LB II Day by Day

Linebacker II 12/72

DAY BY DAY
A Record of All Air Crews Lost During Operation Linebacker II:
December 18-29, 1972

"The wall goes by the date of death...starting at the outer wings and working in toward the vertex at the center. And, of course, all the B-52 crews are right there at the end. and, you know, as a B-52 crew member, that kind of tells you that we ended the thing. We know we did...

And I think to a man, everyone that has flown in that Linebacker, 11 day operation, and that - we're talking not just B-52s, we're talking the entire support package, you know, the Wild Weasels, the fighters the MIG CAP, the Navy, the ECM, the airborne radar, AWACS, a whole bunch of people involved in that. I think they all felt that we ended it."
-- John Petelin

Click on any gold star for profiles from The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Virtual Wall of those killed in action

Click on any silver star for information on those who have passed away since Linebacker II

Click on any Vietnam service ribbon for veteran profiles from The Virtual Wall

Audio Control

Day 1
December 18, 1972

B-52 G "Charcoal 01"
340th BS, 97th BW, 72nd SW
Blytheville AFB, AR; Andersen AFB, Guam

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
Pilot	Lt. Col. Donald L. Rissi	KIA
Co-Pilot	1st Lt. Robert J. Thomas	KIA
Radar Navigator	Major Richard E. Johnson	POW
Navigator	Capt. Robert G. Certain	POW
EWO	Capt. Richard T. Simpson	POW
Gunner	MSgt. Walter L. Ferguson	KIA

B-52 G "Peach 02"
2nd BW, 72nd SW
Barksdale AFB, LA; Andersen AFB, Guam

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
Pilot	Major Clifford B. Ashley	Recovered
Co-Pilot	Capt. Gary L. Vickers	Recovered
Radar Navigator	Major Archie C. Myers	Recovered
Navigator	1st Lt. Forrest E. Stegelin	Recovered
EWO	Capt. James T. Tramel	Recovered
Gunner	MSgt. Kenneth E. Conner	Recovered
Deputy Airborne Commander	Lt. Col. Hendsley R. Conner	Recovered

B-52 D "Rose 01"
99th BW, 307th SW
Westover AFB, MA; Andersen AFB, Guam

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
Pilot	Capt. Hal K. Wilson	POW
Co-Pilot	Capt. Charles A. Brown	POW
Radar Navigator	Major Fernando Alexander	POW
Navigator	Capt. Richard Cooper	KIA
EWO	Capt Henry C. Barrows	POW
Gunner	TSgt. Charlie S. Poole	KIA

F-111A "Snug 40"
430th TFS, 474th TFW
Takhli, Thailand

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
	Lt. Col. Ronald Jack Ward	KIA
	Major James Richard McElvain	KIA

A-7C
VA-82, USN
USS America

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
	Lt. Carl T. Wieland	POW

DAY 2
December 19, 1972

OV - 10 A
20 TASS, 6498 ABW
Da Nang, South Vietnam

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
Pilot	Capt. Francis Xavier Egan	KIA
Observer	1st Lt. Jonathan F. Patterson	Recovered

DAY 3
December 20, 1972

B-52 G "Quilt 03"
456th BW, 72nd SW
Beale AFB, CA; Andersen AFB, Guam

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
Pilot	Capt. Terry M. Geloneck	POW
Co-Pilot	1st Lt. William Y. Arcuri	POW
Radar Navigator	Capt. Warren R. Spencer	KIA
Navigator	1st Lt. Michael R. Martini	POW
EWO	Capt. Craig A. Paul	KIA
Gunner	SSgt. Roy Madden	POW

B-52 G "Brass 02"
42nd BW, 72nd SW
Loring AFB, MA; Andersen AFB, Guam

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
Pilot	Capt. John D. Ellinger	Recovered
Co-Pilot	Capt. Lawrence A Casazza	Recovered
Radar Navigator	Major Charles E. Archie	Recovered
Navigator	1st Lt. Robert A Clement	Recovered
EWO	Capt. Silverio A. Barroqueiro	Recovered
Gunner	TSgt. George H Schryer	Recovered

B-52 D "Orange 03"
99th BW, 307th SW
Westover AFB, MA; Utapao, Thailand

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
Pilot	Major John F. Stuart	KIA
Co-Pilot	1st Lt. Paul L. Granger	POW
Radar Navigator	Major Randolph A. Perry	KIA
Navigator	Capt. Thomas J. Klomann	POW
EWO	Capt. Irwin S. Lerner	KIA
Gunner	MSgt. Arthur V. McLaughlin	KIA/MIA

B-52 D "Straw 02"
306th BW, 43rd SW
March AFB, CA; Andersen AFB, Guam

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
Pilot	Capt. Deverl H. Johnson	Recovered
Co-Pilot	1st Lt. James T. Farmer	Recovered
Radar Navigator	Major Frank A Gould	MIA
Navigator	Capt. Vincent F. Russo	Recovered
EWO	Capt. Paul J. Fairbanks	Recovered
Gunner	TSgt. James R. Barclift	Recovered

B-52 G "Olive 01"
92nd BW, 72nd SW
Fairchild AFB, WA; Blytheville AFB, AR; Andersen AFB, Guam

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
Pilot	Lt. Col. James Y. Nagahiro	POW
Co-Pilot	Capt. Donovan K. Walters	KIA
Radar Navigator	Major Edward H. Johnson	KIA
Navigator	Capt. Lynn R. Beens	POW
EWO	Capt. Robert R. Lynn	KIA
Gunner	A1C Charles J Bebus	KIA
Deputy Airborne Commander	Lt. Col. Keith R. Heggen	POW - died after capture

B-52 G "Tan 03"
97th BW, 72nd SW
Blytheville AFB, AR; Andersen AFB, Guam

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
Pilot	Capt. Randall J. Craddock	KIA
Co-Pilot	Capt. George B. Lockhart	KIA
Radar Navigator	Major Bobby A. Kirby	KIA
Navigator	1st Lt. Charles E. Darr	KIA
EWO	Capt. Ronald D. Perry	KIA
Gunner	SSgt. James L. Lollar	POW

A-6 A
VA-196, USN
USS Enterprise

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
	Cdr. Gordon R. Nakagawa	POW
	Lt. Kenneth Hill Higdon	POW

DAY 4
December 21, 1972

B-52 D "Scarlet 03"
22nd BW, 307th SW
March AFB, CA; Utapao, Thailand

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
Pilot	Capt. Peter J. Giroux	POW
Co-Pilot	Capt. Thomas W. Bennet, Jr	KIA
Radar Navigator	Lt Col. Gerald W. Alley	KIA
Navigator	1st Lt. Joe Copack, Jr	KIA
EWO	Capt. Peter P. Camerota	POW
Gunner	MSgt. Louis L. LeBlanc	POW

B-52 D "Blue 01"
7th BW, 307th SW
Carswell AFB, TX; Utapao, Thailand

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
Pilot	Lt. Col. John H. Yuill	POW
Co-Pilot	Capt. David L. Drummond	POW
Radar Navigator	Lt. Col. Louis H. Bernasconi	POW
Navigator	1st Lt. William T. Mayall	POW
EWO	Lt. Col. William W. Conlee	POW
Gunner	SSgt. Gary L. Morgan	POW

A-6 A
VA-75, USN
USS Saratoga

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
	Lt. Cdr Robert Stewart Graustein	KIA
	Lt Cdr Barton Scott Wade	KIA

AC-130 A
16th SOS, 56th SOW
Ubon, Thailand

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
	Capt. Harry Roy Lagerwall	KIA
	Capt. Stanley Neal Kroboth	KIA
	Major Paul Oswald Meder	KIA
	Major Francis Anthony Walsh, Jr	KIA
	Capt. Joel Ray Birch	KIA
	Capt. Thomas Trammell Hart, III	KIA
	Capt. Robert Leonel Liles, Jr.	KIA
	2nd Lt. George D. MacDonald	KIA
	1st Lt. Delma Ernest Dickens	KIA
	A1C Charles Frederick Fenter	KIA
	TSgt. Robert Thomas Elliott	KIA
	TSgt. John Quitman Winningham	KIA
	A1C Rollie Keith Reaid	KIA
	Sgt. Richard Williams	Recovered
	Sgt. Carl E. Stevens	Recovered

DAY 5
December 22, 1972

F-111 A "Jackal 33"
429th TFS, 474th TFW
Takhli, Thailand

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
	Capt. Robert D. Sponeybarger	POW
	1st Lt. William W. Wilson	POW

DAY 6
December 23, 1972

F-4 J
VMFA-333, USMC
USS America

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
	Lt. Col. John K Cochran	Recovered
	Major H.S. Carr	Recovered

EB-66 B
42nd TEWS, 388th TFS
Korat, Thailand

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
	Major Henry James Repeta	KIA
	Major George Frederick Sasser	KIA
	Capt. William Robert Baldwin	KIA

DAY 7
December 24, 1972

A-7 D
353rd TFS, 354th TFW
Korat, Thailand

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
Mid-air collision with Raven 01 - "Bird Dog"	Capt. Charles Francis Riess	POW
	Capt. Paul Vernon Jackson, III	KIA

A-7 E
VA-113, USN
USS Ranger

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
	Lt. Philip Spratt Clark, Jr.	KIA

DAY 8
December 26, 1972

B-52 D "Ebony 02"
449th BW, 307th SW
Kincheloe AFB, MI; Seymour Johnson AFB, NC; Utapao, Thailand

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
Pilot	Capt. Robert J. Morris, Jr.	KIA
Co-Pilot	1st Lt. Robert M. Hudson	POW
Radar Navigator	Capt. Michael H. LaBeau	POW
Navigator	1st Lt. Duane P. Vavroch	POW
EWO	Major Nutter J. Wimbrow, III	KIA
Gunner	TSgt. James R.Cook	POW

B-52 D "Ash 01"
22nd BW, 307th SW
Robins AFB, GA; Westover AFB, MA; Utapao Thailand

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
Pilot	Capt. James M. Turner	KIA
Co-Pilot	1st Lt. Robert J. Hymel	Recovered
Radar Navigator	Lt. Col. Donald A Joyner	KIA
Navigator	Major Lawrence J. Marshall	KIA
EWO	Capt. Roy T. Tabler	KIA
Gunner	TSgt. Spencer L. Grippin	Recovered

DAY 9
December 27, 1972

B-52 D "Cobalt 01"
7th BW, 43rd SW
Mather AFB, CA; March AFB, CA; Andersen AFB, Guam

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
Pilot	Capt. Frank D. Lewis	POW
Co-Pilot	Capt. Samuel B. Cusimano	POW
Radar Navigator	Major James C. Condon	POW
Navigator	1st Lt. Ben L. Fryer	KIA
EWO	Major Allen L Johnson	KIA
Gunner	MSgt. James C. Gough	POW

B-52 D "Ash 02"
28th BW, 307th SW
Ellsworth AFB, SD; Carswell AFB, TX; Utapao, Thailand

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
Pilot	Capt. John Mize	Recovered
Co-Pilot	Capt. Terrence J. Gruters	Recovered
Radar Navigator	Capt. William E. North	Recovered
Navigator	1st Lt. William L. Robinson	Recovered
EWO	Capt. Dennis W. Anderson	Recovered
Gunner	TSgt. Peter E. Whalen	Recovered

F-4 E "Desoto 03 "
13th TFS, 432nd TRW
Udorn, Thailand

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
	Major Carl H. Jeffcoat	POW
	1st Lt. Jack R. Trimble	POW

HH-53 "Jolly 73 (1)
40th ARRS
Nakon Phanom, Thailand

AC	Rick Shapiro	Recovered
Co-Pilot	Miguel Pierra	Recovered
Flight Engineer	Chuck Rouhier	Recovered
PJ	John Carlson	Recovered
PJ	Robert Jones	Recovered
Photographer	Jim Cockerill	Recovered

F-4E "Vega 02"
Udorn AB, Thailand

	Capt John Wesley Anderson	POW
	1st Lt Brian Ward	POW

A-6 A
VMA (AW)-533, MAG-15, USMC
Nam Phong, Thailand

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
	Capt. Ralph Jim Chipman	KIA
	1st Lt. Ronald Wayne Forrester	KIA

DAY 10
December 28, 1972

RA-5C
RVAH-13, USN
USS Enterprise

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
	Lt. Cdr Alfred Howard Agnew	POW
	Lt. Michael Firestone Haifley	KIA

DAY 11
December 29, 1972

EA-6 A
VMCJ-2, USMC
NAS Cubi Point, Phillippines

POSITION	NAME	STATUS
	Capt. Hal L. Baker	Recovered
Co-Pilot	MSgt. Frederick E. Killebres	Recovered

You'll walk unscathed through musket fire,
No ploughman's blade will cut thee down,
No cutless wound will mark thy face
And you will be my ain true love,
And you will be my ain true love

And as you walk through death's dark veil,
The cannon's thunder can't prevail,
And those who hunt thee down will fail,
And you will be my ain true love,
And you will be my ain true love.

Asleep inside the cannon's mouth,
The captain cries, "Here comes the rout,"
They'll seek to find me north and south,
I've gone to find my ain true love.

The field is cut and bleeds to red.
The cannon balls fly round my head,
The infirmary man may count me dead,
When I've gone to find my ain true love,
I've gone to find my ain true love

"You Will Be My Ain True Love"
~Allison Krauss, Sting

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HH-53 "Jolly 73 (1) 40th ARRS Nakon Phanom, Thailand

HH-53 "Jolly 73 (1)
40th ARRS
Nakon Phanom, Thailand