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17 July 2000
CASUALTY DATA RESEARCH/ANALYSIS CONCERNING
REFNO 0489
On 8 October 1966, Lieutenant
(LT) John A. FELDHAUS departed the USS Oriskany in the first of two A-1H aircraft on an armed reconnaissance mission over
North Vietnam. The two pilots attacked two bridges and a suspected truck park. After determining that the truck park held
no lucrative targets, LT FELDHAUS descended in order to visually inspect an apparently well-used secondary road in the immediate
vicinity. Shortly thereafter, while heading south, LT FELDHAUS disappeared from his wingmans view behind a cloud. He reported
that he was drawing automatic weapons fire and was breaking right. linmediately thereafter, he transmitted that he was hit
and his right wing was on fire. There followed one last garbled transmission, which sounded like he was preparing to exit
the aircraft. His wingman attempted to spot his aircraft but was unable to do so until 15 to 30 seconds after the last transmission,
at which time he saw a fireball on the ground in the vicinity of grid coordinates (GC) WG 524 542. No parachute was seen.
The wingman and another flight of A-is searched the area without success. The visual search was hampered by ground fire and
deteriorating weather. Electronic surveillance continued in the succeeding days, but revealed nothing. (See Table 1 for additional
information.)
Subsequent to the incident and while carried in the status of missing-in-action (MIA) LT FELDHLAUS
was promoted to Commander (CDR).
On 26 October 1993, during the 26th Joint Field Activity (JFA), a joint U.S./Socialist Republic of Vietnam (S.R.V.) team conducted
an investigation of REFNO 0489 in Xuan Binh Village, Nhu Xuan District, Thanh Hoa Province. The team surveyed the reported
incident location in the vicinity of GC 48Q WG 524 542. There were no remains, personal effects, or any evidence of a plane
crash in the area. Local residents were unable to provide information on any incidents involving the loss of U.S. personnel.
On 1 November 1995, during the 38th JFA, a joint U.S./S.R.V. team conducted another investigation of REFNO 0489 in Xuan Binh
Village. The Vietnamese contingent canvassed villagers for possible witnesses with negative results.
On 27 November 1996, during the 43rd JFA, a joint U.S./S.R.V. team traveled to Nghia Phu Village, Nghia Dan District, Nghe
An Province to investigate REFNO 0489. The team interviewed three witnesses with possible information correlating to this
incident. Witness One led the team to a crash site in the vicinity of GC 48Q WG 592 438, and stated he saw burning flesh five
meters west of the crash site. However, during the teams site survey Witness Three informed the team the aircraft had crashed
ten meters west of Witness Ones location. The team recovered and received numerous pieces of aircraft wreckage. The team recommended
this site for excavation. Subsequent analysis of material evidence indicated the items recovered could not be correlated to
a specific aircraft type or incident.
From 26 June through 4 July 1998, during the 51st JFA, a joint U.S./S.R.V. team excavated a crash site believed to be associated
with REFNO 0489 located in the vicinity of GC WG 59492 44009 near Nghia Phu Village, Nghia Dan District, Nghe An Province.
The team opened three of 12 5-x-5-meter grid units. The team recovered numerous pieces of aircraft wreckage and two pieces
of life-support equipment. The team did not recover or receive remains or personal effects. The Recovery Leader, in consultation
with the Team Leader, suspended the excavation on 4 July 1998 due to inclement weather.
From 28 February through 18 March 2000, during the 59th JFA, a joint U.S./S.R.V. team continued excavation of the aircraft
crash site believed to be associated with REFNO 0489 near Nghia Phu Village. The team recovered possible human remains, one
1964 US dime, a unit crest from Attack Squadron 15?, numerous pieces of life support equipment, and multiple fragments of
aircraft wreckage. The Recovery Leader, in consultation with the Team Leader, suspended the excavation on 18 March 2000 due
to time constraints at the close of the 59th JFA. The U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory (CILHI) received the remains
on 26 April 2000 and assigned them accession number CILHI 2000-041. JTF-FA analysis indicated the recovered items correlated
to an A-i aircraft, but they could not be correlated to a specific model or the REFNO 0489 aircraft.
From 27 April through 16 May 2000, during the 60th JFA, a joint U.S./S.R.V. team continued excavation of a crash site believed
to be associated with REFNO 0489 near Nghia Phu Village. The team recovered possible human remains, multiple pieces of life
support equipment, and numerous fragments of aircraft wreckage. JTF-FA analysis indicated the recovered items correlated to
an A-i aircraft, but they could not be correlated to a specific model or the REFNO 0489 aircraft. Recovered life preserver
or raft material indicated that one individual was in the aircraft at the time of impact. The Recovery Leader closed the site
on 16 May 2000. The CILHI received the remains on 28 June 2000 and assigned them accession number 2000-063.
LCDR FELDHAUS is currently carried in the status of dead, body not recovered.
Table 1
LOSS INFORMATION
(TIME OF iNCIDENT)
AIRCRAFT: A-1H BUREAU NUMBER: BuNo 137629
MISSION DATE: 8 October 1966
LOCATION:
UTM GC 48Q WG 524 542 CALL SIGN: Locket 510
DISTRICT: Nhu Xuan
PROVINCE: Thanh Hoa
COUNTRY:
North Vietnam
UNIT: Attack Squadron One Fifty-Two (152) onboard
DUTY POSITION: USS Oriskany
(CVA 34)
NAME AND RANK: FELDHAUS, John A. LT/03, USN
SN/SSN: 632728/409-62-7945
STATUS: MIA
Robert C. Maves
Causalty Data Analyst
Richard B. Huston,
Casualty
Data Officer
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