This Military Service Page was created/owned by
TSgt Michael Ceballos (CB)
to remember
Knight, Larry Dale, Maj.
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On 7 October 1966, Capt. James A Treece, pilot, and then 1st Lt. Larry D. Knight, co-pilot, comprised the crew of an RF-4C (#65-0885) which departed Tan Son Nhut Airbase on a single aircraft night photo reconnaissance mission. Their target is described as being "3 specified strips" in the vicinity of the major South Vietnamese port city of Hue, Thua Thien Province, South Vietnam.
Their assigned flight path took the RF4C from Tan Son Nhut Airbase to Ban Me Thuot, to Plieku, to the target area, and return to Tan Son Nhut. The weather conditions during this mission ranged from rain showers to scattered thunderstorms.
At 2143 hours, the Phantom crew was approximately 45 nautical miles northeast of DaNang on a heading of 195 degrees when they established their last radio contact with "Panama COI," the radar air control tower/site located at DaNang Airbase. The air controller tracked the RF4C over the Gulf of Tonkin as it initiated a left turn, passing through 240 degrees and beginning its target run. The air controller then turned his attention to another aircraft with the RF4C was 20 miles from the shoreline heading toward land and its photo run. Because of this fact, there is no way to know for sure if James Treece and Larry Knight disappeared over water where they were last traced, or if they were over land in their target area where they were heading.
By 2350 hours, Capt. Treece and 1st Lt. Knight failed to return to Tan Son Nhut Airbase and they were declared overdue. The next morning an extensive search and rescue (SAR) effort was initiated and continued through 12 October. The first day 100% of the off shore area was searched by 2 UH16 aircraft. The land search was delayed until 10 October due to poor weather. Once it cleared sufficiently, the shoreline and inland area were also searched using 2 A-1Es, 2 O-1Es and 2 Army helicopters. During this time none of the aircrews participating in the search found any trace of the missing aircraft or its crew. Likewise, no emergency beepers were heard. At the time the formal SAR effort was terminated, both James Treece and Larry Knight were listed Missing in Action.
This Veteran has an (IMO) In Memory Of Headstone in Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial, Hawaii with another memorial in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.
Other Comments:
Notes/Links:
http://taskforceomegainc.org/k033.htm
http://www.facesfromthewall.com/orvn/OR1966oct.html
http://www.vvmf.org/thewall/Wall_Id_No=28421 (photo)
http://www.findagrave.com/ (photo and memorial)
The 12th Reconnaissance Squadron plans and executes worldwide high-altitude combat surveillance and reconnaissance missions including peacetime intelligence gathering, contingency operations and conventional warfare. Operating the RQ-4B Global Hawk Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), the 12 RS provides signals intelligence and near real-time imagery intelligence to fulfill operational requirements generated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff in support of the Secretary of Defense and unified commanders.
Reactivated at Beale AFB, California in 2001 operating unmanned RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial reconnaissance aircraft as part of the Global War on Terror. In March 2013, the squadron was re-assigned to the reactivated 69th Reconnaissance Group as part of the consolidation of the USAF Global Hawk mission.[3] The 12th Reconnaissance Squadron still operates from Beale Air Force Base in California.
