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Downed but not Forgotten by Stan Stokes.
Douglas Aircraft delivered to the Navy Test Center an aircraft for testing in April 1945. This aircraft would prove to be the last of the great single engine propeller driven warbirds. Its simplicity of maintenance, excellent flight characteristics, and overall performance were all rated very good to excellent. In May, with WW II still underway the Navy entered a production order for 600 aircraft. In 1946 the aircraft was renamed the Skyraider. Powered by a 2,500 HP R-3350-24W engine turning a 4-bladed 13.5 foot prop the AD-1 Skyraider was capable of carrying 4,000 pounds of bombs and/or wing loaded rockets. Improvements continued with future variants, and when equipped with a 3,020 HP power plant, the Skyraiders payload capacity increased to a whopping 6,500 pounds, with a top speed of 328 knots. As one of the largest single engine propeller aircraft ever built, the Skyraider saw plenty of action during the Korean conflict. The AD-6 variant was produced in quantity (713), and saw plenty of service in Vietnam with the Navy, Marine Corps., USAF, and Vietnam Air Force. Despite the availability of high performance jet aircraft, the Skyraider proved its value on numerous occasions in Vietnam by providing close in support of ground troops. Colonel Bernard Fisher is depicted in Stan Stokes painting during a mission in the A Shau Valley on March 10, 1966. A US Special Forces camp had faced several days of heavy attack by a large force of North Vietnamese troops, who had brought in ack-ack guns in anticipation of Air Force support. The monsoon season was still underway, and the North Vietnamese knew that this would also hinder American air support. Jet aircraft were of little use due to the low ceilings, and an AC-47 gunship and helicopter had both been downed while making low passes. A1-E Skyraiders from the 1st Air Commando Squadron at Pleiku were scrambled to support the Special Forces. During the second day in support of the A Shau battle, one Skyraider, piloted by Col. Dafford Jump Myers, was severely damaged, and in flames. The only alternative was an emergency landing on the airstrip in the lower-valley camp. Fisher, guided the stricken aircraft in for a belly landing. Failing to jettison his 300 gallon drop tank, Myers Skyraider landed in a ball of flame as it skidded down the make shift runway. Myers successfully escaped the burning wreckage, but was within yards of enemy ground forces. Fisher and several other Skyraiders made several low passes laying down strafing fire and dropping ordnance. With any chance of helicopter rescue many minutes away, Col. Fisher took matters into his own hands and landed his own aircraft on the damaged and refuse-laden landing strip, successfully rescuing his downed comrade. Fishers Skyraider received 19 bullet holes, and for his heroic efforts Col. Fisher became the first USAF officer to receive the Medal of Honor in Southeast Asia. Col. Fisher now resides in Idaho. |
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