ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 158675
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| Date: | Friday 2 January 1970 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Grumman A-6A Intruder |
| Owner/operator: | VA-196, US Navy |
| Registration: | 152937 |
| MSN: | I-241 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | near Ban Na Phao/Mu Gia Pass, Khammouan Province, Laos -
 Laos
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | USS Ranger (CVA-61) off east coast of Vietnam |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
A‑6A Intruder BuNo. 152937/'NE-507' of VA‑196, US Navy, as part of CVW-2 on board the USS Ranger (CVA-61). Destroyed on combat operations on January 2, 1970: mission was a raid on a storage dump near Ban Na Phao/Mu Gia Pass, Khammouan Province, in southern Laos. Shot down by AAA over Khammouan Province, Laos. AAA was suspected as the cause of the loss, although premature bomb detonation could not be ruled out. Both crew ejected but both KIA. It is believed that the navigator was captured and escaped 3 times but recaptured and died in captivity.
Crew of BuNo 152937 were: Lt Commander Nicholas George Brooks (bobardier/navigator ejected, but Died While posted Missing In Action) and Lt Bruce Carlton Fryar (Pilot). Later information would indicate that Brooks may have been captured by the Pathet Lao and executed.
In "Vietnam Air Losses" Chris Hobson offers the following description of Lieutenant Brooks' loss in A-6A BuNo 152937:
"Two Intruders were dispatched on a raid on a storage dump near the Mu Gia Pass in southern Laos under the control of a USAF Forward Air Controller (FAC). As Lt Fryar made his second 40 degree dive on the target the aircraft was seen to explode at about 5,400 feet and the starboard wing separated from the aircraft. Two good parachutes were seen by both the FAC and the other Intruder crew. One of the crew was seen lying on the ground still attached to his parachute.
A para rescueman was lowered to the ground and tried to attach a hoist to the airman, who was identified as Lt Fryar and was apparently dead, but heavy ground fire forced the helicopter away and the para rescueman only just escaped with his life. Encroaching darkness put an end to further rescue attempts that day..."
When SAR efforts began again at dawn on January 3 1970, Lt Fryar's body and parachute had been removed. Although intermittent emergency radio "beeper" signals were heard, no contact of any kind was made with Lt Brooks. Both men were classed as Missing in Action.
On February 3, 1982, Nicholas Brooks' remains were repatriated, with positive identification announced on March 4, 1982. At his family's request, his remains were buried at sea on March 25, 1982.
Bruce Fryar's remains have not been repatriated.
Sources:
1. A-6 Intruder Units of the Vietnam War By Rick Morgan
2. U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Aircraft Damaged or Destroyed During the Vietnam War By Douglas E. Campbell
3. http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries19.html
4. http://web.archive.org/web/20171103001143/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/aircraft_by_type/a6_prowler.htm
5. http://web.archive.org/web/20180422222159/http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/A-6.html
6. http://www.virtualwall.org/db/BrooksNG01a.htm
7. https://www.findagrave.com/page=gr&GRid=91101237
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 20-Aug-2013 07:56 | Uli Elch | Added |
| 20-Aug-2013 08:10 | Uli Elch | Updated [Date, Registration, Cn, Location, Country, Narrative] |
| 21-Mar-2016 14:59 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Mar-2016 15:01 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 31-May-2021 18:54 | Anon. | Updated [[Narrative]] |
| 08-Apr-2024 17:47 | Don Fraser | Updated [Narrative] |
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