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HERE
This Remembrance Profile was originally created by Sgt Stephen Willcox - Deceased
Casualty Info
Home Town Birmingham, Alabama
Last Address Korat RTAFB, Thailand
Casualty Date Feb 29, 1968
Cause MIA-Finding of Death
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Land
Location Vietnam, North (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Elmwood Cemetery and Mausoleum - Birmingham, Alabama
On February 29, 1968, the 44th TFS lost its fifth Commando Nail aircraft, this one to a SAM. The plane crashed in RP 6B, North Vietnam. The crew, 'Ozark 03', was providing Wild Weasel support to a strike against a Hanoi vehicle facility. Maj. Crosley James Fitton, Jr. and his EWO Capt. Cleveland Scott Harris both died. Their aircraft, F-105F 63-8312, was one of the squadron's six dual-capable planes and one of the original four Ryan's Raider aircraft that had arrived at Korat from Yokota on April 24, 1967."
Source: http://goliath.ecnext.com
"During the mission, the aircraft was hit by a surface-to-air missile (SAM). Others in the flight observed both Fitton and Harris bail out with good parachutes. The flight leader tracked both on radar and picked up both emergency radio beeper signals. The beepers, which must be manually shut off, stopped shortly after the crewmen landed on the ground.
Although Fitton and Harris landed safely on the ground, it was not certain what happened to them after that. Both were declared Missing in Action..
In 1975, the Vietnamese discovered and returned the remains of Crosley J. Fitton. It was another ten years before Harris was to return. His remains were turned over to U.S. Control in April of 1985."
Source: http://www.scopesys.com
Comments/Citation:
Additional Information from http://www.footnote.com:
Major Command: 7th Air Force
Air Wing: 388th TFW
Squadron: 44th TFS
Koffelt database indicates stationed at FTAFB
