ABBOTT, WILFRED KEESE
Name: Wilfred Keese Abbott
Rank/Branch: O3/US Air Force
Unit: VF 111 (on exchange duty with the United States Navy - detached from
the 4600th ABW)
Date of Birth:
Home City of Record: Afton WY
Date of Loss: 05 September 1966
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 202000N 1055500E (WH956484)
Status (in 1973): Released POW
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F8E
Other Personnel in Incident: none
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 April 1990 from one or more of the
following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with
POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W.
NETWORK.
REMARKS: 730304 RELSD BY DRV
SYNOPSIS: The Vought F8 "Crusader" saw action early in U.S. involvement in
Southeast Asia. Its fighter models participated both in the first Gulf of
Tonkin reprisal in August 1964 and in the myriad attacks against North
Vietnam during Operation Rolling Thunder. The Crusader was used exclusively
by the Navy and Marine air wings (although there is one U.S. Air Force pilot
who was shot down on an F8E) and represented half or more of the carrier
fighters in the Gulf of Tonkin during the first four years of the war. The
aircraft was credited with nearly 53% of MiG kills in Vietnam.
The most frequently used fighter versions of the Crusader in Vietnam were
the C, D, and E models although the H and J were also used. The Charlie
carried only Sidewinders on fuselage racks, and were assigned such missions
as CAP (Combat Air Patrol), flying at higher altitudes. The Echo model had a
heavier reinforced wing able to carry extra Sidewinders or bombs, and were
used to attack ground targets, giving it increased vulnerability. The Echo
version launched with less fuel, to accommodate the larger bomb store, and
frequently arrived back at ship low on fuel. The RF models were equipped for
photo reconnaissance.
The combat attrition rate of the Crusader was comparable to similar
fighters. Between 1964 to 1972, eighty-three Crusaders were either lost or
destroyed by enemy fire. Another 109 required major rebuilding. 145 Crusader
pilots were recovered; 57 were not. Twenty of these pilots were captured and
released. The other 43 remained missing at the end of the war.
Capt. Wilfred K. Abbott was a pilot who was shot down over North Vietnam on
Septemer 5, 1966 in an F8E. His mission had taken him near the borders of
Nunh Binh and Nam Ha Provinces, and he was shot down about 10 miles
northwest of the city of Ninh Binh. Capt. Abbott successfully ejected from
the aircraft, although he was seriously injured, and was captured by the
North Vietnamese.
For the next seven years, Capt. Abbott was held in various prisoner of war
camps, including the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" complex in Hanoi. He was
released in the general prisoner release in 1973.
Since the war ended, nearly 10,000 reports relating to Americans missing,
prisoner or unaccounted for in Southeast Asia have been received by the U.S.
Government. Many authorities who have examined this largely classified
information are convinced that hundreds of Americans are still held captive
today. These reports are the source of serious distress to many returned
American prisoners. They had a code that no one could honorably return
unless all of the prisoners returned. Not only that code of honor, but the
honor of our country is at stake as long as even one man remains unjustly
held. It's time we brought our men home.
SOURCE: WE CAME HOME copyright 1977
Captain and Mrs. Frederic A Wyatt (USNR Ret), Barbara Powers Wyatt, Editor
P.O.W. Publications, 10250 Moorpark St., Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Text is reproduced as found in the original publication (including date and
spelling errors).
UPDATE - 09/95 by the P.O.W. NETWORK, Skidmore, MO
WILFRED K. ABBOTT
Major - United States Air Force
Shot Down: September 5, 1966
Released: March 4, 1973
I was born in Lancaster, California and was raised in both Lancaster and
Bishop, California. After graduating from high school in Lancaster, I
attended Pasadena City College. In 1957 I entered the Air Force Aviation
Cadet Program, receiving my wings and commission in 1958. Upon completion of
advanced training, my first operational assignment was in Kansas City,
Missouri. While there, I met and married my wife, Sharon. We have managed to
raise two fine sons, Michael 13 and Steve 12, during my numerous regular and
temporary duty tours, as well as see and enjoy much of the USA. My
assignment to Southeast Asia was an exchange tour with the Navy on board the
USS Oriskany.
I was flying my Navy F-8 Crusader on a bright sunny day, September 5, when I
was shot down over North Vietnam. In the ejection my right leg was broken.
After the leg was finally operated on, I was in a cast for about four
months. It took about two years with my roommates' help to achieve full use
of the leg. It was my constant desire not to be a cripple so as to fly again
someday. Other than my leg, the treatment and daily routine as a prisoner of
war was similar to that described by most of the men. The food was just
enough to sustain life. A constant battle was to keep our minds active. In
the early years communication was extremely limited, but in the last couple
of years we were able to conduct our own educational programs--courses in
everything from languages and mathematics to meat cutting, duplicate bridge
and Toastmasters.
Confidence is perhaps the one word that best describes what sustained me
through the years. Confidence in my God, my country, my fellow POWs, my
family. At the same time what hurt most was the Americans who came to Hanoi
in so-called "peace" delegations. They allowed themselves to be used as
propaganda tools by the North Vietnamese against us (the POWs) and our
forces in South Vietnam. By exploiting the treasured American right to
dissent, as characterized by the anti-war movement, the North Vietnamese
tried to undermine our loyalty to the American commitment in Vietnam. Our
defense against this tactic was an awareness of the nature of the American
free press. True brainwashing took place with the North Vietnamese people
who were subjected to a totally controlled government press which distorted
the true image of America.
As a native of California it was a special joy to reenter the US after six
and a half years by circling the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Bay. My
homecoming has served to reenforce the beliefs in America which sustained me
during my years as a prisoner. The warmth and sincerity of the welcome by
all Americans has been overwhelming. I am eager to resume my Air Force
career, while enjoying this great country with my family.
Wilfred Abbott retired from the United States Air Force as a Colonel. He and
his wife Sharon reside in Alaska.
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