Date:	Tuesday 19 December 1972
Time:	01:15 LT
Type:	Grumman A-6A Intruder
Owner/operator:	VA-196, US Navy
Registration:	155594
MSN:	I-320
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	8 miles S of Haiphong, North Vietnam -   Vietnam
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	USS Enterprise (CVW-9) Yankee Station, Gulf of Tonkin
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
A‑6A Intruder BuNo. 155594/'NK-511' (Call Sign MILESTONE 511) of VA-196 aboard the USS Enterprise (CVAN-65) as part of CVW‑9. Lost on combat operations on night of December 19-20, 1972: Hit by AAA over Haiphong, North Vietnam. Aircraft caught fire, was hit on the left wing and crew radioed at 01:15 that they were bailing out. According to published sources:

"Pilot, Commander Gordon Nakagawa, and his Bombardier/Navigator, Lt Ken H. Higdon were scheduled for a night strike on Haiphong Harbour, with future author Steven Coonts as their wingman. The Executive Officer had serious aircraft problems as he tried to hit his target, being unable to release any ordnance. They were making another pass on the target when their A-6A (BuNo 155594) was hit hard by AAA.

Nakagawa and Higdon tried to head out to sea with their ordnance, 16 x 500-lb bombs, still under their wings, but the aircraft, now described as a blowtorch, gave up the ghost about three miles from the beach and both men ejected. Although they were able to join up after hitting the ground, Higdon was injured and insisted that the Executive Officer try to evade capture without him. Both were soon captured, however, and became PoWs.

Their A-6 would be the final 'Milestone' jet lost in Vietnam, and on a night when the USAF had six B-52s destroyed. Nakagawa, of Asian descent, would receive 'special attention' from his captors. He would eventually be released on March 29, 1973 rejoining VA-196 as its Commanding Officer in July 1974, with now Commander Lyle Bull as his Executive Officer."

However, of the two crew, Lt Ken Higdon was released first, on February 2 1973

1. U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Aircraft Damaged or Destroyed During the Vietnam War By Douglas E. Campbell
2. A-6 Intruder Units of the Vietnam War By Rick Morgan & Jim Laurier
3. http://web.archive.org/web/20180422222159/http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/A-6.html
4. http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries19.html
5. http://web.archive.org/web/20171103001143/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/aircraft_by_type/a6_prowler.htm
6. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6504268
7. http://web.archive.org/web/20160322182439/http://www.public.navy.mil/airfor/enterprise/Documents/Enterprise/memorial.html
8. https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/jshappell/3254956752/

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
20-Aug-2013 09:00	Uli Elch	Added
20-Aug-2013 09:20	Uli Elch	Updated [Date, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Narrative]
26-Mar-2016 03:33	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Time, Operator, Total fatalities, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
26-Mar-2016 03:33	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Narrative]