|
Air Force
Captain Nobe Ray Koontz Jr. was assigned to the 469th Tactical Fighter
Squadron at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand in 1968.
Between July 1 and September 30, 1968, the 469th flew 1,555 combat
missions over Laos and North Vietnam in the F-105D Thunderchief.
Their main objective was the interdiction of vital lines of
communication. During this period, Captain Koontz was one of
nine squadron pilots who completed their 100th combat mission over
North Vietnam.
According to Air Force historical records, an unnamed pilot of the
469th Tactical Fighter Squadron was killed in a freak landing accident
at DaNang AFB in South Vietnam on August 17, 1968. Defense
Department records indicate that Captain Koontz was killed on August
17, 1968 in Quang Nam Province, South Vietnam, where DaNang AFB is
located. His casualty status was "air loss--crash on
land."
|
