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Smith: “After
completing 100 missions at Takhli, I received an assignment to Wiesbaden,
Germany, at HQ USAFE, Intelligence. One of my duties involved scanning
through piles of Intel reports arriving each day. Most reports were
discarded for shredding. One day, I noticed the word VINH. The report
related to a North Vietnamese defector stationed at the Vinh SA-2 site in
February 1966. Apparently, the Soviets were instructing them on how to
fire the SA-2 at the time. This is probably why they were so effective
that day, since the Russians probably fired the missile that struck
our aircraft. I always thought it was a real professional job.”
Both Smith and Walker experienced
equipment malfunctions during the ejection sequence. Did variable G-forces
created
by the rising and falling aircraft affect
their normal operation? Did Causey also experience similar equipment
problems
during ejecting, or descent? Did the
exploding missile damage the aircraft and hinder proper ejection? Also,
ejection delays consumed valuable time in this critical situation.
Smith: “I always wondered if those extra
couple of seconds I took during ejection could have been the cause of John
Causey not making it? It haunts me to this day. I
have since enjoyed 41 years of survival. I usually get drunk every
February 25 and always make a ritual out of it, buying
two drinks at the bar, one for me, and the other for John. It means a lot
to me.”
Thomson: “My belief is he (Causey) never
got out of the aircraft. Whether it was the G-forces, because the aircraft
continued porpoising up and down very rapidly, I don’t know. I told 2nd AD
when they debriefed us that I did not believe he left the aircraft.”
The official MIA/POW report states,
“The number three man noticed prior to his ejection that Captain Causey had started
the ejection procedure. His leg guards were in place, but he was
not actually observed leaving the aircraft. His only remaining action would have been
to pull up on the ‘D’ ring between his legs
to release the hatch door under his seat and activating his seat's downward ejection.
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