then you get ready to take off. 'You fly a mission that's five or six hours long, and you get back, and then you're debriefed, that's about 45 minutes. 'And in all the time you're flying, you don't have any water and you don't have any food, so you go to the mess hall. I found a Russian tank convoy and started fighting with them — that could have gone badly Joe Peterburs 'But first you go to the bar for a drink, and all the pilots get together and we start telling lies about how great we were and then we'd go eat. Then you'd write letters home.' Joe flew 269 combat hours before being shot down. He said: 'On my last mission, the bombers had about six different targets and it was one big force going into different places in 'Can you imagine 1,800 bombers and 950 of us P-51 Mustangs?' Joe's plane was named Josephine after his sweetheart back home in Wisconsin. He said: 'We became engaged just before I left. 9 Joe in his wartime flying gear Credit: Supplied 9 Joe mans the guns aboard a B17 G Flying Fortress at Duxford Credit: Damien McFadden 'Her name wasn't on the nose of the aircraft, it was on the canopy. I put it there because it kept her as close to me as I could get.' At around 3pm on April 10, 1945, six hours into the mission, Joe dived to attack a German fighter, which had just shot down a fourth US bomber. The German pilot, Walter Schuck, remembered being attacked from behind by a Mustang that hit his left wing and engine with .50 calibre machine-gun fire. As Schuck escaped into low cloud, his plane's left wing burst into flames and the plane went into a death spiral. The pilot bailed out at 1,500ft. Just 20 minutes later, Joe's Mustang was shot up and crashed to Earth, after he parachuted out. Joe said: 'When I was shot down, the first thing I thought was my mom's going to get a telegram. Guardian angel 'My brother had been killed the year before as a submariner. 'All I could think about was how she would feel.' While Joe miraculously escaped serious injury when he crashed near Berg, 260 miles from Berlin, he was captured and almost shot before being sent to a prisoner of war camp, which he escaped from. He said: 'I'm convinced that I have our guardian angel on my shoulder. There are too many things where I should not have survived. "I was going to be hanged by the German civilians who were coming after me but I was saved by a policeman. 'Then the chief of police of the town wanted to blow my brains out with a Luger and I escaped. 9 Joe flying high in the Mustang again Credit: Supplied 'I found a Russian tank convoy and started fighting with them — that could have gone badly. Just outside Wittenberg was the last battle I fought with them. 'When VE Day came, I remember I wasn't as excited as the Europeans because I knew it meant, as Americans, we were going 'We did our duty. The world was in turmoil' Joe stayed with the Army Air Corps after the war and later fought in He has more than 35 While Joe is moved at being called a hero, he is adamant the heroes were the men he served with. He said: 'I'm not comfortable at all being called a hero because I'm not. Along with all of my buddies we did our job. You should have something that you care enough about to be willing to die for it Joe Peterburs 'We did our duty. The world was in turmoil and the heroes are the ones that didn't make it. 'The rest of us were lucky to survive, but we're no heroes. 'We did the best we could, and that's what anybody should do in whatever endeavour they're undertaking in whatever profession — do the best you can. 'You should have something that you care enough about to be willing to die for it. And when I was growing up, mine was my God, my country and my family.' Joe retired in 1979 as a colonel, going on to work in finance for the rest of his career. He said: 'If I could go back and do it all again, I absolutely would — but I'd do it better.' JOE'S STORY Dearest children, MY name is Colonel Joe Peterburs and I was a P-51 Mustang American fighter pilot during the Second World War. I am writing to you as I fly to the UK from the USA, to return to the Kings Cliffe airfield near Peterborough, where I took part in 49 missions from November 1944. In April 1945, I was taken prisoner after my plane was shot down just outside Berlin in Germany. I was held as a prisoner of war at Stalag III in Luckenwalde for a week, before escaping and fighting alongside the Russian Red Army until the war's end. On VE Day I was in Wittenberg, Germany, having been retrieved by an American army unit just a day or two before. Though the war outside of Europe wasn't over, my first thought was that I was going to get home and marry my fiancée, Josephine, who I named my aircraft after. I had proposed just before I left for the UK and when I returned, we quickly married, before the war felt like it really came to an end with VJ Day in August 1945. The Second World War took me on a very different path in life. Before the war I had plans of becoming a priest and never marrying. Joining the air force changed my whole perspective on life and where I thought I needed to be. I am from a small town in Wisconsin, and so coming to the UK felt like a totally new world. You don't have time to think about the external things when you're at war and I learnt from a young age the importance of concentrating on the task in hand and living life day by day. My plane coming down close to Berlin was a big moment in my life. I shouldn't have survived and yet I did. Years later, I became friends with the German who I had shot down just 20 minutes before my own misfortune. He sprained both legs as he parachuted to the ground and in doing so was unable to fight again, something he believes saved his life. We met again 60 years later in California, and he became known to my family as Papa Walter. Some people were confused by our friendship but we knew that, despite being on opposite sides, we had both just been young men, each trying to protect our home. I believe it is important to be kind as it gives you more than it takes away from you, and in general it makes life a lot happier. I went on to serve for 36 years in the military and finally retired in 1979 at the rank of colonel. When asked what bravery means to me, I would say it's hard to define. As long as you're doing your best, that's all that matters. If it ends up being something others would deem brave, fine, but you'll find most first responders, such as firefighters, don't feel brave – they are just doing their job. It's because of humankind's kindness and other good traits that we have bravery. I urge your generation to seek peace and kindness. Life is important and should not be wasted. You have to love one another. Best wishes, your friend from across the Pond. Colonel Joe Peterburs 4 MORE HEROES YOUNGSTERS CAN WRITE TO MERVYN KERSH 9 Transport operator Mervyn Kersh, now 100 Credit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun TRANSPORT operator Mervyn, now 100, landed in France on D-Day and went all the way through In April 1945, Jewish Mervyn became separated from his unit, so he went to JEAN GREEN 9 'Rum Bosun' Jean Green, 102, from Norwich Credit: Huw Evans THE 102-year-old from Norwich joined the Women's Royal Naval Service aged 19 in 1942. Living with fellow Wrens in a cabin, she loved the work and became close to colleagues who became lifelong friends. She served at HMS Raven in Eastleigh, Hants, where her job as 'Rum Bosun' was to decide which conscripts got a daily tot of rum. JOHN ESKDALE 9 John Eskdale joined the Home Guard in Bristol aged 14 Credit: Huw Evans AFTER faking a birth certificate, John joined the Home Guard in Bristol aged 14. At 17 he joined the Royal Marines and two years later he nearly lost his life when his ship was sunk in the English Channel. Of 458 crew who went into the sea, only 103 survived. John, now 103, was the last man to be pulled from the water. TOM JONES 9 Bombardier Tom Jones, 103, served in the Royal Artillery Credit: Sky News BOMBARDIER Tom, 103, was called up to serve in the Royal Artillery as the war broke out in 1939, when he was 17. The signaller, from Salford, Gtr Manchester, spent time defending the Liverpool Docks before being posted to Burma – now Myanmar – for four years until the end of the war in 1945. More than 800 schools have joined the VE Mail project run by the Together Coalition. Find out more at
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Downed in enemy territory, this Vietnam pilot refused to be captured
Maj. Robert Alfred Lodge was the consummate professional in U.S. Air Force circles. In his second tour of duty over Vietnam he approached the coveted status of 'fighter ace.' Even though he fell short of that marker, he left behind a legacy for his branch of service. Born in New York City on June 30, 1941, Lodge decided on his career early, entering Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps during his first year at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and obtaining his Master of Science degree in aeronautics at Purdue University, Indiana, from June 1964 to March 1965, while at the same time attending the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. 'Bob Lodge was a friend,' said Vietnam War ace Richard Stephen 'Steve' Ritchie in an interview with Military Times. 'A fellow 1964 graduate of the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and one of my former students in the Air Force Top Gun school at Nellis Air Force base, Nevada, he was promoted to major in three years, which is the earliest possible.' At 103, this P-51 Mustang pilot could soon become WWII's last ace In March 1966 Lodge qualified as a pilot at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. Among the assignments that followed were bombing missions over North Vietnam. From December 1966 to July 1967 Lodge flew in a Republic F-105D Thunderchief with the 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) from Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base. Upon his second tour in Vietnam in January 1971, he was chief of the Fighter Tactics Branch for the 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, operating from Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base. By this time, Lodge, now a major, was flying a McDonnell F-4D Phantom II fighter — equipped with the latest APG-81 'Combat Tree' radar — of the 555th TFS with 1st Lt. Roger Locher as his weapons systems operator (WSO). On Feb. 21, 1972, the duo was credited with shooting down a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 of the Vietnamese People's Air Force (VPAF). On May 8, President Richard Nixon launched an all-out bombing campaign against North Vietnamese industrial and transport targets, with the Viet Cong responding in kind. The U.S. fielded far more aircraft with the latest technology, while the North Vietnamese countered with a defensive 'triad' comprised of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) at the highest altitude, MiG fighters below them and anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) awaiting the lowest-flying enemy aircraft, all coordinated by ground control intercept (GCI). Flying on the first day of the campaign Lodge and Locher were credited with another MiG-21 — their victim was most likely Lt. Vo Sy Giap of the 921st Fighter Regiment, who after being hit tried to force-land, only to see his plane descending on the Truong Trung Secondary School. He veered to avoid it but crashed and died of his injuries on May 11. May 10, 1972, proved to be the largest and wildest air engagement of the Vietnam War, with the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and Vietnamese People's Air Force committing all they had. That morning Lodge led four Phantoms of 'Oyster Flight,' 555th TFS, which included his old schoolmate, Capt. Steve Ritchie. 'The plan was to go in low level with Combat Tree birds, to intercept and defeat enemy fighters that would attempt to prevent our strike Phantoms from dropping their highly accurate laser guided bombs,' Ritchie said in an interview. 'Approaching our planned orbit some 25 to 30 miles west of Hanoi, we stayed below 300 feet as planned and continued radio silence until we electronically spotted a flight of four MiG-21s in orbit northwest of Hanoi.' The F-4s turned north, pointing their radar sensors skyward to achieve full system radar lock-ons at 15 miles. Closing at 1,200 mph, the computers for their radar-guided AIM-7 Sparrow missiles indicated they were in range and the first two jets — Lodge's Oyster One and Oyster Two crewed by 1st Lt. John Markle and Capt. Stephen Eaves — launched their Sparrows at seven miles. Within seconds, two MiGs fell in flames. 'Lodge and I, in Oyster One and Three, immediately turned our fighters as hard as possible to achieve rear-quarter positions on the remaining two MiGs,' said Ritchie. 'I locked on to the third MiG using the auto-acquisition switch on the left throttle and fired two Sparrows at a range of 6,000 feet.' His second missile exploded under the fuselage and the pilot bailed out at 15,000 feet. Ritchie had his first of an eventual five victories. North Vietnamese accounts mention MiG-21 MFs of the 921st Fighter Regiment, scrambling up from Kep airbase, being ambushed and pilot Nguyen Van Ngai being killed immediately — probably by Lodge and Locher. A second 921st pilot was reportedly killed by one of the VPAF's own SAMs and another MiG-21 was damaged by 20mm 'friendly fire' as it returned to Noi Lai Air Base. Cao Son Khau, after claiming an F-4, was struck by a missile — possibly Ritchie's — and ejected, only to subsequently die of injuries. Thus far, Ritchie thought Oyster Flight had performed splendidly: 'a perfectly planned, perfectly executed mission, resulting in four American victories. But it was too good to be true. Bob Lodge got the first MiG for his third victory and he and Locher were positioning for a shot at MiG number four when we spotted some MiG-19s coming down on him from above and behind. 'Oyster One — Break! — Break!' we screamed. 'MiG-19s at six o'clock. Oyster One, Oyster One — Break! MiG-19s firing!' He did not respond to our frantic calls and was hit by enemy cannon fire. Within seconds, the Phantom burst into flames and rolled.' Lodge and Locher had been ambushed not by a Mach-2 MiG-21, but a Shenyang J-6, a Chinese-built version of the Mach-1 MiG-19, newly delivered to the 925th Fighter Regiment and only operational since May 8. The VPAF credited Nguyen Van Phuc of the 925th with the destruction of Lodge's Phantom. 'What began as a triumph was ending in tragedy,' Ritchie lamented. 'Two of America's finest young officers, and two very close friends, were going down in flames, and Oyster Two, Three and Four were being chased out by the remaining MiG-21 and the MiG-19s. It was not supposed to end that way. He had three victories at that time and would probably have made ace if that MiG-19 hadn't downed him. He did not bail out. He was the wing's weapons officer, and always told us that if he was ever shot down, 'I will not be captured.' None of us believed him.' 'Lodge's Phantom was upside down,' Ritchie continued, 'on fire and out of control at 7,000 feet when he told Roger Locher, 'You can bail out if you want to.' Locher barely made it, but Lodge knew too much information and was concerned that the North Vietnamese might get it out of him, so he rode the plane down. After the May 10 mission I became weapons officer for the 432nd FRW.' Locher was still missing as his squadron mates overflew the area, hearing nothing from his survival radio but likewise no news of his death or capture from the North Vietnamese. Then, on June 1, a 555th TFS strike force was near Yen Bai Air Base, some 70 miles northwest of Hanoi, when a call came up: 'Any U.S. aircraft — this is Oyster-Zero-Zero-Bravo — over.' The 555th was not using the Oyster call sign that day, but its pilots suddenly realized: 'My God, that's Roger Locher!' They answered and Locher said, 'Hey, guys, I've been down here a long time. Any chance of picking me up?' Ritchie radioed back, 'You bet — you bet there is!' 'Back at Udorn we quickly planned and launched one of the deepest, most difficult and dangerous rescues ever attempted,' Ritchie continued. 'There were numerous SAM sites and more than adequate AAA around Yen Bai, one of North Vietnam's most important airfields. And of all places, Locher was only five miles off the south end of the runway.' Gen. John Vogt Jr., commander of Air Forces in Vietnam/Thailand, canceled the day's 150-plane strike mission to Hanoi and dedicated the more than 150 aircraft to rescuing Locher. Despite a record 23 days of evasion deep in enemy territory, Sikorsky HH-3 Jolly Green Giant rescue helicopters extracted Locher with no injuries and no losses. Lodge, however, was not as lucky. In 1977 the Vietnamese government returned Lodge's remains, which have since been interred in the U.S. Air Force Academy Cemetery. With two combat tours, 186 sorties in 2,000 flying hours and the Silver Star with four oak leaf clusters, Lodge has also posthumously received the Senior Pilot's Wings and the 1974 Jabara Award.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Altus Airpower Stampede hosts Open House and Air Show April 12-13
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. (KFOR) – Altus Air Force Base is scheduled to host the Altus Airpower Stampede Open House and Air Show on April 12 and 13, 2025. The free, two-day event is open to the public, providing a unique opportunity to witness world-class aerial demonstrations and cutting-edge military aircraft. The lineup is set to feature a dynamic mix of military aviation beginning with headliner Air Combat Command F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team: F-35A Lightning II Heritage flight featuring the P-51 Mustang 'Gunfighter,' The historically significant TORA! TORA! TORA! Pearl Harbor reenactment C-5 Galaxy, KC-46 Pegasus, and CH-47 Chinook DETAILS: DATE: Saturday, April 12, and Sunday, April 13, TIME: 8:30 a.m. The general public can enter through the South Gate, located at 428 Challenger Ave. Altus, OK 73521, with ample parking available on base. The South Gate will transition to outbound traffic only at 2:30 p.m. DoD cardholders only, may enter through the main gate 4Warn Storm Team tracking severe weather moving into Oklahoma Attendees are permitted one clear bag and one small clutch. For a complete list of prohibited items click here. For more information click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
