Date:	Sunday 17 September 1972
Time:
Type:	Grumman A-6A Intruder
Owner/operator:	VA-35, US Navy
Registration:	157028
MSN:	I-497
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	8 miles W of Hai Duong, North Vietnam -   Vietnam
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	USS America (CVA-66) Yankee Station, Gulf of Tonkin
Destination airport:	USS America (CVA-66) Yankee Station, Gulf of Tonkin
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
A-6A Intruder BuNo 157028/'AJ-504' of VA-35, US Navy, on board the USS America (CVA-66). Lost on combat operations September 17, 1972: Lost about eight miles west of Hai Duong on an armed recon mission targeted in the Haiphong/Hai Duong area of North Vietnam. Believed brought down by AAA

Both crew - Commander Verne G. Donnelly (pilot) and Lt Commander Kenneth R. Buell (Bombardier/Navigator) initially posted as MIA. Neither was acknowledged by the North Vietnamese as captured, and they did not return in the POW release of 1973; it is therefore believed that they died at some point between September 17, 1972 and February 1,1973.

Lt Commander Buell was changed in status from MIA to KIA, body not recovered, with effect from March 23, 1978. Commander Donnelly was likewise changed from MIA to KIA, body not recovered, with effect from December 8, 1976.

On February 5, 1991, the U.S. Government announced that remains returned by the Vietnamese had been positively identified as those of Verne G. Donnelly. As of 31 July 2006, Ken Buell still is missing.

1. A-6 Intruder Units of the Vietnam War By Rick Morgan & Jim Laurier
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/thirdseries20.html
4. http://web.archive.org/web/20180422222159/http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/A-6.html
5. http://web.archive.org/web/20171103001143/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/aircraft_by_type/a6_prowler.htm
6. http://www.virtualwall.org/db/BuellKR01a.htm
7. https://navy.togetherweserved.com/usn/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=413739
8. http://www.virtualwall.org/dd/DonnellyVG01a.htm
9. https://www.findagrave.com/page=gr&GRid=71200973

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
20-Aug-2013 10:41	Uli Elch	Added
20-Aug-2013 10:47	Uli Elch	Updated [Date, Registration, Cn, Location, Narrative]
26-Mar-2016 01:35	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
26-Mar-2016 01:37	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Narrative]
26-Mar-2016 01:37	Dr.John Smith	Updated [Narrative]