This versatile aircraft served as fighter/bomber as well as photo and electronic surveillance. The two-man aircraft was extremely fast (Mach 2), and had a long range (900 - 2300 miles). The F4 was also very maneuverable and handled well at all altitudes. Most pilots considered it one of the "hottest" planes around.
Cdr. Edgar A. Rawsthorne was the pilot of an F4 which flew from the air wing onboard the ENTERPRISE, and on December 29, 1965, he was assigned a combat mission which would take him through the Mu Gia Pass into Laos. His bombardier/navigator on the aircraft that day was Lt. Arthur S. Hill, Jr.
The Mu Gia Pass was one of several passageways through the mountainous border of Vietnam and Laos. U.S. aircraft flew through them regularly, and many were lost.
The return ratio of men lost in and around the passes is far lower than that of those men lost in more populous areas, even though both were shot down by the same enemy and the same weapons. This is partly due to the extremely rugged terrain and resulting difficulty in recovery.
Just west of the pass, Rawsthorne's aircraft was hit by enemy fire and crashed. It was not believed that either of the men onboard survived the crash of the plane. Both were declared Killed in Action, Body Not Recovered.
Could have LT. Hill Jr., and LT. Rawsthorne been shot down by this SA-2 Guidline Missile used extensively in Vietnam????
Please click on picture to take you to a site on the Russian made Surface to Air Missiles like this one and AAA (Anti-Aircraft Artillery) that were used in Vietnam, and in use today.
Rawsthorne and Hill are two of nearly 600 Americans who are missing in Laos. Unlike in Vietnam, no negotiations were held with the communist Pathet Lao to achieve the release of prisoners held in Laos. As a result, not one American held by the Lao was ever released.
Tragically, over 10,000 reports concerning Americans prisoner, missing or unaccounted for in Southeast Asia have been received by the U.S. since the end of the war. Experts say that the evidence is overwhelming that Americans were left behind in enemy hands.
If these servicemen are just one of the hundreds of Americans experts now believe are still deceased in captivity in Southeast Asia, what are we doing to bring these servicemen remains home? What did these sevicemen think of us, and why did the American government leave these sevicemen to die in captivity?? Is it because of greed, or maybe the "river of denial" ran like a stream, and covered over the truth as to their release from their hell on earth.
Click here for the PMSEA (Personnel Missing Southeast Asia) for a detailed report on those accounted for, still missing, and unaccounted for from California.
If you would like to write to families of these missing servicemen, the only way I know is to go to this website, and follow the directions on the website.
When you write the letters to the families, please make sure that you address it in reference to the missing serviceperson's family.
This is how I got in touch with Mrs. Lucy Sennett.
She is the wife of one of my missing servicemen Robert R. Sennett.
I can only imagine what these families like Mrs. Lucy Sennett have been through of not knowing.
This must be hell on earth for them.
Please, let's make their lives easier by taking the torch for them and finding out what happened to their family member, and not accepting anything but the truth, and not subjecting ourselves to the "Presumptive Finding of Death" finding.
As a person of this cause, I can honestly say, that those families expect nothing less. Let's NOT ACCEPT anything less.
This RingSurf Operation Black Flag Net Ring
owned by Mike Matteri.
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