This concerns VA-176. They deployed to Vietnam on 4 April 1966 as a component
of CVW-10 on the USS Intrepid. CVW-10 was unique in that it consisted of
4 squadrons, two Skyhawk squadrons and VA-165 and VA-176, in their Spads,all
flying Douglas aircraft.
During that cruise, members of VA-176 shot down a MIG-17 in their prop-driven
Spads. Ltjg William Patton was given credit while flying wing on Lt Pete
Russell. After the cruise, many of the pilots from all of the four Wing
squadrons visited Douglas Aircraft to debrief us. I took the opportunity
to photograph all of the aircraft as well as the pilots involved in the
"kill."
The image shows Patton on the left with Pete Russell. One of the squadron's
aircraft with its distinctive marking is shown in the background. This Spad
is not the kill aircraft as it (AK409) had been lost on the cruise.
Unfortunately, Pete Russell was subsequently lost in Vietnam after transitioning
to OV-10s with VAL-4. |