Remembering...

LT (jg) Patton on the left, his section leader (talking with his hands) LT Peter Russell on the right.
(Source - Go, read the whole thing...)

Last week I posted twice about the Spad, the venerable A-1 Skyraider, an aircraft for which I have developed a great affinity. I mean it's big, it's loud, it's kinda like Your Humble Scribe, only way more effective. I like the bird so much I went out and bought this -

The beauty of Amazon, ordered it Thursday afternoon, had it in hand less than 24 hours later.

But this isn't another Skyraider post.

In the comments on this post, Navy Davy informed us that LT Russell returned to Vietnam flying OV-10 Broncos with VAL-4.

VAL-4 (Light Attack Squadron FOUR) was established on 03 January of 1969 with the mission of conducting surveillance and offensive operations in support of river patrol craft, as well as providing air support for SEALS and combined U.S. Army, Navy and South Vietnamese operations. (Source PDF)

Unfortunately, LT Russell was killed in action on 26 May 1969. According to the National Naval Aviation Museum's website -

On May 25, 1969*, VAL-4 aircraft received radio calls for assistance from two Navy river patrol boats (PBR) taking fire from Viet Cong positions in the jungle along the Cai Lon River Arriving quickly on scene to the surprise of some of the boat crews—VAL-4 had been in country for a relatively short time and not all of the men of the riverine forces were aware of their existence—the OV-10 flown by Russell and Johnson along with the airplane of their wingmen, Commander Gil Winans and Lieutenant (junior grade) Roy Sikkink, executed a series of rocket attacks against the enemy positions. When their rockets were expended, they initiated close-in strafing runs in using the M-60 machine guns on their aircraft.

Flying Black Pony 107, Russell and Johnson were making a strafing run when a single 7.62 millimeter round struck the right side of the canopy of the front cockpit, hitting Russell in the head. From his position in the rear cockpit, Johnson had been leaning forward over the top of Russell’s ejection seat to get a good view of the strafing run when the bullet struck. He slumped over to the left after pieces of shattered Plexiglas struck him in the face, but quickly realized that the airplane was in a steep dive and the control stick between his legs was offering no resistance when he moved it. That fact and the lack of response to his radio calls to Russell indicated that the pilot was incapacitated, prompting Johnson to pull back on the stick. The OV-10 responded, exiting its dive just thirty-five feet over the water.

Johnson flew the airplane back to Binh Thuy with the engines at full throttle, not knowing until he landed that Lieutenant Pete Russell had been killed. “For the Black Ponies, it was a wake-up call,” Johnson later recalled. “I think everybody now realized this was serious business. “

Truly a man worth remembering.

(Source)

The aircraft in which LT Russell lost his life, BuNo 155472,
currently on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola, FL.

It's one of our missions here at The Chant, remembering those who gave the last full measure. RIP LT Russell...

High Flight

Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds -

and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of -

wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence.

Hovering there I've chased the shouting wind along

and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air.

Up, up the long delirious burning blue

I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace,

where never lark, or even eagle, flew;

and, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod

the high untrespassed sanctity of space,

put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Remember...




* The date of LT Russell's death is given as 23 May 1969 here.