IN REMEMBRANCE OF THIS FINE YOUNG UNITED STATES AIR FORCE OFFICER WHOSE NAME SHALL LIVE FOREVER MORE
Posted for: DONALD RICHARD KEMMERER:

MAJOR

DONALD RICHARD KEMMERER

and

MAJOR

ALBERT LINWOOD PAGE JR.


390th TACTICAL FIGHTER SQUADRON

Da Nang Air Base

The F4 PHANTOM, used by Air Force, Marine and Navy air wings, served a multitude of functions including fighter-bomber and interceptor, photo and electronic surveillance.

The two man aircraft was extremely fast (Mach 2), and had a long range (900 - 2300 miles, depending on stores and mission type).

The F4 was also extremely maneuverable and handled well at low and high altitudes.

The F4 was selected for a number of state-of-the-art electronics conversions, which improved radar intercept and computer bombing capabilities enormously.

Most pilots considered it one of the "hottest" planes around.

Captain Donald Richard Kemmerer and Captain Albert Linwood Page Jr. were co-pilots of an F4C PHANTOM fighter jet dispatched from Da Nang on a strike mission over North Vietnam on 6 August 1967.

Their aircraft was the lead plane in a two-aircraft flight.

When Page and Kemmerer were over the target, their aircraft was seen to be hit by hostile fire.

Page and Kemmerer radioed that they were ejecting while the aircraft was still near the target area.

One engine was observed to be on fire, and the aircraft crashed in the water.

The flight was, at that time, about 10 miles north of the city of Vinh Linh in Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam.

The aircraft crashed less than 5 miles offshore.

No parachutes had been observed exiting the failing aircraft, nor had emergency radio beeper signals been heard.

It was not certain if either crewman safely exited the aircraft, but as death was not confirmed, the two were classified as Missing In Action.

Since American involvement in Vietnam ended in 1975, nearly 10,000 reports relating to Americans missing, prisoner, or otherwise unaccounted for in Indochina have been received by the U.S. Government.

Many officials, having examined this largely classified information, have reluctantly concluded that many Americans are still alive today, held captive by our long-ago enemy.

Whether Page and Kemmerer survived the over-water crash of their aircraft to be captured by the multitude of enemy fishing and military vessels often found along the coastline is certainly not known.





/ / / / / MISSING IN ACTION \ \ \ \ \





YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

NOR SHALL YOU EVER BE
Posted by: CLAY MARSTON
Email: CMARSTON@INTERLOG.COM
Relationship: BIOGRAPHICAL RESEARCHER - USAF
Sunday, October 21, 2007
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