- Title: SOUTH VIETNAM: US PILOTS DOWN SEVEN MIG FIGHTERS OVER NORTH VIETNAM
- Date: 5th January 1967
- Summary: INTERVIEW WITH US PILOTS (SOF). PILOT: "I..ER..SHOT MY FIRST MISSILE AND GOT THE FIRST ONE, AND MY WING MAN GOT THE OTHER ONE, AND THAT'S ABOUT IT." QUESTIONER: "DID YOU SEE YOUR MISSILE HIT?" PILOT: "YES, I DID." QUESTIONER: "WHAT DID IT LOOK LIKE, AND HOW DID YOU FEEL?" PILOT: "I FELT GREAT. THERE WAS THIS BIG ORANGE BALL IN THE POSITION WHERE THE MIG HAD BEEN HIT." QUESTIONER: "WHAT WAS YOUR FEELING WHEN YOU DISCOVERED THAT THESE MIGS WERE GOING TO FIGHT?" PILOT: "WELL, I WAS ELATED BECAUSE THAT WAS THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE FIGHTER SWEEP... TO GET THEM UP... TO GET THEM ENGAGED." QUESTIONER: "COULD YOU GIVE US A DESCRIPTION OF YOUR ENCOUNTER?" PILOT: "WHEN I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET HIS FIGHTER OUT IN FRONT OF ME, I THINK HE WAS TRYING TO GET CAUGHT UP WITH HIS OWN LEADER. HE DIDN'T QUITE MAKE IT." QUESTIONER: "AND HOW LONG DID THIS FIGHT LAST?" PILOT: "I'D SAY NO MORE THAN A MINUTE AND A HALF... TWO MINUTES ... THIS PARTICULAR PORTION OF THE BATTLE." QUESTIONER: "DID YOU ACTUALLY SEE YOUR MISSILE HIT THE PLANE?" PILOT: "YES... IT WAS BEAUTIFUL." Initials HT/V/CCT/ES Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 20th January 1967 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SAIGON -- SOUTH VIETNAM
- Country: Vietnam
- Reuters ID: LVA9Y842D3H1WBQ9RUNMRZGNSP8H
- Story Text: AMERICAN MILITARY OFFICIALS DISCLOSED IN SAIGON ON TUESDAY (3 JAN) THAT US JET FIGHTERS SHOT DOWN SEVEN RUSSIAN-BUILT MIG FIGHTERS OVER NORTH VIETNAM ON MONDAY (2 JAN).
NO AMERICAN AIRCRAFT WERE REPORTED LOST AS AIR FORCE, NAVY AND MARINE PILOTS FILLED THE SKIES IN THE NORTH AT THE END OF THE 48-HOUR NEW YEAR CEASE-FIRE. ACCORDING TO US MILITARY SPOKESMEN, MANY AREAS IN THE NORTH WERE HIT BY BOMB AND ROCKET ATTACKS.
A US SPOKESMAN DESCRIBED THE ACTIONS INVOLVING THE MIG FIGHTERS AS "THE LARGEST AIR ENGAGEMENT OF THE VIETNAM CONFLICT".
ORDINARILY, UNITED STATES FIGHTER AIRCRAFT PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR FIGHTER-BOMBERS STRIKING SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE SITES TO GIVE THE INTERCEPTORS THE OPPORTUNITY OF ENGAGING AS MANY NORTH VIETNAMESE AIRCRAFT AS POSSIBLE.
INTERVIEWED AFTER THE ENGAGEMENT, ONE OF THE US PILOTS SAID OF THE BATTLE:
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