670823 F4B lost to SAM

On August 23, An F-4B Phantom of VF-142 "Ghostriders" was shot down by an SA-2 Guideline surface to air missile over North Vietnam. Pilot LCDR Tom Sitek and RIO ENS Pat Ness were both killed in action.

This was the second close encounter with a NVN SAM for this crew. Previously, the missile fused a few hundred feet away and damaged but did not destroy the aircraft. The crew was able to navigate and land at Da Nang, the aircraft being too damaged for an arrested landing. Over two hundred individual holes were tallied.

Pat Ness was perhaps my closest friend in the air wing as I reported aboard. We went through the training command at about the same time, including our last schools at Glynco, GA: Radar Intercept Officer School for Pat and Basic Jet Navigation School for me. We were both member of the Officer Candidate Airman program, which meant we didn't get our commission until we had earned our wings, so we were both eagerly awaiting completing of these schools!