Phantom in the River Flight of Linfield Two Zero One

by Foster, Gary

• ISBN13: 9781555716646
• ISBN10: 1555716644
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-03-01
• Publisher: Hellgate Press

Summary

On May 14, 1967, a US Navy F-4B Phantom II jet, flown by Ev Southwick and Jack Rollins, launched from the USS Kitty Hawk. Their F-4 was rendered disabled while flying a mission against the formidable air defenses of the Thanh Hoa Bridge in North Vietnam. They did not return to their carrier. The two airmen ejected and were taken prisoner.Phantom in the River is the account of the plane's flight and mission to destroy the Thanh Hoa Bridge- a site where air defenses were formidable and quite a few Americans were shot down- and of the two pilot's heroic survival. Also included is the story of the author's trip to Vietnam in 2004. Along with the two Navy airmen, the group reunite with the wreckage of the pilots Phantom. What results is an emotional visit to the bridge and site of their capture 37 years prior.These two pilot's have never spoken about their mission before, until now. This is their account of what happened during their mission.

Author Biography

Gary Wayne Foster is the author of Phantom in The River: The Flight of Linfield Two Zero One. He has also written and copyrighted numerous articles and stories. A comprehensive account of his experiences in India has been translated into the Bengali language and published internationally. He has been a contributor to Red Clay magazine, the official publication of the Khe Sanh Veterans Association. His professional assignments have taken him to many countries including India, Vietnam, Bosnia, Jamaica, Cambodia, China, Bolivia, El Salvador, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Liberia and Congo, as well as other parts of Africa, and Iraq. He holds a BS degree from the University of California at Davis, an MS degree from the University of Alaska and an MBA from The George Washington University. In addition to his years living in India, he has also lived in Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, Australia, Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo) and France. The President’s Sandbox is his first novel.
 

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. ix
Preface	p. xiii
Phantom in the River	p. 1
Thanh Hoa and Cau Ham Rong	p. 7
The Air War over North Vietnam	p. 13
The Air Defense of North Vietnam	p. 21
Beyond America: The Extension of Power	p. 27
The F-4 Phantom II	p. 35
Deciphering the Indecipherable	p. 43
Last Chance for Survival: The Ejection Seat	p. 45
Flameout or Compressor Stall	p. 49
Knows neither Friend nor Foe: The Zuni Rocket	p. 53
Ev Southwick, Pilot; Jack Rollins, Radar Intercept Officer	p. 57
Fate Is the Hunter	p. 79
May 14, Southeast of Thanh Hoa aboard Kitty Hawk	p. 83
May 14, Northwest of Kitty Hawk near Thanh Hoa	p. 87
Pre-Briefing for Combat and Manning Aircraft	p. 89
Launch from Kitty Hawk	p. 101
The Flight of Linfield Two Zero One	p. 113
Search and Rescue (but not quite) for Ev and Jack	p. 125
After the Action	p. 127
Laughter throughout the Night: Search for the Con Ma	p. 131
Captured!	p. 135
In the Grasp of Lilliputians: The Con Ma Is Moved	p. 141
The Fate of the Thanh Hoa Bridge	p. 147
Facing the Dragon: Ev and Jack Return to the Thanh Hoa Bridge	p. 165
Ev and Jacks Captors	p. 199
Life Moves On: Ev, Jack and Others Today	p. 203
Silent Remnants of War	p. 207
Afterword	p. 213
Appendix	p. 217
About the Author	p. 218
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