CROSBY, FREDERICK PETER

Name: Frederick Peter Crosby
Rank/Branch: O4/US Navy
Unit:
Date of Birth: 15 June 1933
Home City of Record: Orlando FL
Date of Loss: 01 June 1965
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 195759N 1054957E (WH871078)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 3
Aircraft/Veicle/Ground: RF8A
Refno No: 0090
Other Personnel in Incident: (none missing)

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: GFIRE CRASH - EXPLODE - J

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 reported shot down
on an F8) 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-A models were equipped for photo reconnaissance. The RF-G
were also photographic versions, but with additional cameras and navigational
equipment.

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. In addition, there were 16
pilots who went down on photographic versions of the aircraft. Of these 16,
seven were captured (six were released, one died in captivity).

Lt.Cdr. Frederick P. Crosby was the pilot of an RF8A on a combat mission in
Thanh Hoa Province, North Vietnam on June 1, 1965. As he was about 5 miles
northeast of the city of Thanh Hoa, his aircraft was hit by enemy fire, crashed
and exploded. It was felt that there was little or no hope that he survived, and
Crosby was declared Killed/Body Not Recovered. Located near the city of Thanh
Hoa was the famed "Dragon Jaw" bridge which was the object of many vain bombing
attempts in 1965 and 1966.

Crosby is listed among the missing because his remains were never located to
return home. He is among over 2300 still prisoner, missing, or otherwise
unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.

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. Fighter pilots in Vietnam were called upon to fly in many dangerous
circumstances, and were prepared to be wounded, killed, or captured. It
probably never occurred to them that some of them could be abandoned by the
country they proudly served.

---

Use your Browser's BACK function to return to the PREVIOUS page

---